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In 2015 the Union of Physicists in Bulgaria (UPB)
applied for membership in IUVSTA, representing
the scientific and technical community in the
country working in the fields of interest of IUSVTA.
The UPB was granted a Provisional Membership
in IUVSTA at ECM 120, in Graz, Austria in
September 2015 and Full Membership at the
19
th
General Meeting in Korea, August 24
th
, 2016.
Key roles in the renewed membership of Bulgaria
in IUVSTA played Academician Alexander Petrov,
President of UPB, Professor Petko Vitanov Chair
of the Applied Physics Division of the UPB,
Professor Sanka Gateva and Professor Lachezar
Avramov, both directors of the IE-BAS. Bulgaria
hosted ECM 126 in Sofia, September 29 -
October 1, 2017, organised by a local committee
chaired by Dr. Milena Damyanova, who also
serves as an IUVSTA councilor with Ivan Petrov
as alternate councilor. The ECM in Sofia was
preceded by the IUVSTA-endorsed 20
th
VEIT
which was held in Sozopol, 25-29 September
2017. It was co-organised by the Dutch Institute
for Fundamental Energy Research, Eindhoven
and IE-BAS.
Bulgaria was represented in IUVSTA from 1968-1995 by the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences –
National Committee of Vacuum Physics and Technique (BAS-NCVPT) which was centered at
the Institute of Electronics – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IE-BAS) in Sofia. BAS-NCVPT
was chaired by Academician Emil Djakov from 1968 through his death in 1981 followed by
Professor Alexander Spassov, both directors of IE-BAS. BAS-NCVPT hosted the 26
th
IUVSTA
ECM, 2-3 October 1974 in Sofia, Bulgaria. In 1978 IE-BAS, on behalf of BAS-NCVPT, initiated
a series of International Summer Schools on Vacuum, Electron and Ion Technologies (VEIT),
which since 1981 takes place biennially in various location at the Black Sea Coast. While
it was initiated as a summer school it quickly transformed into a regional conference with
150-200 attendees from 20-30 countries.
UNION OF PHYSICISTS IN BULGARIA (UPB)
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences National Committee
of Vacuum Physics and Technique (BAS-NCVPT)
Ivan Petrov
www.phys.uni-sofia.bgECM126 participants
during a guided tour of
historic downtown Sofia