Niki Hrovatin, assistant researcher at InnoRenew CoE; main areas of research: wireless sensor networks, distributed systems, privacy

• Where were you living in childhood and where do you live now?

I grew up and still live today in Križ, a medium-size village facing the sea at the border of the Municipality of Trieste.

• What have you studied and what were the motives for your decision?

As a child, I was always fascinated by toys, I was breaking them down into small parts to understand how they work, and since most of the modern toys include electronic components, I started my high school studies in electronics. But then I learned a programming language, and I decided to direct my attention to software rather than hardware. I concluded my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science, and I am now pursuing a Ph.D.

• How would you describe your work to someone outside your field?

Let’s just say that I am currently working on the ultimate monitoring system, the wireless sensor network (WSN). It is a  very large network of autonomous small wireless devices sensing multiple environmental features. The WSN can even be deployed by throwing these devices out of a plane.

• What does your typical working day look like?

On my typical working day, I am programming a simulation, writing a paper or discussing new ideas at a coffee.

• What makes you excited about your work?

I love to learn new information on computer systems, and I am enthusiastic that it is always possible to improve these systems.

• And what is the biggest challenge at your work?

The biggest challenge is to schedule the time effectively, to complete all the work in time.

• Which scientist or scientific achievement are you fascinated by and why?

I am fascinated by the researchers/professors contributing to the YouTube channel Computerphile since they have a broad understanding of how computer systems work and how they evolved over time.

• Tell us about the work of art (books, music, movies, theatre, dance, visual arts) that has a special place in your life.

My favorite music genre is electronic music. I listen to the whole spectrum from the oldest releases, like from The Prodigy, Daft Punk, to the Techno of the Slovenian Dj Umek.

• What have you read, listened to, or watched lately?

Yesterday, I watched the IT movie based on Stephen King’s novel of 1986.

• Which place on the Slovene coast do you like the most?

Piran.

• What makes you enthusiastic?

We just approached a new year, 2022.

• Characterize your life’s guidance or an important realization (or epiphany) you have experienced.

The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.

• What does the charm of wood mean to you?

I am fascinated by the fact that wood items were once a tree, a living organism shaped by the past and by the surrounding environment. Therefore, each wood item is somehow unique.