Dr. Ivana Zivojinovic awarded Fulbright Scholarship for Research Stay at Oregon State University
The scholarship will support her three-month research stay at Oregon State University (OSU), USA, from 15 September to 15 December 2025.
Her project, titled “Enhancing EU–US Collaboration in Forest Sector Innovation Research”, will focus on studying the innovation ecosystem of the forest sector in Oregon and comparing it with developments in Europe. Hosted by Professor Eric Hansen, Head of the Department of Wood Science and Engineering at OSU, Dr. Zivojinovic will work closely with leading researchers and practitioners, including the Oregon Wood Innovation Center.
The research stay will involve analyzing institutional and policy-driven innovations, with a special focus on Oregon’s Private Forest Accord as a case study. By comparing U.S. and European approaches, the project aims to generate new insights into how forestry innovations can contribute to sustainable forest management, climate change mitigation, and bioeconomic development.
The scholarship will also strengthen the long-standing collaboration between BOKU and OSU, which has already resulted in joint publications, international conference panels, and special issues on forest sector innovation. Outcomes of this stay will include a joint comparative research paper, new teaching and research linkages, and the development of future international projects.
Commenting on the award, Dr. Zivojinovic emphasized:
“This Fulbright stay provides an excellent opportunity to deepen EU–US cooperation in forest sector innovation research. It will not only advance my academic work and professional development but also contribute to strengthening institutional collaboration between BOKU and Oregon State University.”
The Fulbright Program is the world’s largest and most prestigious educational exchange program, designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries. The program is widely recognized as a benchmark of academic excellence and international collaboration. More information on the programme https://www.fulbright.at/