NIB

 EDUCATION

• B.S. (Biology), University of Ljubljana, Slovenia (1998)
• PH.D. (Biology), George Washington University, USA (2005)

TITLES

• Research Counselor (2017), National Institute of Biology
• Associate Professor in Zoology (2017-2022), University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Visiting Professor (2017-2022), Hubei University, China
• Research Counselor (2016), ZRC SAZU
• Research Associate (2005-today), Smithsonian Institution, USA

EMPLOYMENT

• National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia (2017)
• Biological Institute Jovan Hadži at ZRC SAZU, Ljubljana, Slovenia (1999-2001; 2005-2017)

ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES (National Institute of Biology)

• Director, National Institute of Biology (2018-2023)
• Chair, Biological Institute Jovan Hadži at ZRC SAZU (2008- 2017)
• Head of Zoology, Biological Institute Jovan Hadži at ZRC SAZU (2005-2017)
• Head of Evolutionary Zoology Laboratory (2011-2017)
• Principal Investigator on national programme “Biodiversity: Patterns, Processes, Predictions, and Conservation” (2012-2017)

TEACHING AND MENTORSHIPS

• Supervision of Young Researcher (YR) at ZRC SAZU Simona Kralj-Fišer ended with doctoral defense in 2009, the publication of the thesis in leading journals (e.g. Hormones and Behavior) and with a subsequent acquisition of a Humboldt stipend of the candidate for postdoctoral work in Germany, and finally with an ARRS postdoctoral grant (2011) that allowed her reintegration at ZRC SAZU
• Supervision of YR at ZRC SAZU Matjaž Gregorič ended with doctoral defense in 2013, the publication of the thesis in leading journals (e.g. PLoS ONE) with a year-long postdoctoral work in USA, with a stipend from ARRS for employment of young doctors that allowed his reintegration at ZRC SAZU, and a postdoctoral ARRS grant (2017)
• Supervision of YR Ren-Chung Cheng (2011-2016) ended with doctoral defense in 2016, the publication of the thesis in leading journals (e.g. Evolution), with continued project research collaboration, and the candidate’s reintegration into international science (Taiwan)
• Supervision of YR Klemen Čandek and Shakira Quiñones Lebrón is proceeding according to plans
• Mentorships abroad: N. S. M. Dzarawi (Malaysia, 2010-2011), J. Oh (Singapore, 2011), X. Xu (China, 2011-2015)
• Occasional visiting lecturer: University of Hamburg (Germany), Hubei University (China), National University of Singapore (Singapore), University of Puerto Rico (USA), Amravati University (India), George Washington University (USA)
• Member of B.S., M.S. and doctoral theses committees: National University of Singapore (Singapore), University of Western Australia (Australia), Macquarie University (Australia), University of Puerto Rico (USA), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

OUTREACH

• Academic Editor: PLoS ONE
• Associate/subject editor: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (Behavioral and Evolutionary Ecology), Journal of Arachnology; ZooKeys
• Editorial board member: International Journal of Applied Zoology; ISRN Zoology; Hacquetia; “Phylonyms: a companion to the PhyloCode” (The University of California Press)
• Council member and national correspondent: International Society of Arachnology
• Peer reviewer: Ad hoc peer reviews for over 30 journals in the past 5 years; reviewer for granting agencies National Science Foundation, National Geographic Society, Macquarie University Research Fellowships, Grant Agency - Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, ARRS.

AWARDS

• Fulbright visiting scholar to USA 2016/2017
• Miroslav Zei Award for exceptional achievements 2015 awarded by the National Institute of Biology, Slovenia
• Time magazine, selected among the Top 10 new species discoveries in 2010 (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2035319_2034045_2034038,00.html)

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR ON RESEARCH PROJECTS

• ARRS bilateral project SLO-USA (Bl-U3117-18-011): "Phylogenomic, biogeographic, and evolutionary research trends in arachnology" 2017-2018.
• ARRS basic project (J1-6729): “Integrative research of sexual dimorphism evolution” 2014–2017.
• ARRS bilateral project SLO-USA (BI-US/15-16): "Biology of spiders in the phylogenomic era" 2015-2016.
• ARRS bilateral project SLO-USA (BI-US/13-14-039): “Selected topics in systematic and evolutionary biology of spiders” 2013-2014.
• National Geographic Society (2911). "Islands on islands: Biogeography of spider web parasites and their hosts in the Indian Ocean" 2011-2013.
• ARRS basic project (J1-2063): “Phylogenetic systematics of Zygiellidae and its implications for spider evolution research” 2009–2012.
• ARRS bilateral project SLO-USA (BI-US/09-12-016): “Sexual size dimorphism – its consequences for sexual and foraging biology in spiders” 2009–2012.
• Swiss Contribution – Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (C1536-11T440013): ”Towards permanent conservation of biodiversity: the case of spider fauna of Switzerland and Slovenia” 2011-2012.
• National Geographic Society (8655-09) “Casting spider webs across Malagasy rivers: Extraordinary silk in giant orb webs“ 2009–2012.
• EU 6th FP, Marie Curie (MIRG-CT-2005-036536): “Nephilid spider phylogenetics as a test for antagonistic coevolution of sexes“ 2006-2008.
  
  Bibliography (Cobiss)