Research area
Ecology and environmental protection; biodiversity conservation; ecological modelling, including ecosystem dynamics and responses to climate change and ecosystem services modelling; spatial and statistical analysis of ecological and environmental data.
Skills
- Spatial analysis and cartography (QGIS, DIVA-GIS);
- Application of process-based and spatially explicit ecological models (LandClim);
- Application of discrete-event ecological models (EDEN framework, DORIAN);
- Statistical analysis and programming in R;
- Laboratory analytical techniques (WD-XRF, ED-XRF, ICP-OES).
Work experience:
- 2025 – present: Research Assistant, University of Belgrade – Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia.
- 2023 – 2025: Junior Research Assistant, University of Belgrade – Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia.
Education:
- 2021 – present: Doctoral Academic Studies, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Ecology.
- 2016: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Pharmacy, Specialist Academic Studies, Toxicological Risk Assessment of Environmental Contaminants.
- 2015: Master Academic Studies, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Environmental Protection.
- 2014: Bachelor Academic Studies, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Ecology.
Other professional activities
Member of the Organizing Committee of RemTech Europe and the 24-hour “Sustainathon” event dedicated to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, since 2020
Member of the Organizing Committee of the TRUE Conference – Truffle Research Union of Europe, Belgrade, 2023.
Courses taught:
- 2022: Demonstrator in practical classes for the Plant Ecology course
Editorial and Reviewer’s activity (journals, books, projects):
- Editor of the bilingual publication “Towards soil decontamination in the Republic of Serbia” https://sepa.gov.rs/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Towards-Soil-Decontamination.pdf
Scientific research and study visits:
- 2024: Training on the DORIAN model, organized by the eco2adapt project and the UMR AMAP laboratory at the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), Montpellier, France, 27 October – 2 November 2024
- 2023: Seminar “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Disclosure Related to Climate and Community”, organized by ASTM International, held online within RemTech Europe, Ferrara, Italy, 19 September 2023.
- 2023: Workshop “EUdaphobase Workshop & WG7 Meeting”, organized within COST Action CA18237: European Soil-Biology Data Warehouse for Soil Protection (EUdaphobase), Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, 12–14 June 2023.
- 2023: Workshop “Workshop on LANDCLIM”, held within Work Package WP4 of the eco2adapt project, Astakos, Greece, 10 July 2023.
- 2023: Workshop “Workshop on the JRC-FASST Tool”, held within the JRC Summer School on the assessment of air, soil and water pollution in support of the European Green Deal, Novi Sad, Serbia, 5 September 2023.
- 2023: Workshop “Workshop on EDGAR – Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research”, held within the JRC Summer School on the assessment of air, soil and water pollution in support of the European Green Deal, Novi Sad, Serbia, 4 September 2023.
- 2018: Training “Environment and Health Impact Assessment in Industrially Contaminated Sites”, organized by UNEP/SAICM/QSP, Institute of Public Health “Dr Milan Jovanović Batut”, Belgrade, Serbia, 10–11 October 2018.
- 2016: Regional Workshop for Central and Eastern Europe and Western Asia – CHM (Clearing-House Mechanism), organized by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Belgrade, Serbia, 4–8 April 2016.
Memberships:
- Serbian Biological Society
- Serbian Society of Toxicology (SETOX)
- International Network on Soil Pollution (INSOP)
Current:
- 2023 – present: Horizon Europe – Ecosystem-based Adaptation and Changemaking to Shape, Protect and Maintain the Resilience of Tomorrow’s Forests (eco2adapt). Participant. PI in Serbia: Dr Žaklina Marjanović, Research Professor, University of Belgrade – Institute for Multidisciplinary Research. Grant Agreement No. 101059498; project duration: 2022 – ongoing. (link)
Past:
- Horizon 2020 – INTACT: Innovation in Truffle Cultivation, Preservation, Processing and Wild Truffle Resources Management. PI in Serbia: Dr Žaklina Marjanović, Research Professor, University of Belgrade – Institute for Multidisciplinary Research. Role: project participant; spatial data processing. 2025. 2025. Link: https://intactproject.eu/ (link)
- Strengthening of National Capacities for Assessment of Chemicals Risks to Guide Risk Reduction Decisions. Lead institution: Institute of Public Health of Serbia “Dr Milan Jovanović Batut”. Funding: World Health Organization (WHO ECEH Bonn Office). Role: consultant. (link)
- GEF-RS-UNIDO project – Environmentally Sound Management and Final Disposal of PCBs in the Republic of Serbia (UNIDO ID: 100313, GEF ID: 4877; 2017 – 2019) Role: Risk Assessment Consultant, Component 5.3, March 2018.
- UNEP/GEF – Enhanced Cross-sectoral Land Management through Land Use Pressure Reduction and Planning. UNEP Project ID: 01496; GEF ID: 5822. Project duration: 2015–2021. Role: Local Individual Consultant – Project Associate for Risk Assessment and Consultant for the preparation of the publication Towards Soil Decontamination in the Republic of Serbia. Link: https://serbia.un.org/en/20310-enhanced-cross-sectoral-land-management-through-land-use-pressure-reduction-and-planning
- UNEP project – Assistance to the Republic of Serbia in the Implementation of MEAs and EU Obligations through Improvement of Pollution Monitoring of Soil Quality at Industrial Sites. Financial support: Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea of the Republic of Italy (IMELS); partner: SEPA; GEF ID: 4E88-GFL; project duration: 2015–2017. Role: Associate in the Sector for Indicators and Reporting, Serbian Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Belgrade.
- Djahangard, M., Yousefpour, R., Zhang, H., Berninger, F., Brazaitytė, G., Brazaitis, G., Bugmann, H., Coll, L., Curtu, A.L., Halalisan, A.F., Hartmann, H., Jactel, H., Khanam, T., Krsnik, G., Kukobat, L., Leskinen, L., Manton, M., Marjanović, Ž., Pantera, A., Selkimäki, M., Šušić, N. (2026). Economic incentives for conifers may limit broadleaf expansion in climate-adaptive European forests. Commun Earth Environ 7, 792. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-04087-6
- Khanam, T., Peris-Llopis, M., Selkimäki, M., Brazaitis, G., Mola-Yudego, B., Hartmann, H., Curtu, A. L., Hălălișan, A.-F., Marjanović, Ž., Leskinen, L., Pantera, A., Djahangard, M., Yousefpour, R., Brazaityte, G., Kukobat, L., Trivan, G., Mao, Z., Van Brusselen, J., Berninger, F. (2025): Navigating climate threats in forestry across five European regions: Stakeholder’s adaptive management and policy strategies to resilience. Journal of Environmental Management, 388, 125903. ISSN 0301-4797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125903