The recipients of the Jesenko Awards 2026 have been announced
The Biotechnical Facultyof the University of Ljubljana will hold a ceremony to present the Jesenko Awards for 2026 on Friday, March 13, 2026, at 12:00 noon in the Assembly Hall UL.
The Jesenko Awards have been presented by the faculty since 1973 and represent the highest recognition of the Faculty of Biotechnology. They are awarded for lifetime achievement and to the best doctoral and master's degree graduates.
Jesenko Award for lifetime achievement: Prof. Dr. Zlata Luthar (Department of Agronomy)
The Jesenko Award for lifetime achievement for 2026 goes to Prof. Dr. Zlata Luthar, full professor of genetics at the UL BF, University of Ljubljana.
Prof. Dr. Zlata Luthar graduated, obtained her master's degree, and earned her doctorate at the UL BF at the University of Ljubljana. Her scientific work is closely related to research in genetics and plant breeding as well as plant biotechnology. In her doctoral dissertation, she studied the content and distribution of tannins in millet seeds, and later made an important contribution to understanding their synthesis, the influence of temperature, and their distribution in the developmental stages of seeds.
She was a pioneer in the field of genetic transformation of agricultural plants in Slovenia
She researched the transformation of tobacco, millet, onions, hops, potatoes, and barley, and significantly improved regeneration protocols in in vitro conditions, which is crucial for the successful establishment of transformation procedures.
The preservation of Slovenian genetic resources of agricultural plants occupies a special place in her work. She has been working in the field of collecting, evaluating, and preserving plant genetic resources for more than 30 years and is the coordinator of the Slovenian Plant Gene Bank – a collection of agricultural plants at the UL BF
She has participated in the official recognition and registration of numerous indigenous and traditional varieties in the variety list of the Republic of Slovenia, including varieties of millet, spelt, flax, and lettuce.
In addition to her research work, she is also extremely active in the field of education. She has mentored numerous bachelor's, master's, and doctoral theses and has made a significant contribution to the development of young researchers. Her work is directly linked to the legacy of Fran Jesenko and has had a significant impact on the development of agronomy and plant genetics in Slovenia.
Jesenko Award for the best doctoral graduate
Dr. Nina Škrk Dolar (Department of Wood Science and Technology)
The Jesenko Award for the best doctoral graduate of the third cycle for 2026 goes to Dr. Nina Škrk Dolar
During her doctoral studies, she published several scientific articles in top international journals in the first quartile. As the sole first author, she published an article in the journal Earth System Science Data (IF 11.815), which presents a high-resolution daily climate data set for Slovenia (SLOCLIM).
After analyzing three criteria (the product of journal ranks according to Web of Science, the sum of points according to the ARRS methodology, and the impact factor of the journal with the first authorship publication), the committee nominated her for this year's award. Her research work contributes significantly to the development of high-quality climate databases and to the understanding of climate impacts on forest ecosystems.
Jesenko Award for the best master's degree graduate
The Jesenko Award for the best master's degree graduate for 2026 goes to:
Mitja Denac, MSc in Ecology and Biodiversity Eva Zajec, MSc in Molecular and Functional Biology.
Both achieved outstanding academic success during their first and second cycle studies, with an average grade of 9.95.
Mitja Denac completed his master's degree in Ecology and Biodiversity, while Eva Zajec completed hers in Molecular and Functional Biology. Their outstanding academic achievements reflect the academic excellence, dedication to research, and high standard of knowledge promoted by the UL BF.
The Jesenko Awards ceremony will take place on March 13, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. in the Assembly Hall University of Ljubljana,
The event can be viewed live or via an online link.