19.04.2024.

Best PhD Thesis/Research Project Awards in Ministry of Defence, Serbian Armed Forces presented

The annual awards ceremony for the recipients of the 2023 Best Research Project Award and Best PhD Thesis Award in the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces was held today in Belgrade’s Central Military Club. The awards are given on the occasion of the Serbian Armed Forces Day, with the aim of promoting research work and researchers in the defence system.

Acting Assistant Minister for Human Resources Siniša Radović presented the awards to the winners on behalf of Minister of Defence Miloš Vučević.

This year’s laureates are Colonel Dejan Đorđević, PhD, director of the Military Geographical Institute “General Stevan Bošković”, Intelligence and Reconnaissance Department of the Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, whose research team was honoured with the Best Research Project Award, and Lieutenant Colonel Radomir Prodanović, PhD, from the Centre for Applied Mathematics and Electronics, Telecommunications and IT Department, Serbian Armed Forces General Staff, who was presented with the Best PhD Thesis Award.

Colonel Đorđević is the leader of the award-winning project "Collection of Geo-Topographic Data by Unmanned Aerial Photogrammetry Systems", and Lieutenant Colonel Prodanović is the author of the award-winning PhD thesis "Improving the Process of Defining Requirements for Public Key Infrastructure".

Assistant Minister Radović congratulated the award winners, saying that the idea of today’s event was to recognize the best and all the people dedicated to science and research. According to him, the Ministry of Defence and our society see potential in this, bearing in mind that in the era characterized by rapid technological change, the roles of science and innovation in defence have never been more important, especially when it comes to adapting to new challenges.

- Global trends, such as digitization, artificial intelligence, the use of autonomous combat systems and hypersonic weapons, the development of space technology, etc., are transforming the way we wage wars and manage security. Our ability to respond to these challenges will determine our future, the future of our country and our people - said Assistant Minister Radović and added that the Ministry of Defence would continue to encourage the people who want to engage in science.

According to the chair of the Annual Awards Committee, head of the Strategic Planning Department, Defence Policy Sector, Colonel Dejan Stojković, PhD, the committee’s task is getting more difficult each year due to the quality of the papers themselves, and this year, the committee reviewed four research projects and five PhD theses.

- The awarded papers are of outstanding importance for the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. The research project will improve the collection of geo-topographic data, which is extremely important for military operations, but can also be successfully applied in the civilian sector. The awarded PhD thesis is a significant contribution to the development of the digital signature system, which will help the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces to operate more efficiently and safely. I am convinced that these awards will be an inspiration for other researchers to continue enhancing the defence capabilities of our country - emphasized Colonel Stojković.

The award ceremony was attended by the Rector of the Defence University, Brigadier General Prof. Boban Đorović, acting Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Nebojša Nikolić, Deputy Commandant of the Military Academy Brigadier General Prof. Dragan Dinčić, Assistant Minister for Science, Technological Development and Innovation, Prof. Marina Soković, PhD, members of the Research Council of the Ministry of Defence, representatives of the Defence University and research organizations of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, as well as representatives of scientific institutes, the Belgrade University and the Intellectual Property Institute.