NATIONAL FOREST CENTRE
Tomáš Bucha |
| is a senior researcher and head of the Centre of Excellence Lignosilva. He specializes on forest inventory, monitoring and mapping of forest and wood resources using satellite Remote Sensing. Head of the National Forest Monitoring Program in 1996-2003. Seconded national expert in European Commission - Joint Research Centre (JRC) at the Institute for Environment and Sustainability in Ispra (Italy) in 2004-2008. Coordinator of the INMEIN project under EU Cross-border cooperation program SK-HU (2012-2014), SOLE project (2008-2010) and ATBIOMAP project under European space agency PECS program (2019-2020) focused on satellite-based inventory of wood resources. Board member of the Slovak Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SAAS), since 2016 vice-chairman. Member of the Scientific Councils of Universities and Academies in Zvolen, Nitra and Bratislava. Chairman of the national support group of Forestry technology platform since 2015. |
e-mail: tomas.bucha@nlcsk.org |
Tomáš Gergeľ |
| is young researcher and deputy of head of the CE LignoSilva. He has experience with in non-destructive methods of assessing the quality of materials, assessment of the environmental factors of the living and working environment, development of production processes in the wood sector and design of prototypes. He focused his research activities on detection of wood defects based on 3D image processing, advanced use of mathematical statistics and optimization methods of log cutting and on laser cutting of wood. |
e-mail: tomas.gergel@nlcsk.org |
Milan Oravec |
| is responsiblere researcher of national and international projects of applied research within woody biomass production, harvesting and transport technologies, biomass supply chains, energy production from the biomass, policies creation and strategies, within RES utilization and forest management. Expert in the area of the innovations implementation related to the biomass production and energy utilization. Expert for the establishment and technologies reconstruction of electricity and heat production of 240 MW power, project implementation of fuel chips production and distribution within the forest management with annual capacity of 200 th.tonns, author of the action plan of the biomass utilization in SR. Responsible researcher of the projects 7FP BIOCLUS, IN2WOOD, cross-border projects, SEE project FOROPA, bilateral projects with Norway, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Czech Republic, focused on the biomass production and utilization. Longterm cooperation with the national producers of biomass energies, involving advisory and consultancy activities. Intensive cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development SR, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Economy and their institutions, within the strategies creation, legislative, and monitoring of their impacts in the biomass production and utilization. |
e-mail: milan.oravec@nlcsk.org |
Ingrid Kriššáková |
| is National expert INCO (International Cooperation) of Slovak Republic, national delegate of SCAR, professionally focused on the international cooperation and international projects, working at the Department of Foreign Affairs of the National Forest Centre – Forest Research Institute, closely cooperating with relevant regional, national and international stakeholders and relevant institutions, involved in the process of regional cluster establishment in the cooperation with the Department of Regional Development of Self-Governing Region in Banská Bystrica, experienced in several 6FP SSA projects (INTEGRATING-ACC, ERA ENV, INTERLINK), 7FP (BIOCLUS, IN2WOOD, ENV-NCP-TOGETHER), involved in the 7FP transnational cooperation of Environment NCPs, coordinating and managing professional contacts and cooperation within institutional international projects and networks. |
e-mail: ingrid.krissakova@nlcsk.org |
Ladislav Kulla |
| is head of Department of Forest Policy, Economics and Management. Expert in forest management planning. Since 2006 he has been engaged in applied research of alternative forest management systems and the decision support to forest management. He coordinates related research-demonstration activities and participates on national and EU funded research projects (actually 7FP ARANGE). |
e-mail: ladislav.kulla@nlcsk.org |
Martin Slávik |
| is a senior researcher. He is the author and co-author of a large number of scientific and professional materials, scripts and educational programs on dendrological and forest-nursery themes. He is a member of the trade union council - forest cultivation at Czech University of Life Science in Prague. He is an internationally renowned specialsit in the field of forestry, dendrology and forest nursery, he is engaged in technological methods of planting forest reproductive material, optimizing nutrition in forest nurseries, storing planting material in air-conditioned warehouses. |
e-mail: martin.slavik@nlcsk.org |
Bohdan Konôpka |
| is a head of the Department of Forest Protection and Game Management. He is an expert in forest protection, forest ecology and production, and associate professor in forest management. He has been working (approx. 7 years) in foreign research institutions and universities (specifically: 1993 - 1994 Sweden, 1997 - Finland, 1998 - 1999 and 2004 - Japan, 2003 - Belgium, 2006 - 2007 France). He is a co-author of 15 monographs. The SCOPUS database lists about 80 papers of B. Konôpka, which have been cited more than 1000 times. |
