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The Brno Ph.D. Talent scholarship programme has completed another successful year. The programme annually supports 25 promising PhD students working at four Brno universities. This year, eight representatives of BUT were selected and on 10 March they received a symbolic cheque for financial support to further develop their research during a ceremonial event at the New Town Hall. Supported research topics include spintronics, biomedicine, ultrafast electron microscopy and nanorobotics.
Top row, from left: BUT Vice Rector I. Šimberová, BUT Vice Rector M. Weiter, J. Klíma, D. Němeček, K. Jasenský, P. Pachl; bottom row, from left: Director of CEITEC BUT R. Vrba, Y. Song, D. Hrubá, A. V. Palliyalil, D. Pavelka, and BUT Rector L. Janíček. | Author: Mariya Ostrenko A record 151 applicants entered the scholarship competition this year. An expert committee selected 51 finalists, who presented their projects in the second round. The final outcome is a group of twenty-five awardees who will receive funding of CZK 360,000 over the next three years (a total of nine million crowns for all awardees – editor’s note) to further develop and complete their research. The winners come not only from the Czech Republic, but also from Brazil, Peru and China.
Daniela Hrubá (CEITEC BUT, supervisor: Pavel Procházka) focuses on chiral molecules and surface chemistry. “I investigate why some molecules exist in two mirror-image forms and how this phenomenon can be used for the safer production of pharmaceuticals. I enjoy doing science because it resembles solving a detective mystery – individual clues gradually come together to form a bigger picture.”
Kryštof Jasenský (CEITEC BUT, supervisor: Vojtěch Uhlíř) works on spintronics and memory technologies. “I study spin currents in materials in order to achieve energy-efficient and ultrafast control of a magnetic bit, a unit that can carry digital information. I pursue science because I have always been curious about why the world works the way it does, and physics helps me search for answers to these questions.”
Jan Klíma (CEITEC BUT, supervisor: Michal Urbánek) focuses on magnonics and quantum technologies. “I study the properties and statistics of spin waves (magnetic waves in materials – editor’s note) in order to better understand their behaviour and enable their controlled use in future quantum magnonic devices. What attracts me to science is the opportunity to constantly discover new connections and search for answers to questions about how the world works,” said Jan Klíma, who last year received the Czech Ministry of Education Award for Outstanding Graduates.
Daniel Němeček (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering BUT, supervisor: David Nečas) focuses on 3D printing of materials for next-generation biomedical implants. His research addresses the problem of conventional implants failing due to wear and material degradation. Interesting possibilities are offered by so-called MXenes – innovative 2D inorganic materials discovered in 2011. “These materials exhibit unique mechanical and tribological properties and significantly reduce friction and wear. Their integration into additively manufactured (3D-printed – editor’s note) metal-matrix composites remains largely unexplored and could enable the production of implants with increased durability in the future,” explained Daniel Němeček, who believes that good science requires patience, creativity, consideration and respect for others.
Přemysl Pachl (CEITEC BUT, supervisor: Andrea Konečná) focuses on ultrafast electron microscopy. “I am working on the development of an ultrafast scanning microscope which, thanks to the correction of optical aberrations and the integration of new imaging modes, will offer higher resolution. What I enjoy about science is turning ideas into experiments and pushing the boundaries of what we are able to observe.”
Dominik Pavelka (CEITEC BUT, supervisor: Michal Urbánek) is another awardee from BUT who has chosen spintronics, this time in relation to future computing technologies, as his research topic. “I am working on the development of a low-energy logic component that uses spin waves, i.e. magnetic waves in materials, and could be significantly more energy-efficient than today’s electronics. I do science because I have always been interested in how physical principles work and how modern technologies emerge.”
Yanzhen Song (CEITEC BUT, supervisor: Martin Pumera) conducts research in micro- and nanorobotics. “I develop microrobotic systems powered by light and magnetic fields that can actively search for, capture and destroy bacteria and may help fight bacterial infections. What attracts me to science is the possibility of transforming new ideas into technologies with practical applications.”
Anjali Valadi Palliyalil (CEITEC BUT, supervisor: Sanjay Gopal Ullattil) studies photocatalytic materials. “I develop new materials (mesocrystals) that can accelerate chemical reactions using light. These technologies could help clean the environment and enable more sustainable polymer production. Science allows me to transform curiosity into solutions to real societal and environmental challenges.”
Author: Mariya Ostrenko Brno Ph.D. Talent scholarship holders appreciate that the grant allows them not only to fully focus on their research without having to seek additional funding, but also view it as a form of recognition and motivation for further scientific work. Another valuable aspect is the opportunity to meet fellow students and learn about their research topics across different universities. These experiences were confirmed during this year’s award ceremony by special guest Jakub Sochor, a graduate of the BUT Faculty of Information Technology, who succeeded in the competition 12 years ago with a project on fully automated traffic analysis. Jakub Sochor, a graduate of FIT BUT who won the competition 12 years ago, appeared as a guest at the event. | Author: Mariya Ostrenko “Four Brno universities cooperate in this competition and since 2009 more than three hundred young scientists have received the award. The Brno Ph.D. Talent scholarship helps them launch their research careers and develop their potential. It is wonderful to see how many talented people we have in Brno and how their ideas contribute to improving the world around us,” said Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková during the ceremony.
Brno Ph.D. Talent is a scholarship programme of the City of Brno designed for exceptionally talented PhD students in the natural and technical sciences. Each year, 25 young researchers from Brno universities receive a scholarship of CZK 360,000 distributed over three years. The programme supports original research projects with the potential for significant scientific impact. The initiative aims to develop talented scientists and strengthen Brno’s position as a major centre of science and innovation. Applicants interested in the next Brno Ph.D. Talent call can follow the JCMM website (South Moravian Centre for International Mobility), which organises the competition.