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Doctoral studies at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology (module: Ecology, Environmental and Conservation Biology)
Degree obtained: December 19th, 2011; Dr.sc. (Biology, Ecology)
PhD-thesis title: “The Influence of Hydromorphological Factors on Macroinvertebrate Drift in Microhabitats of Waterfall Sites at Plitvice Lakes” (in Croatian)
Cumulative numerical grade: 4.86
1999 – 2005
Undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology (pre-Bologna higher education system)
Dual major: Biology and Chemistry
Degree obtained: June 9th, 2005; biologiae et chemiae professor (equivalent to Masters degree)
Diploma-thesis title: “Assessment of Genotoxicity in Freshwater Environment Using the Comet and Micronucleus Assays on Carp Erythrocytes”
Cumulative numerical grade: 4.42
1995 – 1999
Language Grammar School (XVI. Grammar School, Zagreb, Croatia) (high school average grade: excellent)
Published papers recorded in the Croatian Scientific Bibliography Database
Show publications in CRORIS
Professional memberships
2023 - Member of the Scientific Committee of the European Symposium SEFS13 (13th Symposium for European Freshwater Science) - June 18-23, 2023, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne (UK)
2023 – Member of the organizational and programmatic scientific committee of the 4th Croatian Symposium on Freshwater Biology (SOBS4), Zagreb (Croatia), April 21, 2023.
2022 – Member of the Scientific Committee of the 14th Croatian Congress of Biology with International Participation, Pula (Croatia), October 12-16, 2022.
since 2022 – Coordinator of preparation of materials for accreditation of new two-subject teaching programs at the level of the Department of Biology
since 2021 – Member of the working group for the preparation of proposals for the new undergraduate and postgraduate courses in ecology
since 2020 – Member of the Council for Doctoral Studies at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb
since 2020 - coordinator of the integrated undergraduate and graduate study program of biology and chemistry
2018 - 2022 - Member of the Expert Committee for Admission to Graduate Studies at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb
since 2018 – Member of the Expert Committee for the preparation of expert opinions on acquired foreign qualifications for regulated professions at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb
2017 - 2019– student counsellor (for students of integrated undergraduate/graduate study of biology and chemistry)
2019 – Co-chair of the SEFS11 (11th Symposium for European Freshwater Science), June 30 - July 5 2019, Zagreb (Croatia)
since 2016 – Member of the expert committee for expert assessment of subject knowledge of individual graduate programs at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb for teaching nature and biology in elementary school
since 2014/15 – Member of the National Commission at the Croatian National Biology Competition for primary and secondary school students
2015/16 – expert consultant in the field of biology within the Croatian curricular reform
2012 – 2014 - Member of the Faculty Board of Department of Biology (Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia), representing PhD students and post-docs
2016/17 – Organizing team member of the 2nd Croatian Symposium on Freshwater Biology (SOBS2)
2013 -Organizing team member of the Mini-congress for PhD students and post-docs of the Department of Biology (Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia)
2009, 2016, 2020, 2021 - Organizing team member of the annual science popularization event (Biology Night)at the Department of Biology (University of Zagreb, Croatia)
2007, 2008 - Organizing team member of the University fair, Zagreb, Croatia
Croatian Association of Freshwater Ecologists (CAFE) – vice-president (2018 - 2022)
Croatian Biological Society (HBD)
European Federation for Freshwater Sciences (EFFS) – Croatian representative
Reviewer for the journals Environments, Freshwater Science, Inland Waters, Freshwater Biology, Aquatic Ecology, Waters, Sustainability, STOTEN,...