e-mail: bohdan.konopka@nlcsk.org |
Pavel Pavlenda |
| – Head of Department of Forest and Landscape Ecology. He is a senior researcher experienced mainly in applied forestry research with following scope of topics: soil science, site condition, forest ecology, soil ameliorations, forest monitoring. Since 2003 he has been head of National Focal Centre of ICP Forests, national coordinator of FutMon project (LIFE+). |
e-mail: pavel.pavlenda@nlcsk.org |
Slávka Tóthová |
| is senior researcher focused on recycling of wood ash - waste generated in the process of biomass energy use, fertilizer use of wood ash, application in forest soil, monitoring and evaluation of the effects. Expert in the area of forestry recultivation closed landfills. |
e-mail: slavka.tothova@nlcsk.org |
Valéria Longauerová |
| is a phytopathologist specialist with experience of using PCR methods in forest protection against fungal pathogens. As an inspector of the Forest Protection Service she cooperates with forestry practice in realization of research results. |
e-mail: valeria.longauerova@nlcsk.org |
Milan Zúbrik |
| is senior researcher dealing with forest entomology, mainly with leaf-eating insect, parasitoids, pathogens, population dynamics, alternative and classical pest control. Coordinating several large national research projects, especially Centre of Excellence of Biological Methods of Forest Protection (2008-2011), Project of Forest Protection in the High Tatra Mountains After Windthrow In 2004 (2005-2007) and project Efficient Use of Environmental, Economic and Social Potential of Forests in Slovakia (2009-2014). He took part to several international research projects (7FP, bilateral with USDA, UNO, BOKU, universities and industry). He carried out 6 months expert stay at the Entomological Dept. of UNO/IAEA in Vienna with still lasting fruitful bilateral cooperation. |
e-mail: milan.zubrik@nlcsk.org |
Ivan Barka |
| has been engaged for over 10 years in the research of forest dynamics and disturbances in temperate forests, climate change impacts and adaptation and carbon balance – greenhouse gasses accounting. He is experienced in analysing spatial data in GIS environment including programming, deals with the development and management of databases, remote sensing data analysis for forestry applications and modelling forest dynamics. He participated in several international projects, including framework programme projects of the EU (7FP ARANGE, Cross-border Cooperation Programme HUSKROUA, Interreg). |
e-mail: ivan.barka@nlcsk.org |
Jozef Pajtik |
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is a senior researcher with many years of experience in research of monitoring methods, health assessment, growth modeling and forest production including creation of assortment models and tables. |
e-mail: jozef.pajtik@nlcsk.org |
Zuzana Sitková |
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is a researcher with more than 12 years of experience in the research of forest ecology, applied bioclimatology and monitoring of water balance elements. She has practical skills with the management of the NFC's automatic weather station network and is experienced in research of climate change impacts on ecophysiology of forest trees. She participated in the implementation of a number of national and international projects (under the LIFE+, EU Structural Funds, SRDA schemes, Interreg). |
e-mail: zuzana.sitkova@nlcsk.org |
Radovan Gracovský
| is young researcher with experience in non-destructive methods of assessing the quality of materials, development of production processes in the wood sector and design of prototypes. Also, he is experienced in structural design and graphic preparation for laser cutting of wood. He focused his research activities on 3D image processing of wood scanners, application of acoustic non-destructive methods and finding out the design possibilities of laser cutting of wood. |
e-mail: radovan.gracovsky@nlcsk.org |
Danica Krupová |
| is head, manager of quality and metrology of the Central Forestry Laboratory. She has more than 16-year experience with analyses of samples from forest ecosystems. She is expert for standard and unstandardized analytical method used for analyses of water, soil and biomass as well as for the assurance of quality of chemical analyses. She has successfully implemented all elements of quality according regulation ISO STN EN 17 025 and QA/QC according rules ICP Forests in the laboratory. She has participated in many project, including one projects financed from the EU Structural Funds and three projects supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency, FutMon project (LIFE+), Biosoil, ICP Forests, etc. |
e-mail: danica.krupova@nlcsk.org |
Roman Longauer |
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is senior researcher in forest tree genetics with focus on the management of genetic resources and tree breeding (seed orchards, testing, hybridisation). Besides nationally-funded research projects, he was a partner, e.g., in the EU FP6 project TreeBreedEx (RICA 0260 76), EU AgriGenRes(09) project EUFGIS (European Information System on Forest Genetic Resources, and EU Interreg CE project SUSTREE (CE-614, ongoing). International experience in the FAO (TCP/LAT/2901), USDA, EU Phare, IEEP (London) and SlovakAid projects. National coordinator of the EUFORGEN, national delegate to the EC PAFF committee and OECD Scheme for Forest Reproductive Material. |
