Peharda Uljević Melita
Date of birth:
- 1975
Place of birth:
- Zagreb
Adresses:
- Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište I. Meštrovića 63, 21000 Split, Croatia
E-mails:
Peharda Uljević Melita
Academic titles:
- Doctor of Science
Institutions:
- Senior Scientist – Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split
Membership in Academy:
- associate member – Department of Natural Sciences (5/16/2024 – …)
Curriculum Vitae
Melita Peharda Uljević was born in Zagreb on June 14, 1975. She completed her undergraduate studies in the field of human ecology in 1997 at the College of the Atlantic (USA). After returning to Croatia, she was employed at the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, first in Dubrovnik and then in Split, where she has been working since 2000. She obtained her master’s degree in Oceanology in 2000, and her PhD in Biology in 2003; both at the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. In December 2017, she was elected as a scientific advisor in a permanent position in the field of natural sciences, the field of biology.
Her research is in the field of marine ecology and is mostly related to the biology and ecology of bivalves and sclerochronology. She uses an interdisciplinary approach and regularly collaborates with geophysicists, geologists, biologists and ecologists from his home country and other national and foreign scientific institutions. Author of more than 90 scientific papers, many of which have been published in leading scientific journals in the field of marine science, including the journals Aquaculture, Chemical Geology, Marine Biology, Marine Environmental Research, Marine Pollution Bulletin, Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, etc. Published more than 30 papers as a first author. Author of the monography “Biology, ecology and diversity of Adriatic bivalves” (in Croatian language) published by the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in 2022.
Principal investigator on two research projects funded by the Croatian Science Foundation; BivACME, (2020-2024) and SCOOL (2015-2019). Partner on the EU Marie Curie ITN project ARAMACC. Principal investigator on the project for young scientists financed by the Fund Unity with the help of knowledge (UKF). In addition to the above, she participated in a number of scientific and professional projects carried out at the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries.
Recipient of a Fulbright scholarship for visiting scientists (2015/16), which she spent at the University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute (USA). Other specialisations include short stays at Johannes Gutenberg Universität Mainz (Germany), School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Wales (UK), and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Woods Hole, USA).
Member of the international scientific committees of the International Sclerochronology Conferences held in 2013 in the UK and in 2023 in Japan, as well as the conference planned for 2026 in Canada. President of the organizational and scientific committee of the 5th International Sclerochronological Conference held in 2019 in Split (Croatia). In addition to the above, she participated in the organization of other scientific and professional meetings, as well as workshops and courses.
Dr Peharda Uljević has been teaching since 1999, first as a lecturer at the American College of Management and Technology (ACMT-RIT) in Dubrovnik. From 2002 to 2015, she taught elective undergraduate courses at the University Department of Marine Studies, University of Split. From 2007 to 2015, she taught the compulsory course Methods of Scientific Work in the PhD program in Applied Marine Sciences. She was elected full professor (biology) in 2013 at the University of Split. Since 2014, she has been teaching at the postgraduate study of Oceanology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, and in 2020 became a member of the Postgraduate Studies Council at the same study. For the period from 2023 to 2026, she was elected to the Affiliate Graduate Faculty at the University of Alabama (USA).
Under her mentorship, 8 doctoral theses and more than 20 undergraduate theses were successfully defended. She published most of papers in co-authorship with undergraduate and doctoral students, which clearly shows the quality of work with students and her significant contribution to the development of young researchers’ careers. Actively participates in the popularization of science by holding interactive workshops in primary schools, as well as by participating in events such as Science Festivals and Researchers’ Nights.
Managing guest editor of the special issue Sclerochronology research: Opportunities and Challenges published in 2020 in the journal Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, and of the special issue Reading in the diaries of life – current advances of sclerochronological research published in 2021 in the journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. Member of the editorial boards of the scientific journals Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science (since 2021) and Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (since 2022). One of the guest editors of the special issue Expanding the Horizons of Sclerochronology in the journal Limnology and Oceanography Letters (year 2023/2024). Editor-in-Chief of journal Acta Adriatica (since 2023).
Evaluator of international project proposals including projects submitted to Horizon 2020, Horizon EUROPE, Swiss National Science Foundation, and National Science Foundation (USA). The project report evaluator, member of the panel in the competition for doctoral students and member of the Croatian Science Foundation Life Sciences panel (ZŽ4; 2020-2023). Member of the European Marine Board since 2021.
Recipient of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts annual award for contribution to the field of natural sciences for 2022.
Melita Peharda Uljević – personal page