Best ASEF Podcasts (2025)

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Episode #48 (SLO): Iz Slovenije v svet: ASEF zgodbe, ki ustvarjajo prihodnost 48:44

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2M ago48:44

48:44

Posebna epizoda ASEF podkasta - v živo iz Križank Z zadnjo epizodo 4. sezone ASEF podkasta zaključujemo pol leta navdihujočih pogovorov o znanosti, raziskovanju in povezovanju Slovencev po svetu. Tokrat je epizoda nekaj posebnega – posneli smo jo v živo na dogodku Arena Tehnologij v Križankah v Ljubljani! Pogovor je vodil Martin Jurkovič, gostje pa…

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Episode #47 (EN): Attention Schema Theory (Illusion of consciousness) with Michael Graziano 51:59

3M ago51:59

51:59

In this episode of the ASF Podcast, neuroscientist and Princeton professor Michael Graziano joins host Tanja Janko to unpack his Attention Schema Theory. Graziano explains why consciousness can be understood as a self-model, how our brains construct simplified versions of ourselves and others, and why this illusion is both useful and inevitable. He…

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Episode #46 (EN): Is the Self an Illusion? Jay Garfield on Buddhist Philosophy 1:00:59

4M ago1:00:59

1:00:59

What does it mean to have a self, and what if it’s an illusion? In this episode of the ASF Podcast, host Tanja Janko speaks with philosopher Jay Garfield, a professor specializing in Tibetan Buddhism, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of language, ethics, and hermeneutics. Garfield explains the Buddhist cr…

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Epizoda #45 (SLO): Teja Batagelj o priložnostih digitalizacije zdravstva 1:37:42

4M ago1:37:42

1:37:42

🎙️ V zadnji epizodi podkasta ASEF Vertikale zdravstvo se Luka Petravić pogovarja s Tejo Batagelj, v.d. direktorico Direktorata za digitalizacijo v zdravstvu na Ministrstvu za zdravje. Teja ima bogato karierno pot in več kot 20 let izkušenj na področju IT in digitalizacije. V pogovoru razpravljata o digitalizaciji slovenskega zdravstvenega sistema, …

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Episode #44 (EN): Animal Dreams with David Peña-Guzmán: World of Animal Consciousness 1:15:05

5M ago1:15:05

1:15:05

Do animals dream? And if they do, what does it reveal about their minds, and our moral responsibilities toward them? In this episode of the ASF Podcast, host Tanja Janko speaks with philosopher and author David Peña-Guzmán, whose book When Animals Dream explores the emotional, cognitive, and ethical dimensions of animal dreaming. In this conversati…

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Epizoda #43 (SLO): Meet the fellows - Lana in Adrian o delu in življenju na Stanfordu 52:09

5M ago52:09

52:09

Dobrodošli v novi epizodi serije »Meet the Fellows« ASEF podkasta. Voditelj Martin Jurkovič gosti Lano Nastjo Anžur in Adriana Mladenića Grobelnika, ki sta poletje preživela na Univerzi Stanford. Lana je doktorska študentka Varstva okolja in raziskovalka kulturne dediščine (UL), Adrian pa mlajši raziskovalec UI na Inštitutu Jožef Stefan in študent …

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Epizoda #42 (SLO): Lokalni Podjetniški Inkubatorji v Sloveniji 58:03

6M ago58:03

58:03

V tej epizodi ASEF Podcasta se podajamo v svet podjetniških inkubatorjev in podpornega okolja za startupe. V gosteh sta bili Nives Justin, vodja podjetniškega inkubatorja Kovačnica v Kranju, in Sonja Majcen, ki vodi Inkubator Savinjske regije v Celju. Obe že vrsto let pomagata mladim podjetnikom pri prvih korakih, iskanju financiranja, razvoju idej…

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Epizoda #41 (SLO): Podatki v zdravstvu 101 z Janezom Žibertom 1:06:04

6M ago1:06:04

1:06:04

🎙️ V epizodi se profesor Janez Žibert pogovarja o svoji poti od matematike do zdravstva. Razpravlja o pomembnosti zdravstvenih podatkov, umetni inteligenci in statistike ter analizira izzive in priložnosti v slovenskem zdravstvu. Pogovor vodi Luka Petravić. Kaj vas čaka v epizodi? 😎 1. Janezova poklicna pot Janez deli svojo pot od matematike do zdr…

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Episode #40 (EN): Free Energy Principle with Karl Friston: Mathematical Modeling of Consciousness 1:05:37

