With deep sorrow, we inform the public of the passing of Professor Dr. Miroslav Trajanović, State Secretary at the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, full professor emeritus at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Niš, a distinguished scientist and one of the pioneers in applying information technologies in mechanical and biomedical engineering in Serbia
Professor Trajanović left an indelible mark on Serbian science and education. With over four decades of professional experience, he was a leading expert in computer programming, CAD technologies, finite element methods, additive technologies, reverse engineering, and biomedical engineering. From 2007 to 2013, he served as head of the Department for Production Information Technologies and Management at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Niš.
He authored more than 300 scientific papers and numerous books and was the editor of prestigious proceedings of international conferences. His scientific and research work was marked by participation in over 30 national and international projects, including the European Union's FP6, FP7, Horizon 2020, and Horizon Europe programs.
Within ministries responsible for science and technological development, Professor Dr. Trajanović held numerous important positions for decades. He was the chair of several expert committees, a member of the working group for drafting the Strategy for Scientific and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia for the period 2016–2020, Serbia’s representative in the program committees of the European Commission, and coordinator of the EURAXESS Serbia network. From 2010 to 2017, he served as president of the Main Scientific Committee for Electronics, Telecommunications and IT at the Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia. He made a remarkable contribution as coordinator of the "OpenClick" project, Serbia's first open science initiative. He participated in the adoption of the Open Science Platform 2.0. The projects he took part in reflect his continuous dedication to improving the accessibility of science, introducing transparency, promoting scientific integrity, and establishing collaboration through the implementation of open science in Serbia.
As State Secretary, Professor Dr. Trajanović contributed to the advancement of the science system in the Republic of Serbia with his deep understanding of the importance of science and innovation for the development of our society, as well as his true commitment to the progress of the entire scientific community. He was a respected and beloved colleague, mentor, and above all, a visionary who inspired generations of researchers and engineers with his knowledge and humanity.
Thanks to his dedication and international engagement, Serbia became the presiding country of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) and in 2024 hosted a summit in Belgrade with over 1,500 participants and 44 foreign delegations, where the Belgrade Declaration on Artificial Intelligence—conceived by Professor Trajanović—was adopted.
The Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation expresses its deepest condolences to the family, friends, colleagues, and all admirers of Professor Dr. Miroslav Trajanović. His passing is an irreplaceable loss for the Serbian academic and scientific community, as well as for our entire society.
