Recipients of awards

Rajko Slapnik – Raziskuje sistematiko, ekologijo in filogenijo mehkužcev (nemorskih polžev in sladkovodnih školjk). Da bomo vsi vedeli kaj zdaj to točno pomeni, mi dovolite, da predstavim njegovo pot. 

Že v klasični gimnaziji, ki jo je obiskoval v Kamniku, se je začel zanimati za podzemno živalstvo, zato mu je bil študij biologije na Biotehniški fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani logično nadaljevanje njegovih raziskav. Zaposlil se je na Biološkem Inštitutu ZRC SAZU kot raziskovalni asistent in se usmeril v raziskave mehkužcev s poudarkom na podzemeljski malakofavni ter nato prevzel vodenje malakološkega oddelka in bogate malakološke zbirke. Bil je na usposabljanju v malakološkem oddelku Prirodoslovnega muzeja, ki je v kompleksu Smithsoniana v Washingtonu, delal je na oddelku za mehkužce Prirodoslovnega muzeja na Dunaju. Od leta 2013 dalje je samostojni raziskovalec – malakolog.
Aktivno je sodeloval na več kot 20 mednarodnih kongresih in simpozijih doma in v tujini. Sodeloval je pri pripravi rdečih seznamov evropsko ogroženih vrst mehkužcev in pri rdečem seznamu ogroženih vrst vodnih polžev v Hrvaški.  Poleg znanstvenih in strokovnih prispevkov, objavljenih v domačih in tujih znanstvenih revijah je tudi avtor samostojnih poglavij in prispevkov doma in v tujini objavljenih knjigah. Je član Strokovnega odbora za vsebine Direktive o pticah in Direktive o habitatih pri Ministrstvu za okolje in prostor.

Rajko Slapnik is a researcher specializing in the systematics, ecology, and phylogeny of mollusks (non-marine snails and freshwater mussels).

To better understand the significance of his work, let us briefly walk through his professional path.

Already during his classical gymnasium in Kamnik, he developed a strong interest in subterranean fauna, which naturally led him to study biology at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana. He began his career at the Biological Institute ZRC SAZU as a research assistant, where he focused on mollusk research, particularly on underground malacofauna. Later, he took over the management of the Malacology Department and its rich malacological collection.

He completed professional training at the Malacology Department of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., and also worked at the Natural History Museum in Vienna, in the Department of Mollusks. Since 2013, he has been an independent researcher – malacologist.

Rajko Slapnik has actively participated in over 20 international congresses and symposia in Slovenia and abroad. He contributed to the preparation of red lists of endangered European mollusk species, as well as to the red list of endangered freshwater snail species in Croatia.
In addition to numerous scientific and professional articles published in national and international journals, he is also the author of individual chapters and contributions in books published in Slovenia and abroad.

He is a member of the Expert Committee for the implementation of the EU Birds Directive and Habitats Directive at the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning.