(Institute of Catalysis, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences)
Dr. Zara Cherkezova-Zheleva is a Professor of Solid State Chemistry at the Institute of Catalysis- Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IC-BAS). She graduated in Physics from University of Sofia, Bulgaria in 1993 and since then has been employed by IC-BAS. She was awarded with Ph.D. degree in Solid State Chemistry in 2006.
Her research activities are focused on materials science, environmental protection and circular economy: nanoscale materials, mechanochemistry, Mössbauer spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, relaxation phenomena, chemical environmental problems, green and sustainable chemical processes, recycling and reuse of critical raw materials.
Zara Zheleva is working on fundamental research together with activities focusing on national and regional politics for strengthening of science and innovations. She is Bulgarian Program Committee Member at the European Research Council (ERC), as well as Member of Bulgarian Coordination Council on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Board Member of Bulgarian Crystallographic Society, Member of Bulgarian Catalysis Club, etc. She is a Chair or Member of the Organizing Committees of 42 International Scientific Conferences, Workshops and Schools on Nanosciences, Crystallography and Heterogeneous Catalysis.
