Mate Rimac, young Croatian inventor, created the fastest electric car in the world rushing faster than 300 km/h. The U.S. TV Bloomberg ranked him in its list of “Best of 2012”. The car has four electric motors with a total of 1088 horsepower. The Rimac Concept One utilizes a 92-kWh battery to power four sets of electric motors (one for each wheel). Each motor operates independently, accelerating and decelerating hundreds of times per second in what the brand calls “All-Wheel Torque Vectoring”.
Category: People
Karolina Vidovic Kristo distinguished Croatian journalist on HTV
Karolina Vidović Krišto is producing an excellent program for Croatian diaspora, for which she deserves our deep gratitude. She is engaged, among others, in defending human rights of children in Croatia, and promoting deeper ties between Croatia and its diaspora. Her professionalism and honorable engagement ranks her among the leading figures on Croatian Television – Hrvatska televizija (HTV).
Jacob Jake Matijevic 1947-2012 NASA engineer of Croatian origin father of Curiosity rover on Mars
 Jacob (Richard) Matijevic, also known as “Jake” Matijevic, (3 November 1947 – 20 August 2012) was an American NASA engineer of Croatian origin who worked on Mars Exploration Rovers. Dr. Matijevic, PhD in Mathematics from the University of Chicago, was involved in developing the “Sojourner”, “Spirit”, “Opportunity” and “Curiosity” rovers. For his contributions to the rover projects, NASA named several landmarks (including “Matijevic Hill” and “Jake Matijevic” rock) for him on the planet Mars.
Ante Glibota distinguished Croatian historian of art writing about Chinese artists
Ante Glibota was born in Croatia, and studied history of art at the Universities of Zagreb and Sorbonne in Paris, now living in Paris and in Shanghai. He is an internationally renowned art historian and French architecture historian. Mr. Glibota was nominated as Curator and editor of “Art and Sport”, organized by Adidas and the IOC for the Olympic Games in Peking, 2008 One of his exhibitions, “ Chicago, 150 years of architecture” was singled out as the most significant exhibition of the XXth century by the French newspaper Le Monde. He is the author of several truly amazing books about distinguished contemporary Chinese artists, published in Bejing.
Petar Janjic – Tromblon defendor of Vukovar and Croatia in 1991 and twenty years after
Petar Janjić nicknamed Tromblon, was an active participant of the defense of Vukovar in 1991, and survived infamous concentration camps in Serbia. He is speaking about his life and about Croatian defenders in his important and unique autobiographic book about the 1991 Vukovar tragedy, entitled “Žedni krvi gladni izdaje” (Those Thirsty of Blood and Hungry of Treason). He is openly and very courageously describing some of the current problems of contemporary Croatia.
Dr. Ante L. Padjen Croatian neuroscientist and founder of I Medici di McGill Orchestra in Montreal CA
Professor Ante Padjen was educated in Croatia (University of Zagreb, Croatia; 1966, MD; 1970, DSc), University of Edinburgh (Graduate Studies), NIMH (1971 – 1975, Washington, DC). He has served as Professor at McGill University, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics from 1976. His primary research interests include neuroscience, information technology and knowledge translation in biomedicine with a particular interest in developing areas. He is the founder and principal viola of I Medici di McGill Ensemble (The Physicians of McGill), a performing orchestra made up largely of physicians, medical students and medical faculty.
Zvonko Viduka Croatian enterpreneur selling high-tech products in 35 countries worldwide
Since 2002 ALTPRO Ltd., founded and directed by Mr. Zvonko Viduka, has been included in the Railway Gazette – Railway Directory. Since June 2004 ALTPRO Ltd. has become a full member of UNIFE – The Association of the European Rail Industry, as the only non-EU firm admitted in the association. ALTPRO Ltd. is the only Croatian firm that has become a full member of an EU economic association. It is also a member of two working groups in Brussels and has been granted the CENELEC certificate.
Victor and Vlado Krizek sucsessfully direct Croatian jewelry company Zlatarna Krizek
In the production of gold and silver jewelry, Zlatarna Križek is using modern machinery such as computer engraving machines and modern machines for casting, etc. However, aware that there is no machine that can compensate for artistic creativity, Zlatarna Križek employs more young, talented designers and this is the assurance that the design and hand-made jewelry Zlatarna Križek will continue to attract with their beauty and originality. On the photo brothers Victor and Vlado Križek.
Dr. Zeljko Ivezic Croatian scientist and a leading expert in astronomy in the world
After five years at UK, dr. Željko Ivezić and his family moved on to New Jersey where he began working at Princeton University. During his seven years at Princeton, Dr. Ivezić participated in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey which has been called one of the most ambitious and influential surveys in astronomy history. Over the course of eight years, the survey produced three-dimensional maps of more than 930,000 galaxies. Ivezic is now part of an effort to create the first digital movie of the sky with the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST). On the photo dr. Ivezić with his daughter Vedrana.
