Assoc.prof. Katerina Lazarova, PhD

PhD in Physical Chemistry: Institute of Optical Materials and Technologies „Acad. J. Malinowski”, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria (2016)

Master in Physics of Plasma: Sofia State University, Faculty of Physics, Major “Physics of Plasma”, MSc; (2006)

• 16.03. 2021 – 01.11.2022

Institute of optical materials and technologies, Bulgarian Academy of sciences

Science, Chief Assistant Professor

• 14.03.2019 – 15.03. 2021

Institute of optical materials and technologies, Bulgarian Academy of sciences

Science, Postdoctoral fellow “ Easy-to-use humidity sensor for application in medicine

and environment control”

• 16.03.2017 – 13.03.2019

Institute of optical materials and technologies, Bulgarian Academy of sciences, Chief Assistant Professor

• 06.01.2016 – 15.03.2017

Institute of optical materials and technologies, Bulgarian Academy of sciences, Research fellow/Assistant Professor

• 01.01.2013 – 05.01.2016

Institute of optical materials and technologies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Physicist

• 11.09.2006 – 31.12.2012

23th High School “Frederic Joliot – Curie”, Teacher of Physics and Astronomy

Optics, Thin films optics, Spectroscopy, Multilayered systems,Optical coatings, Polymers, Metal oxides, Optical sensors, Sol-gel, Spin-coating

• more than 43 scientific paper in international peer-reviewed journals, 31 of which with IF and SJR
• 75 participations in international and national conferences
• more than 160 citations
• H-index = 8 (Scopus)
• Editor of special issues in Sensors(MDPI) and Gels(MDPI)

1. “ Nanostructured thin film coatings based on ZrO2 and ZnO for applications in various optoelectronic devices and gas sensors ”, National Scientific Fund, co-coordinator, member
2. "Development of Mesoporous Oxide Thin Films with Application in Ecology", member, scientific advisor
3. “Easy-to-use humidity sensor for application in medicine and environment control”, project coordinator
4. “SiO2-active medium in opto-chemical sensors and template for making porous materials”, КP-06-PМ48/3, member
5. “Synthesis of coal ash zeolites for adsorption, catalytic destruction and detection of atmospheric pollutants”, National Scientific Fund, member
6. „Deposition and characterization of nanosized films from oxide-zeolite composites, polymers and graphene for implementation as active media for optical sensors”, National Scientific Fund, member
7. “Zeolite nanostructures for optical applications",National Scientific Fund, member

1. Secretary of the Bulgarian Zeolite Association, BZA - member of the Federation of European Zeolite Associations (FEZA) - current
2. American Chemical Society (ACS) member, 2014-2015

1. Scholarship Training Program HST 2012, CERN, Switzerland

2. Scholarship for training in high-tech infrastructure, LCS, Caen, France

3. Best oral report in V-th Scientific seminar of Physical Chemistry for young scientists and graduate students, Sofia, Bulgaria, IPC, 19-21 April 2016

4. Best poster in International conference "19th International school on condensed matter physics", Varna, Bulgaria, September 2016.

5. Best poster in the Seventh Scientific Session "Young scientists in the world of polymers", Institute of Polymers - BAS, Sofia, Bulgaria, June 9, 2016

6. Best lecture award in International conference “Cereer in Polymers IX”, 28-29 June 2017, Prague, Czech republic

7. 1st prize for "Best lecture" of VII-th National student scientific conference on physics and engineering technologies, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, 31 November-1 December 2018

8. 1 sup>st place from 7 candidates in IOMT for NATIONAL PROGRAM Young Scientists and Postdoctoral Fellows, 3 years Postdoctoral grant (2019-2021).

9. Certificate for achieved results with especially significant scientific contribution and for successful implementation of a project DFNP-17-97 under the Program for Assistance to Young Scientists and PhD Students at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

1. Babeva, T, Awala, H, Vasileva, M, Fallah, J. El, Lazarova, K, Thomas, S, Mintova, S. Zeolite films as building blocks for antireflective coatings and vapor responsive Bragg stacks. Dalton Transactions, 43, 2014, 8868-8876. JCR-IF (Web of Science):4.197 Q1
2. Lazarova, K,, Awala, H, Thomas, S, Vasileva, M, Mintova, S, Babeva, T. Vapor responsive one-dimensional photonic crystals from zeolite nanoparticles and metal oxide films for optical sensing. Sensors, 14, 2014, 12207-12218. JCR-IF (Web of Science):2.264 Q2
3. Lazarova, K, Georgiev, R, Vasileva, M, Georgieva, B, Spassova, M, Malinowski, N, Babeva, T. One-dimensional PMMA–V2O5 photonic crystals used as color indicators of chloroform vapors. Optical and Quantum Electronics, 48:310, Springer, 2016, ISSN:0306-8919, DOI:10.1007/s11082-016-0577-z, JCR-IF (Web of Science):1.055 Q2
4. Lazarova, K, Vasileva, M, Ivanova, S, Novakov, Ch, Christova, D, Babeva, T. Influence of Macromolecular Architecture on the Optical and Humidity-Sensing Properties of Poly(N,N-Dimethylacrylamide)-Based Block Copolymers. 10, Polymers, 2018, DOI:10.3390/polym10070769, ISI IF:2.935 Q1
5. Lazarova, K., Christova, D, Georgiev, R, Georgieva, B, Babeva, T. Optical Sensing of Humidity Using Polymer Top-Covered Bragg Stacks and Polymer/Metal Thin Film Structures. Nanomaterials, 9, MDPI, 2019, ISSN:20794991, DOI:10.3390/nano9060875, 875. JCR-IF (Web of Science):4.034 Q1
6. Lazarova, K., Boycheva, S., Vasileva, M., Zgureva, D., Georgieva, B., Babeva, T. Acetone-sensitive thin films comprising coal fly ash Na-X zeolites and sol-gel Nb2O5 matrix. Nanomaterials, 11, MDPI, 2021, 2399. SJR (Scopus):0.92 Q1
7. Marinov, G., Alexieva, G., Lazarova, K., Gergova, R., Ivanov, P., Babeva, T. Optimization of Electrospray Deposition Conditions of ZnO Thin Films for Ammonia Sensing. Nanomaterials, 14, 12, MDPI, 2024, ISSN:20794991, DOI:10.3390/nano14121008, 1008. SJR (Scopus):0.798, JCR-IF (Web of Science):4.4 Q1