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Thursday, 29 February 2024 The Department of Biodiversity invites you to the next seminar on terrestrial topics

The next seminar on terrestrial topics, titled "From threats to resilience for a multi-scalar approach to the "Natura 2000" Network the article 6.3 of the Directive 92/43/EC" will be conducted by Pietro Giovacchini, Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in Livade 1.0 (Livade 6, Izola), Lecture Room Epsilon (ground floor), from 12:00 to 13:00.

Satisfactory management of Natura 2000 sites”: is it always necessary a more detailed approach in the analysis of the project? For example, environmental fragmentation can be measured particularly where the impact shows different effects on the biotic group across a more detailed scale. For other reasons, the rock quarries abandoned for over 10 years, where up to seven breeding or wintering bird rock species included in the Red Lists have been found, constitute an example of resilience over a large territory. Article 6.3 of the "Habitats" Directive evaluates the main effects that the project may have on the site concerned. However, the authorization process envisaged by the same article of the Directive is often indicative in the document of an inadequate cultural formation which implies a multi-scalar approach, for example, due to the lack of an evaluation of cumulative effects or planning strategies. If the environmental interference with the Natura 2000 network is out of this area, in a scenario with anthropic threats in which value taxa coexist (e.g. Discoglossus sardus, annexes II and IV of Directive 92/43/EEC), the analysis of the ecological system and the elements of the landscape unit equally aim to verify the impact on the species, especially if compared to an adequate reference scale for the critical issues inherent in a meta-population.

Pietro Giovacchini attained his Master's degree in Natural Science in 1997) and his Professional Master program in Biomonitoring and Management of the Coastal Zone in 2004, in both cases at the University of Siena. Currently, he is doing his PhD at the Department of Environmental, Geological and Polar Sciences and Technologies at the University of Siena University, his PhD thesis Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the management of Protected Areas through the Use of objective indicators: An Application to a system of zones wetlands of the Tyrrhenian coast. Apart from his PhD, he works as an officer of the public authority “Regione Toscana”, where he mainly deals with natural resources and management of the Natura 2000 network.

Wednesday, 28 February 2024 The Department of Biodiversity was part of the largest scientific gatherings on the topic of fisheries

Between 19-23 February 2024, the GFCM Forum on fisheries science in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea took place in Antalya, Turkey, organized by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and Food and Agriculture Organization (UN).

The Department of Biodiversity at UP FAMNIT participated in the thematic session "Better Science for Better Advice," addressing the topic of Management Strategy Evaluation for fisheries advice, where Matic Jančič shared his experiences about the projects LIFE EUROTURTLES and LIFE DELFI, with a talk entitled "Inadequacy of Protected Species Bycatch Monitoring in Bottom Set Net Fisheries in the Eastern Adriatic Sea."

About talk: In collaboration with local fishermen, the authors identified a significant incompatibility between officially published bycatch monitoring data and the observed amount of bycatch in small-scale coastal fishing with passive nets in the years 2018-2021 in the Croatian Istria. The presented results were obtained as part of an ongoing collaboration between UP FAMNIT, the Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, the Croatian Natural History Museum, and the Marine Science Program of Juraj Dobrila University of Pula.

The forum, one of the biggest scientific gatherings dedicated to fisheries and related issues in the region, aims to promote discussions and cooperation among scientists and policymakers towards producing scientific advice and encompasses oceanographic, social science, and economic perspectives on fisheries research.

The forum was divided into three thematic sessions, each addressing multiple specific topics. Throughout these sessions, numerous workshops and side events were organized, providing participants with the option to delve deeper into specific areas of interest.

Tuesday, 27 February 2024 EXTENDED DEADLINE: OPEN CALL FOR AWARDS AND RECOGNITION OF THE ALUMNI UP IN 2024

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS HAS BEEN EXTENDED TILL THE 18 MARCH 2024 (14:00)!

The Alumni Club of the University of Primorska is a network of Alumni Clubs of individual faculties of the University of Primorska, whose purpose is to maintain contact with and among alumni, to organise educational, scientific and other professional events, to support excellence in research, and to strengthen the identity and sense of belonging of the University of Primorska community.

The University of Primorska is launching an open call for Alumni UP awards and recognitions in order to strengthen the identity and sense of belonging of the Alumni UP community. Alumni UP members are eligible to recive three types of awards; the Alumni UP Award for Excellence, the Alumni UP Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Professional Field, and the Alumni UP "Young UP" Award. The "Patron of Alumni UP" Recognition.

PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING NOMINATIONS AND CONDITIONS FOR AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Candidates for prizes may be proposed by:
Alumni UP bodies;
a member or a group of members of Alumni UP.

Candidates for awards may be proposed by:

Alumni UP bodies;
a member or a group of members of Alumni UP;
the deans of the UP faculties, the directors of the UP members, and the UP management.

An individual may not nominate himself/herself. The President of the Alumni UP, as a voting member of the Commission, cannot propose candidates. Voting members of the Commission cannot propose candidates in the year of the award.

Candidates for the awards must meet the following conditions:

have completed a postgraduate or undergraduate degree at UP or an advanced study program at UP; and
membership of the Alumni UP.

How to submit your proposal: via the e-form available HERE!
The following information must be entered in the e-form:

Type of award and recognition,
the name, last name, and email of the proposer(s);
the name, last name and email of the prize nominee;
the name of the organization and the name and last name of the person responsible in the case of a candidate for an award,
the consent of the nominee (sample available here).

