Thursday, 28 July 2022 Presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation – Mateja Erce
We invite you to the presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation Addressing psychosocial needs with technology and building design of the student Mateja Erce, enrolled in the doctoral study programme Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments.
The presentation will take place on Wednesday, 10 August 2022 at 10.00 in InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6a, 6310 Izola, room Tilia and via Zoom on link: https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/83005355421
Wednesday, 27 July 2022 UP AND EUROPEAN GIRLS' MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD
The European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) is an international competition in mathematics, which addresses female high school students, whose commitment to mathematics goes beyond the usual school curriculum. To participate at the EGMO, the students have to qualify at the respective national competition. Together with their advisors, the students form the respective national delegation. The EGMO has been held since 2012, each year in a different country. The 12th EGMO will take place in Slovenia, from 13 April to 19 April 2023. We expect to host 60 countries, for a total of about 240 contestants.
The EGMO promotes young scientists, increases the proportion of female students in IMO teams, supports the social, cultural and interdisciplinary exchange between teenagers from all over the world. This views correspond with values, goals and awareness of the University of Primorska, which wants to attract successful and potential female researchers, therefore we are very proud to be actively involved in the preparation and implementation of the Olympiad, hosted by the Society of Mathematicians, Physicists, and Astronomers of Slovenia (DMFA Slovenije).
All information about the conference is available on the website.
Special attention to girls and women in science was paid this year, as we prepared a series of interviews with female UP researchers (#womeninscience) – between 11 February (International Day of Women and Girls in Science) and 8 March (International Women's Day).
Monday, 25 July 2022 UP IAM & UP Famnit researchers visit at ENS de Lyon
Researchers and lecturers at UP IAM and UP Famnit, Dr. Martin Milanič and Dr. Clément Dallard, were guests of Dr. Nicolas Trotignon's research group at CNRS, ENS Lyon, France, from the 18th to 22nd of July.
The visit took place in the framework of the project 'Widths and coloring of graphs', which is co-financed on the Slovenian side by the Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS). This is a bilateral research project between the Republic of Slovenia and the French Republic, led by Dr. Riste Škrekovski at UP Famnit for the period 1.1.2022 – 31.12.2023.
The visit consisted of daily research discussions in the field of graph theory, thus continuing the research work started during the visit of the project leader on the French side, Dr. Nicolas Trotignon, to Koper at the end of March this year. They also tackled some new research problems and questions that drive our researchers to continue to deepen the research process itself.
As a highlight, you can read about the RubENS project, created at the ENS de Lyon in France to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Alan Turing, where they built a computer made entirely of LEGO® bricks. The computer is based on the Turing machine, an abstract model of computation conceived by Alan Turing himself in 1936, at the of 24.
The RubENS project is a visual and simple tool aimed at explaining the basics of computation to everyone. This Turing machine is entirely mechanical: the only energy input it uses is compressed air at 2 bars. The video is available here.
(left to right) Pegah Pournajafi, doctoral student at ENS Lyon, Martin Milanič, Nicolas Trotignon, Clément Dallard
Friday, 22 July 2022 Stories of international cooperation and mobility of professors and researchers at UP FAMNIT
The Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies (UP FAMNIT) actively promotes international cooperation and mobility of professors and researchers. We are proud to present the experiences of our researchers, who have recently been actively involved in the international environment and received valuable experience. Among them are Assist. Prof. Maja Smrdu, Assist. Prof. Nino Bašić and Assist. Prof. Vida Groznik, who have shared some of their experiences with us.
Assist. Prof. Maja Smrdu a clinical psychology specialist from the Department of Psychology, attended mobility at the University of Haifa in Israel. During her exchange, she was a guest of Professor Aviva Berkovich-Ohana, head of the neurophenomenology laboratory, that operates within the university. At the university, she lectured on Microphenomenology and descriptive sampling of experiences. As she pointed out, she had the opportunity to work with a very diverse group of students who had the desire for knowledge and an excellent approach to science. Enthusiasm for work was present among professors, students and participants during her visit. »The exchange of knowledge and direct involvement in projects was the key motivator for the exchange,« said Assist. Prof. Smrdu.
During her research, she recognized the high incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder in Israel, which makes it a frequent subject to explore perceptions of our mortality, death, treatment with psilocybin and the impact of meditation on our consciousness. »All three months were quite intense and somehow gave me a confirmation of the knowledge we have in Slovenia and at FAMNIT, which we may not be aware of ourselves," she sums up.
