As the most suitable candidate, I have been selected as a junior researcher in 2009 sponsored by Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS). In April of 2014 I finished my Ph.D. in Computer modeling of engineering systems program. I am currently carrying out my research work at the Laboratory for Intelligent CAD Systems at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor. My research is recently focused on human-product interaction in terms of product ergonomics where I am investigating new methods for improved ergonomics. Numerical simulations of the hand grasp using 3D models based on medical images are being utilized for that matter. Based on results, new intelligent materials are being developed based on bio-inspiration, which allows reduction of high local contact pressures, which increases comfort rating, performance, satisfaction and reduces the risk of the occurrence of cumulative trauma disorders. The extensive research work is being demonstrated with many original scientific papers published in leading international scientific journals. Scientific papers have been also presented at many renowned international conferences, which lead to developing of strong professional communication skills in international environment. In the context of cooperation with companies, I also participated in numerous commercial projects, where skills of team work were developed as well as specialist knowledge to help companies achieve their projects. Based on publications in high ranked scientific journals, I was selected as a researcher on Research programme P2-0063 “Design of porous structures” at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor. Doctoral thesis entitled Development of a virtual human hand model for ergonomic product design has been also awarded by a special award as part of Trimo research awards 2014, an industry based research awards. Scientific paper entitled Recommendations for tool-handle material choice based on finite element analysis published in Applied Ergonomics was according to journal ranking selected as “Scientific work of researchers published in the most prestigious journals in the period 2012/2013 and cataloged in the system COBISS.SI during the week of 19.8.2013 - 25.8.2013”. Based on the complementarity of my research area, tight cooperation with Digital Human Research Center (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan) was established at the conference Applied human factors and ergonomics in 2012 in San Francisco, USA. Based on the cooperation partial employment at aforementioned Digital Human Research Center was granted. Thereby scientific research could be carried out for three months in 2013 as a visiting researcher. New knowledge gained at the AIST has been already incorporated into recent research practices. Based on the research visit two joint scientific research paper has been published in scientific journal International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering and Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering. Based on common research topic cooperation with Division of Systems Science and Informatics (Graduate School of Information Science and Technology of Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan) has been established at the Digital Human Modeling Symposium conference in 2014 in Tokyo, Japan. On the basis of the aforementioned cooperation I was also an invited speaker of a paper at the HCI International 2015 (17th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction) in 2015 in Los Angeles, USA. In April 2016 I visited Digital Human Research Center (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tokyo, Japan) again to conduct research in terms of human hand bio-mechanics using finite element analysis. In three-month period during the stay in Japan a numerically feasible and stable human finger phalange joint is going to be developed. I have been also an invited reviewer for following scientific journals: Applied Ergonomics, International journal of industrial ergonomics, Ergonomics, International journal for numerical methods in biomedical engineering, Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering, Physical & Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics, Journal of Engineering in Medicine, International Journal of Simulation Modelling.

Ergonomics, bio-mechanics, numerical simulation, finite element method, CAD systems, hand tool development.