Staff

Prof. dr. Urška Lavrenčič Štangar
Head of the Laboratory for Environmental Research
E-mail: urska.lavrencic@ung.si
Tel.: (05) 3315 241
Faks: (05) 3315 296
CV

Biography: Urška got her B.Sc. in Chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, at the University of Ljubljana (SI), in 1993 she got a M. Sc. in Chemistry and in 1996 a D. Phil. from the same university. Her PhD research, on sol-gel materials, was performed at National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana, where she continued with research on inorganic thin films and hybrid organic-inorganic gels for their application in devices using sustainable energy. Urška served as the principal investigator for several national projects, intetnational, bilateral international projects and for a Leonardo da Vinci mobility project. At present she is in the management committee of the COST Action 540 PHONASUM (Photocatalytic technologies and novel nanosurfaces materials – critical issues). She worked (2001-2003) at the Institute of Materials Chemistry, Vienna University of Technology on mesostructured silica films (Lise-Meitner and Marie-Curie fellowships). Urška published over 50 articles, got 3 patents and holds over 500 citations. She is in the scientific committee of the European Meeting on Solar Chemistry and Photocatalysis conference, and in the organizing committee of the International Symposium Spectroscopy in Theory and Practice and executing committee of the national technologic platform Advanced Materials. In 2006, she received the Zois award for her research achievments.
Role: Urška joined the University of Nova Gorica in 2005. Currently, she is involved in several research projects on photocatalysis and acts as the Head of the Laboratory. Urška holds a professorships for Chemistry at the School for Environemntal Sciences at University of Nova Gorica
Research interests: Preparation and characterization of materials in thin-film and powder form; their role in environmental cleaning (water and air treatment, self-cleaning surfaces).

Prof. dr. Polonca Trebše
Research Associate
E-mail: polonca.trebse@ung.si
Tel.: (05) 3315 238
Faks: (05) 3315 296
CV

Biography: Polonca got her B.Sc. (1990) and M.Sc. (1994) in chemistry, and in 1997 she obtained a PhD in organic chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, (SI). While carrying out her doctoral research, she worked as a young researcher on the topic “Synthesis of biological active substances” at the University of Ljubljana. From 1999 to 2002, she was a assistant lecturer for Chemistry at the University of Nova Gorica where she now holds a professorship. Polonca is a member of the editorial board for the Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. Polonca contributed to several national and international research projects.
Role: Polonca joined the University of Nova Gorica in 1997 where she is involved in research and teaching. From 2006-2009, she acted as the head of the Laboratory for Environmental Research.
Research interests: Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry and Environmental Impact Assessment.

Red. prof. dr. Mladen Franko - senior research associate
mladen.franko@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 295

Doc. dr. Barbara Čenčur Curk - research associate
barbara.cencur@guest.arnes.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 239

Prof. dr. Branko Kontić
Associate Professor
E-mail: branko.kontic@ijs.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 239
Fax: +386 5 3315 296
CV

Biography: Dr. Branko Kontić works as Associate Professor at the University of Nova Gorica. He also acts as a consultant on strategic and project level environmental impact assessment, land-use planning and spatial/territorial development, including environmental risk assessment for different clients: industry, regulators, governmental institutions, NGOs, and the public (concerned individuals and social groups). He received his Ph.D in Environmental Sciences and M.Sc. in chemical engineering. Dr. Kontić is working on environmental research and consultation since 1980. For the last five years he was engaged in preparation of methodologies for SEA (Strategic Environmental Assessment), TIA (Territorial Impact Assessment) and Environmental Vulnerability Studies in Slovenia; studies exploring relations between transportation (infrastructure & logistics) and spatial development; research of strength and role of expert opinion in EIA; uncertainties of environmental modeling related to accidental risk assessment in industry. Dr. Kontić also works at the Jožef Stefan Institute in Ljubljana.
Role: Dr. Kontić is a senior researcher at the Laboratory for Environmental Research and an associate professor at the School of Environmental Sciences.
Research interests: Association between accidental risk assessment for industries and spatial planning, uncertainties in environmental modeling and risk assessment, valuation and inclusion of scientific evidence into EIA, long-term environmental assessments, strategic environmental assessments, mass-balance oriented exposure evaluation in the framework of epidemiological studies

Doc. dr. Valentina Turk - research associate
turk@mbss.org
Tel.: +386 5 6712 916

Prof. dr. Anton Brancelj
Senior Research Associate
E-mail: anton.brancelj@nib.si
Tel.: +386 1 4233 388
Fax: +386 5 3315 296
CV

