PI-Invest Cont Ramon y Cajal
Daniela Doneva is a theoretical astrophysicist specializing in modified theories of gravity, gravitational waves, and compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes. She earned her Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics from the St. Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia in 2012, after completing her M.Sc. and B.Sc. in physics and astronomy there.
She has held prestigious research positions including Emmy Noether Independent Junior Research Group Leader, Margarete von Wrangell Habilitation Fellow, and Alexander von Humboldt Fellow at the University of Tübingen. In September 2025 she joined the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Valencia as a Ramon y Cajal fellow.
Daniela Doneva plays an active role in major international gravitational-wave initiatives, most notably as a core member of the LISA Consortium and, since 2025, as a member of the LISA Council. She also contributes to the broader gravitational-wave community through her involvement in the Einstein Telescope Observational Science Board. Her scientific work strongly connects theoretical modeling of compact objects and alternative theories of gravity with future gravitational-wave and electromagnetic observations of various astrophysical phenomena.
Her research achievements have been recognized through prestigious awards. These include the Gustav-Hertz-Preis of the German Physical Society (2024), the Pythagoras Grand Prize for Young Scientists, awarded by the Bulgarian Ministry of Science.