Japanese scientist Prof. Takashi Kiyota became the first winner of the award named after Prof. Balush Balushev, the founder of geotechnics in Bulgaria, established by the Department of Geotechnics at the University of Architecture, Construction and Geodesy in Sofia and the Bulgarian Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. At an official event at the university, in front of the academic community, Prof. Kiyota delivered an honorary lecture to the audience.

"Prof. Kiyota's work is not only at an extremely high scientific level, but also finds its direct practical application, which is particularly valuable," said Dr. Nikolay Milev at the ceremony, who attracted the interest of the Japanese professor to the study of geotechnical phenomena in Bulgaria.