She believes that we have a lot of research momentum, ideas and connections at the faculty. She hopes that will lead to long-term cooperation in the future and expand knowledge about who we are, how our experience is connected to the functioning of our brain and how we can improve the treatment of various mental illnesses.
Dean of the University of Haifa, prof. dr. Roza Leikin, Assist. Prof.dr. Maja Smrdu and Prof. dr. Aviva Berkovich-Ohana
Assist. Prof. Nino Bašić from the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies participated in an international exchange at the University of Sheffield in Great Britain. As the primary motive for exchange, he highlighted the work with the prominent Professor Patrick W. Fowler, FRS (Fellow of the Royal Society), an expert in the field of theoretical chemistry, with whom he had already published two scientific papers during the exchange, while three more are in preparation.
In addition, Assist. Prof. Bašić lectured selected topics in mathematical chemistry at the visiting university. According to him, the ERASMUS+ exchange is an excellent opportunity to gain new knowledge offered by a new environment and he is looking forward to repeat the experience in the future.
Dr. Patrick W. Fowler and Assist. Prof. dr. Nino Bašić
Assist. Prof. Vida Groznik also from the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies, took part in the teaching and research visit to the University of Cádiz in Spain, where she transferred knowledge on artificial intelligence to doctoral nanoscience students. Due to the interesting topic, students from other fields (medicine, psychology, etc.) joined them, as the lectures and practical exercises were designed in such a way, that they were also suitable for students, who have no prior knowledge of computer science or programming.
She collaborated mainly with established researchers in the field of neonatology from the University of Cádiz and the Puerta del Mar University Hospital, where they focused on the use of artificial intelligence approaches for the early diagnosis of neurocognitive disorders in premature infants.
Assist. Prof. dr. Vida Groznik with researchers from the University of Cádiz
All three participants of the international exchange agreed that it was an unforgettable experience, which provided them with a lot of valuable knowledge, and that they would undoubtedly repeat it in the future.
Friday, 15 July 2022 The call for co-financing of staff mobility for teaching within ERASMUS+ for the academic year 2022/23 is open
OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR CO-FINANCING OF THE MOBILITY FOR TEACHING WITHIN THE ERASMUS PROGRAM + (KA131) FOR THE CONTRACT YEAR 2021
DEADLINE: until 5 September 2022
More information and application procedure in the Call.
APPLICATION FORM (choose option: ERASMUS+ mobilnost za namen poučevanja (KA131))
Instructions for submitting the application
ANNEX 1 – Partner institutions for UP FAMNIT_(E+Ka131-BA-UP-teaching)
ANNEX 3 – Mobility agreement for teaching
You are invited to apply!
Friday, 15 July 2022 Honorable mention for »Solids on Soli: Millimetre-Wave Radar Sensing through Materials« article on EICS conference
At the EICS (Engineering Interactive Computing Systems) conference, which took place in the last days of June in Valbonne, France, the article »Solids on Soli: Millimetre-Wave Radar Sensing through Materials« received an honorable mention. The award was accepted by one of the authors, Assoc. Prof. Klen Čopič Pucihar from the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies UP FAMNIT.
The other authors of the article are assist. Nuwan T. Attygalle, Assoc. Prof. Matjaž Kljun (both from the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies UP FAMNIT), Prof. Christian Sandor (University of Paris-Saclay) and Assoc. Prof. Luis A. Leiva (University of Luxembourg).
The award was given by Prof. Philippe Palanque (on the left) from Paul Sabatier University (Toulouse III).
EICS is a yearly international conference devoted to engineering usable and effective interactive computing systems. Most of the research work presented at EICS revolves around methods, processes, techniques and tools that support specifying, designing, developing and deploying interactive systems. The conference proceedings are published by the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) and appear in the ACM Digital Library.
Full article is available here.
Congratulations to all the authors!
Friday, 15 July 2022 Doctoral candidate position at the University of Primorska - Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments
LOCATION: IZOLA/ISOLA, KOPER/CAPODISTRIA, SLOVENIA
TOPIC: Development of bio-based materials and formulations from industrial by-products rich in aromatic compounds
Description:
The University of Primorska is seeking a well-qualified and highly motivated PhD candidate. The research field focuses on the sustainable valorization of lignin and other by-products of wood industry rich in aromatic compounds for high added-value applications. The researcher will be also employed at the InnoRenew CoE (additional 20%) in the Wood Modification Group (led by Assoc Prof. Anna Sandak) under supervision of Dr. Oihana Gordobil and become a doctoral candidate at the University of Primorska (PhD study program Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments). The candidate will also be partially involved in the ERC project “Bioinspired living skin for architecture” (ARCHI-SKIN), GA #101044468, funded by European Research Council. The work locations will be in Izola and Koper, Slovenia.
