Slávka specializes in applied research focused on the use of biomass and the impacts of human activity on the environment. In recent years, her work has primarily concentrated on the utilization of biomass ash, a by-product of biomass energy production. She collaborates with leading Slovak companies in the fields of environmental protection and renewable energy, with forest owners, and actively ensures the transfer of scientific knowledge into practice. She is the author of a monograph on the use of wood ash in the cultivation of fast-growing trees, dozens of articles in scientific journals, and numerous studies, reports, implementation outputs, and expert analyses prepared for industry partners.
She has coordinated several research projects, including Use of Wood Ash in Forestry (Operational Programme Research and Development, 2009–2011) and Research on the Use of Wood Ash in the Cultivation of Energy Crops as Renewable Energy Sources (APVV, 2009–2011). She has also participated in international collaborations such as the LignoSilva Centre of Excellence for Forest-Based Industry (H2020-WIDESPREAD-2014-1, 2015–2016) and the LignoSilva Centre of Excellence (Operational Programme Integrated Infrastructure, ERDF, 2017–2023), where she contributed to the development of a business plan and the design of infrastructure for environmentally safe nutrient recovery from waste.
In her current work, Slávka serves as coordinator of Priority Area 3 – Recycling, which focuses on upgrading infrastructure for nutrient recovery research and its application in forestry. This research is carried out in facilities such as the Central Chemical Laboratory, the Seed Laboratory, the Biotechnology Park Stráže, and the Gabčíkovo Research Station. Her research in recycling concentrates on building a knowledge base on nutrient circulation, particularly wood ash and cellulose sludge, developing environmentally safe products and methodologies for assessing their environmental impact, identifying legislative barriers, and supporting innovation and the transfer of knowledge into practice.
She also brings extensive management experience, having served as Head of the Research Station of the National Forest Centre in Košice from 1995 to 2020, and as Scientific Secretary of the National Forest Centre – Forest Research Institute Zvolen between 2014 and 2020.