A justification of the proposal stating the reason for nominating the candidate (up to 400 words), a brief description of the candidate's achievements, and relevant supporting evidence (e.g. references, list of published works, or other documents demonstrating the candidate's achievements and contributions) is to be sent to the alumni@upr.si e-mail adress.

Deadline for submission: 10.3.2024.
Date for the selection of candidates: 22.3.2024

TYPES OF AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Alumni UP Award for Excellence

The Alumni UP Award for Excellence is awarded to a graduate of the University of Primorska (hereinafter referred to as UP); a member of the UP Alumni, for outstanding career achievements or outstanding philanthropic activity or achievements in the cultural, sporting field, or the candidate has otherwise established himself/herself as a leader or role model in one or more areas of his/her activity. In all of the above cases, the candidate has contributed to the reputation and visibility of UP through his/her work and achievements.

Alumni UP Award for outstanding achievements in the professional field

The UP Alumni Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement is awarded to a UP graduate, a member of the UP Alumni, who has achieved outstanding success in his/her professional community and/or has made a significant contribution to the development of the profession through his/her work. The candidate has contributed to the reputation and visibility of UP through his/her work and achievements.

Alumni UP Award "Young UP"

The UP Alumni Award "Young UP" is awarded to a UP graduate, a member of the UP Alumni, who has completed his/her studies at UP within the past five (5) years and has demonstrated special acumen in his/her professional field and/or has demonstrated dedication to community service, public service, or philanthropy, and who has achieved significant career, scientific research, or other professional accomplishments during this period. The candidate has contributed to the reputation and visibility of UP through his/her work and achievements.

"Patron of Alumni UP" recognition

The "Patron of Alumni UP" recogniton is given to a supporter of Alumni UP for a significant contribution to the development and activities of the Alumni UP community. The award is not linked to membership in Alumni UP and can be awarded to legal or natural persons.

CALL FOR AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

CONSENT FORM SAMPLE

The project is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and the European Union – NextGenerationEU. The project is implemented in accordance with the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) under the development area Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, component Strengthening competencies, in particular digital competencies and those required by the new professions and the green transition (C3 K5), for the investment measure Investment F. Implementation of pilot projects, the results of which will serve as a basis for the preparation of a roadmap for the reform of higher education for a green and resilient transition to a Society 5.0: project Pilot Projects for the Reform of Higher Education for a Green and Resilient Transition.

Tuesday, 27 February 2024 Visiting professor and researcher about future cooperation with our faculty

Last week we spoke with Prof. Dr. Fabio Vlacci from the University of Trieste and Dr. Matteo Bisanti from the University of Florence, who visited us within the Erasmus+ exchange and research project, and shared their impressions and other possibilities for further cooperation.

Prof. Dr. Fabio Vlacci arrived as part of a short-term exchange on February 19th and, was hosted by Assoc. Prof. Jasna Prezelj from the Department of Mathematics until February 22nd.

Prof. Dr. Fabio Vlacci from the University of Trieste

As he briefly described, this is certainly not his first visit to our faculty; he previously participated in several seminars, and each visit constantly excites him. “ The university has represented a great opportunity for me to work with my collaborator Prof. Jasna Prezelj and to better appreciate the active university life at UP. In recent years, I have been several times to Koper, for seminars, lessons, conferences, meetings and, occasionally, also for some celebration. I have been always impressed by the efficiency and kindness of the administrative staff, together with the excellent quality of research and teaching activities carried out at UP Famnit. Thank you for accepting me as a privileged guest in this very dynamic, young but internationally recognized university: hvala lepa!!” he expressed his gratitude in Slovene.

In September, as part of a research visit at UP FAMNIT, we were visited by Dr. Matteo Bisanti from the University of Florence, hosted by Prof. Elena Bužan, for a period of 6 months.

Dr. Matteo Bisanti from the University of Florence

The researcher, who primarily focuses on the design and evaluation of educational and playful activities related to sustainability, is particularly interested in how public institutions utilize games for their purposes. Recently, Matteo has been working on gamification and sustainability in citizen science projects – games for social change and games for (OGS), the National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics about ships 'Laura Bassi' (OGS). He is also a part of the Scientific Committee of the Game Science Research Center - the interuniversity research center, which produces research about games, ranging from game-based learning to game studies.

He has admitted that the field of biodiversity excites him, but he has recently found new challenges. "While I have a love for evolutionary biology and genetics, my recent focus has shifted towards naturalistic aspects and citizen science projects, particularly using games as tools for engaging the public. Among other things, my latest publication involves a role-playing game used in an Economics class in Florence to simulate macroeconomic actions addressing climate change," he adds.

Currently, within the framework of the ERGA project, Dr. Bisanti assisting Dr. Elena Bužan from the Department of Biodiversity, in the game design of a videogame for the European project ERGA on the sequencing of European species. In addition, he is supervising the master's thesis of one of our students, focusing on gamifying the app for the European Step Change project. He also sees many other opportunities for future collaboration with the faculty. " I believe there will be numerous opportunities for collaboration with Buzan's group in the coming years, particularly in European projects involving elements of Citizen Science and strong citizen involvement, " explains Dr. Bisanti.