James Spudich American scientist of Croatian roots recipient of the Lasker Award for biochemistry
Dr. James Spudich, professor of medicine at Stanford University, USA, received the 2012 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award for his trailblazing investigations of the molecular motors that drive our skeletal muscle contractions and heartbeats, enable our cells to divide, and power patrolling immune cells through our tissues. The Lasker Prize is one of the most prestigious scientific prizes in the filed of basic medical research.
Jorge-Luis Subiabre Matiacha published a monograph about Croatians in Punta Arenas in Chile
Huellas y Rastros de Croatas en Punta Arenas (The Impressions and Traces of Croatians in Puntas Arenas) is a fascinating, trilingual, Spanish-English-Croatian book of photos by Jorge Subiabre Matiacha and Tatiana Alfaro Chavez, that Jorge recently published in Puntas Arenas. Matiacha has Croatian roots and works as a graphic designer, photographer and writer, while co-author Tatiana is a photographic technician. Both have already participated successfully at photo exhibits. The book features many black & white photos of Croatians, most with roots from the Croatian island of Brae, with a selection from the poetry of Pepita Turina (1907-1986) in the foreword.
Dragutin Cifrek distinguished Croatian painter, calligrapher and miniaturist in Slovenia
Dragutin Cifrek, distingushed Croatian painter, calligrapher and miniaturist living in Slovenia, is a follower of Julije Klovic (Giulio Clovio, 1498-1578), a famous Renaissance miniaturist born in Croatia, nicknamed long ago as the “Michelangelo of miniature”. His special affection are miniatures of birds. In 1990s he created a series of very nice drawings for Croatian postage stamps. Mr. Cifrek was educated at the Academy of Fine Arts of the University of Zagreb.
Anamarija Jurisic Croatian Miss of Bosnia and Herzegovina helping victims of tsunami in Japan
Anamarija Jurišić Victims
Dr. Josip Marcan born in Croatia is widely recognized as the foremost expert on tigers in the world
Dr. Josip Marcan discovered his uncanny ability with animals during his childhood in Croatia. Dr. Marcan eventually made his way to the United States in the late 1960’s and began focusing more on the endangered Bengal tiger. By the early 1980’s he had developed a breeding program that was producing the finest, genetically sound Bengal tigers anywhere. Animals from his breeding program have made their homes in zoos and wildlife parks all over the world.
Kathy Wilkes Dr Honoris Causa of the University of Zagreb 2001
Dr. Katheleen Wilkes (1946-2003), during her speech at the University of Zagreb in 2001: A charming thought to start a rather depressing talk. Johann Gottfried von Herder, in 1791: “How wonderfully has Nature separated nations, not only by woods and mountains, seas and deserts, rivers and climates, but most particularly by languages, inclinations and characters, so that the work of subjugating despotism might be rendered more difficult…”
Thomas Crowley 1949-1995 Irish hero of Croatian defense 1991-1995
Thomas Crawley (1949-1995) arrived to Croatia in 1991, where he participated in its defense. He tragically died in 1995 at the age of 46. He was a Major of Croatian Army. Commemorative Mass in his honor has been organized in the city of Split on 10th June 2012 in the Cathedral of St. Dujam. His earthy remains are buried in the Split cemetery. Thomas Crowley is not only the son of Ireland, but also the son of Croatia.
Marko Vrdoljak photographer and his presentation of Croatia's capital Zagreb
Marko Vrdoljak, Zagreb: “We have to make sure that we see the beauty of tomorrow and enjoy it as happily and intensely as possible. It is our duty to keep our faith in beauty and hope. We must be the ones to create a better tomorrow with our positive energy, our talents, the ones who must keep negative thoughts inside and transform them into warmth, understanding and kindness…”
Dr. Hedvig Hricak distinguished Croatian expert in radiology and tumor diagnosis
Professor Hedvig Hričak earned her MD degree from the University of Zagreb, Croatia, and her Dr. Med. Sc. from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. She is the Chairman of the Department of Radiology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, the first woman on that position. Dr. Hricak is President-Elect and Secretary Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). She is an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists and an honorary member of the British Institute of Radiology, German Radiological Society, Austrian Roentgen Society, Croatian Society of Radiology, Journées Françaises de Radiologie and the Swedish Society of Medical Radiology.
The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Croatian painter Maxo Vanka
 Maxo Vanka’s murals for Millvale’s Croatian Church of St. Nicholas are a unique contribution to the American mural movement of the 1930s and 1940s. The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka is a nonprofit public supported historic art preservation organization. Vanka’s work touches upon common themes of his era, including family, labor, and war, but with a focus upon the disenfranchised and the dispossessed.
Mia Slavenska 1916-2002 Croatian ballerina one of the greatest
Mia Eorak Slavenska, born in Croatia, a child star at 4 in Croatia’s capital Zagreb, became a solo dancer at 12, prima ballerina at Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb at 18, starred as prima ballerina of the Ballet Russe in Paris, Ballet Theatre, London Festival Ballet. Organized her first ballet company at 12. With Slavenska-Franklin Ballet , created dance history with the ballet A Streetcar Named Desire . Mia was fluent in five languages. She also starred in the prize-winning French film, Ballerina (in French La Mort du Cygne ), considered one of the best ballet films ever made.