Bulgaria's Top 2% Scientists 2021: Career-Long List

Bulgaria has 73 scientists on the 2021 career-long Top 2% list, up 46.0% from 50 in 2020. That places Bulgaria 50th in the world by number of listed scientists, up 1 place. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences has the most listed scientists (16), followed by Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski (11).

Single Year

+13 (+37.1%) vs 2020

Career Data

+23 (+46.0%) vs 2020

World rank by count

#50

up 1 place vs 2020

Institutes

+11 (+52.4%) vs 2020

Scientists in Bulgaria on the list, by year

The career-long count has grown 46% since 2020.

Career-long list, change on the previous year

2021+46.0%

2022+4.1%

2023+3.9%

2024+10.1%

2025+4.6%

Show the numbers

Year	Single Year	Change	Career Data	Change
2020	35		50
2021	48	+37.1%	73	+46.0%
2022	55	+14.6%	76	+4.1%
2023	58	+5.5%	79	+3.9%
2024	70	+20.7%	87	+10.1%
2025	63	-10.0%	91	+4.6%

Top 10 institutes in Bulgaria

By number of listed scientists

Career-long list2021

Show the list

All 73 scientists

Career-long list2021

Everyone on the list, free to browse.

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Rank in Bulgaria	World rank	Scientist	Institute	Sub-field	Rank in sub-field
1	6,514	AK Atanassov, Krassimir Todorov	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 119
2	13,628	HK Hadjiivanov, K. I.	Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Physical Chemistry	Rank 58
3	17,742	SP Surai, Peter F.	Trakia University	Dairy & Animal Science	Rank 18
4	23,264	BV Bankova, Vassya	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 67
5	30,233	DN Denkov, Nikolai	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Chemical Physics	Rank 700
6	30,506	KD Kashchiev, Dimo	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Chemical Physics	Rank 709
7	35,358	PV Popov, Valentin N.	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Applied Physics	Rank 879
8	39,349	KI Kostova, Irena	Medical University of Sofia	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 111
9	40,706	VN Vitanov, Nikolay V.	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	General Physics	Rank 278
10	43,708	PD Pavlov, Detchko	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Energy	Rank 463
11	48,564	KP Kralchevsky, Peter A.	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Chemical Physics	Rank 1,086
12	54,718	VS Vassilev, Stanislav V.	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Mineralogy and Crystallography “Acad. Ivan Kostov”	Energy	Rank 584
13	57,869	MA Milchev, Andrey	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Chemical Physics	Rank 1,268
14	73,966	II Ivanov, Ivan T.	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Chemical Physics	Rank 1,561
15	77,466	CI Christov, Ivan P.	Institute of Electronics Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Optoelectronics & Photonics	Rank 240
16	89,045	HJ Hristov, Jordan Y.	University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy Sofia	Chemical Engineering	Rank 387
17	89,111	DK Danov, Krassimir D.	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Chemical Physics	Rank 1,836
18	93,077	YS Yazadjiev, Stoytcho	Institute of Mathematics and Informatics Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 1,574
19	93,780	DV Dimitrov, Vesselin	University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy Sofia	Applied Physics	Rank 2,493
20	98,272	VG Vayssilov, Georgi N.	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Chemical Physics	Rank 2,028
21	103,296	AI Avramov, I.	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Applied Physics	Rank 2,758
22	104,536	AD Andreeva, D.	Institute of Catalysis Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Physical Chemistry	Rank 391
23	106,785	GI Grabchev, Ivo	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Organic Chemistry	Rank 1,914
24	107,341	MO Mekenyan, Ovanes G.	Bourgas Prof. Assen Zlatarov University	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 372
25	118,731	BM Bojinov, Martin	University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy Sofia	Energy	Rank 1,376
26	119,343	KR Koynova, Rumiana	Medical University of Sofia	Biophysics	Rank 233
27	130,157	PD Pancheva, D.	National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences	Rank 2,000
28	131,518	MA Milchev, Alexander	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Energy	Rank 1,537
29	132,713	BV Bojinov, Vladimir B.	University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy Sofia	Organic Chemistry	Rank 2,357
30	136,725	VV Velikova, Violeta	Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics	Plant Biology & Botany	Rank 1,919
31	137,005	TD Tsalev, Dimiter L.	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 1,061
32	147,856	KD Karagiozova, D.	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 970
33	155,091	DI Doytchinova, Irini	Medical University of Sofia	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 580
34	157,923	TB Tenchov, Boris	Medical University of Sofia	Biophysics	Rank 309
35	166,693	AL Antonov, Liudmil	Institute of Electronics Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Organic Chemistry	Rank 2,904
36	168,535	SS Stoyanov, Stoyan	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Applied Physics	Rank 4,680
37	180,391	IV Iliev, Vesselin	Institute of Catalysis Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Physical Chemistry	Rank 680
38	180,513	PA Popova, A. K.	University of Chemical Тechnology and Metallurgy	Materials	Rank 2,523
39	185,052	CI Christov, Ivaylo	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 827
40	186,082	DV Dobrev, V. K.	Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Nuclear & Particle Physics	Rank 3,125
