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Friday, 27 October 2023 Second Famnits' Biological Evening

You are invited to the second Famnits' Biological Evening,

»Dsolve Project Research Area 5. Circularity of biobased, biodegradable, and non-degradable plastics«,

on Wednesday, 8 November, at 7pm,
via ZOOM.

The lecture will be given by Dorian Vodopia, UiT- The Arctic University of Norway.

The lecture will cover several research areas, commencing with an introductory segment on macroplastics pollution in the marine environment, delving into the material flows / effects of Abandoned, Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG), and current mitigation strategies. Consequently, the lecture will briefly probe into Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and underline the existing research gaps and efforts in integrating the impacts of "Ghost Fishing" on marine ecosystems and biodiversity within Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) modelling. An overview of the SFI DSolve project and the latest developments in Research Area 5: Circularity of biobased, biodegradable, and non-degradable plastics, will be presented. Including the ALDFG retrieval operation done in collaboration with the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, a long-term in-situ assessment of “Ghost Fishing” impacts on benthic environments: stock-specific catch rates in relation to gillnets and pots, and modelling the fate of ALDFG within the Norwegian marine environment.

   

About lecturer: Dorian Vodopia, born the 5. 3. 1996 in Rijeka, Croatia, attained a bachelor’s degree in Marine Sciences at the University Juraj Dobrila of Pula, Croatia in 2017. Thesis title: “Synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their impact on the sperm of sea urchin A. lixula”. Subsequently, in 2020 he obtained a master’s degree in Nature Conservation at the University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia. Thesis title: „Embryotoxicity and oxidative stress in the sea urchin P. lividus after co-exposure to PMMA microparticles and NSAID indomethacin”. From January 2021 to January 2023, he was employed as a project associate at the Laboratory for Marine Nanotechnology and Biotechnology, Centre for Marine Research in Rovinj, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Croatia. Since April 2023, he has been employed as a PhD fellow at UiT- The Arctic University of Norway, Norwegian College of Fishery Science, HARVEST research group, DSolve Project Research Area 5. His PhD work is: „Inclusion of ghost fishing and its effects on ecosystems and biodiversity in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)”.

Thursday, 26 October 2023 The doctoral thesis defence of the student Maheshya Weerasinghe

Maheshya Weerasinghe, student of the international joint doctoral study programe Computer Science at UP FAMNIT will defend her doctoral thesis Adaptive Guidance in Extended Reality Learning Environments; under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Matjaž Kljun, PhD and Alice Toniolo, PhD and co-mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Klen Čopič Pucihar, PhD, Prof. Aaron Quigley, PhD and Angela Miguel, PhD.

The defence will take place on Thurdsay, 2 November 2023 at 15:00 on Zoom:

https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/5389732484?pwd=bUxySzZhRkFmUjMrekozdFE5NTBwUT09

The doctoral disertation will be available in the library at UP in the following days.

Monday, 23 October 2023 TWO POSITIONS FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE AND INFORMATICS

UP Member: UP FAMNIT

1. ASSISTANT - ASSITANT

    

The employment relationship will be concluded full-time 40 hours per week (100%), for a fixed period of 12 months.

The position includes the duties defined in the job description, mainly the following:

  • participation in the implementation of educational, scientific-research and artistic work and the performance of other tasks specified in the acts of UP and its members,
  • management of various forms of exercises or training students in the subject according to the instructions of the subject holder, cooperation with the teacher in the preparation and implementation of students' knowledge tests and in other pedagogical activities,
  • preparation of teaching materials, equipment and aids for carrying out exercises,
  • carrying out consultations with students and mentoring and/or mentoring students in accordance with the acts of UP and its members,
  • engagement in the scientific research field, transferring the results of scientific research work into the study process and participating in activities related to pedagogical and scientific research work in the professional field,
  • carrying out other professional and development work that fulfills the mission of the university and raises the reputation of the university, its members, the profession,
  • cooperation in the work of bodies, working bodies and member commissions or universities,
  • performing other tasks as instructed by superiors.

Conditions for performing work:

  • specialization after higher education (previous) in the field of Computer Science and Informatics or
  • higher university education (previous) in the field of Computing and informatics or
  • Master's degree in the field of Computer Science and Informatics,
  • active knowledge of the Slovenian language, due to the performance of pedagogical work,
  • active knowledge of a world language.

Additional functional skills required:

  • computer skills,
  • handling audiovisual equipment,
  • the ability to work in a team,
  • organization skills,
  • communicativeness,
  • practical skills.

Other desirable skills:

election to the title of higher education assistant in the field of Computer Science and Informatics, or fulfilling the conditions for election to the said title.

2. ASSISTANT - ASSISTANT WITH PHD

    

The employment relationship will be concluded full-time 40 hours per week (100%), for a fixed period of 12 months.

