Author: biba

At the end of this semester, students of the Chemistry Department visited the ‘Alumina’ company in Zvornik. The Alumina company actively supports our study program and motivates young people, students, and high school students for career development in the field of chemistry and technical sciences.

This time, besides other technologies, a particular focus in education was the topic of finely precipitated hydrate, which is a chemical product from bauxite and is important even for electrical engineering. At Alumina, it is produced to the highest quality standards and serves as a filler in electrical cables that prevent fire hazards (retardant).

Alumina and the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Banja Luka have almost a decade of successful cooperation, based on joint work on projects and the exchange of knowledge. The Alumina company is development-oriented and constantly works on improving its processes, creating opportunities for advancement in the field of technical sciences. Visits like this are an important step in motivating young generations to actively engage in technical sciences and recognize the importance of innovations and industry for society.

Through such activities, we want to inspire young people to think about innovations and future challenges in the chemical industry and to recognize the potential of this field for their careers. Students were surprised by the size of this industrial giant, which is the largest exporter from our country and an example of innovative work in chemistry at the European level. From this expert excursion, students understood the importance of the closed-loop chain of raw materials and top chemical technologies, as all the bauxite processed by Alumina comes from 5 domestic mines, and Alumina is currently the only factory in Europe that produces “soft aluminum” (fine chemical, not just metallurgical products).

 

 

 

 

 

The Senate of the University of Banja Luka, at its 110th session, held on October 24, 2024, passed the Decision on the election of Prof. Dr. Biljane Davidović-Plavšić to the title of Full Professor.

The field of activity and research of Prof. Dr. Biljane Davidović-Plavšić is aimed at understanding the importance of free radicals in achieving and maintaining the redox homeostasis of the organism, as well as the role that free radicals, formed under the influence of abiotic stress and toxic effects caused by xenobiotics (medicines, pesticides, heavy metals), have in animals and plants. In addition, he deals with the research of possible mechanisms of oxidative damage to cells and the influence of free radicals on the action of cellular antioxidants, as well as the importance of using natural antioxidants (eg. plant extracts containing phenolic compounds) to protect the body when exposed to xenobiotics or in various diseases.

Dedicated and dedicated work on the mentioned research in the previous election period resulted in the publication of 8 scientific papers, seven of which were published in leading scientific journals of international importance, referenced in the citation databases of the Web of Science (WoS) and one paper in a scientific journal of international importance. referenced in the citation database Scopus. The citation rate of works according to the Google Scholar citation database is 197, and the h-index is 5.

In addition to scientific works, since the last election, in the title of associate professor, she has also published one university textbook and one monograph of national importance. She participated in the implementation of four scientific research projects.

The title of Full Professor comes as a kind of acknowledgment of past work and achieved results, but at the same time it is an obligation and responsibility towards further action and contribution to science.

The Chemistry Department congratulates Prof. Dr. Biljani Davidović-Plavšić on her advancement and well-deserved election to the title of Full Professor, having no doubt that her work will be fruitful and important for the entire academic community in the future.

As part of the bilateral project “Circular Economy: Application of Waste Raw Materials in Zeolite Synthesis” a team from the Chemical Institute in Ljubljana, led by Dr. Alenka Ristić, visited the Chemistry Study Program at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Banja Luka, from August 17th to 19th. On this occasion, young researchers, Janez Volovšek and Jan Marčec, presented the results of zeolite synthesis based on raw materials from the Republic of Srpska. These syntheses continue the research work of the team from the Republic of Srpska on the application of microsilica in the preparation of new materials.

This meeting provided an excellent opportunity for bilateral discussions and the analysis of the XRD experiments. The guests also actively participated in the “XV Conference of Chemists, Technologists, and Ecologists of the Republic of Srpska.”

The bilateral project is supported by the program of joint scientific research projects, within the scientific and technological cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Slovenia for 2024 and 2025 (contract number: 19/6-020/966-13-1/23).

Author of the text: Prof. Dr. Saša Zeljković

The first ChemTeach summer school for secondary school students was held in the period from August 26 to 30, 2024 at the Secondary Vocational Chemistry School (Stredná odborná škola chemická) in Bratislava.

Chemistry students and teachers from three secondary schools from Banja Luka, the Gymnasium, Medical School, and Technological School, and two secondary chemistry schools from Slovakia and the Czech Republic had the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills in the field of chemistry, as well as social and language skills through joint work and exchange of experiences with colleagues from other countries. This is the first of three summer schools to be implemented in the ChemTeach project.

In this year’s summer school, the participants were engaged in cosmetic, food, and pharmaceutical chemistry, combining classic laboratory exercises and innovative learning methods, to acquire practical and theoretical knowledge that will be useful to them in further education. Activities for teachers included various workshops aimed at improving chemistry teaching and educational methods in secondary schools and increasing international cooperation between educational institutions through various projects. One of the workshops was dedicated to the inclusion and proper use of artificial intelligence in the teaching of chemistry, as a tool for improving learning activities.

