Publish Date: 06.12.2017
Category: News from the University
Today the Rector of the University of Ljubljana Prof. Dr. Igor Papič presented Prešeren Awards to the students of the University of Ljubljana. The selected students received the awards for the best works produced in science and art. Recipients come from the following University of Ljubljana Members: Academy of Music, Biotechnical Faculty, Faculty of Economics, Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Faculty of Education.
The Rector of the University of Ljubljana Prof. Dr. Igor Papič pointed out that the University is extremely proud of research achievements by the young generation of our academic community: “Although it may seem that the academy hierarchy makes a sharp distinction between old and young researchers, teachers and students, the academic community is noted for having a cycle of knowledge flowing between the individuals within it. The educational process is not about transferring knowledge from “those who know” to “the ignorant ones”. Education is also not merely a transfer of knowledge from objective media or professors to students. University education is the co-creation of knowledge. All participants seek answers in open communication. Newly obtained information is analysed and evaluated, thus supplementing knowledge both in people’s minds as well as in an externalised form, i.e. research reports, diploma papers, articles, books and similar.”
The Prešeren Awards for the best students in the area of science and art have been awarded by the University of Ljubljana for several decades. Their aim is to encourage the quality of scientific research and art activity of second cycle degree programme or single cycle master’s degree study programme students. The selected students were awarded a diploma with the engraved image of Prešeren as well as a monetary prize.
In her report on the selection of the awarded works, the Chairwoman of the Prešeren Student Award Committee Prof. Dr. Jasmina Markič said: “In the award-granting process, the Committee of the Senate of the University of Ljubljana for the Prešeren Awards for students follows already established principles by respecting just coordination of proposals of area committees and proportionally equal representation of natural sciences and social sciences in a wider sense, as in cases where the former also comprises areas of biomedicine, biotechnology, natural science and technology, and the latter includes areas of art, social sciences and humanities. As a result, out of twelve awards, six were awarded to social science students and six were awarded to natural science students. We granted an award for the area of biomedicine, two for the area of biotechnology, one for the area of social sciences, two for the area of technology, two awards for the area of social sciences, two for the areas of humanities and education and two for the area of art.”
The guest speaker Prof. Dr. Marta Verginella, a historian and full professor at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana and the recipient of the prestigious ERC Advanced Grant 2016, highlighted the meaning of the selection of new, currently unverified points of view, which guided the award winners in their works. “I am certain that when it comes to choosing new research roads that have not yet been taken, be it in natural sciences, humanities or social sciences, there are no fundamental differences. The starting point is selected in the context of the known. Even though great differences may appear in the selection of methods and means of subsequent learning, in its core every research activity remains connected to what Friedrich Nietzsche calls The Gay Science. Namely, for natural scientists, humanists and social scientists alike, the most noble science is connected to the power of the beauty of discovering the new and the unknown.”
You can watch the video of the event here.
The winners of the University of Ljubljana Prešeren Awards for students 2017:
Leon Firšt, Academy of Music of the University of Ljubljana for his Composer’s opus of the last two years
Kristian Urh, Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Comparative analysis of genetic causes for the development of cryptorchidism in mammals
Špela Zorko, Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Quantification of anti-adhesive effects of common juniper (Juniperus communis) extracts on Campylobacter jejuni
Vesna Nuždić, Faculty of Economics of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis The impact of quantitative easing on bank loans: example of Euro-zone banks
Gašper Skalar Rogič, Faculty of Architecture of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Conceptual design of the architectural structure of the centre of Ankaran
Otto Gerdina, Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Partner violence among older adults
Helena Cindrič, Faculty of Electrical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Numerical feasibility study of electrochemotherapy of spinal tumours through a transpedicular approach
Eva Vidak, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Preparation of recombinant human Caspase-1 and identification of its extracellular substrates
Marko Ljubotina, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Non-equilibrium spin transport in the anisotropic Heisenberg spin chain
Jan Zavodnik, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Characterization of artificial muscles from meta-material with a negative coefficient of thermal expansion
Sara Zupančič, Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Dragonfly – La Libellula. Musical polyglotism of Pavle Merku’s opera
Kaja Leskovšek, Faculty of Education of the University of Ljubljana for the thesis Providing support for vulnerable families at home
Photos by Foto studio NORA