About Me

I am a researcher in neuroscience at the Mind & Brain Lab at the Department of Psychology, University of Ljubljana. Currently, I am working towards a Ph.D. in Statistics. My Ph.D. research focuses on developing a statistical framework for multimodal (EEG-fMRI) neuroimaging data integration for investigating the role of cortico-subcortical interactions in whole-brain dynamics.

I am passionate about exploring the mechanisms within the natural world and uncovering the hidden elegance of complexity. I find satisfaction in vigilantly traversing every stage of exploration, from data collection to signal processing, data analyses, and systems design.

Beyond my professional endeavors, I thrive on applying my problem-solving skills to conquer challenges. Whether it's tackling mountainous terrain or flying through the skies in an aircraft, I embrace the thrill of adventure as an extension of my curiosity and desire for pushing boundaries.

Education

  • 2019-ongoing Ph.D. in Statistics, University of Ljubljana Supervisor: prof. dr. Grega Repovš, Cosupervisor: Assoc. Prof. John D. Murray, PhD
  • 2015-2019 M. Sc. Mechanical Engineering - Mechatronics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana
    Master's thesis: Robust procedure for artifact reduction from electroencephalographic (EEG) measurements during simultaneous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) - Link (Slovenian)
  • 2010-2014 B. Sc. Aerospace Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona, USA
    Capstone project: Design and manufacturing of a high endurance surveillance small unmanned aerial vehicle - Test Flight
A few pictures from my time at the ERAU (2010-2014)

Publications

Bayesian statistical analysis data visualizations from my paper: Evaluation and comparison of most prevalent artifact reduction methods for EEG acquired simultaneously with fMRI

Presentations

  • Guest lecturer: Advanced Bayesian GLM Models and Their Application in Neuroscience, Faculty of Information and Computer Science, Ljubljana, November, 2023
A snippet from my explanation of the non-centered parametrization in Bayesian hierarchical regression models.
  • Guest lecturer: Hierarchical Bayesian Probabilistic Modeling in Neuroimaging, Faculty of Information and Computer Science, Ljubljana, December, 2022
An example of a complex Bayesian hierarchical model presented at the lecture.
  • Individual presentation: The effect of cognitive control load on the efficiency of emotion regulation, presented at the 17th European Congress of Psychology, Ljubljana, July, 2022
Pupilometry, EMG and HR psychophysiology results from the study of emotion regulation strategies. In addition to these we analyzed EEG, EDA, HRV and respiratory data.
  • Workshop presentation: MR artefacts removal in simultaneous fMRI-EEG recordings, presented at COGDEC 2020 summer school, Faculty of medicine, University of Ljubljana, June, 2020.
  • Poster: Important insights into biomedical data filtering (Aleksij Kraljič, Andraž Matkovič, Grega Repovš), presented at SINAPSA Neuroscience Conference 2019, Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Poster: An affordable method for electrode localization for standalone EEG or simultaneous EEG-fMRI scanning (Aleksij Kraljič, Nina Purg, Andraž Matkovič, Grega Repovš), presented at OHBM Annual Meeting 2019, Rome, Italy
  • Poster: EEG artifact reduction evaluation of spatial working memory task data collected during simultaneous EEG-fMRI acquisition (Aleksij Kraljič, Martina Starc, Andraž Matkovič, Anka Slana Ozimič, Grega Repovš), presented at FENS Forum of Neuroscience 2018, Berlin, Germany

