Vasil Zhivkov Zhivkov – Professor, PhD

He completed his higher education in 1987 at the Higher Institute of Forestry and Wood Technology (VLI), majoring in “Mechanical Wood Technology” (specializing in furniture production). In 1992, he joined the University of Forestry (UF) as an assistant professor.
He defended his doctoral dissertation on the topic “Influence of tolerances and fits on the strength characteristics of the main types of fixed corner joints in furniture” in 2002.
In 2003, he was elected Associate Professor of Furniture Construction, and in 2018, he became a Professor of Furniture Construction.

Delivers lectures in the following disciplines:
– Furniture Construction – major: Interior Design (ID), Bachelor’s degree;
– Structural Elements and Joints in Furniture – major: ID, Bachelor’s degree;
– Non-wood Materials in the Interior – major: ID, Bachelor’s degree;
– Systems and Mechanisms in Furniture and Interior – majors: ID and Wood Technology (WT), Master’s degree;
– Lighting and Lighting Systems in Furniture – major: ID, Master’s degree;
– Interior and Furniture Design from Non-wood Materials – major: ID, Master’s degree.

Main areas of research interest:
– Optimization of furniture structures;
– Investigation of the strength and deformation characteristics of joints;
– Investigation of the physico-mechanical characteristics of wood and wood-based materials;
– Investigation of the deformation behavior under long-term loading of wood and wood-based materials;
– Research and development of new structural materials for furniture;
– Construction of furniture with lightweight structures;
– Construction of furniture with thin structural materials;
– Furniture design;
– Teaching methodology.

Publications:
– Over 90 scientific publications and reports, including over 40 abroad.
– Over 40 popular science publications

Teaching aids and textbooks:
– Kyuchukov, G., Zhivkov, V. (2016). Furniture Construction. Structural Elements and Joints in Furniture. ISBN: 978-954-91648-6-2, Bismar Publishing, Sofia, 452 pp.
– Kyuchukov, G., Genchev, Y., Kyuchukov, B., Zhivkov, V. (1996). Guide for developing course assignments and projects in furniture construction. Martilen Ltd. Publishing, Sofia, 139 pp.
Monographs
– Kyuchukov, G., Kyuchukov, B., Zhivkov, V., Marinova, A. (2011). Physico-mechanical and technological properties of the wood of some valuable tree species in Bulgaria. ISBN 978-954-323-901-6, Avangard Prima, Sofia.
– Kyuchukov, G., Kyuchukov, B., Burov, Iv., Zhivkov, V. (2021). Requirements for furniture, doors, windows, and products made of wood and wood-based materials according to European standards. ISBN 978-619-239-560-5, Avangard Prima, Sofia, 382 pp.

Participation in international conferences and seminars:
– Participation in over 20 international conferences and seminars in Austria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, and the USA.

Participation in research projects:
– Topic 08-239/1 (01.01.2002-31.12.2004) Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Macedonia – “Testing of some basic types of corner joints under shear loading made of veneered and refined particleboard”. Project Leader: Prof. Talo Gruevski, PhD, Faculty of Forestry, Skopje.
– Project under NIS-UF (2008-2010) on the topic: “Study on the strength and deformation characteristics of corner joints of structural elements of case furniture made of solid wood”. Project Leader: Assoc. Prof. Asya Marinova, PhD
– Project under NIS-UF (2009-2011) on the topic: “Study of the problems and possibilities for creating furniture for people with physical disabilities”
Project Leader: Assoc. Prof. Elena Pisareva, PhD, Arch.
– Project under NIS-UF (2011-2013) on the topic: “Study of joints of lightweight furniture panels in furniture structures”
Project Leader: Assoc. Prof. Vasil Zhivkov, PhD, Eng.
– Project under NIS-UF (2016-2017) on the topic: “Establishing the withdrawal resistance of wood screws, single-element ‘Confirmat’ type connectors, and special screws for lightweight panels from various furniture boards”
Project Leader: Assoc. Prof. Vasil Zhivkov, PhD, Eng.

Teaching at other universities:
– Since 2011, he has been a part-time lecturer at UACEG, Faculty of Architecture, Department of Interior and Design in Architecture.
– He has delivered a series of lectures under the Socrates/Erasmus program at HFT-Stuttgart (Fachhochschule für Technik, Stuttgart, Germany) and FH Salzburg (Fachhochschule Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria).
– Registered patents
– Invention – 1
– Utility model – 2
– Industrial design – 3

Membership in international organizations:
– Forest Products Society

Public activity:
– From 2007 to 2012 – Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Bulgarian Chamber of Woodworking and Furniture Industry (BCWFI);
– Since 2009 – Member of the Board of Directors of the “University Sports Club UF – Sport – Sofia”;
– From 2012 to 2018 – Member of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Chamber of Woodworking and Furniture Industry;
– Since 2015 – Member of the Board of Directors of the Academic Sofia Athletics Club;
– From 2018 to present – Member of the Board of Directors of the European Furniture Industries Confederation (EFIC – Brussels, Belgium);
– From 2020 to present – Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Chamber of Woodworking and Furniture Industry