Drago MATKO

Prof. Matko worked professionally in adaptive systems and modelling, and in this field, he co-authored two books with Prentice Hall publishers. He brought the experience he gained at the Institute of Automatic Control and Mechatronics of the Technical University of Darmstadt and the Institute of Space and Astronautical Sciences back to his homeland. He used robotic soccer to motivate his students. In the exams, he introduced an alliance-professor-student strategy and a student-grade competition. After completing his academic career, he worked at the Space.si Center of Excellence in the design of the first Slovenian satellite Nemo HD, which was launched into space on September 3, 2020. He also worked at the Pipistrel Ajdovščina aircraft factory on the development of battery management systems.

With robotic soccer, Matko raised students’ motivation and combined scientific research and pedagogical work with fun and competition. Under his mentorship, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering team in Ljubljana won several first places at European and two third places at world championships.

1947 born in Trbovlje, Slovenia

1971 Degree, thesis on adaptive systems, University of Ljubljana (UL)

1973 master’s UL 1976 doktorira iz adaptivnih sistemov | doctorate on on adaptive systems, UL

1977 assistant professor, University of Ljubljana

1980 Humboldt fellowship, Institute of control engineering University of Darmstadt, Germany

1988 full professor, UL

1995 visiting professor, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Tokyo, Japan

2015 visiting professor, University of Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Important Works

R. Isermann, K.-H. Lachmann, D. Matko (1992) Adaptive control systems. New York: Prentice Hall.

D. Matko, B. Zupančič, R. Karba (1992) Simulation and modelling of continuous systems: a case study approach. New York: Prentice Hall.

D. Matko in sod., ur. (1996) Uporaba vesoljskih tehnologij. Radovljica: Didakta, 1996.

Selected Awards

1973 Award for master thesis

1988 Award for work on computer-aided control systems

2000 Award of the Faculty of electrical engineering University of Ljubljana for pedagogical achievements

2003 Zois award for scientific achievements

2013 Gold Plaque, University of Ljubljana