Saturday, 17 February 2024 PUBLIC CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIPS 2024-2025

The University of Primorska invites all students of the following faculties: UP Faculty of Humanities, UP Faculty of Management, UP Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, UP Faculty of Education, UP Faculty of Tourism Studies - Turistica, UP Faculty of Health Sciences, who are eligible, to apply for the Public call to obtain scholarships from the Scholarship Fund of University of Primorska in the academic year 2024/2025.

The Scholarship Fund of the University of Primorska is based on a partnership between the University of Primorska, municipalities, and the private sector. Its aim is to reward and encourage the best students of UP, offer their knowledge to potential employers during the course of their study process, and provide opportunities for employment to these students as soon as they finish their studies. The objective of the Fund is at the same time to support all UP students in achieving the best possible results in their studies.

With this Public Call, the University of Primorska invites all:

candidates for enrolment in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd cycle study programmes of UP and
students who, in the academic year of 2024/2025, will be enrolled in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd cycle study programmes of UP,

to apply for this public call, and thus express their interest in joining the Fund.

The amount of the scholarship for the academic year 2024/2025 is at least 2.200,00 EUR.

In the case when the scholarships are awarded via UP, the scholarship amount is 2.200,00 EUR per academic year. In certain cases, a higher scholarship can also be awarded, namely:

for students enrolled in the 1st and 2^ndcycle, who score from 80 to 89 points, the scholarship can be as high as 330,00 EU per month, respectively as high as 3.300,00 EU per academic year;
for students enrolled in the 1st and 2^ndcycle, who score from 90 to 100 points, the scholarship can be as high as 550,00 EU per month, respectively as high as 5.500,00 EU per academic year;
for students enrolled in the 3^rd cycle, the scholarship can be as high as 1.200,00 EU per month, respectively as high as 12.000,00 EU per academic year.

Scholarship contracts will be concluded between UP, Fund partners (employers), and students with whom there is a mutual interest in the conclusion of the contract. By signing the scholarship contract, the student agrees that in the case that they are offered employment by a partner of the fund (employer) they will accept the offer and, after completing their studies, work for the partner of the fund for at least as long as they received the scholarship.

Application deadline: September 15th, 2024. The application is submitted in due time if it is submitted between February 15th, 2024 to September 15th, 2024.

On the website of the Career Center of the University of Primorska (KC UP) you will find all details and the public call: UP Scholarship Fund 2024/2025 - PUBLIC CALL!

Contacts: Career Center of University of Primorska, Center for Lifelong Learning and Career Orientation

Address: Titov trg 4, 6000 Koper, Slovenija

Phone: +386 5 611 76 36

E-mail: kariernicenter@upr.si.

PUBLIC CALL - 2024/2025

JP za pridobitev stipendije na UP za leto 2024-2025.pdf (233kb)

Public call UP Scholarship Find 2024-2025.pdf (199kb)

Wednesday, 14 February 2024 The third lecture of Famnits' excursion into the mathematical universe 2023/24

You are kindly invited to the third lecture entitled

»Königsberg: A Hidden Key to Graph Theory's Door,«

which will be held on Wednesday, 21 February, at 18:00, in the lecture room - VP3 and via ZOOM.

The lecture will be given by Dr. Blas Fernandez from UP FAMNIT and UP IAM.

Unnoticed within the pages of history rests the unfamiliar city of Königsberg. While modern maps may find it hard to precisely locate, one particular quirk in its geography has made it one of the most recognizable cities in mathematics. Right in the middle of this city, where the Pregel River flowed, lay two interconnected islands joined to the riverbanks by seven distinct bridges. Residents became captivated by a simple question: Could one traverse all Königsberg's bridges without retracing their steps? This innocent and curious question challenged the minds of mathematicians and forged the very essence of graph theory. Come with us as we discover the secret role that Königsberg had, unlocking the door to the amazing world where graph theory began. We will unravel the essential ideas behind graphs— visual representations of interconnected nodes —and dive into their wide applicability for solving all sorts of different problems.

Blas Fernandez, born in 1992 in Alberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina, finished his Master’s thesis in Mathematics at the National University of La Plata in 2018. Before defending his thesis, he was at the University of Primorska as part of the Erasmus programme. At the beginning of the academic year 2018/2019, Blas enrolled in the doctoral Mathematics study programme at the University of Primorska, where he made remarkable progress in the field of algebraic combinatorics. He is the author of twelve high-quality articles and has presented several results from his doctoral dissertation at international conferences and research seminars.

Tuesday, 13 February 2024 The successful conclusion of the COST Action CA18201 project - An integrated approach to conservation of threatened plants for the 21st Century (ConservePlants) - brought together researchers from 25 countries

The rapid changes in climate and the environment are more noticeable today than ever before, directly affecting plants that enhance our lives through various services. Despite the goals that domestic scientists strive to achieve, these have not bring the desired results. Therefore, the collaboration and establishment of a network of scientists and other stakeholders through the project have served as an excellent opportunity to explore and strive to improve the condition of endangered plant species throughout Europe.

Between February 12 and 13, 2024, the final conference of the COST Action CA18201 project - An integrated approach to the conservation of threatened plants for the 21st Century (ConservePlants) - took place in Izola, Livade 1.0 facility, which started in the fall of 2019.

The conference organized by the Department of Biodiversity UP FAMNIT brought together 74 participants from 25 countries, including Slovenia, Albania, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

Throughout the conference, various scientists and researchers shared their insights, contributing to the conservation of endangered plant species across Europe.