Detailed description of work and tasks according to the field of work:

  • participation in the implementation of educational, scientific-research and artistic work and the performance of other tasks specified in the acts of UP and its members,
  • management of various forms of exercises or training students in the subject according to the instructions of the subject holder, cooperation with the teacher in the preparation and implementation of students' knowledge tests and in other pedagogical activities,
  • preparation of teaching materials, equipment and aids for carrying out exercises,
  • carrying out consultations with students and mentoring and/or mentoring students in accordance with the acts of UP and its members,
  • engagement in the scientific research field, transferring the results of scientific research work into the study process and participating in activities related to pedagogical and scientific research work in the professional field,
  • carrying out other professional and development work that fulfills the mission of the university and raises the reputation of the university, its members, the profession,
  • cooperation in the work of bodies, working bodies and member commissions or universities,
  • performing other tasks as instructed by superiors.

Conditions for performing work:

  • Doctor of Science (previous) or Doctor of Science in the field of Computer Science and Informatics,
  • active knowledge of the Slovenian language, due to the performance of pedagogical work,
  • active knowledge of a world language.

Additional functional skills required:

  • computer skills,
  • handling audiovisual equipment,
  • the ability to work in a team,
  • organization skills
  • the ability to give advice,
  • independence,
  • communicativeness,
  • practical skills.

Other desirable skills:

-election to the title of higher education assistant in the field of Computer Science and Informatics, or fulfilling the conditions for election to the said title.

Candidate must be fluent in slovene language!

Application: Interested applicants can send written offers with a motivational letter explaining its interest for the position and CV to vanessa.pobega@famnit.upr.si 

Application deadline: 12 December 2023

Friday, 20 October 2023 Presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation – Richard Acquah

We invite you to the presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation Integrating Digital Building Technologies for Enhanced Service Life Performance Modelling of Wooden Structures of the student Richard Acquah, enrolled in the doctoral study programme Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments.

The presentation will take place on Friday, 27 October 2023 at 16.00 in InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6a, 6310 Izola, room Tilia. The presenation will be available also at TEAMS tool, to which you can access here.

Thursday, 19 October 2023

Thursday, 19 October 2023 VICE-RECTOR PROMOTED THIRTEEN NEW DOCTORS OF SCIENCE

On Thursday, 19 October 2023, a solemn promotion of Doctors of Science of the UP took place in the hall of the Armeria Palace in Koper. The Vice-rector of the UP promoted thirteen new Doctors of Science, who completed their doctoral studies between March and October 2023. As of today, the University of Primorska has 328 Doctors of Science.

Kenny Štorgel  completed his studies at UP FAMNIT with the doctoral thesis »Certain Graph-Theoretic Invariants and Decompositions: From Structure to Bounds and Algorithms« under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof.  Borut Lužar and co-mentorship of Prof. Martin Milanič.

Doctoral dissertation summary: »Certain Graph-Theoretic Invariants and Decompositions: From Structure to Bounds and Algorithms«

The first part of the dissertation focuses on various graph invariants related with colorings of planar graphs. Among the results of this part are certain generalizations of known results on proper colorings, a new affirmative result in the direction of proving an open conjecture on cyclic colorings and improved bounds for parity colorings of planar graphs. The second part of the dissertation then focuses on special not yet fully understood graph classes where absence of large cliques is necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of tree decompositions of small width and the study of closely related and fairly new invariant called the tree-independence number. Algorithmic consequences for the aforementioned graph classes are also examined and it shows that certain problems are solvable in polynomial time in such graph classes.

Sara Zupan, employee at UP FAMNIT, completed her studies at UP FHŠ with the doctoral thesis »The influence of geographic and ecological isolation of populations of the False ringlet butterfly Coenonympha oedippus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) on genetic structure and phenotype expression« under the mentorship of Assoc. Prof. Jure Jugovic and co-mentorship of Prof. Elena Bužan and Assoc. Prof. Valentina Brečko Grubar.

Doctoral dissertation summary: »The influence of geographic and ecological isolation of populations of the False ringlet butterfly Coenonympha oedippus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) on genetic structure and phenotype expression«

False Ringlet is an endangered species of butterfly that inhabits phytocenologically and geographically contrasting habitats in Slovenia. Through analyses of landscape-forming elements, we confirmed the differentiation of populations and determined also genetic and morphological differences. For endangered species, who are losing their habitat due to anthropogenic activities or natural disasters it is crucial to define conservation guidelines. For the studied indicator species we defined Slovenian populations as a single evolutionary significant unit. Additionally, we proposed management units for each of the four Slovenian mezzoregions where species occurs.

    

    

Wednesday, 18 October 2023 Invitation to the defense of the Master’s Thesis - Laura Bavdek (Psychology, 2nd cycle)

On Wednesday, 25 October 2023, at 16:00 in the classroom IKT orodje (Zoom, Skype,...), Laura Bavdek, a student of the master's study program Psychology, 2nd cycle, will present her Master's Thesis entitled Psychosocial factors in the development of pedophilia.

https://upr-si.zoom.us/j/82969135287?pwd=WUJSc25JWW02MmR2aHJ3eDUxOFYvdz09
 

Meeting ID: 829 6913 5287
Passcode: 12345

You are all kindly invited!

