JORDAN NIKOLOV
STAMENOV
Dr.Sci., Corresponding
Member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
(1940-2014)
From 1993 to 2010, Jordan Nikolov
Stamenov, Doctor of Physical Sciences, Corresponding
Member of the BAS, was Director of the Institute of Nuclear Research and
Nuclear Energy of the BAS and Head of Moussala Basic Environmental Observatory
(BEO).
He was born in 1940 in the town of Biala Slatina. In 1963, he
graduated from the Technical University of Dresden, Germany, with the major of
Nuclear Physics. He started his scientific career in 1964 as a Research
Scientist at the Moussala Peak Cosmic Rays Station of the Institute of Physics
of the BAS. In 1966 he enrolled as a PhD student in the P.N. Lebedev Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of
the USSR – Tian Shan High-Mountain Observatory, Kazakhstan. There, he defended in
1970 his PhD thesis entitled “Characteristics of the Muon
Component in the extensive air showers”. In the 1972 – 1975 period
he was appointed a Senior Research Scientist and Head of a Research Group at
the P.N. Lebedev Institute of Physics of the Academy
of Sciences of the USSR. From 1976 to 1978 he was a Research Scientist at the
Institute of Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy of the BAS, and in 1980 was
elected there a Senior Research Scientist, Second Degree (Assoc. Prof.). He
defended (1982) a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Physical Sciences on
Studies on the Primary Cosmic Rays by Means of extensive air showers at the P.N. Lebedev
Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. During 1982 – 1986
he was the Head of a Thematic Group at the Institute of Nuclear Research and
Nuclear Energy of the BAS; in 1987 he was elected there a Senior Research
Scientist, First Degree (Full Professor) and was appointed to lead the
Astrophysics of Ultra-High Energies Laboratory. Form 1989 to 1993 he was a
Deputy Director of the Institute of Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, and
was appointed Director of the Institute in 1993. In 2004, The General Assembly
of the BAS elected him a Corresponding Member of the Academy. He was bestowed
the Republic of France’s high honorary award of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite for his contribution to the cooperation
between France and Bulgaria.
The restoration of
the Moussala Peak Cosmic Rays Station and its further development as a Basic Environmental
Observatory only became possible due to Prof. Stamenov’s
tireless efforts. He dreamt of transforming it to a world-class scientific and
ecological center. Many seemingly insurmountable obstacles were overcome
because of his reputation and bold vision for the future.
The loss is
irreparable. We grieve deeply for the Man and the Scientist Jordan
Stamenov. An entire era went away with him,
but he will always have a place in our hearts. We feel it our duty to advance
the deed of one of the greatest scientists and leaders of the epoch of the
daring dreamers and visionaries.
Farewell, dear
Professor!
Let there be peace
and light along your journey!
And, please,
forgive us!
The friends and colleagues of
Moussala BEO