acad. prof. DSc Alexander G. Petrov

1948 Born in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria (May 27, 1948)


Education:

1966 Graduated from Ivan Vazov High School, Stara Zagora
1970 MSc in Atomic Physics from St. Klement Ochridski University of Sofia.
Master Thesis: Dielectric Properties of Nematic Liquid Crystals with Ellipsoidal Molecules
1974 PhD in Physics from Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia.
PhD Thesis: Electric Polarization of Nematic Liquid Crystals: Dielectric and Flexoelectric Properties
1987 DSc in Physics from Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia.
DSc Thesis: Molecular Physics and Biophysical Aspects of Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline State of Matter


Positions:

In Bulgaria:

1971-1974 Research Scientist, Liquid Crystal Department, Institute of Solid State Physics (ISSP), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Sofia;
1974-1984 Assistant Professor, ISSP-BAS;
1974-1989 Scientific Secretary of Sofia Liquid Crystal Group;
1984-1990 Associate Professor, ISSP-BAS;
1990- Professor, ISSP-BAS;
1991-2008 Head of Biomolecular Layers Department, ISSP-BAS;
1999-2015 Director, Institute of Solid State Physics-BAS;
2003 Fellow of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences;
2006-2015 Head of Soft Matter Division, ISSP-BAS.

Abroad:
  • Guest-Lecturer, Leipzig University (1980);
  • Guest-Professor, Technical University, Munich (1988);
  • SERC Senior Research Fellow, Nottingham University (1989-1990);
  • Invited Professor, UniversitĂ© de Paris-Sud, Orsay (1993);
  • NSF Visiting Scholar, Syracuse University, USA (1993);
  • EC Senior Go West Grantee, Nottingham University (1994);
  • Invited Professor, Universita della Calabria (1994);
  • Bulgarian Principal Investigator, British Council Academic Link with Nottingham University (1991-1996);
  • Bulgarian Principal Investigator, NATO Collaborative Research Grant with Sheffield Hallam University (1994-1996);
  • Bulgarian Principal Investigator, Royal Society Collaborative Grant with Nottingham University (1996-1997);
  • Visiting Scholar, Leipzig University (1997);
  • Bulgarian Principal Investigator, NATO Linkage Grant with Nottingham University (1999-2001);
  • NATO Expert Visitor, SUNY Buffalo (2001);
  • JSPS Fellowship, Japan (2002);
  • Visiting Professor, SUNY Buffalo (2003);
  • Invited Professor, Universita della Calabria (2004, 2006);
  • Invited Professor, Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent, Ohio (2008);
  • Visiting Professor, Centre for Liquid Crystal Research, Bangalore (2008, 2010, 2013);
  • Coordinator of INERA-REGPOT Project, 7FP of EC (2013 -2017).

Publications:

Six new effects in liquid crystal physics and in living matter physics are discovered experimentally and interpreted theoretically, notably gradient flexoelectric effect, bioflexoelectricity and biohelielectricity. These new effects are applied in optoelectronics, nanotechnology, membrane biophysics. Holder of five patents on liquid crystal display devices.

Over 200 refereed original and review papers on liquid crystal physics, membrane biophysics and biomolecular electronics in international journals and conference proceedings. Invited reviews in Mendeleev Journal of All-Union Chemical Society (1983), in European Biophysics Journal, Springer (1994), in EMIS Datareviews Series (2001), in BBA-Biomembranes, Elsevier (2002) and Analytica Chimica Acta, Elsevier (2006). Monographic review in Progress of Surface Science (1984). Invited book chapters in "Planar Lipid Bilayers (BLMs) and their Applications", Elsevier Science (2003), in "Current Topics in Membranes", vol. 58: Mechanosensitive channels, Elsevier/Academic Press (2007), and in "Flexoelectricity in Liquid Crystals". Theory, Experiments and Applications. Chapter 6. Imperial College Press, London (2012).

Monographs: "The Lyotropic State of Matter. Molecular Physics and Living Matter Physics", Gordon & Breach Publs. NY-L (1999); "Living Matter Physics" Marin Drinov Academic Edition, Sofia (2014).
Over 2100 citations, h-index = 28 (self-citations excluded).


Honours, Awards and Professional Services:
  • Scientific Secretary, 2nd Liquid Crystal Conference of E.European Countries, Sunny Beach, Bulgaria (1977);
  • Scientific Secretary, International School-Colloquium "Lyotropics and Biomembranes", Varna, Bulgaria (1984);
  • Vice-Chairman, 5th European Liquid Crystal Conference, Borovets, Bulgaria (1987);
  • Guest-Editor, Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals (1987);
  • Member of the International Advisory Board of the European Liquid Crystal Conferences (1989-99);
  • Member of the International Advisory Committee; 2nd Liquid Matter Conference of EPS; Firenze (1993);
  • Advisory Editor, European Biophysics Journal (1991- );
  • Member of the Administrative Council, Union of the Physicists of Bulgaria (1992- );
  • Vice President, Union of the Physicists of Bulgaria (1995-01, 2007-10);
  • Member of the Higher Attestation Commission of the Republic of Bulgaria (1994-97);
  • Chairman of the Scientific Council, ISSP-BAS (1995-99);
  • Chairman of the Specialized Scientific Council on Condensed Matter Physics at the Higher Attestation Commission of the Republic of Bulgaria (2003-10);
  • Member of the Editorial Board, Europhysics News (1995-2000);
  • Member, Research Board of Advisors, The American Biographical Institute (1998-);
  • 1999 Award, National Council "Scientific Studies", Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria (1999);
  • Member, Intern. Adv. Board, Lyotropic Liquid Crystal Conference, Ivanovo (2000);
  • President, Bulgarian Liquid Crystal Society (2000 - );
  • Member, Editorial Council of the journal Zhidkie Kristalli, Ivanovo (2002);
  • Fellow of the World Innovation Foundation (2003-);
  • Co-organizer of the 1st and 2nd World Congress on Bioflexoelectricity, Buffalo (2001) and Houston (2003);
  • 1st Award for a Completed Project of the Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria (2005);
  • Chairman of the Consultative Council on Nanosciences, new materials and technologies at the Administrative Council of BAS (2009-2015);
  • Chairman of the Natural and Mathematical Sciences Division of the Fellows of BAS’ Assembly (2009 - 2017);
  • President, Union of the Physicists in Bulgaria (2010 - );
  • President, Balkan Physical Union (2015-2018);
  • Honorary Member of ISSP-BAS (2015);
  • Honorary Member of Union of the Physicists in Bulgaria (2017).

  • Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Biennial Award in Physics (2000);
  • Holder of the Freedericksz Medal of the Russian Liquid Crystal Society (2004) for Outstanding achievements in liquid crystal physics.
  • Outstanding Contribution to Science Annual Award of the Ministry of Education and Science of Bulgaria (Scientist of the year 2007).
  • Marin Drinov Sign of Honor of BAS on a ribbon (2008).
  • Jubilee Medal of Honor of Balkan Physical Union (2018).
  • St. St. Cyril and Methodius State Order on a Necklace (2018).
  • Listed in "Who is Who in the World" and in "2000 Outstanding Scientists of 20th Century"
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