In the introduction, participants were welcomed by Dr. Klavdija Kutnar, the rector of UP, who encouraged all to continue their actions for the conservation of endangered species even after the conference.

Project manager, Dr. Živa Fišer from the Department of Biodiversity (UP FAMNIT), presented achievements that have been lined up until the very end, which serves as an excellent opportunity for further growth: "The concluding conference marks the end of a four-and-a-half-year period of our COST project, focusing on the conservation of endangered plant species. Throughout this project, we established a vast network of collaborators from more than 40 countries, providing us with a foundation for future collaboration."

The invited speakers of the conference are experts in ethnobotany and plant ecology, Silvia Castro, and Andrea Pieroni.

Andrea Pieroni obtained his PhD in 1998 from the University of Bonn, Germany, and is currently engaged in research on cross-cultural ethnobotany and traditional food in the Balkans and the Middle East especially among mountain pastoralists and ethnic and religious minorities and diasporas. In 2008-2010, Professor Pieroni also served as Vice-President and President of the International Society of Ethnobiology. He is also a founder and Chief Editor of the J Ethnobiol Ethnomed, and a member of the editorial boards of various international ethnological scientific journals.

He believes that this kind of cooperation is crucial for the conservation of endangered species, with a focus on raising people’s awareness of the importance of plant species. He shared his perspective in the following statement: "To Conserve Plants, we need to conserve people and their links to plants. Plants are not just plants but are also part of the history of the interaction between them and the human community."

Silvia Castro, from the University of Coimbra, views the COST action as a significant opportunity to connect with various researchers working on similar topics and to acquire new ideas over the past four years, as she states: "Today, I presented one of the projects focusing on nature conservation and the preservation of endangered plants, especially invasive species. In short, we brought together a diverse group of experts, including botanists, entomologists, and colleagues from various disciplines, who joined forces to sample these invasive species in the Mediterranean basin. So, we got this very nice picture illustrating the plant's capability to become invasive."

In addition to the plenary sessions, there were also 21 lectures by conference participants.

In addition to showcasing the project's key accomplishments, the collection of four children's books titled 'Stories of Endangered Plants' was presented. Crafted as part of the project's commitment to preserving endangered plants, these engaging and educational picture books aim to familiarize children with the importance of plant conservation.

Conserve Plants is one of the major COST actions, uniting 39 countries with over 150 members of working groups from academia, research institutions, and NGOs. They collaborate on diverse activities aimed at conserving endangered plants.

The book of abstracts and poster, are available electronically at the following link.

Monday, 12 February 2024 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SCIENCE

The International Day for Women and Girls in Science is held every 11 February at the suggestion of the United Nations. Its purpose is to draw attention to gender inequality, as there is still a large gender gap in all scientific disciplines worldwide, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Women are also increasingly represented in higher education, but they are still under-represented. According to UNESCO, fewer than 30% of all researchers are women.

The University of Primorska has 261 female researchers (51.8% of its workforce), working at six member faculties and one research institute. In the previous year, 21 young researchers were being trained, of whom 12 were women (57%).

In the last year, UP women scientists have been involved in various associations:

Prof. Dr. Elena Bužan (UP FAMNIT) became a member of: the European University Association (EUA), within which she is part of the Expert Group on Open Science (EGOS); the Expert Council for Animal Protection (SSZŽ) MKGP RS and and the Management Board of the European Consortium for the Protection of Animals (ERGA).
Prof. Anna Małgorzata Sandak (UP, InnoRenew) was invited to be included as an expert in the database for outstanding women scientists (SWISS National Science Foundation) and published a scientific article in the journal Nature Reviews Materials.
Doc. dr. Valentina Brečko Grubar (UP FHŠ) became a member of the Council for Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Slovenia.
Assis. prof. dr. Anja Pirih and Prof. dr. Mara Cotič< /strong> (UP PEF) became members of the Expert Council of the Republic of Slovenia for General Education.
Prof. Dr. Mara Cotič (UP PEF) became a member of the Working Group for the preparation of the National Programme for Education for the period 2023-2033.

They have also received various awards, such as:

Dr. Amalija Žakelj (UP PEF) was awarded the Prize of the Republic of Slovenia for outstanding achievements in the field of higher education;
Prof. Jelena Sitar Cvetko (UP PEF) received the Little Prince Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding contribution to the development of culture and theatre arts for children;
Dr. Katarina Šoln (UP FAMNIT) was nominated by the Slovenian Science Foundation (SZF) as a recipient of the World Federation of Scientists (WFS) scholarship.

Male researchers dominate the management of research programmes at our University (78% of leaders), as well as all adapted research and international cooperation projects (75%). 71% of basic research projects are also led by male researchers. Women dominate the ARIS projects (80%) only in the management of postdoctoral projects. Women dominate the management of Horizon projects (70%), including the largest project, the InnoRenew CoE, which is led by a female researcher. In other types of research and development projects (Erasmus, Structural Funds, other international projects), the gender balance in project management is fairly balanced, with women leading 58% of projects and men 42%. Women leaders are clearly predominant in projects funded by the Structural Funds (83%) and in projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (86%). Women leaders are also predominant in projects funded by the Structural Funds (83%) and in projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (86%)

This Women and Girls in Science Day, we focused on projects and research that, in their fields, contribute in part or in full to addressing issues related to women's issues.

