Denitsa Apostolova, PhD

What’s the work that you do?

I am a researcher at Sofia University working in the field of organic geochemistry. My work focuses on how natural and anthropogenic organic compounds—particularly PAHs and biomarker signatures—reflect environmental processes and pollution dynamics. I study the sources, behavior, and transformation of these molecules to better understand environmental problems related to organic contaminants. My research also extends to the polar regions through three expeditions to the Bulgarian Antarctic Base. As a co-founder and long-standing board member of APECS-Bulgaria, a role I continue to hold today, I work to promote polar science and share the importance of the polar regions with broader audiences.

What keeps you going?

What keeps me going is a genuine curiosity about our planet and the belief that science can help us understand and protect it. I’m motivated by the idea that every molecule, every sediment layer, and every sample carries traces of processes that shape our environment. The polar regions inspire me deeply: their fragility, raw beauty, and role as early indicators of environmental change. My expeditions to Antarctica reminded me why science matters and why each contribution has meaning. I continue because I see how sharing polar knowledge through APECS-Bulgaria sparks curiosity and appreciation across all ages—and those moments remind me that even small efforts matter.

What’s your message to the world?

Dreams do come true. It is an extraordinary privilege to work and leave even a small trace on the Ice Continent. For me, Antarctica is white magic — a silent force, magnetic and inexplicably beautiful. Antarctica is love. A love that stays in your heart forever and keeps calling you back. You must feel it with your own senses to understand it. And never forget the places that stay in your heart — they are your compass.