Gloria Issa

Professional experience

01/01/20222 – Associate professor – Institute of Organic Chemistry with Center of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
01/01/2017 – 01/01/2021 – Assistant professor, Institute of Organic Chemistry with Center of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
01/09/2019 – 01/11/2020 – Guest researcher, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University (UJEP), Department of Physic, Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic).
01/01/2015 – 01/01/2017 – Assistant – Institute of Organic Chemistry with Center of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
01/09/2013 – 01/11/2023 – Guest researcher, Institute of Chemical Technology, UPV-CSIC, Valencia, Project BG051PO001/3.3.-05.001 “Science and Business”, Operational Program “Human Resources Development” of the European Social Fund (Spain).
01/01/2012 – 01/01/2015 – PhD student– Institute of Organic Chemistry with Center of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria

Education and training

• 01/01/2012 – 01/01/2015 – PhD student, Institute of Organic Chemistry with Center of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
• 01/10/2009 – 01/04/2011 – Master of science in medicinal chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria
• 01/09/2005 – 01/07/2009 – Bachelor of science in chemistry – Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria

Main research interests

• Synthesis of nanostructured oxides and micro/mesoporous;
• Modification of mesoporous materials with nanosized transition metal/ metal oxide species;
• Physicochemical characterization of modified materials (UV-VIS spectroscopy and Infrared spectroscopy, temperature programmed gravimetrical analysis, adsorption methods etc.);
• Investigation of catalytic properties of nanocomposite materials: catalytic combustion of different volatile organic compounds (VOCs), methanol conversion to hydrocarbons, hydrogen, CO and methane as a source of alternative ecological fuel from renewable sources and industry supply with gas mixtures;
• Investigation of the relation between composition-structure-catalytic properties of the catalyst.

Selected publications

Author of 33 research papers

Total citations (excluding self-citations): 334, h-index – 12

• Issa, G., Kormunda, M., Tumurbaatar, O., Szegedi, A., Kovacheva, D., Karashanova, D., Popova, M.. Impact of Ce/Zr Ratio in the Nanostructured Ceria and Zirconia Composites on the Selective CO2 Adsorption. Nanomaterials, 13, 2023, 2428, link https://doi.org/10.3390/nano13172428
• Issa, G., Dimitrov, M., Marinov, S., Velinov, N., Spasova, I., Kovacheva, D., Tsoncheva, T.. Activated carbon from used motor oils: synthesis and application as supports of nanosized Fe-Cr oxides. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 14, 4, Springer, 2023, link https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-022-01921-8
• Tsoncheva,T., Issa, G., Ivanova, R., Dimitrov, M., Kovacheva, D., Atanasova, G., Henych, J.. Design Control of Copper-Doped Titania–Zirconia Catalysts for Methanol Decomposition and Total Oxidation of Ethyl Acetate. Symmetry, 14, MDPI, 2022, link: https://doi.org/10.3390/sym14040751

Latest projects

Leader

• “Advanced catalytic systems for complete oxidation of organic pollutants in water and air”, National science fund, KP-06-H59/12, 2022-2025.

Member of the research team

• Center of Excellence “National Center for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies”, Operational Program “Science and Education for Smart Growth”, which is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund to build centers of excellence, BG05M2OP001-1.001-0008, 2018-2023.
• 3D printed waste-based catalysts for sustainable production of synthetic fuels and valuable chemicals (3DCatFuel&Chem), National science fund, КП-06-Н69/3, 2022-2025.
• Innovative metal-carbon nanocomposites for hydrogen storage, National science fund, KP-06-H27/9, 2018-2024.