Prof. Dr. Vojko Ozim died February 5th, 2007, just
couple of months before his 85th birthday. He was born
March 28th, 1922, in Maribor. He finished primary school
and gymnasium in Ljubljana, where he meantime studied
violin at the State Conservatory of Music. 
After graduation he applied for chemistry at Univer-
sity of Ljubljana, at the Department of chemistry at Tec-
hnical faculty. During his study he was exiled to Gonars
internment. Later he joined the Partisans.
He graduated in 1946, and in 1951 passed the chemi-
cal engineer specialist exam. In 1952 he went to Grenoble
for an advanced study at the Institute of electrochemistry
and electrometallurgy at the University of Grenoble. The
advanced course was funded by United Nation scholar-
ship. As a young engineer, he was employed for a shorter
time at the Institution for pharmaceutical research in
Ljubljana, and later in Elektrobosna in Jajce, where he ga-
ined enormous practical knowledge as an operational en-
gineer. Later on, he was the assistant of acting director of
Elektrobosna. He then worked in Tovarna sode in Luka-
vac, and from 1950 to 1968 he was employed at the Tovar-
na du{ika, Ru{e, where he positioned as the commercial
director and later as chief director. He worked in the
process industry of chloroalkaline electrolysis, soda,
phosphoric acid, lime, cyanamide, technical gases, fertil-
izers, ferrosilicon, carbides, ferrochrome and others. He
collaborated in investment studies for production of elec-
trophosphor, electrocorundum and others.
In year 1968, in collaboration with producers of min-
eral water (Roga{ka from Roga{ka Slatina and Radenska
from Radenci), he established the "Centre for develop-
ment and research of mineral waters".
He received Master's degree in 1971 and Doctoral de-
gree in 1978, both in the field of research of mineral wa-
ters. He started teaching in 1972 at the Department of
chemistry at High Technical School in Maribor. In 1975
he was habilitated as assistant professor, and later on as
full professor of chemical engineering at the Technical
Faculty of University of Maribor. He collaborated in edu-
cation of a great number of student generations of chemi-
cal engineering. His research and progress work at the
university was related to solving problems in inorganic
chemical industry and industry of drinkable, mineral,
thermal, industrial and waste water. He wrote a number of
works and patents in this field, as well as received many
awards. After 1984, when he retired and became professor
meritorious at the University of Maribor, he generously
continued passing on his knowledge to his coworkers at
the Faculty of chemistry and chemical engineering and
colleagues from industry. He was active in Slovenian
chemical society, where he performed a number of re-
sponsible duties. In the years between 1959 and 1962 he
Memorial Issue
ActaChimicaSlovenica
Prof. Dr. Vojko Ozim in Memoriam
was the president of technical section, which was operat-
ing in the section of general chemistry.
In year 1977 he proposed the establishment of section
for industrial chemistry. He offered his help during the es-
tablishment and was president until 1992 of the section of
chemistry and process technology, as well as the coordi-
nator of working group in section of physico-mechanical
operations.
Prof. Dr. Vojko Ozim has generously shared and pas-
sed on his enormous practical experience and knowledge
to younger generation. Even myself, I remember his lec-
tures, which besides theoretical knowledge, gave me great
directives for future industrial experience. 
He was a hard worker, distinguished by calmness, ded-
ication, immense understanding and attention for cowork-
ers and as such, he gave students the knowledge, which
they needed in their daily practice in industry. 
With his research he assisted in the increase of techni-
cal standard in numerous companies in Slovenia and for-
mer Yugoslavia.
We, his coworkers, miss his positive energy, his ad-
vices and will for changes for the better. 
Part of his personality and his actions continuously re-
flects at the Faculty of chemistry and chemical engineer-
ing as well as on his students and coworkers.
Prof. Dr. @eljko Knez