What are we looking for:
The emphasis of this position is on the design and development of new bio-based formulations through the valorization of undervalued industrial by-products. The applicant should be proactive and motivated to perform interdisciplinary research covering from the synthesis and functionalization of lignin-based materials and formulations to their application and performance evaluation. Experience in lignocellulosic biomass, chemistry, pharmacy, materials science and colloidal systems as well as expertise in chromatography, microscopy, spectroscopy, and use of other laboratory equipment is desired. The applicant should have a good knowledge of English, both orally and in writing.
What skills we expect:
The ideal candidate should possess master’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, biotechnology, pharmacy, colloidal science, material science or related fields, preferably with experience in biorefinery processes applied to lignocellulosic biomass and elaboration of bio-based materials and formulations. Further requirements include: excellent communication skills in English, ability to interact with the industry and other researchers, and ability to formulate and communicate new research ideas (research proposal preparation). The candidate is expected to have interest in interdisciplinary work and the capacity to work in an international environment. The applicant must also fulfil the requirements for doctoral students at University of Primorska. For more details, see:
https://www.famnit.upr.si/en/education/doctoral/renew-mat
https://www.famnit.upr.si/en/education/enrolment
What we offer:
This position will be within University of Primorska and the candidate will work in close collaboration with InnoRenew CoE, which is focused on renewable materials use in sustainable built environments.
- 1 year contract with option for renewal (recommended duration for doctoral studies is 3 years)
- Competitive salary with possible performance-based raises
- Opportunity to be involved on a prestigious ERC project
Employment opportunities, admissions policies, activities, services, and the facilities of the University of Primorska and InnoRenew CoE do not exclude any person on the basis of race, colour, age, sex, gender, religion, national origin, or disability.
How to apply:
Interested applicants should send:
- curriculum vitae,
- motivation letter for this doctoral position (maximum one A4 page),
- summary (track record) of previous research experience (master’s thesis for example),
- certified copy of master’s degree certificate and official transcript of records, and their translations, if the originals are not in English.
All materials should be in English and submitted in PDF format no later than 5 September 2022.
For any additional information you can contact us by email: coe@innorenew.eu.
For further information about the research topic, please contact Dr. Oihana Gordobil (oihana.gordobil@innorenew.eu).
The expected start date is 1st October 2022.
The InnoRenew CoE reserves the right for justified reasons to leave the position open, to extend the application period, and to consider candidates who have not submitted applications during the application period.
Wednesday, 13 July 2022 Researchers from the Slovene Centre for Suicide Research at the ECP 2022
The 17th European Congress of Psychology (ECP2022), organised by the Slovenian Psychologists' Association and under the auspices of EFPA - European Federation of Psychologists' Associations, was held between the 5th and 8th July 2022 at Cankarjev dom in Ljubljana.
Researchers from the Slovene Centre for Suicide Research (SCSR IAM) and the Department of Psychology (UP Famnit) actively participated at the Congress, giving 13 individual presentations of their scientific findings and attending lectures by renowned experts from the field of psychology.
This year's main theme was “Psychology as a Hub Science: Opportunities & Responsibility”, which offered the opportunity to review research findings, professional practice and theory in the field of psychology in the light of both the opportunities and the responsibilities that psychology has as a hub science in contemporary society.
Nina Krohne, young researcher in training at UP IAM, said that attending the congress was a great experience: »There was a variety of topics, we listened to and met, many experts from different fields of psychology working all over the world. It was also a very unique opportunity to present the results of our work. We are all very grateful to be part of such a big event that was organised here, in Slovenia.«
Wednesday, 6 July 2022 Fields Medals 2022 for outstanding mathematical achievement have been awarded
The Fields Medals, which are awarded every four years at the International Congress of Mathematics (ICM) to scientists under the age of forty for outstanding mathematical achievements, were awarded this year to Maryna Viazovska (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne - EPFL), James Maynard (University of Oxford), Hugo Duminil-Copin (University of Geneva) and June Huh (Princeton University).
Maryna Viazovska is the second female recipient of this prestigious award after the late Maryam Mirzakhani, who received the Medal in 2014. Last year, Viazovska also received the EMS Prize 2020 at the 8th European Congress of Mathematics (8 ECM), which was hosted by Slovenia and organized by the University of Primorska under the auspices of the European Mathematical Society (EMS).