Two focus on women's entrepreneurship - WE GREEN and AGRIGEP

Associate Prof. Dr. Patricia Blatnik highlights the main points of the project AGRIGEP - Assessment and implementation of Agriculture and Life Science Universities’ first Gender Equality Plans in widening countries (Horizon 2020), which addresses gender equality in research and educational institutions, with a special focus on agricultural and life sciences, which remain neglected in terms of equality within STEM.

"Our work on gender equality in AGRIGEP is crucial in higher education and science, as it addresses many issues specific to women and their position in society. Through the project, we are trying to tackle barriers to access to education, identifying the structural, cultural and other barriers that prevent women from having equal access to education. By exploring these barriers, we design and implement effective policies and guidelines to promote greater inclusion and success of women in education. In addition, it is a well-known fact that there are specific gender issues within certain fields of study where women are under-represented, so the project is particularly focusing on gender issues in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), developing specific action plans. Our work seeks to identify the causes of imbalances within these sectors, developing specific programmes and policies to encourage greater participation of women in these fields. The project is working towards the development of more inclusive curricula that promote gender equality and ensure that all students feel equal and included in the higher education environment. Through the project, we are providing new evidence that underpins the development of strategies and effective policies on gender equality in education and research institutions.

By providing reliable analysis and data, we influence all stakeholders and key decision-makers to take action to ensure equal opportunities for all. Our work not only highlights existing problems, but also helps to create and spread awareness about the importance of gender equality. Through education and awareness-raising, we aim to contribute to a gradual change in societal gender norms and expectations, with long-term positive effects on the position of women in society. By focusing on gender equality in education and research institutions, our work helps to ensure that women are better able to develop their skills and knowledge in a wide range of fields. This not only contributes to their personal growth and self-confidence, but also to their economic independence and strength in society. Our research work in this project thus serves as a foundation for building a fairer and more equal society where women can realise their potential without the constraints imposed by gender stereotypes or discrimination".

Urška Gerič, M.Sc. in Nature Conservation spoke about women's interest in studying in the field of bioinformatics and informatics:

"In the past, men dominated in technical professions, while women preferred biological, chemical, pharmaceutical,... However, in recent years, there has been an encouraging trend of increasing interest among women in studying bioinformatics, informatics and data science,.... This is reflected in the increasing number of female students enrolling in these programmes. There is also an increasing number of female researchers who are actively involved in research projects in these fields. However, there is still a shortage of women in positions such as professors and assistant professors in IT studies".

Dr. Urša Mars Bitenc, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vesna Jug address research in the field of reproductive psychology:

"Research in the field of reproductive psychology is crucial for understanding and addressing different aspects of women's reproductive health and experiences. It provides insights into fertility and reproductive health, addresses different aspects of mental health during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and postpartum, and provides important information on family planning processes. Research can also address the psychological impact of infertility and assisted reproduction, explore the dynamics of parenthood and child development, and highlight gender differences and societal expectations of reproduction. Research findings can make an important contribution to policy-making and efforts to ensure women's reproductive rights and access to comprehensive health services, including psychological support and treatment. The field of reproductive psychology is therefore essential for promoting women's autonomy, well-being and reproductive justice."

The field of women's health is of great importance for the success of society as a whole, and it is in this context that Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mirko Proseng, who in December was awarded the title of "Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery", is actively engaged. Fellow membership is offered exclusively by the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences and represents one of the most prestigious professional qualifications awarded to nurses and midwives. Among the important projects he has led is the Cross-Border Network for Immigrant Women: Social Integration, Sexual and Reproductive Health (Integra) project.

"Women's health is undoubtedly the foundation of a healthy society. My work as a teacher and researcher at the UP Faculty of Health Sciences focuses on improving access to quality, woman-centred healthcare, particularly in the area of reproductive health. By supporting and implementing innovative research projects in the field of women's health and by educating future health professionals, taking into account the needs of women and their social situation in our study programmes, we can have a direct impact on improving the quality of women's lives and thus on society as a whole."

Free access to the digital science monograph "Women, Migrations and Health" (Sabina Ličen, Igor Karnjuš and Mirko Prosen).

The topic of equality was also presented at the Consultation on Gender Equality for an Inclusive University and Society, which covered the broader topic with its contributions.

Prof. Dr. Vlado Kotnik (UP FHŠ) shares his thoughts on the International Day of Women and Girls.

"For a long time, gender has been a rather unthought of category in universities. And so have the exclusions, marginalisations and stigmatisations that have resulted from these unthinkings. Universities in the 21st century can no longer afford such unthinking, because gender (in)equality is also their heritage and therefore their eminent problem. The fact that women academics are willing and able to think beyond the problems of universities with ignorance, inequalities and inequities based on gender and because of gender is perhaps the only promise that universities can become better places to live out the principles of autonomy, integrity, collegiality, diversity, equity, inclusiveness, openness and knowledge."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Karmen Medica ( UP FHŠ) summarises the research work on migration, focusing on the increasing feminisation of migration with the following effects:

"First of all, the stereotypical image of family migration, where women were mostly perceived as passive migrants following their husbands, is becoming less and less present. Research identifies how discourses and practices about women as independent protagonists of migration have come to life. They are increasingly present as active participants in decision-making in their own lives and in the lives of their families. Identifying the position and situation of women in migration processes helps to open up new opportunities, competences and better integration of women in the immigrant environment, increasing their employment opportunities and strengthening their social inclusion.