7M ago1:05:37

1:05:37

In this episode, Karl Friston unpacks the Free Energy Principle (https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn2787), a unifying theory explaining how the brain minimizes surprise by constantly predicting and updating its model of the world. We explore how this principle sheds light on perception, consciousness, and even psychiatric conditions like schizophre…

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Epizoda #39 (SLO): Od podatka na disku do klinične slike pacienta — Tadej Maligoj o oblikovanju v zdravstvu 1:22:30

7M ago1:22:30

1:22:30

🎙️ V novi epizodi podcasta gostimo Tadeja Maligoja, arhitekta uporabniških izkušenj, s katerim se pogovarjamo o oblikovanju informacijskih sistemov v zdravstvu. Pogovor je vodil Luka Petravić. Kaj vas čaka v epizodi?😎 1. Pomen širokega znanja Tadej izpostavi, kako je širiko znanje ključno za uspešno oblikovanje uporabniških izkušenj. Razumevanje ra…

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Episode #38 (EN): Panpsychism with Philip Goff: Is Consciousness a Fundamental Feature of the Universe? 54:45

8M ago54:45

54:45

In this episode, we delve into the intriguing concept of panpsychism with Philip Goff, the philosophical idea that consciousness is a fundamental and ubiquitous aspect of reality. We explore its historical roots, examine contemporary debates, and consider its implications for our understanding of the mind and the universe. The host of the science v…

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Epizoda #37 (SLO): Marko Grobelnik o umetni inteligenci med regulacijo, geopolitiko in prihodnostjo dela 1:23:44

8M ago1:23:44

1:23:44

V tokratni epizodi ASEF Podcasta se podajamo v svet umetne inteligence, skupaj z enim vodilnih slovenskih strokovnjakov na tem področju, Markom Grobelnikom. Ponaša se z več kot štiridesetletnimi izkušnjami kot raziskovalec na Inštitutu Jožef Stefan, je soustanovitelj IRCAI in svetovalec številnim mednarodnim organizacijam kot so OECD, Evropska Komi…

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Episode #36 (EN): Meet the Fellows - Sophia and Maja’s Visit to Slovenia 39:15

8M ago39:15

39:15

Welcome to the very first episode of Meet the Fellows, a new vertical of the ASEF Podcast. This series dives into the stories of ASEF Fellows—students who have experienced the ASEF Fellowship firsthand—and explores what the program means to them, both professionally and personally. In this episode, we sit down with Sophia Jarc and Maja Košir, two 2…

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Episode #35: Tech for Nature with Tom Vodopivec from Bird Buddy/Wonder 43:02

9M ago43:02

43:02

In this episode of the ASEF Podcast, we explore the journey of Bird Buddy/Wonder, a Slovenian startup that has successfully blended AI, computer vision, and hardware to create a smart bird feeder loved by over half a million people worldwide. Joining us is Tom Vodopivec, COO at Bird Buddy/Wonder, who brings deep expertise in AI, startups, and ventu…

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Episode #34: Understanding Deformable Objects in Computer Graphics - Jernej Barbic 1:07:04

1y ago1:07:04

1:07:04

We explored Jernej Barbič’s journey from mathematics to computer science, highlighting key moments in his academic career. We discussed the simulation of deformable objects, their application, and their challenges. The discussion touched on the metaverse’s potential to transform human interaction, advancements in medical technology through digital …

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Episode #33: Technology Transfer 52:08

1+ y ago52:08

52:08

In this special live episode of the ASEF Podcast, recorded at Dragon Days in Celje, we hosted Michael Stucky - a partner at Serpentine Ventures, visiting from Zurich, Switzerland, and Jure Vindišar - Head of Technology Transfer at the National Institute of Biology in Slovenia. We delved into the concept of technology transfer, which is all about cr…

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Episode #32: Let's talk about Slovenian art! Aljaž Bezjak 1:02:45

1+ y ago1:02:45

1:02:45

In this episode, we host Aljaž Bezjak, an accomplished Slovenian digital artist currently working as a digital nomad while based in London. Aljaž studied photography at the Faculty for Applied Sciences in Ljubljana, graduating in 2018 with a project on the digital colorization of black and white photography, inspired by Stojan Kerbler. Before movin…

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Episode #31: Computational biology - Peter Cimermancic 53:12

