News

(15 October 2014) Physics in the kitchen by Andrey Varlamov, Ph.D

October 8, 2014March 17, 2016

When: 15 October 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 224 (hall America for Bulgaria)

How heat propagates in the media, what is the difference between the pizza baking in a traditional wood-burning oven and the electric one, why the flavor of boiled meat and that one made on the grill are so different, how to calculate scientifically the cooking time for the egg alla cocque and spaghetti, why the cin-cin with the crystal glasses filled with champagne or sparkling wine is accompanied by beautiful sound of the crystal, why vodka typically contains 40% of alcohol, why the professional bartenders vary the degree of grounding of the coffee beans depending on the weather? In this seminar we will discuss these and many other questions of the Gastronomic Universe that surrounds us.

(25 June 2014) Europe, Ukraine and the Bulgarian strategic choice by Dr. Ognyan Minchev

June 23, 2014March 17, 2016

When: 25 June 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 224 (hall America for Bulgaria)

Dr. Ognyan Minchev holds a degree in Sociology from Sofia University. He specialized Political science and international relations in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Moscow, and Portugal. He taught International relations at Sofia University from 1999 until 2008.

You can read excerpts of this lecture and find more information in kultura.bg and dnevnik.bg.

(11 June 2014) Climate Change: The Scientific Evidence by Dr. Yves Balkanski

June 4, 2014March 17, 2016

When: 11 June 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 224 (hall America for Bulgaria)

During this lecture Dr. Yves Balkanski will review the recent scientific evidence that links human activities to climate change. He will focus on changes in atmospheric composition and discuss the main gases and particles that affect the Earth radiation budget. He will show what the climate records of the last 800.000 years teach us how the main atmospheric components have varied over the last 8 glacial – interglacial periods and we will see that human activities have produced changes at an unprecedented speed over this period.

(21 May 2014) The New European Laboratory for Nuclear Research with Intensive Light and Bright Gamma-ray in Bucharest by Dr. Dimitar Balabanski

May 16, 2014March 17, 2016

When: 21 May 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 23

The lecture will discuss the scientific program of the laboratory in Magurele, which is in the process of preparation and the different scientific instruments which are being prepared.

(14 May 2014) National Reserve Sboryanovo Archeological findings and sensations, sustainability and paradoxes in its management by Prof. Dr. Diana Gergova

May 10, 2014March 17, 2016

When: 14 May 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 23

The long archeological excavations of the National Reserve Sboryanovo revealed the ruins of the capital city of the Northern Thracians – Getty. The uncovered archeological heritage is with a huge potential – scientific, forming the national identity, and economical – as a place of cultural tourism and sustainable development. As a counter-point to the up to now deficiency of interest towards the national archeological heritage, the accumulated experience in the Reserve allows the introduction of a new effective way of preservation and management of the archeological heritage.

(23 April 2014) Islam or Islamism: Bulgarian projections by Prof. Evgenia Ivanova

April 17, 2014March 17, 2016

When: 23 April 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 224 (hall America for Bulgaria).

This lecture is an attempt to derive the image of the Islamic terrorist, sketched by West-European and American researchers, within Bulgarian reality.

(9 April 2014) The Hero and the Monster. The Idea of Political Power in the Classic Tragedy and its Modern Interpretations by Prof. Boyan Manchev

April 4, 2014March 17, 2016

When: 09 April, 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 224 (hall America for Bulgaria)
The lecture will explore the idea of the political community in Ancient Greece while focusing on pieces of classical tragedies and in particular on Sophocles’ ”Oedipus the King.” Sophocles’ interpretation of the myth for Oedipus will be examined as a political text, which implies a particular thesis about the political power. The goal of the analysis is to contribute both to the initial structural characteristics of the European idea about politics and to the uncovering of the mythical models, which contribute to the idea’s formation.

(26 March 2014) Populism and personalist parties: the case of Bulgaria by Assistant Prof. Emilia Zankina

March 18, 2014July 17, 2014

When: 26 March, 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 224 (hall America for Bulgaria)

This lecture builds on continuing research that offers a new approach to the study of populism. Adopting a transaction-cost framework, I argue that populism is a political strategy that reduces the transaction costs of politics by increasing the use of informal political institutions in the name of “direct” and “immediate” action. As such, populism contributes to the emergence of personalist parties which, having a dominant leader and weak organizational structure and thus, being a single-, as opposed to a multi-actor organization, reduce transaction costs by definition. I use the Bulgarian case as an illustration of the rise of populism and personalist parties across Europe and as a background upon which to apply the transaction cost framework.

(12 March 2014) Science in the name of Humankind by Prof. Leandar Litov

February 28, 2014September 30, 2014

When: 12 March, 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 224 (hall America for Bulgaria)

A lecture about the application of the technologies and the equipment developed in CERN in the fields of Medicine, Information Technologies, and Solar energy production.

(05 March 2014) Projection and discussion of the movie “4% Universe” with lecturers – Prof. Leandar Litov and Cveta Koeva

February 28, 2014September 30, 2014

When: 05 March, 2014, 19:00
Where: Sofia University Rectorate, lecture hall 224 (hall America for Bulgaria)

Projection of the Movie “4% Universe” and a discussion with the team which developed it. Lecturers – prof. Leandar Litov and Cveta Koeva.