site.btaBulgarian Academy of Sciences Awards Its First Grand Prize for Science

The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) Saturday awarded its first Grand Prize for Science to Acad. Vasya Bankova in recognition of her outstanding scientific achievements. The award was presented by BAS President Prof. Julian Revalski and Acad. Hristo Tsvetanov, who chairs the award committee, at a formal event at the Sofia Opera and Ballet celebrating the Academy’s 155th anniversary.

The BAS Assembly of Academicians and Corresponding Members honoured Acad. Vasya Bankova with the 2024 Grand Prize for Science, Revalski said.

"This award is highly prestigious, especially given the six outstanding, internationally renowned scientists who competed for it," Tsvetanov added.

Bankova gave an acceptance speech, stressing that she is "deeply honoured to have spent my entire career at the Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry at BAS". "Since my student years, I have always deemed the Academy the temple of Bulgarian science," she added.

The BAS Grand Prize for Science was instituted in 2024 to recognize Bulgarian scientists with international recognition for outstanding achievements in science. The BAS Prize will be awarded annually in one of the following fields: natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering; life sciences; and social sciences and humanities.