Research also points to problems and shortcomings in the local and family environment, and to the persistence of patriarchal patterns in many places. Work in this area is largely focused on stimulating and developing inclusive communication aimed at participation and co/creation of migrant women's lives in their new environment."

Monday, 12 February 2024 2-year Postdoc Position in Psychologically-informed User Modeling

The Department of Information Sciences and Technologies (DIST) at the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies (FAMNIT) of the University of Primorska is seeking a top early-career researcher for a postdoctoral position in the area of psychologically-informed user modeling under the supervision of assoc. prof. dr. Marko Tkalčič.

The project will explore how psychologically-informed features can be used to model users, items, infer user characteristics from digital traces, infer item characteristics, provide explanations and recommendations in the music and film domains. The methodologies will include user studies and machine learning. The selected candidate will work in a great team with Marko Tkalčič as part of the HICUP lab (https://hicup.famnit.upr.si/) in the beautiful Mediterranean city of Koper (the beach is only a 3 min walk from the office).

Details:

Full-time employment (40 hrs/week). Full social security.
The position is for two years.
The preferred starting date is October 2024 (negotiable).
The candidates must have (or expect to obtain shortly) a PhD in computer science or in an area relevant to the research topics.
The ideal candidate should posses expertise in the following areas:
- recommender systems,
- machine learning,
- user modeling.
Expertise in one or more of the following areas will be appreciated
- ML explainability,
- computational psychology,
- computational social science,
- media-related knowledge (musicology etc.).
The position includes a small teaching load (1 course/semester, 3-4 hrs/week).
The position comes with funding for travel (conferences, visitors).

Application Process:

The applications will be assessed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. To apply, send an email to marko.tkalcic@famnit.upr.si with the following documentation:

motivation
CV
list of publications
research statement
names and email addresses of two to three references

Tuesday, 6 February 2024 UP HERBARIUM GAINS INTERNATIONAL CODE AND JOINS A NETWORK OF MORE THAN 3,500 HERBARIA WORLDWIDE

UP HERBARIUM GAINS INTERNATIONAL CODE AND JOINS A NETWORK OF MORE THAN 3,500 HERBARIA WORLDWIDE

For many of us, our first association with a herbarium is a primary or secondary school collection of a few dozen dried plants, complete with names and a few details. For many of us, this is the first way to get up close and personal with the plants that surround us.

But herbariums are not just collections of dried and labelled plants, they are institutions that collect and preserve material of scientific, educational and naturalistic importance. The oldest surviving herbariums date back to the 16th century and are of inestimable value, while more recent herbariums have also gained in importance with the development of genomics and the digitisation of biological data to facilitate their use for research purposes. Herbariums can hold millions of specimens, e.g. the largest herbarium of the Paris Museum of Natural History holds 9.5 million specimens, followed by the New York Botanical Garden herbarium with 7.6 million. The latter also maintains a global database, Index Herbariorum, which brings together more than 3,500 herbariums from around the world and assigns a unique code to identify herbaria. Since January 2024, the Herbarium of the University of Primorska with the code KP is also part of this network, which is also the first indexed herbarium outside Ljubljana, joining the other four indexed herbaria in Slovenia, namely the Herbarium of the University of Ljubljana, the Herbarium of the Natural History Museum of Slovenia, the Herbarium of the Forestry Institute of Slovenia, and the Herbarium of the Jovan Hadžija Institute of Biology of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences.

The UP Herbarium Collection

The UP Herbarium Collection was started in 2008, in parallel with the study programmes and activities of the Department of Biodiversity at UP FAMNIT. In the framework of the teaching and research process, the Herbarium Collection grew. Today, the collection contains just under 6,000 specimens of seed plants, ferns, mosses and macroalgae. The largest collection is the collection of flowering plants and ferns, which comprises just over 5,200 specimens and has recently been arranged in pedigree folders and fully entered into the database. Geographically, the collection is focused on the western part of the Balkan Peninsula and the south-eastern Alps, with a particular emphasis on collecting and preserving material from Istria. As Asisst. Dr. Peter Glasnović, one of the key researchers responsible for the achievement, said: "By including the collection in the Index herbariorum, we aim to make UP and its herbarium part of the global scientific community and contribute to the development of botanical research in the region and beyond." Future goals are to organise and digitise the entire collection, which will make it easier to disseminate information to the wider public.

Assist. Dr. Peter Glasnović, from the Department of Biodiversity (UP FAMNIT)

Monday, 5 February 2024 Students of Conservation Biology programme at the EcoFlor Conference in Portugal

Staša Simčič and Adela Horvat Conservation Biology students attended the EcoFlor conference in Coimbra, Portugal, on 1 and 2 February, where they presented their research work on the invasive Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae).

Within the conference, they presented the complex biology of species reproduction, with a focus on fluorescent microscopy of furrows with pollen grains and flower morphometrics. Their work is part of a large-scale research on this invasive species, involving researchers from 12 Mediterranean countries, led by the University of Primorska and the University of Coimbra. The research was developed as a result of cooperation within the COST project ConservePlants.

The annual EcoFlor meeting brings together scientists from the field of plant ecology and evolution. The event encourages discussion, networking and creativity in science, while engaging students in an open and friendly environment.

Monday, 5 February 2024 LIFE BE-WoodEN Launches its Research Initiative for Sustainable Construction

In February 2024, we are commencing a two-year research work as part of the international project LIFE BE-WoodEN – Buildings and Education in Wood Ecosystem for the New European Bauhaus, carried out within the New European Bauhaus Academy Pioneer Hub for Sustainable Built Environments with Renewable Materials (NEBAP Hub).