Editorial Board of the journal Educatio Biologiae – Croatian journal of biological education
Editorial Board of the journal Bioznalac – Croatian journal of student research in biology
List of select projects
2023 - 2024: Empowering the Water-Energy-Food Nexus by incorporating biodiversity and climate awareness (WatNex) (funded under the EEA and Norwegian Financial Mechanism - Fund for Bilateral relations) - project leader
2021 - 2025: Network on water-energy-food nexus for a low-carbon economy in Europe and beyond (NEXUSNET) (funded by: EU COST Action; CA20138) - Croatian Management Committee member
2021 - 2023:Synecological STEM EDUcation in Klinča (UP.04.2.1.10. funded by European Social Fund) - collaborator
2021 - 2023:Learning biology in epidemiologically adapted research environment (funded by HRZZ- Croatian Science Foundation) - collaborator
2019-2020: Monitoring the recovery of periphyton and macrozoobenthos on tufa barriers in National Park Krka after the removal of the invasive 'tree of heaven' (Ailanthus altissima) (funded by National Park Krka) - collaborator
2016 – 2020 : Science and Management of Intermittent Rivers and Ephemeral Streams (SMIRES) (funded by: EU COST Action; CA15113) – collaborator and Croatian Management Committee Substitute
2015 – 2019: AQUAMAPMET – „Accumulation, Subcellular Mapping and Effects of Trace Metals in Aquatic Organisms (funded by HRZZ- Croatian Science Foundation) – collaborator
2017 –2018: Removal of the invasive ‘tree of heaven’ (Ailanthus altissima) and its influence on tufa deposition on natural substrates and dynamics of periphyton and macrozoobenthos (funded by National Park Krka)- collaborator
2017: “Linking biodiversity and ecosystem function via food web analysis within an alpine fluvial network” (SNSF-funded "International Short Visit" project – duration 2 months) – collaborator
2015 - 2016: „Urban stream ecology in Zagreb, Croatia: a pilot project“ (funded by Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts) – project leader
2015-2016: EkoRaMa – „Development of ecology, computer science and mathematics studies based on the Croatian Qualifications Framework” (HR.3.1.15-0017, funded by European Social Fund) – collaborator
2013-2014: “Alpine food webs in a changing climate” (funded by EAWAG and Swiss Government Scholarship for Foreign Students) – scholarship holder
2009-2011: „Functional organization of plankton community in the Lakes Kozjak and Prošće as an indicator of ecological state of the Plitvice lakes hydrosystem“ (investor: Plitvice Lakes National Park) - collaborator
2008-2009: „Diversity and biological activity of glacial streams in Switzerland during the winter period” (funded by Swiss Government Scholarship for Foreign Students) – scholarship holder
2007-2013: “Implementation of functional organization of aquatic assemblages in environment valorization” (funded by Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, MZOS 119-0000000-1205) – collaborator
2006-2008: ”Environmental monitoring and assessment program for surface waters in Croatia according to the EU Water Framework Directive” (investor: Hrvatske vode - legal entity for water management in Croatia; in collaboration with Elektroprojekt d.d., Zagreb) – collaborator
2002-2006: “Role of current velocity in functional structuring of tufa-forming coenoses” (funded by Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia, MZOS 0119127) – collaborator
Past employments
January, 2023 –
Associate Professor at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Zoology
January, 2017 – December, 2022
Assistant Professor at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Zoology
September, 2014 – January, 2017
Postdoctoral researcher and senior teaching assistant at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Zoology (since April 2015 – Research Associate in the field of biology)
September, 2013 – September, 2014
Visiting scientist (post-doc) at EAWAG (Dübendorf, CH)
funded by Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship for Foreign Scholars and Artists for Academic Year 2013-14
January, 2012 – September, 2013
Postdoctoral researcher and senior teaching assistant at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Zoology
June, 2009 – January, 2012
Junior researcher and junior teaching assistant at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Zoology
July, 2008 – June, 2009
Visiting junior scientist (PhD) at EAWAG (Dübendorf, CH)
funded by Swiss Government Scholarship for Foreign Students for Academic Year 2008-09
May, 2006 – July, 2008
Junior researcher and teaching assistant at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Zoology
September, 2005 – May, 2006
External teaching assistant at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Division of Zoology
Grants and Scholarships (scientific/professional training)
November 2021 – October 2023 –participation in the activities of the EJWP (European Junior Water Programme) under the auspices of the organization H2O people from the Netherlands; within the framework of the program, trainings are held for the personal development of the participants (e.g. on communication; cooperation & co-creation; project management; personal branding; negotiation & consulting, etc.) and joint projects are carried out by EJWP participants in order to create the basis for sustainable and safe water management in Europe; the program takes place in cooperation with partner organizations of the European Commission
August/September 2017 – full-tuition waiver scholarship for participation in ETH’s CAS in Public Governance and Administration (ETH Zurich, D-MTEC, Swiss School of Public Governance and Centre for Continuing Education); Certificate obtained: CAS PGA (Certificate of Advanced Studies in Public Governance and Administration); CAS-thesis title: “Envisioning new strategies for improving research funding prospects at Croatian Universities”
July, 2017 – Swiss National Science Foundation - “International Short Visit" (2 months) – for the project “Linking biodiversity and ecosystem function via food web analysis within an alpine fluvial network”
September, 2015 – Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts Foundation – funding for the project „Urban stream ecology in Zagreb, Croatia: a pilot project“
February, 2014 - EAWAG’s Discretionary Funding – for the project “Alpine food webs in a changing climate”
September, 2013–September, 2014 - 2013/2014 Swiss Government Excellence Scholarship for Foreign Scholars and Artists (awarded by FCS, Swiss Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students)
July, 2008–June, 2009 -2008/2009 Swiss Government Scholarship for Foreign Students (awarded by FCS, Swiss Federal Commission for Scholarships for Foreign Students)
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