Borut Vrščaj PhD, Senior scientific researcher

Agricultural Institute of Slovenia; Centre for Soil and Environment Research; Hacquetova 17, SI1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Education:

• 2007 Doctorate at Department of Exploitation and Protection of the Agricultural and Forestry Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Turin. Title: A Soil Evaluation Method for the Planning and Management of Soil Quality in Urban Areas.
• 1998 MSc studies in “Environment” Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana.
• 1996 High Bachelor Degree in Agronomy Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana.
• 1985 Higher Bachelor Degree in Agronomy Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana.

 Scolarships/Grants:

• 2001, EC Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy; European Soil Bureau; Visiting Scientist
• 2002, FAO, GTOS workshop, Prague;
• 2001, EC Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy; European Soil Bureau;
• 2000 USDA Cochran Fellowship. USDA National Resource Conservation Service, NRCS Washington DC, National Soil Survey Division, Lincoln, NRCS Forth Worth, Texas,

Bibliography - COBISS:  http://www.kis.si/pls/kis/!kis.web?m=203

Employment:

• 2005 - present : Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Central Laboratories, Centre for Soil and Environmental research: senior scientific researcher
• 2010 - Present. Univeristy of Maribor; Faculty for agriculture, professor
• 2009 - present: Environmental Protection College, professor 
• 2003 - 2004 EC Joint Research Centre, Soil Action, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, European Soil Bureau, Ispra, Italija: visiting scientist 
• 1984 - 2005, University of Ljubljana, Centre for Soil and Environmental Science: Senior Researcher- councillor, international and inland projects; Leader of CSES GIS lab; Teaching assistant (Soil Science, Land-use and soil protection and Eco-Pedology)

 Expert groups membership:

• EC Joint Research Centre, European Soil Bureau Network: Digital Soil Mapping Working Group.
• EC Joint Research Centre, European Soil Bureau Network: European Soil Data Centre and INSPIRE WG.
• Ministry for Defense, Republic of Slovenia, 2006. Expert group for Drought evaluation in Slovenia.
• Government of the Republic of Slovenia, 2000: Expert group for elaboration of long-term spatial plan - agriculture. soil science, digital soil mapping, geoinformatics, GIS
• Ministry for agriculture forestry and food, 2006: Expert group for insurance in agriculture.
• Ministry for agriculture forestry and food of the Republic of Slovenia, 2008: Expert group for drought prevention and assessment
• Ministry for environment and urban planning of the Republic of Slovenia, 2008: Expert group for organic waste treatment

Professional interests:

• Soils and environment, modelling soil/landscape related data, 
• Developing soil information for sustainable development / land use planning;
• Geographical Information systems, design, implementation,
• Land use planning and soils. 

Professional associations:

• Slovenian Soil Science Society - president
• International Union of Soil Science Societies - member

Important research - international projects

• EC, FP7, GSsoil 2009, task leader
• EC, Interreg III, Central: Urban Soil Management Strategies (Urban SMS); 2008, WP leader
• EC, Interreg III, Alpine Space: Technique of Urban Soil Evaluation in City Regions (TUSEC-IP);2006, researcher
• EC, JRC, Institute for Environment and Sustainability: Danube basin Soil data – Slovenia, 2006, team leader
• EC, Interreg III, Alpine Space: Eco-pedological Map for the Alpine Territory (ECALP) 2005, Country representative, task leader
• EC, FP5 project: Spatial Indicators for Europe Nature Conservation (SPIN); 2004, Slovenian team coordinator, researcher
• EC, FP5 project: Urban Soils as a source ans sink of pollution (URBSOIL); 2004, researcher
• EC, JRC, Soil Map of EUROPE, Slovenia as a part of Soil Map of Europe 1:1M; 1998
• Corine Land Cover Slovenia 1:100.000; 1996, researcher

Important research - major Slovenian projects

• Digital Soil Mapping Algorithms and Pedotransfer Functions for the National Soil Information System
• Establishment of a multidisciplinary set of spatial information used for forecasting and damage evaluation of natural disasters in agriculture
• Soil Mapping in Slovenia
• GIS Soil Information System of Slovenia
• Highway construction in Slovenia
• Determination of the areas with limited possibility for agricultural production
• Land use planning in Slovenia.