Tuesday, 17 October 2023 Dr. Andrej Brodnik receives the Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Andrej Brodnik, a UP employee working at UP IAM and UP FAMNIT, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 26th Information Society Multi-Conference. The conference took place at the Jozef Stefan Institute from 10 to 13 October and concluded with an award ceremony. 

Andrej Brodnik was awarded for his outstanding lifetime contribution to the development and promotion of the information society. He received his PhD from the University of Waterloo in Canada, has been active in professional associations, especially ACM Slovenia, and has been instrumental in promoting computer science in Slovenia, especially in the context of teaching in secondary and primary schools and in competitions for secondary school students. His main research areas are concise data structures, ubiquitous computing and the teaching of computing and informatics. 

His contribution to the establishment of the University of Primorska, where he was Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs from 2003 to 2007, and is now a member of the UP Senate, is significant. During his professional career he has received numerous international and national awards and prizes, including the Innovation Cup in Sweden, the IBM Faculty Award, the Golden Plaques of the UL and the UP, and the Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Higher Education of the Republic of Slovenia.

We would like to congratulate Dr. Andrej Brodnik and wish him many more successes!


Foto: Delo

Friday, 13 October 2023 RECTOR'S DAY 2023

This year's Rector's Day will take place on Wednesday, 18 October 2023, once again in the spirit of socialising and getting to know each other. It will be accompanied by several festive and special events. We invite you to take a day off from your everyday commitments on Rector's Day and add your own little piece to the mosaic of team spirit.

FOR STUDENTS
On 18 October 2023, students are invited to take part in the traditional AUTUMN ČISTA 10KA. The event, organised by the UŠZP and the SUP, will see university teams competing in a variety of sporting and less sporting disciplines with the aim of winning the Clean Ten Transitional Cup. Students who will not be competing are invited to cheer on the performers at Arena Bonifika in Koper.

FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF
UP employees will have a rich programme of workshops, hikes, excursions and other meetings on Rector's Day, to which students are also invited. Some events require registration to facilitate their organisation. Based on last year's survey, we have tried to make it possible to attend several events during the day, and we are repeating some of them so that you can visit them over the years.

PROGRAMME

Below you will find an overview of the programme by strand. You are invited to read the full programme and combine the activities from the different strands. The application form is the same for all strands and the deadline for applications is Tuesday 17 October 2023 at 10:00. If there are any changes, we will inform you in due course. In the event of an emergency, we reserve the right to change the programme.

REGISTRATION FORM

SPORTS 

  • Cycling trip along the Parenzana from Koper to Milj and back (Difficulty: 3)

9.00, mixUP | Full equipment is required. Meeting point will be on the platform behind the UP building at 9.00. The trip is led by Alex Žigante (RIC UP).

  • Walk along the sea from Koper to Izola (and back) as far as Simon's Bay with the possibility of a guided tour of the Archaeological Park at 11.00 (Difficulty: 1)

9.30, Žusterna, 11.00 guided tour | The guided tour will be in Slovenian language.

The meeting point will be at the entrance to the macadam car park in Žusterna at 9.30. There are no guided walks.

  • Seafront walk from Koper to Izola (and back) with the possibility of a guided tour of the InnoRenew CoE building at 11.00 (Difficulty: 1)

9.30, Žusterna, 11.00 guided tour | The guided tour will be in English.

The meeting point will be at the entrance to the gravel car park in Žusterna at 9.30. There are no guided walks.

  • Walk along the sea from Turistica to Piran (and back), with a visit to the Aquarium (Difficulty: 1)

9.30, UP FTŠ | A relaxed walk to Piran with the possibility of a group visit to the Aquarium at 10.30. The walk and tour are not guided.

Meeting point will be at the Turistica car park at 9.30.

  • Tinjan hike with SportUP (Difficulty: 3)

9.30, Dekani | Circular walk along the trail to Tinjan

The meeting point will be at the cemetery car park in Dekani at 9.30. The tour is led by Luka Kejžar (Sport UP).

  • In the Footsteps of Migrants - Testimonies of Life Stories (Difficulty: 1)

10.30, Koper Passenger Terminal | Eco-sustainability walk along selected Istrian migrant routes in the vicinity of Dragonja, which also draws attention to migration trends in our region and the difficult situation of migrants crossing our borders (the so-called "migrants' stories"). Balkan route) or trying to do so, leaving behind traces that will be turned into exhibition artefacts that can document the life and hope of "everyday people" in search of a better world, as they did with migration decades ago.

The collection point will be in the car park under the lift in the passenger terminal at 10.30. Please let us know if you can provide transport or if you need it. The trip will be led by Dr Michael Mrissa (UP Rector's Office) and Dr Katja Hrobat Virloget (UP FHŠ).