1+ y ago53:12

53:12

In this episode, we dive into computational biology, discussing protein structure prediction and the challenges of mapping the sequence-function relationships of proteins. We also touch on cryptic sites in proteins. Our guest, Peter Cimermančič, talks about his startup TesorAI, and we end with a discussion on reverse aging and our control over our …

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Episode #30: Computer vision - Zan Gojcic and Aljosa Osep 1:04:11

1+ y ago1:04:11

1:04:11

In this episode, we discuss computer vision, distinguishing it from computer graphics, and delve into the challenges of 3D computer vision. We also examine the current state of autonomous driving research and discuss deepfakes. We host two experts in the field: Žan Gojčič a senior research scientist at Nvidia, with a research focus is on 3D deep le…

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Episode #29: Venture Capital in Slovenia 1:23:46

1+ y ago1:23:46

1:23:46

In this episode, we dive into another part of the technology transfer and entrepreneurship ecosystem - venture capital (VC) and business angels. We discuss the different VC funds in Slovenia, how startups should approach funding, opportunities and challenges in the local area, as well as success stories in the region, and perspectives abroad. We ho…

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Episode #28: Tech & Business - University Spin-Outs 50:43

2y ago50:43

50:43

In this episode we talk about University Spin-Outs. How is it different from a “classic” start-up? What is the process of founding a univesity spin-out in Slovenia? We look at the journey of two such companies: prof. Tomaž Skrbinšek presents DIVJALabs, where they work on molecular genetics and bioinformatics for biodiversity conservation and resear…

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Episode #27: Insights from the top: dr. Jure Knez - Co-Founder of Dewesoft 20:27

2y ago20:27

20:27

In this episode, we host Dr. Jure Knez, Founder of Dewesoft, a world-leading hi-tech company for test and measurement solutions, and vice-president of the Slovenian Business Club. We talked with Dr. Knez to gain insights about the company's origins, the role of artificial intelligence in test and measurement tools, his views on entrepreneurship, hi…

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Episode #26: Let's talk about Slovenian art! Katarina Van Der Linden 1:00:24

2y ago1:00:24

1:00:24

In this episode, we host Katarina Van Der Linden, an accomplished Slovenian musician currently residing and working in Australia. Katarina pursued her music education at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Before immigrating to Australia in 2015, she taught in various primary, high, and music schools in Slovenia. Her music education starte…

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Episode #25: Tech Talks: From Lab Coats to Briefcases - Healthcare 58:29

2y ago58:29

58:29

In this episode, we host three guests related to healthcare in Slovenia: Dr. Alenka Kolar, Director of the General Directorate for Digitalisation in Healthcare, Slovenia Gašper Čehovin, Managing Director and Partner of Parsek, a company developing a multi-purpose platform for supporting integrated care aiming to reduce administrative burden in the …

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Episode #24: Climate change - Janez Potocnik 50:50

2y ago50:50

50:50

In Episode 24, we talk with Dr. Janez Potočnik, Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel, Partner at SYSTEMIQ, and advisor to thought-leading institutions such as the European Forest Institute. Listen as we discuss about climate change. Dr. Janez Potočnik's academic journey began with honors from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Lj…

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Episode #23: Tech & Business - Youth Entrepreneurship 1:34:59

2y ago1:34:59

1:34:59

In this episode, we host three guests related to the entrepreneurial landscape in Slovenia: Charlotte Taft, Education Coordinator at the US Embassy in Ljubljana Danijela Pavlica, Head of Educational Content at POPRI, from Primorska Technology Park Jakob Gajšek, director of LUI, Ljubljana University Incubator We talk about youth entrepreneurship in …

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Episode #22: Insights from the top: Boštjan Gorjup - Managing Director at BSH Adriatic East 22:00

2y ago22:00

22:00

In this episode, we host Mr. Boštjan Gorjup, ex-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia and Managing Director at BSH Adriatic East, the largest manufacturer of small home appliances in Europe, one of the largest companies in Slovenia and also one of the most important companies in BSH. We talked with Mr. Gorjup to gain insight…

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Episode #21: Let's talk about Slovenian art! Teja Tegelj 43:54

2+ y ago43:54

43:54

In this episode, we host Teja Tegelj, an accomplished Slovenian artist. Teja Tegelj earned her bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Education, Program Art Pedagogy at the University of Ljubljana. She later pursued a Master of Science in Art Pedagogy. During her studies, she took part in a student exchange in Germany. She also researched aboriginal a…

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Episode #20: Sociology - Tamara Trost and Manja Klemencic 55:21

