Young scientists

IS THE SCIENCE OF AIR POLLUTION ATTRACTIVE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN EUROPE?
Would you like to share your opinion, to point out problems or questions? - You are welcome to contribute to the EURASAP newsletter visiting the EURASAP home page.

Kremena Darmenova (Age 24) - MSc in Meteorology, Faculty of Physics, Sofia University, second specialisation - Astronomy

Kremena is a fellow of the World Federation of Scientists for 1999 and works on Air Pollution Modelling for the exploitation of the Kozlodui Nuclear Power Plant at the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH), Sofia.

She started working in Science at NIMH and would like to continue, possibly in USA. She is the youngest member of EURASAP in Bulgaria and she volunteered to interview some of her university colleagues for their opinion on the followingquestions:(to answer - please fill in the form)

Miroslav Danchev (Age 26)- PhD student at the Department of Atomic Physics, Faculty of Physics, Sofia University, second specialisation - Meteorology

  1. I decided to study Meteorology to easier find a job.
  2. About air pollution modelling I first learnt from the lectures on Environment protection at the University. This field of meteorology is not very interesting for me, but if a well-paid job were offered I would work in it.
  3. It is good choice for young people to work in science, this is interesting and brings satisfaction. Unfortunately, work in science is not well paid. More and more today in science one has to meet objectives of programmes and projects, fulfil deadlines and in this way science is always applied.

Ilian Todorov (Age 26) - MSc in Physics of Nucleus and Elementary Particles, Faculty of Physics, Sofia University, second specialisation - Meteorology, MSc in Chemical Science within TEMPUS Programme

  1. I was always willing to study meteorology, but decided it is well worth studying some more fundamental discipline as well. That is why Meteorology is my second field.
  2. I first read about air pollution in the "Orbita" newspaper when I was a secondary school student. This field of Meteorology is as important as Synoptics and I think it has future.
  3. I would like to work in Physics and most likely I will try to go to such a centre in Europe, since in Bulgaria this is now not possible.

Tzveta Kassabova (Age 23) - MSc in Meteorology, Faculty of Physics, Sofia University, second specialisation - Geophysics

  1. I was always willing to work in Physics. The specialisation I like most is Earth Sciences.
  2. About air pollution I first learned from the lectures at the University. The field of air pollution modelling is not interesting for me.
  3. It was interesting to study Physics, but scientific work would not please me. Looks dull to analyse data and write programmes what young people usually have to do. I am afraid this will be forever, not only in the beginning.

Peniu Hristov (Age 24) - MSc in Meteorology, Faculty of Physics, Sofia University

  1. Physics is a very interesting science for me. I chose Meteorology as specialisation because it seemed more real for me than other specialisation and because I hope to find a better job.
  2. The lectures on Environment protection first acquainted me with the field of Air Pollution. This topic is among the less attractive in Meteorology but I could work in it.
  3. After 5 year-study in Physics, I would like to continue working in science.

Ivan Tzonevski (Age 26) - MSc in Meteorology, Faculty of Physics, Sofia University, second specialisation - Astronomy

  1. I found Physics the best of natural sciences as it gives detailed knowledge of Nature and a profound way of looking at things.
  2. University lectures on Environment Protection acquainted me with Air Pollution. This field looks dull for me.
  3. I like Synoptics, I already started and would like to continue working as a forecaster.

Assen Mutafov (Age 29) - MSc in Astronomy, Faculty of Physics, Sofia Universitys, second specialisation - Geophysics

  1. Whilw yet in school I was interested in Earth Sciences and that is why Physics in the University was my natural choice.
  2. From interest-oriented classes at school I heard about Air Pollution. Later I was searching the Internet in connection with Gamma Ray Bursts and their optical counterparts. The identification of these objects is strongly dependent on Air Pollution.
  3. I have worked for 5 years at the Institute of Astronomy, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. But the low salary forced me to leave and work in a field far from science. Earth sciences are now only hobby for me.

Gergana Iancheva (Age 26) - MSc in Geophysics, Faculty of Physics, Sofia University at present PhD at the Institute of Geophysics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

  1. Geoscience has always been interesting for me and that is why I studied Geophysics.
  2. About air and soil pollution I learned at the laboratory I am working at present. Here, we measure the content of heavy metals in soil close to highways by a magnetometer. This is very interesting for me.
  3. In Bulgaria I am not motivated to work in science, so I am starting a specialisation in Germany this autumn.

Hristo Iliev (Age 26) - MSc in statistics, University for National and World Economy.

  1. I think that natural sciences and earth sciences in particular are very important. My master thesis was on statistical analysis of the influence of solar activity on wheat in Bulgaria. For this purpose I had to learn in details the peculiarities of climate in different regions of the country.
  2. About air, water and soil pollution I learned at school from interest-oriented classes and magazines. If I want to learn something now, I search the INTERNET.
  3. In Bulgaria science can be only a hobby. I am interested in astronomy. Working as system administrator, I get enough money to be able to buy literature. From the INTERNET I download data and information. In this way I keep a good level, although I am not professional astronomer. This is the only way you can live in Bulgaria and be interested in science.
Young scientists

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