The project is led by Prof. Andreja Kutnar at UP IAM, the project consortium is led by the Università degli studi di Genova, and other project partners include Regione Liguria, ART-ER-Società consortile per azioni, Università degli Studi di Firenze, FederlegnoArredo, Comité Européen de Coordination de l'habitat Social, and Politechnika Wroclawska.

The project is financed under the LIFE2027 initiative of the European Commission and aims to promote the decarbonization of buildings, improve circularity in the building sector, and overcome barriers hindering the widespread use of wood and bio-based materials. LIFE BE-WoodEN also aligns with the guidelines and values of the interdisciplinary initiative NEB (New European Bauhaus), which connects the European Green Deal with living spaces and experiences.

With capacity-building tools (NEBinars, webinars, field visits, and a summer school) designed to expand knowledge of bio-based materials in construction among wood sector professionals, the project aims to bring together local stakeholders, civil society, residents, and academics through a participatory and transdisciplinary approach to reimagine living spaces.

LIFE BE-WoodEN places a special emphasis on social housing that meets the needs of the elderly and fragile people. The ambition is to prepare professionals who meet market needs, overcome the fragmentation of the local supply chain, and assess the environmental benefits of using wood and bio-based materials in construction.

Friday, 2 February 2024 Nearly 200 students at the traditional Mathematics Day at UP FAMNIT

On Wednesday, 24 January 2024, and Thursday, 1 February 2024, two Mathematics Days brought together nearly 200 students from Gymnasium Koper and Piran. The students participated in lectures on the applicability of mathematics in everyday life.

On the first day, conducted on 24 January 2024, the students were welcomed by Dr. Marko Orel, Dr. Ademir Hujdurovič, the Dean of UP FAMNIT, and Dr. Bojan Kuzma, the Head of the Mathematics Department at UP FAMNIT.

The very diverse program offered a wide range of content, which the lecturers presented to the students interactively.

In a lecture entitled 'Rubik's Cube: From Group Theory through Algorithms to Speed Solving,' conducted by Dr. Prof. Dr. Branko Kavšek, students delved into the Rubik’s Cube, its composition, the meaning of the permutation of the Rubik’s Cube, and how it can be described by mathematical group theory. The students also enjoyed board games during the lectures, counting routes, predicting the weather, and observing what was happening on the stock market. They got into all this in the lecture 'From Snakes and Ladders to Stock Price,' conducted by Assist. Dr. Ana Zalokar.

Assoc. Prof. Jasna Prezelj presented, at first glance, seemingly unrelated content - 'Soothing bubbles, chains, trulli, and the Cathedral of St. John Paul,' which, through a mathematical gaze, is transformed into special examples of the calculus of variations.

The lecture 'From the smallest squares to the operation of the CT machine' was given by Prof. Dr. Marko Orel, who presented the mathematical responsibilities for the operation of the first tomograph in a fun scientific way. In addition, Prof. Dr. Mihael Perman lectured on the importance of controlling roulette cylinders.

A week later, on Thursday, February 1, 2024, the students were divided into two groups and welcomed by Dr. Ademir Hujdurović, Dean of UP FAMNIT and Dr. Bojan Kuzma, Head of the Department of Mathematics at UP FAMNIT.

At the first lecture conducted by Prof. Dr. Rok Požar, he explained the human brain from a mathematical point of view. If we look at it closely, we see a lot of similarities with a mathematical object called a graph. Doc. Dr. Nastja Cepak then introduced the students to the operation of the data chain - blockchain, explaining how it works and where bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies belong in this story.

This time, Assist. Dr. Ana Zalokar explained what the board game Snakes and Ladders and stock price movements have in common. Barbara Boldin, PhD, took young enthusiasts to the world of nature, where animals compete and cooperate with other animals on a daily basis for their survival. The participants realized that animal decision-making in different situations can be presented in the form of mathematical games.

Friday, 2 February 2024 CALL FOR ENROLMENT IN UNDERGRADUATE STUDY PROGRAMMES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PRIMORSKA IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2023/2024

In the framework of the Call for Enrolment in undergraduate and unified master's study programmes in the academic year 2023/2024, the University of Primorska announces the following free enrolment places for 30 undergraduate study programmes (7 higher professional and 23 academic study programmes):

1.539 enrolment places for Slovenian citizens and EU citizens, of which 1.219 are for full-time study and 320 for part-time study,
71 enrolment places for Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship, of which 57 are for full-time and 14 for part-time study,
247 enrolment places for foreign citizens of non EU countries, of which 212 are for full-time and 35 for part-time study.

For the 1st year of study, there are also 91 enrolment places for candidates for parallel studies.

The Call of Enrolment is available at: LINK

The application for enrolment is entirely electronic on the eVŠ web portal. The candidate submits the application with a means of electronic identification of at least a medium level of reliability (with a qualified digital certificate, smsPASS, e-identity card) or with an AAI account (account of the authentication and authorization infrastructure) or with a username and password via the system SI-PASS , which operates within the framework of the Trust Service Authority of Slovenia.

Each candidate can submit one application for enrolment, where they select a maximum of three study programmes in the order of priority, in which they wish to enrol and for which they meet or will meet the conditions for enrolment by the deadline. The order of the selected study programmes is important, as the candidate will be ranked in the first one for which they will meet all the conditions.