CULTURAL AND SOCIAL

  • Literary walk in Koper with poetry reading and a relaxing end with tea and coffee (held in slovenian language)

9.00-10.30, UP surroundings and mixUP | The UP Book Club meeting will take the form of a leisurely stroll through the literary spots around the university, a visit to the library and a closing with coffee and tea at mixUP.

  • UPreplet (UP Volunteering)

10.30-12.30 in mixUP | This year, anyone who would like to take a break from work but can't make it to the events is invited to bring something creative from home - something you like to do or create, and then chat or share knowledge with your colleagues in mixUP. You can drop off your products and we will donate them to the relevant charities.

WORKSHOPS AND MEETINGS 

  • Travel lecture: 51 days in Thailand and the Philippines - Lovrenc Habe (UP PEF) (held in slovenian language)

8.30-9.30, P2, UP PEF | During this travelogue you will smell the streets of Bangkok, throw yourself into the muddy roads and drive on suspicious concrete roads, all the way to the childish elephants. You'll hear from hearty locals, meet lady boys and suicidal monkeys.

  • Stress and mindfulness at work - Meta Lavrič (UP IAM, SCRS) (held in slovenian language)

11.00-12.00, UP FAMNIT lobby | At the workshop we will learn about the basics of mindfulness, which are the foundation for coping with various everyday situations. We will also learn about and try out practical mindfulness exercises, which, if needed, can also be done at work. We will therefore equip ourselves with knowledge and skills that can help us to manage stress both in our private lives and at work. (60 min, between 11.00 and 13.00)

  • ChatGPT API on Raspberry Pi - Dr. Igor Riznar (UP FM)

13.00-14.00, P2, UP FM | Using ChatGPT on Raspberry Pi with Open AI API implementation.

  • Fundamentals of Investing - Dr. Jan Frančeškin (UP FM) (held in slovenian language)

14.00-15.00, P2, UP FM | In recent years, the global economy has been undergoing a major test. We have witnessed the global pandemic of COVIDA - 19 which is heading into a period of elevated inflation in 2022. It is precisely the increased inflation and the low interest rates on bank deposits that are forcing individuals and households to be exposed to riskier investments. This raises the key issue of financial literacy, which is a prerequisite for the prudent selection of a portfolio of slightly riskier investments.

LECTURES

  • The mission of knowledge in the age of artificial intelligence - a human perspective - Dr Simona Kustec (held in slovenian language)

10.00-11.00, P1, UP FM | The aim of the lecture will be to discuss the future vision and role of knowledge in the new, sixth wave of the so-called technological revolution, characterised by artificial intelligence. In this respect, the different missions (categorisations) of knowledge and their relevance for the development of AI will be presented. The central part of the paper will highlight the role of knowledge as a moral compass and social gatekeeper of the technological development of AI. Starting from the thesis that the use of knowledge must also be approached in a deliberate manner for the purposes of further civilisational development, selected historical examples of the use of knowledge for the development of technological innovations will be highlighted, which have had negative consequences for the further development of societies. In conclusion, all the findings presented will serve as an open space for further debate on the image and mission of different types of knowledge for human-centred technological progress.

  • Gender issues - presentation of the AGRIGEP project - Dr. Štefan Bojnec and Dr. Patricia Blatnik 

12.00-13.00, P1, UP FM | The European Union places great emphasis on gender equality, with a focus on gender issues in research and educational institutions. Our university has also already adopted a Gender Equality Plan for UP, which defines the vision and mission of UP in ensuring gender and other equality for the period 2021-2027. However, gender equality issues also vary according to the fields of study and research, where, for example, in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, gender equality issues are already well known and specific action plans have also been developed.In addition, gender equality issues in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics are also well known and have been addressed by the European Commission. However, some other areas do not yet have systematically identified specific actions and plans to mitigate them. The objectives of the AGRIGEP project, in which UP FM is collaborating with five other consortium partners, are, inter alia, to assess the current state of implementation of gender equality policies and to improve capacities through intensive capacity building. These results could also lead to long-term institutional reforms and the establishment of a system for mainstreaming gender equality issues in the education system and in the professional training of students. You are invited to a presentation of the AGRIGEP project, where you will also have the opportunity to raise your own issues and experiences to contribute to the search for solutions.

SIDE EVENTS

  • PROMOTION OF PHDS

Thursday, 19 October 2023, at 12 noon in the UP Armeria Hall.

The Vice-Rector for Scientific and Research Activities of UP, Dr Štefko Miklavič, will inaugurate 13 new PhD students who completed their studies between March and September 2023.

  • FIRST EVENT - LITERARY EVENING - IN THE NEW LIBRARY OF THE UP (held in slovenian language)

Thursday, 19 October 2023, at 19.00 at the University Library of the University of Primorska (Trubarjeva 1, 6000 Koper).

