My recent research focusses on city digital twins. By mapping the real and virtual worlds, we can design, test and build first digitally to deliver more pleasant and sustainable leaving environment.

Dessislava Petrova-Antonova is the Research Leader of Data Management Research Unit of GATE Institute. Her research area includes Data management with a focus on semantic data interoperability and enrichment. She is leading the City Digital Twin pilot project, where an advanced 3D City Information Model of Sofia is under development to facilitate simulation and visualisation of urban environment and processes.
Dessislava Petrova-Antonova obtained an engineering degree in Computer systems and technologies (2000) and Ph.D. in System programming (2007) from the Technical University of Sofia, Bulgaria. She joined the department of Software technologies at Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics of Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” as an assistant professor in 2008, and there she became an associate professor in 2012. Dessislava Petrova-Antonova is presently head of MSc program “Technology entrepreneurship and innovations in IT”. She has successfully participated in a number of European and national RTD projects (more than 30) and currently coordinates two of them. She has co-authored more than 70 peer-reviewed academic publications.