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Another Published Scientific Paper – With a Story Behind It

“When one door closes, a window opens” – a wise saying that proved to be true in this case.

Every scientific project is a small frame in which life unfolds. Plans either succeed or fall through, problems get solved or remain unresolved. Sometimes you click with people, and sometimes you don’t. Personalities and emotions inevitably intertwine in the ebb and flow of helplessness and frustration, amidst the chaos of deadlines, stress, expectations, and ambition.

And in all of that, it is often the most underestimated, yet ultimately the most important elements that shine through and tip the scales – RESPONSIBILITY and INTEGRITY.
Along with that little inner voice that whispers, “Do it – even if you don’t have to. Because it’s right. Because it’s good. Because you’re a person of your word.”

And so it was.

One door closed (or rather, slammed shut!), but a big sunlit window opened!

The result is this newly published scientific paper in the Journal of the Polytechnic of Rijeka (WoS, Q3, IF 0.3).
And a Rector’s Award.
And a brand-new scientific experience for a hardworking and talented student.
And the pride of an exceptional mentor.
And a renewed belief in people. In collegiality and science. In the future.

NATURALLY celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity 2025

On Sunday, May 25th, we took part in the celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity and Nature Protection Day in Croatia. The event was held at the Science and Education Centre Kontija, located within the Kontija Special Forest Vegetation Reserve near Poreč.

Dr. Danijela Poljuha and Nataly Milovan presented several ongoing projects focused on biodiversity and nature conservation, with a special emphasis on invasive species. We engaged with visitors in discussions about invasive species, methods of control, identification, and potential uses. It was a great opportunity to showcase our projects NATURALLY, EkoPis, and ADRIS, all dedicated to the topic of invasives.

For younger visitors, the Institute prepared educational worksheets on invasive species, waste reduction, and environmental protection—encouraging awareness and curiosity from an early age.

Our PhD Student Mirela Uzelac Božac Participated in the First PhD Café in Pula

On Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the first PhD Café in Pula was held at Caffe Bar La Resistance, where our PhD student Mirela Uzelac presented her research in a talk titled “Phytopharmaceutical Potential of Invasive Plant Species.” This research is being conducted at the Institute as part of the NATURALLY research project and the Croatian career development program for early-stage researchers.

PhD Café is an event organized by the Croatian Science Foundation aimed at promoting young researchers and scientific projects carried out at Croatian research institutions. Launched in 2020, the event is held monthly in Zagreb and several times a year in Rijeka, Split, and Osijek — and this was the first time it took place in Pula.

At this event, five researchers from scientific institutions across Istria presented their work — from the Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism in Poreč, the Ruđer Bošković Institute’s Center for Marine Research in Rovinj, and the Teaching Institute of Public Health of the Istria County.

We’re proud of Mirela’s excellent presentation!

More information about the event is available at the following link: https://hrzz.hr/odrzan-phd-cafe-u-puli/

We participated in the seventh UNESCO Unitwin Congress in Portorož

Invasive species are known to be harmful to biodiversity and some to human health, but did you know that invasive species also destroy cultural heritage?

This was one of the topics at the 7th Congress of UNESCO Unitwin, which took place this year on 16 and 17 May in Portorož. As part of the NATURALLY project, Dr. Barbara Sladonja gave a lecture on the risks that invasive species pose to valuable cultural heritage.

An example is the species, Tree of Heaven, which has been observed in large populations at several valuable cultural sites in Istria. Its impact on archaeological sites is mainly mechanical in the form of destruction of the building by strong roots. Furthermore, it produces secondary metabolites that cause chemical contamination of the soil. Tree of Heaven is a very adaptable species and spreads quickly and its seeds can spread and establish a population at high altitudes and in unusual places.

Read more about invasive species at the web pages of the Invasive Species Centre.

An introductory meeting of associates was held

on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, a virtual Kick off meeting of the project “Nature as an ALLY: Alien invasive plants as phytopharmaceuticals was held.

The meeting was attended by associates from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry and the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Polytechnic of Rijeka, METRIS Materials Research Center, University of Pretoria (JAR) and the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism.

The aim of the meeting was to get to know each other and connect associates, present the project and agree on further steps and phases of project implementation.

Project leader, Ph.D. Danijela Poljuha from the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism at the beginning briefly presented the structure of the project team, which includes 9 institutions from three countries – Croatia, Slovenia and South African Republic. After that, all collaborators introduced themselves briefly and a presentation of the project followed. During the meeting, the basic goals and important elements of the project were highlighted and the way of communication and organization of work was agreed.

The next associate meeting is scheduled for September 2021.