site.btaLindau Nobel Laureate Meeting: Young Bulgarian Chemist Explores AI for Greener Batteries

Assistant Lyuben Borislavov from the Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is one of three young Bulgarian chemists selected to attend the 74th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting with young scientists in Lindau, Germany, between June 29 and July 4 this year.

Borislavov, soon to begin doctoral studies, blends chemistry and machine learning in his research on electrochemical cells, a core component of modern batteries. His dissertation will use statistical methods and graph theory to better understand unwanted side reactions in metal-ion battery cells, such as those found in lithium-ion batteries.

Borislavov and his colleagues aim to link the structure of organic compounds—potential cathode materials for lithium and sodium-ion batteries—to their redox potentials. Maximizing these contributes to more energy stored in less mass, making batteries more efficient for applications like green energy storage.

He explains that artificial intelligence should not be seen as a threat, but as a tool to aid experiment planning and data processing. “Neural networks are just general functions optimized to reproduce data from training samples,” Borislavov said.

Sodium-ion batteries present another focus, as sodium is more abundant and environmentally friendly to process than lithium. Some of Borislavov’s algorithms apply equally well to both battery types. He notes that sodium salts are readily available, even from seawater.

At Lindau, Borislavov hopes to meet Stanley Whittingham, Nobel Laureate for chemistry and co-inventor of the lithium-ion battery, to discuss fundamental scientific questions. He also values the chance to exchange ideas with young scientists worldwide.

Borislavov’s passion for chemistry began in secondary school, inspired by hands-on experiments. A graduate of the National High School of Mathematics and Science and Sofia University, he believes chemistry plays a vital role in addressing global challenges and advancing technology—though each solution brings new challenges to resolve.

Every year the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is asked to nominate young scientists to attend the meeting in Lindau. Departments propose candidates, and then the Academy’s leadership selects the best of them. Shortlisted applicants undergo a review by a scientific committee appointed by the Council for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. Academic achievements, motivation, letters of recommendation and non-academic activities are considered. The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences invitees were chosen from among young scientists in over 84 countries.

Eligible applicants must be early-career scientists with outstanding achievements in this year’s featured discipline—chemistry—or related fields. They can be doctoral or postdoctoral researchers with up to five years of experience and must be recommended by at least two eminent scientists. Non-academic activities and excellent English are also required.

Established in 1951, the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings are a globally recognized forum for exchanges between Nobel Laureates and young scientists, inspiring scientific generations and building sustainable international networks. The theme of the meeting alternates yearly between physics, chemistry, and physiology/medicine. Every five years, an interdisciplinary meeting is held, and the economic sciences Nobel meeting is organized every three years.

John M. Jumper (2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry), Moungi G. Bawendi (2023), Morten Meldal (2022) and Michael Levitt (2013) are among the Nobel Laureates attending the 74th Meeting.