January 10, 2024 – It is with great pleasure that we announce that we have started the new year with new leaders in our Institute of Applied Ecology.
New head of the Oikon Institute
Dr Vladimir Kušan, also known as Prof, is Oikon’s leading expert in the field of natural resource management, manager and mentor to generations of professionals. He has now handed over his duties and responsibilities to a younger person whom he has been preparing for years to take on this demanding task.
Dr Ivan Tomljenović, one of the leading experts in remote sensing and earth observation with extensive experience in managing projects, study programmes and laboratories, has taken over the management of the Oikon Institute. Dr Tomljenović obtained his degree at the University of Salzburg.
Professor Kušan continues his contribution as a consultant in the Department of Natural Resource Management, which he founded.

New head of the Oikon Scientific Committee
The position of Head of Oikon’s Scientific Committee of Professor Tarzan Legović has been taken over by Dr Ivan Tekić, a geographer with experience in land cover change research, remote sensing and environmental history, who obtained his degree and experience at the University of Nottingham. He joined Oikon in 2020 as a professional and research associate in the Department of Natural Resource Management, where he rounds off his acquired experience by successfully managing projects related to remote sensing.
Professor Legović continues his work at Oikon as Head of Oikon’s Data Science Laboratory.
New head of the Remote Sensing and GIS Laboratory
With Dr Tomljenović’s move to the post of Head of the Institute, the position of Head of the Laboratory for Remote Sensing and GIS will be taken over by Ivona Žiža, the previous Deputy Head of the Laboratory.
Ivona holds a Master’s degree in Agronomy and is a PhD student at the University of Zagreb. She works in the Department of Natural Resource Management at Oikon where she manages projects specific to remote sensing, processing and analysis of satellite imagery, as well as soil and agriculture. Ivona also has extensive knowledge and experience in the field of GIS and analysing spatial data.
“With these changes in the management of the Institute, we are empowering the new leaders to articulate and implement their perspectives and ideas for advancing scientific research and applying scientific methodology in the design and execution of our ongoing and future projects. The Institute undeniably remains dedicated to enhancing the scope and quality of research, consulting, and sustainable practices under the guidance of an experienced and visionary team,” explains Dalibor Hatić, Director of Oikon.