The summer school was attended by Prof. Dr. Milica Balaban and Dejana Savić, teaching assistant, as representatives of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Banja Luka. In addition to representatives from the University of Banja Luka, the summer school was also attended by representatives of the Slovak Technical University from Bratislava, which is also the project coordinator. The next ChemTeach summer school is planned for August 2025, where the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics of the University of Banja Luka will be the host.

 

 

 

 

 

Both this year and the new, third edition of the conference, which started through the program RM@Schools and is now becoming traditional, brought new surprising topics and gave a lot of work to the expert jury.

This year in the conference finals, we gathered 6 teams. Last year’s winner, “Đura Jakšić” Elementary School from Banja Luka, was there, with a new theme. Then we also hosted the primary school “Jovan Dučić” from Lamovita, who are this year’s winners. Next, a combined team of students from Banja Luka Gymnasium and “Nikola Tesla” Electrical Technical School, from Banja Luka, followed by Gradiška Gymnasium, Catholic School Center “Blessed Ivan Merc” from Banja Luka and Elementary School “Mladen Stojanović” from Laktaši competed. All topics were equally important and original, and the Chemistry Study Program would like to thank the mentors, teachers and their students who participated.

Students aged from 13 to 17 spoke about the valorization of raw materials such as zinc in nanotechnologies, mica in the cosmetics industry, potential new applications of domestic bentonite in solving chemical pollution in the environment, problems of microplastic water pollution and even space mining that may await us in the future if it runs out raw material on planet earth. In the opinion of the jury, the winning team is the best among equals, but the jury was touched by their commitment, together with teacher Lena Banjac, to bring novelty to the teaching of chemistry by enriching it with material science topics. They succeeded in this and even came up with a draft of a new manual, which we want them to become widely read and popular.

On the second day of the conference, all participants learned together about materials in the field in domestic successful materials factories and at the same time strengthened new friendships. They learned more about polymer recycling at the “Omorika reciklaža” factory in Doboj, then also about the use of wood composite materials at the “Standard” company in Prnjavor, and during the break they got to “talk” with the Lipizzaners from the “Vučjak” stud.

We are grateful for the support of the Ministry of Science and Technology Development and Higher Education (“Minerals in Schools for Chemistry Classrooms of the Future” project), as well as the European Institute of Science and Technology (“RIS BRIEFCASE” project).

See you next year at “MWB 2025”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Links:

https://rmschools.isof.cnr.it/

https://reciklaza.ba/

https://standard-prnjavor.com/

https://ergelavucijak.com/

https://www.vladars.net/sr-SP-Cyrl/Vlada/Ministarstva/mnk

We invite schools from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region and the world to attend this year’s event “Materials without borders 2024”. Deadline for registration is Aug 15, 2024.

For the third year in a row, the Chemistry Department of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (PMF) is organizing the “Materials without Borders” conference. As in previous years, the sponsor is the Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education (project number: 19.032/966-67/23).

This conference was designed by young researchers of PMF as part of the RM@Schools international project, which was implemented at our Faculty during the previous five years. Each year was truly “without borders”, because so far we have hosted guests from several countries, including Italy, Germany, Hungary, as well as schools from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For a limited number of registrations, we can also provide financial support in the cost of transportation and accommodation. Food, educational material and transportation to field educations are provided during the entire conference for all participants.

Students are aged between 13-18 years of qualification, and the topic of the presentation should be from the STEAM field, preferably chemistry, physics, materials or interdisciplinary fields that include computer science. Send a summary of the presentation with the names of team members and teachers/mentors to the email of the conference coordinator: suzana.gotovac.atlagic@unibl.org  The text should be up to one A4 page in length.

Students will have 12-15 minutes to present, while the team posters will be displayed in the Faculty hall (poster printing provided by the organizers).

Conference program

First day 26.08.2024. WELCOME

14.00-17.00 Reception of guests, guide to accommodation provided if necessary (accommodation provided in Student center Nikola Tesla” and hostel “Evropa” depending on the number of guests and order of registration)

18.00-21.00 Welcome dinner, “Vila Vrbas” restaurant

Second day 27.08.2024. CONFERENCE (Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Ulica Mladena Stojanovića 2, 78000, Banja Luka, ground floor: classroom 7)

7.00-8.00 breakfast in the accommodation facility

9:00 a.m. Gathering and registration, checking and preparing posters, networking and getting to know the participants, coffee corner and refreshments provided,

9.30 Statements for the media (coordinators and teachers, team leaders)

10.00-10.05 Welcome speech (organizers, PMF Chemistry Study Program)

