Save the Blue Heart of Europe - A campaign for the protection of Balkan Rivers
Scientists network
Meet some of our Scientists for Balkan Rivers network members!
Mirza ČELEBIČiĆ, MA
"In these days that are now, and days that are to come, we should think yesterday for tomorrow."
Participated in Neretva II Science Week 2023 and was part of the organising board for the Students for Rivers Camp Neretva 2024.
Research: Freshwater ecosystems: reassessing environmental flows for small HPPs in the Federation of BiH and developing guidelines for ongoing SHPPs. Marine ecosystems: PhD research in BiH’s coastal waters, focusing on marine habitat mapping. Monitoring of seashell populations and aquatic radioecology.
Current position: Senior Consultant at the Environmental Fund of the FBiH.
Martin DALVAI-RAGNOLI, PhD
“My motivation to protect rivers stems from personal experiences on and along them—whether kayaking, conducting field research, or swimming in them. Rivers teach me not only about nature and their complex systems, but also about myself.”
Participated in Neretva 2022 Science Week, Sarantaporos Science Week, and in various research projects around the Balkan Rivers.
Research: Greenhouse gas emissions from freshwater systems.
Current position: Postdoc researcher at University of Innsbruck.
Elisabeth HARING, PD Dr.
"Given the destruction and exploitation of nature by humans, one cannot expect nature to protect and restore itself without oneself trying to contribute."
Participated in Science Weeks in 2017, 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025.
Research: Evolutionary genetics, biodiversity.
Current position: Previous Head of Central Research Laboratories, Natural History Museum Vienna. President of the “Austrian Zoological-Botanical Society”
Aleko MIHO, Prof. Dr.
"Everlasting efforts for reliable scientific evidence focused on the balance between economic development and nature conservation, as an urgent priority, especially in water governance in Albania, in hydro energy, and water abstraction and bioquality."
Participated in 2014-2025: Several Science Weeks in the Vjosa Basin, collecting samples and additional activities in the region, Tirana and abroad.
Research: taxonomy, ecology of microscopic algae, bioquality and environmental conservation of Albanian natural brackish and freshwaters.
Current position: Member of the Department of Biology, FNS, UT. Teaching: General Botany, FNS, UT, in Biology; Environmental Biomonitoring, & Academic Writing.
Kurt PINTER, DDI Dr.
"To prevent the mistakes of the past from being repeated in the present."
Participated in SW2022, SW2023, Vjosa 2021, Drina Huchen 2024, and Softmouth trout Neretva 2024, Neretva 2025.
Research: aquatic ecosystems, exploring rivers, fish, and the interwining relationship between human resource utilisation and ecosystem stability.
Current position: Senior Scientist at BOKU University
Anna SCAINI, Dr.
“I feel the need to safeguard our remaining rivers to keep their space and identity, as well as to help local communities in the Balkans, whose voices are underrepresented yet are the main agents in preserving water resources and ecosystems.”
Participated in Neretva SW 2023, leading the socio-cultural group
Research: Understanding, communicating, and mitigating a range of issues related to the sustainability of water resources, with a particular focus on how societal values and perceptions influence rivers and communities’ vulnerability and resilience.
Current position: Researcher at the Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Sweden.
Friedrich SCHIEMER, Prof.emerit. Dr.
Organised two SW on the Vjosa 2017, one on the Shushica (Vjosa tributary) in 2021 and took part in 2 SW on the Vjosa Delta in 2023 and 2024, Scientific Coordinator of the VjoSusDev-project.
Research: Conservation ecology of river systems.
Current position: Chairman of "Riverwatch"
Thea SCHWINGSHACKL, BSc MSc
"Studying aquatic ecosystems, especially free-flowing rivers, has shown me how important every single puzzle is for a well-functioning system, and this motivates me to actively contribute to the protection of these ecosystems."
Participated in two Neretva Science Weeks in 2022 and 2023, as well as the Sarantaporos Science Week 2024. In addition, I did my Master's thesis at the Vjosa River, finding evidence to promote the mayfly Prosopistoma pennigerum as a flagship species for the National Park.
Research: Limnologist, specialised in Macrozoobenthos. Mosquito distribution and Ecology within the city of Vienna.
Current position: Pursuing a PhD at the University of Vienna.
NIKOS SKOULIKIDIS, PhD
"My motivation comes from my connection with pristine nature and my desire to contribute to preserving it for future generations."
Participated in the International Wild Rivers Science Symposium, Sarantaporos Science Week 2024, publication of: Skoulikidis N.Th., L. Vardakas, A. Lampou, Y. Amaxidis, S. Laschou (2025). Redefining and delineating pristine conditions: A methodological framework with an application to a minimally impacted Mediterranean stream basin. Ecological Indicators. 178, 11407.
Research: Integrated river basin and ecosystem management.
Current position: Research Director Hellenic Centre for Marine Research.
MAJA ZAGMEISTER, Dr.
"Healthy, intact rivers are the veins of nature, essential for sustaining both surface and subterranean biodiversity. In the Balkans, many free-flowing rivers are endangered by construction plans, which also affect groundwater, so I consider it crucial to contribute scientific data to provide much-needed arguments for their protection."
Took part in Neretva Science Weeks 2022 and 2023, leading groups focused on subterranean species and bats.
Research: Macroecological, biodiversity & conservation studies of subterranean fauna; distribution of bats.
Current position: Researcher at University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Biology, SubBioLab, Slovenia