At the beginning of June, ASEF published a publication entitled ‘Drinking Water – A Transdisciplinary Challenge’, which is the final product of the ASEF Tutoring program for the 2020/2021 academic year.

The collection contains eight papers from various fields, all of which are linked by a common theme – drinking water. Environmental issues are close to every individual, especially the younger generations, who are bearing more and more of the consequences of climate change. Among the environmental issues, ASEF scholarship holders chose the topic of long-term drinking water supply within the tutoring program, which is a great challenge.

In the introduction to the proceedings of dr. Rok Sekirnik, Head of the ASEF Tutoring Program, summarizes the operation of the program and the choice of topics for the 2020/2021 academic year. This is followed by an address by dr. Janez Potočnik, co-chair of the International Resource Panel under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program, and former European Commissioner for the Environment, who emphasized the importance of drinking water, people’s attitudes towards nature and responsible management of natural resources.

During the 2020/2021 academic year, scholarship holders worked within tutoring groups in various fields under the watchful eye of tutors: dr. Matjaž Zwitter (Medicine group), dr. Petra Weingerl (Economics and Law Group), dr. Zdenko Časar (Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biotechnology Group), dr. Denis Arčon (Physics – Alumni group), dr. Primož Ziherl (Physics group) and dr. Ivan Bratko (Computer group).

Papers collected in the publication:

• Nina Zupančič, Ph.D. honey – What does drinking water mean for human health (medicine group)
• Tine Starič – Sustainable use of drinking water: Who can make a key contribution to the sustainable use of drinking water? (Economics and Law Group)
• Nejc Urankar – Whose responsibility is the sustainable use of drinking water? (Economics and Law Group)
• Tadej Satler – Pollutants in water originating from agricultural and industrial activities (group chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology)
• Tajda Klobučar – Water purification: modern “green” technologies for water purification (group of chemistry, biochemistry and biotechnology)
• Žiga Gosar – On water purification, desalination and graphene (physics group, alumni)
• Luka Školc – Formation of viral aggregates (physics group)
• Blaž Škrlj – Opportunities for monitoring and analysis of drinking water through machine learning (computer group)

The publications is the result of the successful implementation of the ASEF Tutoring program, which ASEF introduced in Slovenia in 2020 on the model of foreign universities with a centuries-old tradition. ASEF Fellows and Tutors have compiled a quality publication based on regular meetings and roundtable discussions that they can be proud of.

The publication was published by ASEF with the support of the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth.