A doctoral dissertation can be especially valuable when it connects several research areas into a coherent scientific framework. This is precisely the case with the PhD research of Milinko Perić, member of our research group, who successfully defended his doctoral dissertation at the Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Environmental Protection.

His dissertation is entitled:

“Development of Metal Oxide and Composite Materials with Applications in Analytical Chemistry, Ecology, and Agriculture”

The research brings together an unusually broad range of complementary approaches, including materials synthesis, physicochemical characterization, atomistic calculations, statistical analysis, and machine learning. This combination allowed Milinko to investigate metal oxide and composite materials from several different perspectives, connecting their preparation and experimentally observed properties with molecular-level interpretation and data-driven analysis.

One of the particular strengths of the dissertation is therefore its methodological diversity. Experimental work provides information on the composition, structure and properties of the investigated materials, while atomistic calculations offer insight into their behavior at the molecular and atomic level. Statistical methods and machine-learning approaches further extend this framework by enabling systematic analysis of complex datasets and identification of relationships that may not be immediately evident from individual experimental measurements.

The dissertation also reflects a strong application-oriented dimension. The investigated materials and methodologies are relevant to analytical chemistry, environmental research and agriculture, demonstrating how modern materials science can contribute to problems that extend well beyond a single scientific discipline.

Milinko completed his doctoral research under the joint mentorship of:

Prof. Dr. Sanja J. Armaković, Associate Professor, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences

and

Dr. Gordana Tamindžić, Senior Research Associate, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia.

His professional background further strengthens the interdisciplinary character of his work. Milinko currently works as a Research Assistant at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, where his research is closely connected with agricultural and materials-related applications. Prior to joining the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, he spent two years working at the BioSense Institute – Research and Development Institute for Information Technologies in Biosystems, gaining additional experience at the interface of science, technology and biosystems research.

The doctoral dissertation was evaluated by a committee bringing together researchers from several institutions and scientific backgrounds:

Chair:
Dr. Slobodan Gadžurić, Full Professor, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences

Members:
Dr. Sanja Armaković, Associate Professor, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences
Dr. Gordana Tamindžić, Senior Research Associate, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia
Dr. Jasmina Anojčić, Associate Professor, University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences
Dr. Zorica Nikolić, Principal Research Fellow, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia
Dr. Brankica Kartalović, Senior Research Associate, University of Novi Sad, BioSense Institute – Research and Development Institute for Information Technologies in Biosystems

Milinko’s doctoral work represents a strong example of contemporary interdisciplinary research, where experimental materials science is complemented by computational chemistry, statistics and machine learning. Such an integrated approach is becoming increasingly important for understanding complex materials and for accelerating their development toward practical applications.

His successful PhD defence marks an important milestone in his scientific career and also represents a valuable contribution to the interdisciplinary research activities of our group.

We warmly congratulate Dr. Milinko Perić on this achievement and wish him continued success in his future scientific work.