The first application period for enrolment will be:

for Slovenian citizens, citizens of the EU Member States and Slovenians without Slovenian citizenship from 17 February to 20 March 2023,
for foreign citizens from non EU countries from 17 February to 22 May 2023.

The list of UP FAMNIT undergraduate study programmes in the English language that are announced in the Call for enrolment 2023/2024:

Bioinformatics, academic (UP FAMNIT)
Computer Science, academic (UP FAMNIT)
Mathematics, academic (UP FAMNIT)

Thursday, 1 February 2024 Presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation – Sead Jahić

We invite you to the presentation of the topic of the doctoral dissertation Sentiment Analysis of the Bosnian Language of the student Sead Jahić, enrolled in the doctoral study programme Computer Science.

The presentation will take place on Friday, 2 February 2024 at 11.00 on ZOOM, to which you can access here.

Cordially invited!

Thursday, 1 February 2024 The Slovenian representative, Milan Nikolić, a student of the Computer Science programme (UP FAMNIT) received the “Digital Change Maker” award at the closing ceremony of the “Seeds for the Future European Grand Finale” in Beijing

On Monday, January 29, 2024, at the closing ceremony "Seeds for the Future European Grand Finale", Huawei Europe showcased the joint achievements of young technology enthusiasts who had previously attended organized programs in their respective countries.

The program in Slovenia was successfully concluded in November, where its 4th generation from six Slovenian faculties participated, namely: Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science of the University of Maribor (UM FERI), Faculty of Information Studies in Novo mesto, Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies (UP FAMNIT) of the University of Primorska, Faculty of Computer and Information Science of the University of Ljubljana and DOBA Faculty.

Huawei selected Milan Nikolić (UP FAMNIT student) from among all Slovenian representatives, who additionally went on an unforgettable experience at the international closing ceremony 'Seeds for the Future European Grand Finale' in Beijing, China, where he also received the 'Digital Change Maker' award.

Milan believes that every student should consider applying to the Seeds for The Future programme, which serves as a great opportunity to meet new people, especially young enthusiasts, and discover new cultures.

"I would like to thank Huawei for the excellent organization of the program and emphasize their dedication to educating young people. The entire program and Tech4Good contest were truly amazing experiences for me. The experts involved in the various events were extremely competent and excited to share their knowledge, ideas, and experiences. I was also impressed by the positive energy and kindness of other participants who became friends. I am quite sure that we will meet one day on a social or professional occasion. I also had the honor of receiving another award from Huawei, the “Digital Change Maker,” which gives me the opportunity to attend the MWC in Barcelona. The whole experience will always remain in my memory, bringing me a lot of new knowledge and experience. I would recommend it to all students, and I also believe that every student should consider applying to the Seeds of the Future program."

Seeds for the Future" is a global program for young technological talents that has been running since 2008, involving participants from more than 140 countries and regions. It was first organized in Slovenia in 2020. Students are trained in the fields of 5G technology, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. Additionally, the program introduces participants to leadership theories and Chinese culture. Those who successfully complete the program receive a certificate, a participation award, and an opportunity to join the global Seeds for the Future alumni club. This club provides them with further content and the chance to engage in global networking.

Thursday, 1 February 2024 New doctoral position available

The researcher will be employed at the University of Primorska in the Construction Engineering group and will enroll as a doctoral candidate at the University of Primorska within the doctoral study program Renewable Materials for Healthy Built Environments at UP FAMNIT.

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We are seeking a dynamic and motivated PhD candidate to work on development and evaluation of deconstructable timber-concrete composite systems.

The employment relationship will be concluded full-time, 40 hours per week (100%), for a fixed period of one year with the possibility of extension, with a 3-month trial period, expected start of work from 1 October 2024.

Goals and Tasks:

This PhD research will aim to address the growing demand for sustainable construction practices by developing innovative solutions that consider circularity of buildings with focus on hybrid timber-concrete composite systems. This will be achieved by exploring ways to enhance the environmental aspects of hybrid timber-concrete systems through design for deconstruction and material reuse. The candidate will be responsible for:

Conducting literature review to understand existing methodologies and challenges.
Developing novel design solutions that prioritize and enable easy disassembly and material recovery.
Performing advanced experimental and analytical methods to assess the structural capacity and other implications of the developed solutions.
Disseminating research findings through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at conferences.

What we offer:

No Ph.D. tuition fee,
Opportunity to participate in other ongoing prestigious European projects.

Employment opportunities, admissions policies, activities, services, and the facilities of the University of Primorska do not exclude any person based on race, color, age, sex, gender, religion, national origin, or disability. In processing your application, the GDPR will be respected and your information will not be shared outside of the relevant staff at the University of Primorska. By submitting your application, you agree that the data you provide be reviewed by these organizations.

How to apply:

The applicants should send the following documentation to the email address <razpisi.famnitiam@upr.si>:

Curriculum vitae (including short descriptions of all prior educations, qualifications, and research or work experiences)
Motivation letter for this doctoral position (maximum one A4 page)
List of publications (if applicable)

In the title (subject) of your email please write: PhD Hybrid Timber-Concrete. All materials should be in English and submitted in PDF format.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For further information about the research topic, please contact Assist. Prof. Mohammad Derikvand (email address: mohammad.derikvand@famnit.upr.si).