What is your current position?
I am a quantum physicist working at Harvard and MIT.
Where did you go to college?
For my undergrad I studied in France, two years in Paris at Lycée Louis Le Grand and then at École normale supérieure de Lyon.
Where did you grow up?
Burgas, a mid-sized town on the Bulgarian coast of the Black Sea.
What was your favorite subject in high school?
Biology (Botany) and Physics
Who is your STEM role model?
My middle school biology teacher: she was the first person who taught me science. And a year later, Mrs Veselina Krasteva, my first physics teacher, who went out of her way to describe the wonders of the universe to us.
What is the focus of your research?
I capture light and sound in crystals in a way that can turn these small crystals into supercomputers.
What is the coolest part of your job?
Using my skills to make life easier and more fun, especially when you are a part of a great team working on the same problem.
Why did you pick your major?
I have always wanted to be a wizard and knowing physics is the best way to achieve this. You get to understand the laws that govern the universe and how to harness them in making a better world.
What is your favorite part about doing STEM outreach?
Getting students to know they have the power and knowledge to fix what is broken in the world.
What is a fun fact about you?
Likes ice cream.For more information about Stefan’s research, outreach and other projects, check out his website.
