The young researchers contributed fresh ideas and solutions to real-world projects across GATE’s applied science domains – Future Cities, Intelligent Government, and Digital Health – exploring a wide range of areas, including:

• Healthcare and biomedicine
• Neuroscience and data – analysis of brain networks as neurophysiological biomarkers
• Artificial intelligence and robotics – linking large language models (LLMs) with physical task execution
• Disinformation studies – detection of machine-generated text, emotional analysis, disinformation ontologies, and vulnerability models
• Urban development and sustainability – 3D city visualization, climate risk modeling, air pollution in Sofia, transport noise analysis, and a mobile app for pedestrian route planning
• Energy systems – decentralized energy hub modeling, rooftop solar potential, and energy-sharing scenarios between public and residential buildings
• Law and digital policies – drafting terms of use for AI sandboxes and data sharing, privacy policies, licensing agreements, and research on the legal effects of data-sharing contracts, alongside training materials for the EU AI Act

The program also highlighted strong international collaboration. Three Japanese students joined their Bulgarian peers thanks to GATE’s strategic partnership with the Center for Computational Sciences at the University of Tsukuba, Japan, opening new opportunities for scientific exchange and joint research.

“Once again, we saw how young people transformed their knowledge into bold ideas and practical solutions. They proved that innovation is born where talent, curiosity, and teamwork meet. I believe this experience will inspire them to continue forward as creators of sustainable and meaningful achievements,” said Prof. Silvia Ilieva, Director of GATE Institute.

The “From Intern to Innovator” program once again demonstrated that when education, talent, inspiration, and technology come together, the result is new knowledge and solutions with real impact for society and science.