41	187,541	CC Christov, Christomir	Konstantin Preslavsky University of Shumen	Chemical Engineering	Rank 928
42	191,928	GM Georgiev, Milen I.	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Biotechnology	Rank 614
43	192,076	YN Yordanov, N. D.	Institute of Catalysis Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 1,407
44	196,386	GI Gutzow, Ivan S.	Institute of Physical Chemistry Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Applied Physics	Rank 5,529
45	197,050	KV Kiryakova, Virginia	Institute of Mathematics and Informatics Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	General Mathematics	Rank 1,333
46	200,152	RA Rachev, Alexander	Institute of Mechanics Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Biomedical Engineering	Rank 894
47	203,504	VN Vitanov, Nikolay K.	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Fluids & Plasmas	Rank 1,793
48	210,356	Stoev, Stoycho D.	Trakia University	Veterinary Sciences	Rank 876
49	217,432	ZV Zimparov, Ventsislav D.	Technical University of Gabrovo	Mechanical Engineering & Transports	Rank 1,518
50	225,270	TV Tsakova, V.	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Energy	Rank 2,917
51	232,846	KT Kolev, T. S.	Roumen Tsanev Institute of Molecular Biology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry	Rank 1,735
52	234,936	TK Troev, K.	Institute of Polymers Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Polymers	Rank 2,209
53	236,277	KI Karadjova, Irina	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Analytical Chemistry	Rank 2,029
54	248,809	KA Karamanov, Alexander	Institute of Physical Chemistry Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 3,609
55	250,653	SJ Serkedjieva, Julia	Institute of Microbiology Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Medicinal & Biomolecular Chemistry	Rank 1,137
56	253,051	AS Armyanov, Stephan	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Energy	Rank 3,360
57	255,662	KA Krastanov, Albert	University of Food Technologies-Plovdiv	Biotechnology	Rank 872
58	266,484	GM Gulubova, M.	Trakia University Faculty of Medicine	General & Internal Medicine	Rank 2,949
59	274,566	PP Peshev, P.	Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Materials	Rank 4,057
60	290,687	AE Atanassova, Elena	Georgi Nadjakov Institute of Solid State Physics Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Applied Physics	Rank 8,509
61	292,060	MN Mastorakis, Nikos E.	Technical University of Sofia	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 5,026
62	317,425	SR Stoyanova, R.	Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Energy	Rank 4,420
63	324,162	SD Stoychev, D.	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Energy	Rank 4,537
64	326,637	SZ Stoynov, Zdravko	Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Energy	Rank 4,600
65	399,948	VG Vassilev, G.	Plovdiv University Paisii Hiledarski	Materials	Rank 6,315
66	407,492	NL Nikolova, Ludmila	Central Laboratory of Optical Storage and Processing of Information Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Optoelectronics & Photonics	Rank 1,907
67	416,121	GS Groudev, Stoyan	University of Mining and Geology St. Ivan Rilski	Mining & Metallurgy	Rank 227
68	439,540	TT Todorov, Todor	Central Laboratory of Optical Storage and Processing of Information Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Optoelectronics & Photonics	Rank 2,102
69	490,559	PM Panayotova, Marinela	University of Mining and Geology St. Ivan Rilski	Mining & Metallurgy	Rank 277
70	495,510	RV Rizov, Victor I.	University of Architecture Sofia	Materials	Rank 8,150
71	548,391	DI Dimov, Ivan	Institute of Information and Communication Technologies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences	Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing	Rank 10,080
72	603,019	KM Karavasteva, M.	Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski	Mining & Metallurgy	Rank 372
73	659,947	DT Dachev, Tsvetan	Space Research and Technology Institute	Aerospace & Aeronautics	Rank 1,590
No scientists match this filter.

Showing 1 to 73 of 73 Show

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Career-long list2021

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Career-long list2021

Poland957 scientistsin 2021

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Frequently asked questions

How many scientists from Bulgaria are in the 2021 Stanford Top 2% list?

48 scientists affiliated with Bulgaria are on the 2021 single-year list, and 73 are on the career-long list.

Which institute in Bulgaria has the most Top 2% scientists?

On the 2021 career-long list, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences has the most listed scientists from Bulgaria, with 16. It is followed by Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski with 11.

How has the number of Top 2% scientists in Bulgaria changed since 2020?

On the career-long list, Bulgaria went from 50 scientists in 2020 to 73 in 2021, a change of +46.0%.

What is the difference between the single-year and career-long lists?

The single-year list ranks scientists on the citations their work received in one year. The career-long list ranks them on citations across their whole career. Both lists are published every year, and a scientist can be on one, both or neither.

What is the official source of this data?

The rankings come from the science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators published by Ioannidis et al. in the Elsevier Data Repository, updated every year. TOPSCINET, an independent platform, organises that data by country, year, institute and field, so you can compare and explore it.