Biography: Anton Brancelj got his B.Sc. in 1981 in Ecology (general) at the Biotechnical Faculty, at the University of Ljubljana (SLO), in 1985 he has obtained a M. Sc. in Ecology (speleobiology) at the Biotechnical Faculty, at the University of Ljubljana (SLO) and in 1991 he obtained a D. Phil. In Ecology (limnology) at the Biotechnical Faculty, at the University of Ljubljana (SLO). His research work focuses on studies of aquatic fauna and freshwater ecosystems: low-land and high-mountain lakes and groundwater (fissured and porous aquifers). Dr. Brancelj participated in several national and international projects on limnology/paleolimnology of high-mountain lakes and groundwater biodiversity. He is an expert for two groups of Crustacea (Copepoda and Cladocera) and has described 14 new species from groundwaters in Slovenia, in Vietnam and in Thailand.
Role: Dr. Brancelj joined the University of Nova Gorica in 1996 where teaches Ecology, Limnology and Groundwater ecology.
Research interests: Current work includes mainly ecology of porous and fissured aquifers and lakes and taxonomy of Copepoda and Cladocera.

Doc. dr. Andraž Čarni - research associate
carni@zrc-sazu.si
Tel.: +386 1 4706 311

Doc. dr. Tomaž Podobnikar - research associate
tp@zrc-sazu.si
Tel.: 01 4706 493

Biography: Elsa got the Degree in Biological Science in 1993 from University of Trieste. In 2001 she obtained a Ph. D. in Molecular Genetics at the International Center For Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB, Immunology lab). From 2002-2008 she worked at International School of Advanced Studies (SISSA, Trieste Italy), in the Neurobiology sector.
Role: Elsa joined the Laboratory for Environmental Research at UNG in 2008, where she is currently working as a principal investigator. She contributes to teaching at the School of Environmental Sciences, and in 2010 was appointed as the Director of the Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology graduate study programme at University of Nova Gorica.
Research interests: cell biology and biochemistry of sensory neurons, particularly related to purinergic signaling in pain transduction. Other interests: Neurogenic inflammation associated to environmental pollutants and chemicals; Inflammation in trigeminal pain; Advanced microscopy techniques.

Dr. Martina Bergant Marušič
Researcher
E-mail: martina.bergant@ung.si
Tel.: +386 1 4233 388
Faks: +386 5 3315 296
CV

Biography: Martina commenced her research work in the field of plant physiology and biotechnology (B.Sc. in Biology) and continued with mammalian cell biology and immunology. Martina obtained a PhD (2006) in Biotechnology from the Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana (SI). Her research work was devoted to the preparation of tumour RNA-loaded dendritic cells, which could be used as a trigger for effective anti-tumour immune response in cancer patients. She collaborates in national and international projects on the immunotherapy of cancer. Currently, she is working on human papillomavirus (HPV) proteins and their interaction with host cells.
Role: Martina joined the molecular biology group at the Laboratory for Environmental Research of the University of Nova Gorica as a postdoctoral associate. Currently, she is also a teaching assistant for the scientific field of Biology at the School of Environmental Sciences.
Research interests: Research on human papillomaviruses, Host defence mechanisms in viral infections and Research on dendritic cells.

Dr. Jana Laganis
Postdoctoral Associate
E-mail: jana.laganis@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 232
Fax: +386 5 3315 296
CV

Biography: Jana got her B.Sc. in Constructed Wetland of the Šampionka Factory Work at the University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology. In 2007 she finished her doctoral thesis Emergy analysis of black alder floodplain forest growth at the University of Nova Gorica. In her PhD study Jana analyzed growth and threats to black alder trees in Mala Polana (southeastern Slovenia) and she made novel insight into the practice of emergy accounting. During her doctoral study she worked as an assistant for the field of Biology, she took part in environmental reports for local communities and companies and she collaborated in the elaboration on environmental impacts of landfill leachate treatment.
Role: Jana joined the University of Nova Gorica in 2002. She is currently involved in two research projects and in a pedagogical work and acts as a teaching assistant at the School of Environmental Science.
Research interests: Ecological modeling, sustainability assessment, ecological impacts assessment, emergy accounting, Life Cycle Assessment

Dr. Romina Rodela
Researcher
E-mail: romina.rodela@ung.si
Tel.: +39 0481 545 223
Faks: +386 5 3315 296
CV

Biography: Romina got her B.Sc. in Economics of Tourism from the Faculty of Economics University of Trieste (IT), in 2003 she obtained a M. Sc. in Natural Resource Management at the Technical University of Munich and in 2008 a D. Phil. titled “Integrated rural development: protected areas and their potential for social learning” from the University of Sussex. Romina is engaged in research on the social learning discourse as used by the natural resource management literature and is investigating nature protection as a social and political process and topics in rural development. Romina is a member in national (ZRNO) and international scientific organizations (European Society of Ecological Economics).
Role: Romina joined the University of Nova Gorica in April 2008 where she is currently involved in two European research projects and acts as a teaching assistant at the School of Environmental Sciences.
Research interests: Learning approach to natural resource management; the Role of social capital for more sustainable rural communities; Participatory processes in nature protection and trends in environmental governance.

