Tanja Pavleska

Communication and language, both natural and human-made, have always shaped my view of the world. Mathematics offers precision, while languages open different ways of understanding meaning. This interest has guided my research into human behaviour in digital and organizational systems.

From automation to digital trust

I graduated in Automation and Systems Engineering from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering in Skopje. I obtained my PhD in Open Systems and Networks from the Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School in Ljubljana, focusing on the design of systems that support human behaviour through trust and reputation.

I began in industry as an automation engineer, programming PLC and SCADA systems. I then moved into research and the coordination of ICT projects, bringing the perspectives of practical engineering and human behaviour into the same work.

Research and expertise

My work combines scientific research, policy analysis and development, project management, and international collaboration. It covers:

• Digital trust, identity management, and trust and reputation in human-centred systems.
• eGovernment and enterprise architecture.
• Information security, privacy, and cybersecurity in critical infrastructure.
• Digital twins for cybersecurity analysis and system design.
• Digital policies and regulatory frameworks.
• Future Internet technologies and next-generation networks.
• Security and standardization in connected healthcare.

Digital twins and critical infrastructure protection

I have (co)authored some of the foundational research works on digital twins for critical infrastructures. The work on transport systems security connects a virtual security model to the architecture of an industrial control system, supporting attack exploration and comparison of protective measures without disrupting the physical infrastructure (examples include cooperative intelligent transport system (C-ITS) and road tunnels). This was complemented by a governance-based framework for secure deployment of standards in the C-ITS.

My Taxonomy of digital twins for power grid introduced a systematization of ISO/IEC30186:2025-complaint digital twins for the energy domain, offering an open-source tool for benchmarking of different design choices. A practical implementation of a dual-twin (SCADA and AMI infrastructure) use case is also available, offering risk-aware monitoring and privacy-preserving energy intelligence for next-generation smart-grid environments.

The work on security policies for critical infrastructure examines how an organization’s security goals translate into safeguards across interconnected subsystems. It brings technical design together with governance and the responsibilities of the people who operate the system. The work was illustrated through a real-world healthcare use case.

This research complements my background in PLC and SCADA engineering and informs the perspective I bring to our Energy & Utilities work.

European digital services and cybersecurity

The following projects are part of my experience in previous research roles. They inform the perspective I bring to v3rtical today.

I led the cybersecurity and trust work stream in e-SENS, which developed building blocks for secure, interoperable public services across borders. In COMPACT, I coordinated work on policies and regulatory frameworks for social media and content convergence. I am currently leading the development of the conversational AI layer for Security Operation Centers (SOCs) in the VANTAGE project, which develops Multi-Agent AI to support vulnerability assessment, penetration testing and cyber investigation activities.

I was a sub-coordinator of SI-PASS, supporting the implementation of Slovenia’s electronic-identity infrastructure. In Digital Europe for All, i led the analysis of the e-governance landscape across the EU, as well as the evaluation of the architecture building blocks connecting public services across Europe. Explore our public-service work.

My coordination experience also includes CONCORDIA, a European cybersecurity research initiative. This work connects technical security with the policies, institutional responsibilities, and relationships between systems that shape how it is applied.

Trust in connected healthcare

I contributed to the development of the IEEE/UL 2933-2024 Standard or Clinical Internet of Things (IoT) Data and Device Interoperability with TIPPSS–Trust, Identity, Privacy, Protection, Safety, and Security. This work establishes how connected healthcare devices and services should establish trust, manage identity, and exchange information in a privacy-preserving and safety-ensuring manner.