Marcello Potocco will present his latest collection of poems, Odyssey(ka) in the Labyrinth. The discussion will be moderated by Barbara Jurša Potocco.

Marcello Potocco is a poet, literature researcher and university professor. He graduated and received his PhD in Comparative Literature and Literary Theory at the Faculty of Arts in Ljubljana, and now teaches at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Primorska. He has published six collections of poetry. He was nominated for the Veronika Prize in 2008 for his collection "Corrections to a Poetry Collection" and for the Jenk Prize in 2012 for his collection "Via Francigena". He has participated in literary festivals at home and abroad, and his poems have been translated into many foreign languages, including an anthology of Slovenian poetry in Hebrew and Czech. Recently, he has also been featured in bilingual editions of contemporary Slovenian poetry in Italian and German.

  • OFFICIAL OPENING OF STUDENT HOUSE OF PRISOJE 9b (held in slovenian language)

Friday 20 October at 12 noon, Prisoje 9a

On the first day of the academic year, the UP Student Halls of Residence opened their renovated section in Prisoje. This important addition brings students 82 extra beds in double or triple dormitories, equipped with en-suite bathrooms and kitchens. The new part of the dormitory is adjacent to the existing dormitory of the ŠD Prisoje dormitory, which has 160 student beds. In total, the Prisoje Student Residence will have 121 rooms with 242 beds. At the end of 2022, UP also bought the former Garni Hotel Pristan from Luka Koper d.d. and has already built 55 beds for students in 18 rooms, which were already occupied by students in February this year.

  • ETHICS DAY: A CONSULTATION ON TRENDS IN ACADEMIC ETHICS AND INTEGRITY (held in slovenian language)

Thursday, 24 October at 12 noon, Burja 1 lecture room at UP FHŠ

In recent years and months, we have seen major shifts in the field of academic integrity and ethics, as we have witnessed the emergence of artificial intelligence tools in the higher education space and a paradigm shift in the approach to student misconduct. Artificial intelligence thus raises a number of issues related to the quality and credibility of student products, while in the area of student misconduct, action is moving from retributive justice to restorative justice, which seeks to understand the circumstances in which misconduct occurred. The event will also present the findings of the working group for the preparation of the document with the working title "Position on the use of artificial intelligence at the University of Primorska" and the working group for the implementation of the UP Integrity Plan.

REGISTRATION FORM

Friday, 13 October 2023 Opening of UP Clinic

On Thursday, 12 October 2023, the opening of the UP Clinic took place in the premises of the Koper Health Centre - after the speeches, the ribbon was cut by the Rector of the UP, Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, and Igor Hrvatin, the Director of the Koper Health Centre, where the clinic was set up.

The University of Primorska Clinic (UP Clinic) was established on the basis of a letter of intent between UP and ZD Koper and provides healthcare for all UP students and employees who do not have it in their place of residence, study or work. This type of partnership was also supported by the Slovenian Ministry of Health and, by establishing it, UP, in cooperation with the Health Centre, is improving healthcare for students, especially for foreign students and students from other regions, in line with its objectives, while offering additional support to its employees.

The UP Clinic is located on the premises of the Koper Health Centre, Dellavallejeva ulica 3, 6000 Koper (3rd floor), and will start operating on Thursday, 19 October 2023, according to the following timetable: every Tuesday and Thursday from 15.00 to 17.00.

There are several ways possible to make an appointment:

  • by telephone during office hours on (+386) 5 6647-110

  • in person at the clinic during office hours

  • by regular post to the following address: ZD Koper - Center, Student Clinic, Ljubica Kolander Bizjak, dr. med. spec., Dellavallejeva 3, 6000 Koper

Thursday, 12 October 2023 DIGI-MAT: DEALING WITH MATHEMATICAL LEARNING CONTENT USING DIGITAL TOOLS

Today is the last day of the »DIGI-MAT: DEALING WITH MATHEMATICS LEARNING CONTENT USING DIGITAL TOOLS« training, which took place between 30 September and 13 October 2023, live on UP FAMNIT and via ZOOM.

The training was part of the continuing education and training of professionals in education, which we carried out at UP FAMNIT.

DIGI-MAT professional training was divided into three topics, which were presented to the trainees by Assoc. Prof. Mihael Perman,  Assoc. Prof. Lara Lusa and Assist. Dr. Ana Zalokar.  

DIGI-MAT was carried out in a combined format; two days of 11 hours live and two Zoom meetings of 5 hours.

»This is the second successful implementation of the training for primary and secondary school mathematics teachers,  »DIGI-MAT: Dealing with learning content using digital tools«. Participants became familiar with everyday examples of probability at the elementary level, learned about statistics, and the R programming language. One of the purposes of this education is to connect mathematics teachers across the entire educational vertical - i.e. from elementary school to faculty. In this way, we can exchange experiences, highlight potential issues, and seek solutions. Once again, the participants' responses have been positive, so we are already looking forward to future training,« summarized Dr. Ana Zalokar, DIGI-MAT programme coordinator. 