e-mail: roman.longauer@nlcsk.org |
Martin Bartko |
| is a head of Research station in Gabčíkovo. He focuses on fast-growing trees species on optimal and progressive methods of establishment, selection of new clones and subsequent evaluation of their productive potential. In 2007-2008 he coordinated a project for the new zoning of poplar, willow and white acacia. Since 2015, he has been coordinating the international LIFE + project (Conservation and Conservation of Autochthonous Trees in the Danube Region). Since 2016, it has been co-ordinating a project to verify the production properties of a new poplar clone and a project for testing white acacia clones in Záhorie region. |
e-mail: martin.bartko@nlcsk.org |
Maroš Sedliak |
| is young researcher specialised in application of geo-information technologies in forestry, with focus on processing, storing and publishing of spatial data. He works as a spatial database administrator and map server administrator on NFC-FRIS. He is experienced in database design, analysis and processing of geospatial and non-spatial data. Also, he is experienced in analysis of airborne remote sensing images, field mapping application based on GNSS. He is actively programming in Python and SQL. |
e-mail: maros.sedliak@nlcsk.org |
Ivan Sačkov |
| is young researcher specialised in application of remote sensing and geo-information technologies in forestry, with focus on processing of airborne and terrestrial LiDAR data and software development to implement lidar data into forest management planning. He is actively programming in C#. He is currently coordinator of 1 research project and he participated in 5 research national as well as international projects. |
e-mail: ivan.sackov@nlcsk.org |
Vlastimil Murgaš |
| is young researcher, engaged in dendrometry, dendrochronology, modeling and forecasting forest development. He is advanced in the use of mathematical statistics in forest modeling and is familiar with the R programming language and using of tools for modeling forest dynamics in decision support, algorithmization and programming solutions. |
e-mail: vlastimil.murgas@nlcsk.org |
PULP AND PAPER RESEARCH INSTITUTE, inc.
Štefan Boháček |
| Chairman of the Board, Director-General, top-level representative of research activities in the area of pulp and paper industry in the Slovak Republic. He holds significant posts within CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries). He is member of the CEPI BOARD, CEPI ADG (Association Directors' Group) and the States Representatives Group of Bio-Based Industry Joint Undertaking established in the frame of HORIZON 2020. He received the Award of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education of the Slovak Republic "Personality of Science and Technology in 2006"–the highest award in science and technology in the Slovak Republic. He has been engaged for over 27 years in the research of pulp bleaching and in the area of process optimisation in the pulp and paper industry. He was a coordinator of national and international projects: Conversion of technology of fluting production in SKŠ (2009-2012); Utilisation of fibres from distillation refuse of bioethanol production, Feasibility study, (2008); Utilisation of fibres from distillation refuse of bioethanol production, Research project (2008-2011); Technology Development for the Industrial Production of Cationic Bran as an Additive for Papermaking (2003-2005); A Competitive European Pulp and Paper Industry (2001-2004); Bamboo pulp bleaching technology development for Itapagé S.A. Celulose, Papéis e Artefatos, Brasil. (1997-1998); Energy conservation in pulp and paper industry. (1993-1995); Minimisation of Energy Consumption in Pulp and Paper Industry of SR (1993-1995). |
e-mail: bohacek@vupc.sk |
Mária Fišerová |
| is the Director of the Department of Pulp Technology with a wide experience in basic and application research (35 years of experience). She acted as a project Coordinator for numerous National projects. She has participated in a several international projects. Through her participation in these projects, Mrs. Fišerova developed a wide experience in participating in research projects, as well as a more generic background concerning her areas of expertise. Her experience includes the development of pulping and bleaching technology, water recirculation, waste water treatment and solid waste reduction in pulp and paper industry. She is the author of many publications concerning of development of pulping and bleaching technology. |
e-mail: fiserova@vupc.sk |
Juraj Gigac |
| is the Director of the Department of Papermaking Technology with a wide experience in basic and application research in the field of processing of fibrous materials (virgin pulp, secondary fibres, TMP, CTMP, bamboo, bagasse and other annual plants pulp), optimisation of their utilisation and furnish composition, preparation and processing of fillers and pigments for paper industry, evaluation of the quality of commercial and new types of fillers and pigments, development and modification of fillers and pigments, application of papermaking aids (retention systems, size, starches, latex), optimisation and selection of suitable types of papermaking aids and coating technology and the coating formulas for various final products and coating base paper. |
