University Center for Space Research and Technologies
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The scope of activities of University Center for Space Research and Technologies (UCSRT) includes fundamental and applied research in the field of theoretical and experimental physics, space physics, geophysics, atmospheric physics, space, astrophysics, cosmology, space-materials science, development of mathematical models of processes in the near and distant space. At the Center, research and educational activities are performed in the field of space research and technologies, which have applications in electronics, telecommunications, geophysics, meteorology, ecology, archeology and other fields. The Center performs also research on properties of materials for space technologies.

University Center for Space Research and Technologies is an independent research and educational unit of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski", founded in 1987 and reorganized in 1992 into Unit of the Faculty of Physics. University Centre for Space Research and Technology has its own Rules of Operation, which are approved by decision of the Academic Council of Sofia University. According to the Council, UCSRT represents Sofia University and the Physics Faculty before the national and international bodies and organizations for Space Research.

UCSRT coordinates and manages the efforts of scientists from various departments of Sofia University and Bulgarian Academy Sciences in temporary research teams, which accomplish scientific tasks related to Space Research and Technologies. Therefore, the Center has associated one internationally recognized observatory (IAU A79), companies (such as O&K),active student workshop on astronomy, as well as individual professionals. The Center forms temporary laboratories on different scientific high-priority hot topics.

Applied research fields of the Centre include development of IR, UV and visible imaging systems and photometry for remote sensing observations from aircrafts, UAVs and satellites, research of Solar and Space Impacts on the Environment and applications of Space Research and Technologies in Archaeological research and prospecting. It includes also research and location of asteroids and dangerous Near- Earth Objects (NEO) and assessment of the damage which they can produce in result of potential collisions.

The Center has a highly qualified teaching staff, and its scientific production is published in journals, monographs and encyclopedias, some of which are issued by world-known academic publishers such as Elsevier and Thompson company issuing also ISI Citation index. Two of these monographs are awarded by an International Union of UNESCO Prize for the best publication in the relevant scientific field during the year.

The scientific outcome of the Center is significantly higher than the average production of the departments in the Faculty of Physics, despite its smaller staff: the results of the research activities of the members of the Center are published in 750 publications in scientific journals, monographs (mostly international), and conference proceedings, from which 560 publications in journals with impact factor.

Their results are presented in 167 reports at international congresses, conferences, symposia and schools, as of them are invited or plenary talks.

They are cited worldwide 31290 times from foreign scientists, and research teams 89 from the papers are cited more than 89 times, each (h-factor 89).

Specialists of the Center lead national and international research projects and programs. They have participated in one European international, 3 Italian and two Canadian research projects. At the moment they are leading two international research programs of one international scientific union. They review articles in prestigious international journals; are members of the editorial boards of international journals, editors of foreign monographs; evaluate Italian research projects in the fields of physics, astrophysics and Earth sciences; and participate in the appraisal of Italian universities. They chaired scientific organizing committees of five international scientific schools and conferences, and 6 sessions of other international conferences.

Specialists from UCSRT participate in large international collaborations and experiments in elementary particle physics, such as ATLAS, CHORUS, DELPHI, HARP, OPERA and H1.

The only Archaeo-geophysics laboratory in Bulgaria operates at the UCSRT.

The Center has intensive international collaborations with Universities and scientific institutions in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa, Serbia, Spain, Swisszerland, UK, USA and other countries.


Brochure of the Center

University Center for Space Research and Technologies YouTube channel


University Centre for Space Research and Technologies
Sofia University, Physics Department
James Bourchier 5
Sofia 1164
Bulgaria
phone: +35928161732, fax: +35929622576
yyshopov@phys.uni-sofia.bg


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