2+ y ago55:21

55:21

In Episode 20, we talk with Dr. Tamara Trošt, Associate Professor at the School of Economics and Business at the University of Ljubljana, and Dr. Manja Klemenčič, Associate Senior Lecturer on Sociology offering higher education courses at the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University and in General Education at Facul…

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Episode #19: Insights from the top: Tone Stanovnik - Founder and CEO of Špica International 36:23

2+ y ago36:23

36:23

In this episode, we host Mr. Tone Stanovnik, Founder and CEO of Špica International, a regional leader in Time Management and Access Control focusing on Workforce Management, Supply Chain Management, Sales Force Automation, and Asset Management. We talk with Mr. Stanovnik about the start of his entrepreneurial career and its development. He shares …

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Episode #18: Let's talk about Slovenian art! Polona Kunaver Ličen 39:21

3y ago39:21

39:21

In this episode, we host Polona Kunaver Ličen (Lona Verlich), a Slovenian painter, illustrator, graphic designer, exhibition creator, and musician. Polona Kunaver Ličen earned her bachelor's and master's degree at the Academy of Fine Arts, Ljubljana. During her master's degree, she spent a year in Helsinki, Finland, studying illustration and graphi…

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Episode #17: Chemistry - Vita Godec and David Sarlah 1:06:21

3y ago1:06:21

1:06:21

In Episode 17, we talk with Dr. Vita Godec, Managing Director at Lenis farmacevtika d.o.o. and ASEF professor Dr. David Sarlah, Associate Professor at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Listen as they discuss the field of chemistry. Dr. Vita Godec is an ASEF Mentor who received her BSc in…

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Episode #16: Insights from the top: Marko Bitenc - Founder and CEO of GenePlanet 35:00

3y ago35:00

35:00

In this episode, we host Mr. Marko Bitenc, Founder and CEO of GenePlanet, one of the most prominent and innovative personal genetics companies, and Co-Founder of Universal Diagnostics, which is developing primary prevention methods for cancer through the use of blood tests. We talk with Mr. Bitenc about the start of his entrepreneurial career and i…

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Episode #15: Let's talk about Slovenian art! Matej Metlikovič. 1:16:14

3y ago1:16:14

1:16:14

In this episode, we host Slovenian academic painter Matej Metlikovič. Matej Metlikovič earned his bachelor's degree in 1978 at the Academy of Fine Arts, Ljubljana, under professors Štefan Planinc and Milan Butina, and completed his master’s degree under Kiar Meško and Janez Bernik in 1981. Since he completed his studies, Matej has continually worke…

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Episode #14: Mathematics - Andrej Bauer, Sara Kalisnik and Bojan Mohar 1:10:48

3y ago1:10:48

1:10:48

Why is it important to research mathematics? Do we discover maths, or do we invent it? What is the research purpose in the fields of topology and graphs? In which fields of mathematics does Slovenia have strong research groups? How does the research environment in Slovenia differ from other countries? In Episode 14, we talk with ASEF professors Boj…

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Episode #13: Insights from the top: Ajša Vodnik - VP AmChams Europe. 24:22

3y ago24:22

24:22

In this episode, we host Ms. Ajša Vodnik, Msc., CEO of AmCham Slovenia and Vice President of AmChams in Europe. In this episode, we talk about her early career, her current role as CEO of AmCham Slovenia and Vice President of AmChams in Europe, lessons learned, and her vision for Slovenia. Among other things, we asked her how business ties can be s…

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Episode #12: Let's talk about Slovenian art! Leon Zakrajšek. 53:53

3+ y ago53:53

53:53

In this episode, we host Slovenian painter, lithographer, and graphic artist Leon Zakrajšek. Leon Zakrajšek graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in 1986. He specialized at the Centre Internacional de Recerca Gràfica, near Barcelona, and later as a Japanese government scholarship holder at Tama Art University in Tokyo. Between 1997 and 1998, he s…

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Episode #11: Robotics and Human-Machine interaction - Miloš Žefran, Vesna Novak, Mitja Trkov 1:30:54

3+ y ago1:30:54

1:30:54

Is the Metaverse a potential stepping stone for robotics and human-machine interaction? Does gamification enhance rehabilitation outcomes? Will we be able to build a comprehensive human-person digital twin for health purposes? How will Digital Twins and robotics change the manufacturing industry? What are the opportunities for Slovenia in this fiel…

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Episode #10: Insights from the top: Dr. Nana Šumrada Slavnič - General Counsel at Outfit7 Group. 29:45