      

According to the KATIS system (Catalog of further education and training programs for professional workers in education for the school year 2022/2023), participants received 1 point for the completed education. 

      

Thursday, 12 October 2023 Mathematical Research Seminar brought together enthusiasts of algebraic combinatorics

As part of the Mathematical Research Seminar at UP FAMNIT, in collaboration with UP Andrej Marušič Institute, a workshop on algebraic combinatorics was held today, which brought together researchers and enthusiasts in the field.   

 

Participants were addresed by the rector of UP, Prof. Klavdija Kutnar, who guided everyone into the world of algebraic combinatorics. 

This was followed by an introductory lecture titled »On the geometry of the Hermitian Veronese curve and its quasi-Hermitian surfaces,« presented by Prof. Michel Lavrauw.  

Later, additional presentations were given by: 

  • Dragan Marušič with the lecture »Does AGT have a life with(out) CFSG?«,   
  • Ilias Kotsireas with the lecture »20+ years of Legendre pairs«, 
  • Daniel Hawtin with the lecture »Large sets of infinite dimensional q-Steiner systems«, 
  • Sara Ban with the lecture »On new extremal ZZ4-codes of length 64«, 
  • Tomo Pisanski with the lecture »Splittable and unsplittable polycirculants«, 
  • Istvan Kovacs with the lecture »CI-property of the groups C2 p × Cn and C2 p × C2 q for digraphs«, 
  • Andrea Švob with the lecture »Switching for block designs«, 
  • Ana Šumberac with the lecture »Codes from quasi-symmetric designs of Blokhuis-Haemers type«, 
  • Blas Fernández with the lecture »On the trivial T -module of a graph«. 

Monday, 9 October 2023 EUROPEAN RESEARCHERS' NIGHT AT UP WITH THE ASSOCIATED EVENT "SCIENCE FOR ALL - 'ZATE'"

On Friday, September 29, 2023, we organized the European Researcher's Night at UP, which was held as an associated event under the slogan "ZnAnosT za vsE (Science for All) - 'ZATE'".

We carried out 28 workshops, presentations, guided tours, one storytelling, and various other activities at ten different locations. 

More than 100 researchers, students and university employees participated in the organization and implementation of all activities of the European Researcher's Night 2023 - the associated event "Science for All - 'ZATE'".

This year, scholars and students from 15 primary and secondary schools of the Obalno-Kraška region, their teachers, students of the University of Primorska and other visitors visited the event. There were almost 1,200 visitors at all locations.

In Koper, in the company of our UP Famnit researchers, they got to know the interior of the best-selling mechanical puzzle/toy in the world - the Rubik's cube,  as well as fidget toys - Pop-It, whose popularity escalated in the spring of 2021.

Our researchers presented to them the apparatus for detecting phenolic compounds in an interactive manner, where they participated in a short quiz and learned about the work of herpetologists - researchers who study amphibians and reptiles. In one of the workshops, they also had fun learning about a geometric object polyhedra. 

   

At the Livade 1. 0 facility in Izola, young enthusiasts, together with Famnit researchers, participated in four workshops where they learned how to obtain data on wildlife and how to unmask invisible wild animals in our environment. They also entered the world under the microscope, where they learned about its workings and made their own microscopy. (The workshop was held under the auspices of the World Federation of Scientists (WFS) Young Scientists Scholarship. In addition, the young researchers observed how insects drink nectar and why bumblebees are sometimes called nectar thieves. (the workshop was held as part of the COST Action CA18201 ConservePlants).

After the event, we received letters of thanks from the teachers of several schools and an announcement of their arrival at the European Researcher's Night next year.

The project was co-financed by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation as part of the activities carried out during the Month of Science.opean Researcher's Night next year.

  

  

  

  

Monday, 9 October 2023 ŠTARTUP - A JUMP INTO THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR FOR UP STUDENTS

On Saturday, 7 October 2023, the third edition of ŠtartUP - a social and sporting event aimed at welcoming all University of Primorska students - took place in the Žusterna Seaside Park.   

      

The event is aimed at introducing the new students to older students and getting to know each other, as well as a more personal approach to the students, as the contact offices, who are in contact with the students throughout their studies (international offices, student affairs offices), presented them with content that will help them in their studies. Last but not least, the event was also attended by the pedagogical staff, so they were able to make personal contacts, which, due to the smaller groups, is an advantage of studying at the University of Primorska.   

     

Alongside UP members, the University's centers and units were also presented, which are also dedicated to cooperation with the wider community and to linking the University's content with the environment. This year, also the UP Tutors joined as well as the International Service, which introduced the students to international options, especially in the context of joining the European University Transform 4 Europe. 

