He is professor for fields of epistemology of social sciences and social studies of science and technology (STS) at undergraduate and doctoral level. He is lecturer for the following courses: Social and Ethical Aspects of Modern Science, Epistemology of Science, Writing of BA thesis. His recent research and expert topics are: social, ethical and legal aspects of progress of the new emerging technologies, public understanding of science, R&D and innovation policy, R&D evaluation, scientometrics , transfer of knowledge. He is the the head of Centre for Social Studies of Science at The Faculty of Social Sciences. He was visiting research fellow at Institute for Advanced Studeis on Science, Technology and Society in Graz (IAS -STS research fellowship in 2009 and 2004), University Bielefeld (DAAD fellowship), University Klagenfurt (Alpe-Adria fellowship in 1994), University Johannes Kepler in Linz (Alpe-Adria fellowship 1992) and at University of Vienna (1989). Since 1990 he worked as principal investigator in various basic and applied research projects financed by Slovenian Research Agency or Slovenian . He was involved in various international research projects: PHARE Multi-Country Programme in Higher Education, 5th CRE Academic Task Force - Capacity Building and Human Resources Development Measures for Higher Education, ESA Project International Network on Social Capital and Performance, 7 EU FP »Feasibility Study for creating a European University Data Collection« 7 EU FP »Ethics in Public Policy-Making: the Case of Human Enhancement«, etc. In period 2013-2015, he is involved in 7 EU »Synthetic biology – Engaging with new and Emerging Science and Technology in Responsible Governance of the Science and Society Relationship«. He participated as the member of external expert groups for evaluation of higher education and research institution in various countries: Latvia, Estonia, Macedonia, Bosnia, et. He was active as expert evaluator in 6 EU Framework Program. From 1999 – 2009 he was the board member of SSTNET (The Sociology of Sociology and Technology Research Network) at the European Sociological Association (ESA). He is a member of a lot of other international professional associations: European Association for Study of Science and Technology (EASST), Gesellschaft fuer Wissenschaft und Technikforschung (GWTF), Slovenain Sociological Association (SSD). He is the member of editorial board of central EASST journal Science & Technology Studies.
Publications in English (selection: last 5 years):
MALI Franc: Why an Unbiased External R&D Evaluation System is Important for the Progress of Social Sciences—the Case of a Small Social Science Community, in: Social Sciences, 2013, 2, 284–297; doi:10.3390/socsci2040284
MALI, Franc, PUSTOVRH, Toni, GROBOLJŠEK, Blanka, COENEN, Christopher. National ethics advisory bodies in the emerging landscape of responsible research and innovation. Nanoethics, 2012, vol. 6, no. 3, pp.167-184.
PUSTOVRH, Toni and MALI, Franc. Exploring some challenges of the pharmaceutical cognitive enhancement discourse : users and policy recommendations. Neuroethics, August 2013, ISSN: 1874-5490 (Print) 1874-5504 (Online).
MALI, Franc, GROBOLJSEK, Blanka. Daily newspapers' views on nanotechnology in Slovenia. Science Communication, Jan. 2012, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 30-56.
MALI, Franc, KRONEGGER, Luka, FERLIGOJ, Anuška, DOREIAN, Patrick. Collaboration structures in Slovenian scientific communities. Scientometrics, 2012, vol. 90, no. 2, pp. 631-647.
MALI, Franc. Policy issues of the international productivity and visibility of the social sciences in Central and Eastern European countries. Sociology and Space, 2011, vol. 48, no. 3, pp.415-435.
MALI, Franc, FERLIGOJ, Anuska, KRONEGGER, Luka. Co-authorship trends and collaboration patterns in the Slovenian sociological community. Corvinus journal for sociology and social policy, 2010, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 29-50.
MALI, Franc, GROBOLJSEK, Blanka, SKAFAR, Maja. The recruitment of young people for R&D activity and the issue of gender equality : the case of Slovenia = El reclutamiento de jóvenes para la actividad de I+D y el tema de la igualdad de género : el caso de Eslovenia. Sociol. tecnocienc., 2010, vol. 2, , pp. 1-33.
MALI, Franc. Bringing converging technologies closer to civil society : the role of the precautionary principle. Innovation Wien, Mar. 2009, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 53-75.
MALI, Franc, KRONEGGER, Luka, DOREIAN, Patrick, FERLIGOJ, Anuška. Dynamic scientific co-authorship networks. V: SCHARNHORST, Andrea (ur.), BÖRNER, Katy (ur.), BESSELAAR, Peter van den (ur.). Models of science dynamics : encounters between complexity theory and information sciences, (Springer complexity), (Understanding complex systems). Heidelberg ... [etc.]: Springer, cop. 2012, pp. 195-232.
MALI, Franc. The European research space. V: LANGER, Josef (ur.). Analysis and visions for Europe : theories and general issues. Franfurt am Main [etc.]: P. Lang, 2011, str. 151-165.
MALI, Franc. Intermediary structures as part of R&D policy efforts to increase commercialization and commodification of academic science : the case of Slovenia. V: BAMMÉ, Arno (ur.), GETZINGER, Günter (ur.), WIESER, Bernhard (ur.). Yearbook 2010 of the Institute for Advanced Studies on Science, Technology and Society, (Technik- und Wissenschaftsforschung, vol. 61). München; Wien: Profil, cop. 2011, pp. 199-218.
KRAMBERGER, Anton, MALI, Franc. An evaluation system of the science and international orientation of social scientists : the case of Slovenia. V: PÁLNÉ KOVÁCS, Ilona (ur.). Internationalisation of social sciences in Central and Eastern Europe : the 'catching up' - a myth or a strategy?, (Routledge/European Sociological Association studies in European society, 13). London; New York: Routledge, 2010, pp. 192-214.
MALI, Franc. Turning science transdisciplinary : is it possible for the new concept of cross-disciplinary cooperations to enter Slovenian science and policy?. V: KAJFEŽ-BOGATAJ, Lučka (ur.), MÜLLER, Karl H. (ur.), SVETLIK, Ivan (ur.), TOŠ, Niko (ur.). Modern RISC-societies : towards a new paradigm for societal evolution, (Complexity design society, vol. 14). Vienna: Echoraum, cop. 2010, pp. 461-474.
MALI, Franc. The category of scientific objectivity in the social sciences. V: PRPIĆ, Katarina (ur.). Beyond the myths about the natural and social sciences : a sociological view, (Edition Science and society, 28). Zagreb: Institute for Social Research, 2009, pp. 247-274.