Denkov Nikolai

Nikolai Denkov is a Professor of Physical Chemistry at Sofia University's Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, leading the Laboratory of Active Formulations and Materials since 2017. His administrative roles include Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering (2008–2015), Deputy Minister (2014–2016), and Minister of Education and Science of Bulgaria (2017). He holds a DSc from Sofia University (2007) and has authored over 160 peer-reviewed articles with an h-index of 45.

Research focuses on colloid science, surfactant systems, and interfacial phenomena, including foam rheology, emulsion stability, and self-shaping of oil droplets. His studies bridge fundamental physics and industrial applications in cleaning agents, food technology, and pharmaceuticals. Key contributions include discovering antifoam mechanisms and self-emulsification processes.

• Recipient of the Solvay Prize (2019) and Bulgaria's highest scientific honor, 'Pythagoras' (2010)
• Supervised 12 PhD students and led 40+ industry-funded projects with companies like Unilever and BASF
• Active in international organizations: IACIS Council member, ERC panel chair, and ESA advisor

His work emphasizes translational research, with patents in formulation technologies and over 7,300 citations. Current research explores smart materials and micro/nanostructured systems.