Again this year after a successful year last year, more than 40 local associations and organisations who recognised the event as an opportunity to present the event to students and recognised the contribution that student of the student population in seaside towns. We also received a positive response from local businesses, A special feature of this year's event was the addition of the Municipality of Koper, which joined as a co-organiser and further welcomed the students to the city.

Stands were offered with a symbolic entry fee, which was fully and directly donated to the Association "Pomagalčica Pomagalčica", so the event also had a humanitarian note. This year, more than 400 students visited the event and were welcomed by more than 100 staff and representatives of the associations, so the welcome was truly massive and enriched the event in the new Žusterna Seaside Park.    

We wish all students a successful start, progress and conclusion of the academic year 23/24! 

   

 

   

   

  

 

  

  

  

  

             

Thursday, 5 October 2023 The Department of Biodiversity invites you to the 1st SEMINAR ON MARINE TOPICS

The first seminar "Dsolve Project Research Area 5. Circularity of biobased, biodegradable, and non-degradable plastics"will be conducted by Dorian Vodopia on October 11, 2023, in the Epsilon lecture hall (ground floor) from 12:00 to 1:00 PM.  

   

An overview of the SFI DSolve project and the latest developments in Research Area 5: Circularity of biobased, biodegradable, and non-degradable plastics, will be presented. Including the ALDFG retrieval operation done in collaboration with the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, a long-term in-situ assessment of “Ghost Fishing” impacts on benthic environments: stock-specific catch rates in relation to gillnets and pots, and modelling the fate of ALDFG within the Norwegian marine environment.

   

Dorian Vodopia, born on the 5th of March 1996 in Rijeka, Croatia, attained a bachelor’s degree in Marine Sciences at the University Juraj Dobrila of Pula, Croatia in 2017. Thesis title: “Synthesis of silver nanoparticles and their impact on the sperm of sea urchin A. lixula”. Subsequently, in 2020 he obtained a master’s degree in Nature Conservation at the University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia. Thesis title: „Embryotoxicity and oxidative stress in the sea urchin P. lividus after co-exposure to PMMA microparticles and NSAID indomethacin”. From January 2021 to January 2023, he was employed as a project associate at the Laboratory for Marine Nanotechnology and Biotechnology, Centre for Marine Research in Rovinj, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Croatia. Since April 2023, he has been employed as a PhD fellow at UiT- The Arctic University of Norway, Norwegian College of Fishery Science, HARVEST research group, DSolve Project Research Area 5. His PhD work is: „Inclusion of ghost fishing and its effects on ecosystems and biodiversity in life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)”.

Thursday, 5 October 2023 SCORES conference: encouraging students to publish research works in the field of computer science

Today, October 5, 2023, the Student Computing Research Symposium SCORES is being held at UP FAMNIT.

Since 2014, the computer science departments of UP, UL and UM have jointly organized the conference, and each year one of the universities is chosen as the primary organizer. For this year's 9th edition, UP FAMNIT took over the baton, in cooperation with UP IAM and SDAMS. This year's event is co-organized also by ACM Slovenija. In the past, we were the main organizers of the event in 2016 and 2019.

SCORES is one of the few Slovenian conferences specifically intended for undergraduate and master's students, encouraging them to present and publish research works in the field of computer science. The (co)author of the paper on SCORES must be at least one undergraduate or master's student, which strengthens their cooperation and creativity.

At the beginning, the participants were greeted by Prof. Tomaž Pisanski, head of the Department of Information Sciences and Technologies at UP FAMNIT, who encouraged the participants to actively participate and offered his advice on how they can make the best use of such events to expand their horizons.

The invited lecturers of this year's conference are Marko Grgurovič and Marko Grobelnik, both successful former doctoral students of UP FAMNIT.

Marko Grgurovič is the general director of Triternion and the lead developer of Mordhau, the first Triternion game to reach the top of the sales chart on the Steam platform. They sold 500,000 copies in the first week of release. The title of his lecture at SCORES is »Research and Development in the Video Game Industry«.

Marko Grobelnik is an expert researcher in the field of artificial intelligence. He jointly leads the AiLab at the IJS Institute. It cooperates with the most important European academic institutions and large industrial companies, such as Bloomberg, British Telecom, the European Commission, Microsoft Research, New York Times. The title of his lecture at SCORES is »Knowledge Graphs and Large Language Models«.

In addition to the plenary sessions, the conference also included 13 lectures given by the conference participants.

We are very pleased that next year's conference will mark 10 years of cooperation between faculties, which strive to ensure that students develop the knowledge, skills and abilities required by the rapidly growing digital world.

Wednesday, 4 October 2023 Strengthening cooperation the Stellenbosch University in South Africa

Assoc. Prof. Matjaž Kljun and Assoc. Prof. Klen Čopič Pucihar, researchers from UP FAMNIT and UP IAM from (Department of Information Sciences and Technologies), visited the Department of Information Science of Stellebonch University in South Africa as part of the Erasmus+ project KA 171. It is a mobility program with partner countries or the so-called third countries not included in the programme.