10.05-10.15 Welcome speech (representatives of the Ministry of Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education)

10.15-10.30 Retrospective of previous conferences and presentation of ambitions for the future, Prof dr Suzana Gotovac Atlagić, conference coordinator

10.30-11.30 Pupils’ presentations

11.30-12.00 Coffee break and poster presentation

12.00-14.00 Pupils’ presentations

14.00-14.30 Award ceremony, greetings and discussion

14.30-16.00 Lunch at the site and networking

16.00…  free time at the accommodation and relaxation

Third day 29.08.2024. INDUSTRIAL VISIT

7.00-8.00 Breakfast in the accommodation facility

8.45-9.00 Gathering at the parking lot of the Faculty of Science

9.00-10.00 Transfer to the location, EFT Stanari

10.00-13.00 Welcome discussion with engineers, tour of the laboratory, mine and thermal power plant, location with examples of successful land reclamation

13.30-15.00 Lunch at the local restaurant “Sunce”

15.00-16.00 Return to Banja Luka, team farewell, FREE TIME

WELCOME!

Read more about previous years on our posts:

https://hemija.pmf.unibl.org/srl/konferencija-materijali-bez-granica-na-studijskom-programu-hemija/

https://hemija.pmf.unibl.org/srl/zavrsen-medunarodni-edukativni-kamp-materijali-bez-granica/

Professors Biljana Davidović-Plavšić and Biljana Kukavica were guests in the program “Eho Nauke”, edited and hosted by Tatjana Mizdrak.

The occasion for the visit was their monograph, “Abiotic stress and redox homeostasis of the cell”, published by the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Banja Luka.

At the beginning of the discussion, the authors explained the mechanisms of pesticide action on cells, and then emphasized the response of cells to pesticides, which are ubiquitous both in the environment and in different organisms.

You can listen to the entire programat the following link:
Author of the text: Dr. Biljana Davidović-Plavšić, Professor

With a great pleasure, our Department hosted for the second time a very dynamic team from Seville of coordinators of the “RISBriefcase” project, in which we have been participating since 2023. Lidia, Santiago and Silvia, brought the “secrets” of the fluorescence of natural minerals to the pupils of several Banja Luka schools.

This property of molecules or atoms to absorb light at one wavelength and then almost instantly emit it at a larger ones, has found its application in numerous chemical and optical analysis techniques.

At the workshop, held in our Training Center for Materials Innovation, the students enjoyed learning about a new topic, trying out the technique themselves and discussing the chemical compositions of minerals that their colleagues brought from their distant country.

Also, with the help of a Google virtual reality set, they were shown what the inside of the mine in Spain where these materials were found looks like.

They made this day and science, and Spain a little closer to us.

The “RISBriefcase” continues its journey, and during the summer and autumn we are expecting a series of interesting events with students of various ages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Professors Saša Zeljković and Milica Balaban participated in the 10^th Slovenian-Serbian-Croatian Symposium on zeolites as part of the bilateral project “Circular Economy: Application of Waste Raw Materials in Zeolite Synthesis”. The symposium was held from May 23 to 25 in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The organizer of the Symposium was the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana. The bilateral project is supported by the program of joint scientific research projects, within the scientific and technological cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Slovenia for 2024 and 2025.

The symposium provided a venue for meetings with partners from Slovenia and offered an opportunity to present the latest results in the field of zeolites.

Author of the text: Dr. Saša Zeljković, Professor

Chemistry teacher training aimed at improving the quality of chemistry teaching in secondary schools, within the Erasmus+ project ChemTeach (101129417-ERASMUS-EDU-2023-CB-VET), was held in the period from April 8 to 12, 2024 in Bratislava ( Slovakia) and Pardubice (Czech Republic). The courses were attended by Professor Saša Zeljković from the Faculty of Science and Mathematics and chemistry teachers from the Gymnasium, Medical, and Technological Schools in Banja Luka.

During the visit to the High School of Chemistry from Bratislava (Stredná odborná škola chemická, Bratislava), the teachers visited the laboratories and attended professional subject classes. The topics of lectures and workshops included professional education and training in EU countries, teaching and evaluation using digital tools, and extracurricular professional activities as a form of professional development. The visit was also an opportunity to talk with students participating in chemistry competitions and with students doing professional practice. The hosts paid special attention to the presentation of their promotional activities, and Erasmus+ projects were highlighted as an important part of professional education.

At the Higher Secondary School of Chemistry in the Czech city of Pardubice (Střední průmyslova škola chemická Pardubice), emphasis is placed on the application of digital tools in the teaching of chemistry and laboratory work. The focus of the presentations and discussions was on methods that can be used to promote chemistry and attract future students.

Author of the text: Prof. Dr. Saša Zeljković
Photos: Prof. Dr. Saša Zeljković