Upon receiving the award, in her interview with Andrei Okounkov and Andrei Konyaev, she also spoke about the question of whether mathematicians will be replaced by computers in the future: »I am still of the opinion that a computer is a tool. Meaning that computers don't get in the way of people — it's people who get in the way of themselves by using this tool. If you give a man a saw, he can cut firewood quickly, or he can cut off his own finger. If he saws off his finger, it's not the saw’s fault. The same thing applies to artificial intelligence. On the one hand, it certainly holds a variety of possibilities for mathematics and can complete many tasks which we would not be able to complete ourselves. The value of mathematics, on the other hand, is in being able to understand what's going on. To give meaningful tasks to the artificial intelligence and understand the answers. It's not like the computer will somehow think for me. Some people may be fascinated by the illusion of computer thinking, but it's just a tool.« She also shared her thoughts on the breaking point of receiving such a prestigious award, which has so far belonged to 64 mathematicians: »What am I going to do for the rest of my life? I'm just beginning to live, but I have already reached the highest point. I didn't like the idea of that at all. Then, of course, I also thought about how this imposes a great amount of responsibility on a person. It took me a few days to realize it all.«
James Maynard and Hugo Duminil-Copin have also already received the EMS prize, namely in 2016, at the 7th European Congress of Mathematics in Berlin
We sincerely congratulate all the Medallists!
Monday, 4 July 2022 Presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation – Žiga Velkavrh
We invite you to the presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation Behavioral traits across time and countries: essays on indirect reciprocity, deception and nationality of the student Žiga Velkavrh, enrolled in the doctoral study programme Mathematical Sciences.
The presentation will take place on Wednesday, 13 July 2022 at 13.00 via Zoom on link:
https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/84010213773
Sunday, 3 July 2022 10th anniversary of the PhD Summer School in discrete mathematics at Rogla
The last week of June marked the successful implementation of the 10th International PhD Summer School in Discrete Mathematics, which is traditionally organized by UP FAMNIT and UP IAM. 65 mathematicians registered for this scientific meeting held in Rogla, and they were able to discuss their research work and attend various lectures between June 26 and July 2.
As in previous years, mathematicians from all over the world applied. Two mini-courses were lectured by:
- Michel Lavrauw, Sabancı University, Turkey: »Algebraic and geometric methods in tensor theory« and
- Mikhail Muzychuk, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel: »Coherent Configurations, Weisfeiler-Leman algorithm and Graph Isomorphism Problem«.
While invited speakers were:
- Edwin van Dam, Tilburg University: »Pseudo-geometric strongly regular graphs with a regular point«,
- Robert Jajcay, Comenius University Bratislava: »Group based constructions of k-regular graphs of large girth and small degree«,
- Daniel Kráľ (Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic): »Spectral method in extremal combinatorics« and
- Tamás Szőnyi, Eötvös Loránd University and University of Primorska: »On large minimal blocking sets in projective planes of square order«.
During the past ten years, PhD Summer School in Rogla has attracted almost 700 researchers and students from all around the world. Many of them keep returning year after year, which clearly shows both the popularity and the quality of this scientific mathematical meeting.
»Having the opportunity to listen to the most recent results in the field of Mathematics, from many extraordinary professors and students has been incredibly inspiring for me. Not only did I learn a lot, but I've made some amazing acquaintances and friendships. The beautiful scenery of Rogla is just a cherry on top. Events like this one help in widening the network in the professional world, opening new opportunities and just make learning fun«, said Ajla Šehović, one of the participants.
This year, the students also competed for the Best Student Talk Award. Recipient was decided by the committee members Ted Dobson, Aleksander Malnič and Russ Woodroofe and the award was given to Sam Adriaensen (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), for the talk entitled »Stability of Erdos-Ko-Rado Theorems in Circle Geometries«. He received free participation at the next year’s 11th PhD Summer School in Discrete Mathematics.
Russ Woodroofe, Ted Dobson, Sam Adriaensen and Aleksander Malnič
The committee awarded an honorable mention to Krisztina Szilagyi from Utrecht University for the talk entitled »Polynomial Kernel For Face Cover«.
As Rene Rodriguez Aldama, one of the participants, summarized, the conference was a great opportunity for students to present their work: »The Summer School in Discrete Mathematics aims to gather experts in the area and PhD students who can discuss different lines of research and expose their current works. This year, we had the privilege to presence eminent invited speakers: Edwin van Dam, Robert Jajcay, Daniel Král’ and Tamás Szőnyi. For me, the fact that students can present their work at such an international setting is a plus. The recreational activities were a success: pancakes, karaoke, dance and lots of fun. The cool weather and beautiful landscape at about 1500 m above the sea were just the extra added value to the conference.«
Read more about this year's program and participants here.