Projects and Consultations

Quantitative Neuroimaging Environment & Toolbox (QuNex)
  • Active development of EEG and psychophysiology preprocessing and analyses toolboxes as a member of the Mind and Brain Lab at University of Ljubljana, ongoing from 2017.
    Skills: Python, Matlab, Bash, Digital Signal Processing
An example of two algorithms I developed at the Mind and Brain Lab for the removal of MR-induced EEG artifacts.
  • Development of a toolbox for company's financial statement analysis for estimating employee efficiency (granting rewards/bonuses) and for customer predictive analytics, FirstClass, d.o.o., 2024
    Skills: Python, PyQt6, Google Cloud Platform and API
  • Neuroimaging data analyses and protocol design consulting for fMRI-driven neuronavigation approaches in transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment of psychiatric illness, Neurotherapeutix Medical Services, New York City, NY, 2023
    Skills: Python, Matlab, Bash, fMRI data analysis
  • Development of a toolbox for automatic psychometric analysis and report generation of candidate responses to psychological questionnaires for candidate selection purposes, FirstClass, d.o.o., 2023
    Skills: R, Docker, Bash, psychometry
Automatically generated example report for candidate selection purposes
  • Statistical analysis of radiological data of spinal deformity progression after Harrington rod instrumentation removal for the adolescent idiopathic scoliosis repair for the study conducted at the Valdoltra Orthopedic Hospital, 2023 (paper)
  • Development of MRI field inhomogeneities distortion correction approach of fMRI data acquired with Philips scanners. Contributed to the HCP Preprocessing Pipelines open-source codebase of the Human Connectome Project, 2022-2023
    Skills: Python, Bash, image processing, fMRI data analysis
MRI field inhomogeneities distortion correction approach of fMRI data acquired with Philips scanners
  • Development of a Python graphical user interface toolbox for simulating flight telemetry data in the X-Plane flight simulator for aircraft incident investigation boards (AFormX, d.o.o., 2022). Contributed an extension for receiving terrain information from X-Plane to the open-source NASA XPlaneConnect Toolbox
    Skills: Python, PyQt5, UDP
  • Consultations in neuroimaging data preprocessing and analysis in the development of biopharmaceutical targeted treatments for neurobehavioral disorders, BlackThorn Therapeutics (acquired by Neumora Therapeutics), San Francisco, CA, 2019
    Skills: fMRI data analysis
  • RAeS Design Competition 2019 winners as part of the AFormX design team. I was in charge of preliminary sizing and structural analysis, stability and control analysis, flight dynamics simulation for performance and handling analysis, and propeller design (London, UK, 2019).
    Skills: airplane sizing and conceptual aerodynamics, Matlab ode solvers for simulating flight dynamics, propeller design, airplane stability and control analysis
RAeS Design Competition 2019 Electric Air Racer (AFormX, d.o.o.)
  • Embedded system design for kids' skis with an LED and accelerometer system for Elan d.o.o. (Begunje, Slovenia, 2019). I was in charge of the embedded system design based on the ATMega 328P microcontroller (an overkill, but this is what we had for the prototype 🙂).
    Skills: Atmel AVR, C, I2C, inertial measurement units
  • Consultations in aerodynamical solutions, flight testing, and toolbox development for telemetry data analysis of small blended wing-body unmanned reconnaissance aerial vehicles, C-Astral, d.o.o., 2015.
    Skills: Solidworks, Matlab, airplane stability and control, flight testing

Extracurricular Activities

  • Private pilot and glider pilot with over 300 hours.

    I started flying glider airplanes at age 15 (2005) in Ajdovščina, Slovenia, where I flew Blanik L-13 and L-23 gliders. I got my Private Pilot's License (PPL) in 2010 at the Adria Airways Flight School, Ljubljana, Slovenia.

    Currently, I fly the Pipistrel Virus SW 121. Along the journey, I also flew Piper PA-38 Tomahawk, Piper PA-18 Supercub, Diamond DA-20, Cessna 150, and Cessna 172.

    I was an active member of the Aeroklub Edvard Rusjan Nova Gorica and Aeroklub Josip Križaj Ajdovščina between 2005 and 2013, where I participated in various aircraft maintenance tasks and volunteered during the Youth National Glider Competition, 2006 in Ajdovščina.
Flying in Slovenia
  • Member of the Golden Eagles Flight Team, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, AZ, 2010–2013

    I flew Cessna 150 and Cessna 172 and competed in navigation flying and precision landing. I was the coordinator and instructor for the precision instrument flying on the ground trainer simulator and also competed in computer accuracy events (computations using the E6B or CR-3 manual flying computers).

    US National Champions in 2012 (Kansas State University) and 2013 (Ohio State University)

    Achieved the following results at the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) Safecon Regional Competition 2012:
    - 1st place in instrument precision flying (ground trainer)
    - 2nd place in navigation flying
    - 3rd place in computer accuracy event
A few moments with the Golden Eagles Flight Team
  • Certified Alpinist at the Alpine Association of Slovenia (Planinska zveza Slovenije) and a member of the alpine climbing section Alpinistični odsek, Planinsko društvo Nova Gorica (#aopdng)

    I logged over 180 alpine ascents, among which 2 first ascents in the Julian Alps in winter and a few first repeats.

    I have climbed in the following mountain ranges:
    - Julian Alps, Slovenia
    - Kamnik-Savinja Alps, Slovenia
    - Mont Blanc massif (summited Mont Blanc, 4806 m, in October, 2017)
    - Pennine Alps
    - Italian Dolomites (Torre Venezia, Moiazza, Tofana di Rozes,...)
    - US and Canadian Rocky Mountains (5 ascents in the Bugaboos)
    - Cascades Mountains, Washington
    - Sierra Nevada, California
i) South Howser Tower (The Bugaboos, Canada), ii) Zapotoški slap, Slovenia, iii) Uroševa Grapa, Julian Alps, Slovenia
  • I enjoy engaging in various sports, particularly running, cycling, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In the past, I've participated in two marathon-distance mountain trail runs, each spanning 45 km with a 2000 m elevation gain.