Stellenboch University is a world-renowned university with which UP FAMNIT has established cooperation in the field of computer science and information technologies, and in the future we will strengthen cooperation with international exchanges of students and employees.

Our researchers were hosted by Prof. Dr. Daniel Le Roux, Head of the Cognition and Technology Research Group at the hosting university. He had visited UP FAMNIT in July and gave our students a lecture on media ecology, which is characterized by the omnipresence of mobile computing devices that offer a rapidly expanding range of gratifying online experiences.

At the Stellenbosch University, our researchers carried out seminars focused on recent advances in human-computer interaction through materials, the use of generative AI to support language learning in mixed reality environments and recent advances in physiological sensing.

»In the long run the expected result is a joint publication in a top tier journal and/or conference. If possible the publication will be also co-authored by a junior researcher or a student. The seminars should enable students to gain a deeper understanding of how technology can be used to enhance human ability, such as memory. They will get first hand experience on how mixed reality technology can be used effectively in this respect and how other technologies, such as generative AI can be integrated into this process. Finally the visit will enrich host and visiting students and researchers knowledge of key methodologies in HCI domain that can lead to higher quality of conducted research,« added Assoc. Prof. Kljun and Assoc. Prof. Čopič Pucihar.

Monday, 2 October 2023 Join us for ERASMUS DAYS - October 9 to October 14!

We are thrilled to announce and warmly invite you to join the exciting activities we've organized for Erasmus Days, taking place from October 9th to October 14th.

Discover the world of Erasmus mobility with two exciting workshops at UP FAMNIT:

Erasmus+ Student Mobility Workshop I: Traineeships

  • Date: Monday, October 9
  • Time: 14:00 - 15:15
  • Location: FAMNIT VP3 and via Zoom

Erasmus+ Student Mobility Workshop II: Studies

  • Date: Tuesday, October 10
  • Time: 12:30 - 14:45
  • Location: FAMNIT VP3 and via Zoom

Can't make it in person? No problem! These workshops are also accessible virtually through Zoom Meetings.

Our mission is to provide valuable insights into Erasmus mobility opportunities, focusing on practical advice from those who have been there. This is your chance to get answers to all your burning questions about Erasmus mobility.

For QR codes and comprehensive program details, please check out the following flyer:

Attention, Administrative Staff Members! We have something for you too.

  • Join us for a Presentation on Erasmus+ Staff Mobility for training on Thursday, October 12, at 14:30 in UP FAMNIT VP1.

We can't wait to share the excitement of Erasmus mobility programs with you and answer all your queries!

For any further information, don't hesitate to reach out to us at international@famnit.upr.si.

Monday, 2 October 2023 More than 1000 students enter the new academic year at UP FAMNIT

The academic year 2023/24 began with the traditional reception of the freshmen students at the meeting of the mayors of P.I.K.A., the representative of the ŠOUP and the media with the management of the UP with the introductory speeches. This time we welcomed the freshmen live in Koper's newest faculty building - UP FM.

The students were addressed by the Rector of UP, Prof. Klavdija Kutnar, who wished them above all to offer new challenges to UP with their proposals and bold ideas (the full speech is available on the link). Afterwards, they were welcomed by the Mayor of the host municipality, the Municipality of Koper (MOK), Aleš Bržan. This year, MOK is also the co-organiser of the ŠtartUP event. The President of the Student Council was absent, but her address was read by UP student Žiga Leban.The UP FAMNIT freshmen followed the introductory speeches live online in Koper and Izola, and then continued with the meetings with the study programme coordinators.

Via a recorded speech, the dean of UP FAMNIT, Assoc. Prof. Ademir Hujdurović, also shared his thoughts at the beginning of the new academic year.

After the meetings with the coordinators, UP FAMNIT freshmen had the chance to meet with this year's tutors and representatives of the Student Council, who are available to the students to solve any problems and help them get started in student life.

The events at the beginning of the new academic year will continue on Saturday, October 7, when we will hold the Štart UP event at the Žusterna Park - a sports and social event for all UP students, where presentations will be made by various organizations from the University and from the local environment. Students will have the opportunity to win prizes for successfully completed activities at individual points throughout the day.

Some more statistics

At UP FAMNIT, we welcomed the 17th generation of students, the biggest so far.

The final enrollment statistics for the academic year 2023/24 will be definite by the end of this month, however, according to unofficial data, 1028 students are enrolled at the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, of which more than 50 % come from abroad. Foreign students come from 35 countries: Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, India, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Russian Federation, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Ukraine, United States of America, Uzbekistan, Zimbabwe.

420 students are enrolled in the first year for the first time this academic year; 305 of them in undergraduate study programmes, 104 in Master's programmes, and 11 students are enrolled in the first year of doctoral programmes.

We wish all students a successful, interesting and fun academic year!