Dr.Jelica Vince
Postdoctoral Associate
E-mail: jelica.vince@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 232
Fax: +386 5 3315 296
CV

Biography: Jelica got her B.Sc. in Textile Technology at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, Department of Textiles, at the University of Ljubljana, in 2007 she has obtained a D. Phil. in Chemistry at the University of Ljubljana. In her research work Jelica has investigated spectrally selective coatings for solar collectors and solar building façades, which have high absorptivity of solar energy and low emittivity, proton conducting membranes for fuel cells (as solid electrolyte), which were prepared by sol-gel process from organic-inorganic hybrid precursors and washing resistant water repellent finishing agent for cotton fabrics.
Role: Jelica joined the University of Nova Gorica in 2009. She is currently involved in a research project on the Development of materials by sol-gel processing and their application in systems for exploitation of non-conventional energy sources.
Research interests: Study of stability and degradation processes of different materials and the influence of environmental parameters as humidity, temperature and UV radiation on material stability.

Dr. Dorota Kolylinska
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
E-mail: dorota.kobylinska@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 259
Fax: +386 5 3315 296
CV

Biography: Dorota got her M.Sc. in physics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics and in electronics at the Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, at the Technical University of Silesia (Pl) and in 2006 she has obtained a PhD of physical sciences in the Institute of Physics in the Technical University of Silesia. In her PhD thesis, Dorota analysed the Gaussian beam interaction with the field of thermal wave in the framework of complex geometrical optics.
Role: Dorota joined the Laboratory for Environmental Research, at University of Nova Gorica in 2008. She is currently involved in one research project.
Research interests: Photothermics, Flow injection systems with thermal lens detection, complex geometrical optics and its applications.

Ana Čevdek - assistant
ana.cevdek@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 239

Kristina Brataševec - assistant
kristina.bratasevec@p-ng.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 203

Malgorzata Piecha - assistant
malgorzata.piecha@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 226

Dunja Mahne - assistant
dunja.mahne@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 382

Romina Žabar - assistant
romina.zabar@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 226

Sara Budal - assistant
sara.budal@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 203

Minoo Tasbihi
Assistant
E-mail: minoo.tasbihi@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 382
Fax: +386 5 3315 296
CV

Biography: Minoo got her B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering of food science at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering, at the Azad University (Iran), in 2003 she has obtained a M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering (Petrochemical) at the Iran University of Science & Technology (Iran) and since 2007, she is a Ph.D. student in the Laboratory for Environmental Research, at University of Nova Gorica. In her M.Sc. thesis, Minoo analyzed the evaluation of isobutane dehydrogenation to isobutene in a fixed bed reactor. Her Ph.D. thesis is entitle low-temperature inorganic synthesis, characterization and application of anatase TiO2 powders in photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants which is financially supported by ministry of higher education, science and technology of Slovenia.
Role: Minoo joined the Laboratory for Environmental Research, at University of Nova Gorica in December 2007 as a young researcher (Ph.D. student).
Research interests: photocatalyst, photocatalytic reaction, heterogeneous reaction engineering and reactor design.

Azra Velagić
Assistant
E-mail: azra.velagic@ung.si
Tel.: +39 0481 545 223
Fax: +386 5 3315 296

Biography: Azra received her B.Sc. in Soil and Waste Resources from the College of Natural Resources, at the University of Stevens Point (USA), where she worked as a research assistant and benefited from several scholarships. In January 2008, she was granted a M.Sc. fellowship from the School of Environmental Sciences of the University of Nova Gorica.
Role: Azra is a part-time research assistant at the Laboratory of Environmental Sciences.
Research interests: Natural Resource Management, Waste Management and Sustainability, Energy and Environmental Policy, Agriculture and Soil Science, Social Science.

Daniela Ribeiro
Assistant
E-mail: daniela.ribeiro@ung.si
Tel.: +39 0481 545 223
Fax: +386 5 3315 296

Biography: Daniela graduated in Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering at the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro in Vila Real, Portugal, in 2007. She obtained a Leonardo da Vinci Internship mobility grant at the Institute of Anthropology and Spatial Studies (ZRC-SAZU) where, from October 2007 to July 2008, she worked with invasive species, remote sensing techniques and GIS analysis. In November of 2008, she was accepted as a M.Sc. student in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
Role: Daniela joined the University of Nova Gorica in 2009. She is a research assistant at the Laboratory of Environmental Sciences.
Research interests: Environmental protection; waste management. Current research work includes invasive species, remote sensing and Geographical Information Systems.

Marko Kete - assistant
marko.kete@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 267

Urska Žvab - assistant
urska.zvab@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 267

Andreja Šuligoj - laboratory technician
andreja.suligoj@ung.si
Tel.: +386 5 3315 275