3+ y ago29:45

29:45

In this episode, we host Ms. Nana Šumrada Slavnič, Ph.D., Vice President of Legal Affairs at Outfit7 - the only Slovenian unicorn so far. Šumrada Slavnič, Ph.D., holds an LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. She has also worked at the European Court of Justice and PricewaterhouseCoopers. In this epis…

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Episode #9: Let's talk about Slovenian art! Žiga Okorn. 48:50

3+ y ago48:50

48:50

In this episode, we host Slovenian painter and designer Žiga Okorn. Žiga Okorn graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts Ljubljana with an exhibition in the Tivoli Park’s old Boat House in 1991 with prof. Gustav Gnamuš and prof. Tomaž Brejc. He co-authored the renovation of the former military prison, now known as the Celica Youth Hostel, where he al…

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Episode #8: RNA research and its applications: a look towards the future - Boštjan Kobe and Jernej Murn 43:03

4y ago43:03

43:03

Which one existed first: DNA or RNA? mRNA vaccines: how do they work? Can such vaccines be used to fight cancer? RNA research in USA and Australia. How can research be improved in Slovenia? In Episode 8, we talk with ASEF professors Jernej Murn and Boštjan Kobe. Listen as they discuss RNA research. Boštjan Kobe is a Professor of Structural Biology …

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Episode #7: Insights from the top: Andraž Tori - Zemanta co-founder. 36:16

4y ago36:16

36:16

In this episode, we host Andraž Tori, co-founder of Zemanta, which Outbrain acquired in 2017, and where he is now Head of Recommendations and Data Science. He is also co-founder of Silicon Gardens Fund, a private venture capital fund. In this episode, we talk about Outbrains' IPO and its relevance for Slovenia, get to know more about online adverti…

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Episode #6: Let's talk about Slovenian art! Polona Tratnik. 55:06

4y ago55:06

55:06

In this episode, we host Slovenian artist and researcher Dr. Polona Tratnik, who holds a bachelor’s degree in painting, a master’s degree in sculpture, and her Ph.D. is in philosophy and theory of visual culture. Polona Tratnik is Dean of New University, Faculty for Slovene and International Studies, where she is a full professor for philosophy and…

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Episode #5: Cancer Research and The Future of Healthcare - Tit Albreht, Mateja Jamik and Robert Jeraj 1:27:06

4y ago1:27:06

1:27:06

How do cancer policies differ across the EU and Slovenia? Prevention and early detection. What are the major differences regarding infrastructure for clinical research and trials between US and Slovenia? How will changes in diagnostics and therapeutics likely change policies across countries? How do concerns over privacy affect medical research, an…

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Episode #4: Insights from the top: Mark Pleško - Cosylab co-founder and CEO. 23:03

4y ago23:03

23:03

In this episode, we host dr. Mark Pleško, Founder and CEO of Cosylab, to get to know his career path and company. Mark Pleško is a Slovenian scientist and entrepreneur. He founded Cosylab, the world's leading provider of control systems for particle accelerators, fusion reactors, and cancer therapy systems. He has been a member of the management bo…

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Episode #3: Let's talk about Slovenian art! Eva Pavli. 39:25

4y ago39:25

39:25

In this episode we host Eva Pavli, to get to know her artistic career path and views on Slovenian art. Eva Pavli is an academic painter and singer. Since 2014, she has been participating as an additional choir member at the SNG Opera and Ballet Ljubljana. She regularly performs in Slovenia and has toured abroad. Eva is a member and co-author of the…

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Episode #2: The Future of Artificial Intelligence - Marinka Zitnik and Ivan Bratko 1:21:38

4+ y ago1:21:38

1:21:38

Big data, small data - do they condition AI research and development? How can AI help less developed countries? Can we get into another "AI winter" in the future? In Episode 2, we talk with ASEF professors Ivan Bratko, and Marinka Žitnik. Listen as they discuss the field of artificial intelligence: its origins in Slovenia, current issues regarding …

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Episode #1: In a galaxy far, far away… - Andrej Prsa, Marusa Bradac and Uros Seljak 1:01:28

4+ y ago1:01:28

1:01:28

If there are universal laws for physics and chemistry, shouldn't there be universal laws of biology? Why are moons a reasonable place to look for extraterrestrial life? Why should we put telescopes on the dark side of the Moon? In Episode 1, we talk with three bright stars of astrophysics, ASEF professors Maruša Bradač, Andrej Prša, and Uroš Seljak…