e-mail: gigac@vupc.sk |
Monika Stankovská |
| is a responsible researcher of the project by APVV (Slovak Research and Development Agency) in the fields of basic research. The aim of the mentioned project is the characterization of paper in terms of its application in contactless printing techniques and creation of the model predicting the properties of surface sized and coated papers for inkjet printing. Moreover, she was one from researchers of the basic research project “Stimuli for research and development” oriented to interactions of liquids with paper surface. She is an expert in the area of some special analytical methods as e.g. contact angle measurement, measurement of paper – liquid interaction with ultrasound equipment, paper formation, and pores size distribution measurement as well as is skilled in the area of coating and surface sizing laboratory technique. |
e-mail: stankovska@vupc.sk |
Henrich Lübke |
| is is senior researcher specialized in the area of fibreboard production. Author of the current patent of utilize semi-chemical pulp to create a fiberboard without formaldehyde release. Long year researcher and coordinator of national research projects (New processes and materials in preparation of fiberboards (2007-2009); Modification of commercial properties of woody materials and expanding the area of its use (2003-2005). He is author of 8 patents and 9 industrial designs. |
e-mail: lubke@vupc.sk |
Vladimír Ihnát |
| is a scientist specialized in the area of the wood constructions. A head of Laboratory of Materials and Products Testing and Centre for the Development of Wood Processing, Furniture and Pulp and Paper Industry - a nonprofit organization which cares of dissemination actions. He organized international workshops and conferences related of wood processing, products and services for the industry within the Visegrad Group. He cooperated on creating of a cross border database of scientific publications in the area of wood industry, forestry, environment and mining under title ENVIFOR with the Hungarian project partner. His current research is concentrated on fibre materials on wood base and use of wasted agglomerates from wood on this purpose. |
e-mail: ihnat@vupc.sk |
Alois Vojta |
| is senior researcher currently specialized on classification and utilization of wood products after their useful lives by a reassessment. Author of many studies for Recycling fund, Ministry of Education and other public bodies (e.g. Study: Optimal use of wood products after their useful lives by a reassessment (2012), Study: Improving the quality / utility value /of finishes based on paints curing by UV radiation (2008) Coordinator of the project: Increasing the use value of adhesives and adhesive compositions for wood processing, pulp and paper industry by incorporating nanoparticles (2009-2010). Member of the realization team of the project: New products and technological processes of glue-laminated wood production for structural industry (2009- 2011). |
e-mail: vojta@vupc.sk |
Andrej Pažitný |
| is a PhD. student and researcher in the field of wood biomass pretreatment, laboratory work for enzymatic hydrolysis. He has been working at VÚPC since 2010. He is also responsible researcher and patent expert of VÚPC and is a co-originator and originator of a 9 patent applications, which were filed within the Slovak Republic. For one of the patent applications a patent has already been granted. He actively participated in the solution of projects in this area "Utilization of fibers from first-generation bioethanol by-products (VMSP-P-0046-09)," Conversion of fluting production technology in Smurfit Kappa Štúrovo "(CD-2009-36918 / 39542-1: 11) and in the field of paper "Characterization and prediction of properties of surface-glued and coated paper" (APVV-0639-11).
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e-mail: pazitny@vupc.sk |
Elena Opálená |
| she works in the research of fibers of LC materials. She prepares, performs and evaluates laboratory chemical analyzes and determinations, deals with the conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic materials with respect to the yield of monosaccharides and processability of hydrolysates by fermentation. She was a member of research teams of many projects for pulp and paper companies in the Slovak Republic (SCP, a.s. Ružomberok, Bukocel, a.s. Hencovce, Smurfit Kappa, a.s. Štúrovo, Tento, a.s. Žilina and Harmanecké papierne, a.s.), in the Czech Republic (Biocel, a.s. Paskov, Frantschach Pulp & Paper Czech, a.s. Štětí) and foreign companies (Sandoz Chemicals Ltd., Impco-Voest-Alpine).
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e-mail: opalena@vupc.sk |
Jiří Schwartz |
| is a long-term researcher in the field of production of special papers and their surface treatment. He is a head of a specialized pilot plant paper machine and other pilot plants for surface treatment and paper & board converting. He is responsible person for safety and health work´ conditions.
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e-mail: schwartz@vupc.sk |