In an interview with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA), Net-Zero Lab’s Deputy Director Dr. Mariya Trifonova outlined the lab’s future plans, including making the lab’s initiatives more accessible to members of other faculties of Sofia University as well as to academics from other universities.
‘At the moment our team consists of only a few people. The current members of Net-Zero Lab are mostly people who work in the Department of Industrial Economics and Management at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration and some of our PhD students. We are trying more and more often to involve students in our work. According to their interests, previous experience, and how they perform in the learning process, we can assess whether a particular task or project will spark their interest. Our ambition is to open the lab to members of other faculties of Sofia University and other universities, as the topics we work on are interdisciplinary.’ said Dr. Mariya Trifonova. She continued with explaining more about Net-Zero Lab’s work and goals, as well as other initiatives she organizes, including the upcomming summer school Marine Renewable Energy Academy and the Twin4ECO project, which aims to build research capacity in innovation and decarbonization.
When asked about the students’ interest about Net-Zero Lab, Dr. Trifonova explained that the topics they address are extremely relevant—ranging from mitigating climate change impacts and adapting industries to shifting lifestyles and consumer attitudes. She noted that these subjects are part of everyday discussions in business, finance, and regulation, and that the strong interest in their master’s programs—such as Energy Markets and Services and Responsible and Sustainable Management—reflects a demand for well-prepared professionals. This enthusiasm enables them to select candidates who are ready to engage in diverse, interdisciplinary projects and helps prepare the next generation of analysts and researchers.
You can read the full interview here.