The 2011 Grand Miroslav Zei Award for Life Work in the Field of the Activities of the National Institute of Biology was presented to Professor Dr. Alenka Malej.

Prof. Dr. Alenka Malej is head researcher in the field of ecology of littoral waters and sea biology. Her basic research activity concerns sea plankton with orientation to ecology and biology of gelatinous plankton. The results of her scientific studies were published in scientific articles that were quoted more than 700 times. As Head of the Marine Biology Station Piran of the National Institute of Biology she has co-ordinated multidisciplinary work of the group for over twenty years and managed as many as 23 international projects in the field of sea research and monitoring. She has been a national co-ordinator of the programme Mediterranean Action Plan at the Environmental Programme of the United Nations for years and the President of the National Committee of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. Since 1985, she has been member of numerous co-ordinating committees for the protection and monitoring of the Adriatic and Mediterranean Sea and was appointed to an expert group in 2010 for the preparation of paragraph 180 for the resolution of the General Assembly of UNO on oceans and maritime law. She was a visiting researcher and teacher at respectful maritime institutions and international schools. She participated in numerous international scientific meetings as invited lecturer or organiser. She had a decisive role in signing a co-operation agreement between the National Institute of Biology and the leading French research and medical university Pierre et Marie Curie. She was awarded a medal of the mentioned university for her contribution to the signing of the agreement. Together with her colleagues Dr. Jadran Faganeli and Dr. Neda Fanuko, Professor Malej received an award of the Boris Kidrič fund. This fund is now called Zois awards for scientific achievements.