The inaugural edition of the Meeting of Young Chemical Engineers (SMLKI) was held back in 1996, and we are proud to announce the 16th edition, scheduled to take place in 2026. Over the course of nearly three decades, SMLKI has evolved into a well-recognized and respected scientific-professional conference that brings together young engineers, researchers, and experts in the field of chemical engineering and related disciplines.
SMLKI is a long-standing initiative organized by the University of Zagreb Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology in cooperation with the Croatian Society of Chemical Engineers. It has traditionally promoted the chemical engineering profession and emphasized the importance of its continuous development within the Republic of Croatia. The primary objective of the Meeting is to support and encourage young professionals by providing them with a platform to present the results of their studies, as well as their undergraduate, graduate, and scientific-professional research projects.
Participants have the opportunity to exchange experiences, present their research, and discuss the latest advancements, techniques, and technologies in the fields of chemical, biochemical, and environmental engineering, material and product development, and applied chemistry.
The official languages of the conference are Croatian and English.
Over the years, the Meeting has also gained an international character, thanks to the regular participation of colleagues from Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and the United Kingdom, further contributing to the exchange of knowledge and the expansion of professional networks among young chemical engineers.
At last year's 15th Meeting, a total of 237 participants presented 165 contributions, including 31 from international attendees.
Sections of the XVI Meeting of Young Chemical Engineers
Chemical Engineering
Biochemical Engineering
Environmental engineering
Materials and product development
Applied chemistry
Looking Back: A Message from the Founding of the Meeting
Prof. Đurđa Vasić-Rački, PhD, the initiator of the first SMLKI, reflected on the origins of the Meeting in her address to participants of the 10th edition:
“Bila su to olovna vremena. Bijesnio je Domovinski rat. Mi koji nismo otišli na front smatrali smo da moramo dati svoj skromni doprinos izgradnji države na drugi način – povezivanjem mladih stručnjaka iz industrije i akademske zajednice, poticanjem razmjene znanja i motivacije za daljnji rad, unatoč teškim okolnostima.”
“Those were heavy times. The Homeland War was raging. Those of us who did not go to the front believed it was our duty to contribute to the building of our country in another way – by connecting young professionals from industry and academia, encouraging the exchange of knowledge, and fostering motivation to continue working despite the difficult circumstances.”
The support of institutions such as PLIVA, Naftaplin, and the Croatian Society of Chemical Engineers enabled the first Meeting to gather 65 participants without charging a registration fee. In the halls of the then-empty Croatian Engineering Association building, a special energy and enthusiasm could be felt. This vision, born of solidarity and belief in the power of knowledge, has continued to grow through the years and across generations.
Venue
University of Zagreb Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology
Trg Marka Marulića 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Organizing committee
Chair:
Anita Šalić
Secretaries:
Elizabeta Forjan and Renata Vičević
Members of the Organizing committee:
Zvonimir Katančić Katarina Mužina Vesna Ocelić Bulatović Željka Ujević Andrijić
Marijan-Pere Marković Andreja Žužić Marko Sejdić Iva Zokić
Lea Raos Zdenko Blažeković
International members of the Organizing commitee:
Emil Dražević (Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark)
Bela Fiser (University of Miskolc, Miskolc, Hungary)
Ljiljana Fruk (University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England)
Mario Grassi (University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy)
Alexander Grünberger (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany)
Željko Knez (Univeristy of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia)
Miroslav Slouf (Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Czechia, Prague, Czechia)
Juan Miguel Soria Garcia (University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain)
Branka Miljevic (Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)
Jadranka Travaš-Sejdić (University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand)
Chemical Engineering
Biochemical Engineering
Environmental engineering
Materials and product development
Applied chemistry