Newsletter for MSc students of the Faculty of Science MU 12/2024 (CZ)

	3. 12. 2024, 14:41
Newsletter for PhD students and Postdocs

Dear PhD students and Postdocs,

As we wrap up another amazing year, it's time to evaluate and celebrate all the hard work and passion you've put into your research. You've each made a real difference in advancing your knowledge, and your dedication is truly inspiring. Looking back, it's clear how we've overcome challenges and built a strong community of curious and creative minds. This network is a reflection of your resilience and commitment to science.
As we look ahead to 2025, we're excited about new opportunities. It's going to be your time to explore, grow, and make an impact. Keep pushing your boundaries and enjoy the journey — you've got this, and we're here to support you every step of the way.
We hope this holiday season brings you well-deserved rest and joy and that the new year will be filled with exciting breakthroughs and experiences!
Here's to your continued success — let's make 2025 a year to remember!

Save the Date:

Tree Lighting - December 9, 2024, (16:30 - 18:00). Christmas gathering for employees and their children. Kotlářská 2, Brno

MUNI Seminar Series - December 10, 2024, (16:30). "Why do we get fat? The impact of macronutrients on energy balance and food intake". Komenského nám. 2, room 300

Research Breakfast - January 7, 2025, (8:00 - 9:00). Interview with Martin Repko. Registration is required / Held in English. UCB Library

Methods for Characterisation of Biomolecular Interactions - January 27 - 28, 2025, (10:00 - 17:00). Practical workshop. CEITEC (C04/211)

Ze života vědkyň / IUPAC Global Women’s Breakfast - February 6, 2025, (9:00 - 11:00). Women in science meeting. Veveří 97, Brno / Online. Held in Czech

Announcements

The University Has Awarded Doctoral Students for Their Excellent Work

Text: Ema Marušáková / Barbora Kameníková, Photo: Martin Indruch

On November 7, 2024, in the Karel Engliš Great Hall at the Faculty of Law, the Vice-Rector for Research and Doctoral Studies, Šárka Pospíšilová, presented awards to doctoral graduates of Masaryk University. The awardees were selected based on several criteria, including completing their studies within the standard four-year period (extended by a maximum of one year) and simultaneously obtaining and presenting high-quality research results in their dissertations. This year, 31 doctoral students received the award, along with their supervisors and consultants, who contributed significantly to the preparation of the thesis. Read the whole article.

We are proud to share that 10 of the 31 awarded teams come from the Faculty of Science. A heartfelt congratulations to all the awardees for their hard work and dedication!

Brno PhD Talent 2024

The popular competition of Brno PhD students enters the final round! Twenty-five PhD students will receive scholarships of CZK 330,000, each over the next three years, through the Brno PhD Talent programme. This funding will enable them to concentrate more on their research, and this investment has the potential to benefit not only Brno but perhaps humanity as a whole. The new scholarship recipients, chosen from postgraduate students at universities in Brno, were selected by an expert committee of esteemed Czech scientists. The selection process was based on the students' applications and their presentations of the research projects to undertake during their studies.

A total of 18 students from MUNI SCI were on the shortlist. We want to congratulate them on their success and wish them luck in the final round! The winners will be announced on December 13, 2024! In the next issue of the Newsletter for Early-stage researchers, we will bring you the competition's results and a statistical overview of the success rate of individual departments.

MUNI PhD Career Days 2024 - Women in Science: Building Careers and Breaking Barriers

During MUNI PhD Career Days 2024, an inspiring panel discussion on Women in Science: Building Careers, Overcoming Barriers took place. The panel addressed the challenges and opportunities for women in science and explored ways to foster greater inclusivity and diversity in the scientific sphere. The event attracted many students, who had the chance to hear personal stories of successful women in academia, with each female scientist contributing her unique story to the discussion. These stories were undoubtedly a source of inspiration for the female students present and prompted many specific questions. The panel discussion guests were scientists Dr. Bohačiaková (MED), Doc. Brusenbauch Meislová (FSS) and Dr. Vikarska (LAW), who enriched the debate with their insights and expertise.

MUNI PhD Career Days 2024 highlighted many topics related to the future careers of our PhD students, focusing on the importance of supporting their career development. Thanks to the high interest in this event, we look forward to exploring these important topics in the future.

Competitions

Dean's Award

We would like to announce the opportunity to participate in the Dean´s Award, the main objective of which is to support doctoral students in their studies and research.
The director of your department must submit your nomination. Only one nomination
is possible - exceptionally, for large departments, it is possible to nominate up to two
PhD students or graduates who have only recently completed their PhD studies. A short evaluation of the nominated student/graduate needs to be included in the nomination form - especially considering their research output, academic achievements and significant activities in the field. More information can be found on the website.

Nominations can be submitted in two categories:
1) The best student in the doctoral programme
2) The collective of outstanding students

Nominations for the Faculty of Science MU should be sent to Michaela Švestková,
by February 21, 2025.

The Embo Gold Medal

Each year, the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) awards a gold medal to young life scientists who are currently working in one of the EMBC member countries. Eligible nominees must be under 40 or within 10 years of having obtained their PhD or equivalent. Additionally, they must have at least one major original paper published. The winner of the EMBO Gold Medal will receive a medal and a scholarship of EUR 10,000. This award aims to enhance the success rate and promote excellent PhD students, striving to increase the number of PhD candidates who complete their studies within the standard timeframe (which may be extended by one year) and achieve outstanding results in their dissertation. To be considered for the award, a nomination must be supported by one proposer (an EMBO member or an EMBO Young Investigator) and two sponsors (both EMBO members). It is highly advisable to submit your nomination for support from the Rector. More info can be found on the website.

The deadline for submitting nominations with the support of the MU Rector is January 6, 2025, and nominations should be sent to Michaela Švestková. The final deadline for all nominations is February 1, 2025.

The Jiřina Michlová Award

All active PhD students and graduates who defended their doctoral thesis no more than a year ago can now apply for the Jiřina Michlová Award, organised by the Learned Society of the Czech Republic. Students can apply for the competition with one original paper (not a collection of papers) by e-mail, using a single PDF sent to ucena.spol@kav.cas.cz, containing the following sections:

- the submitted work (it can be a professional article, a student paper or a study created exclusively for the prize)
- a popularisation text based on the attached original work; shorter texts should be written as if they were intended for, for example, the journal Vesmír
- a scanned PDF of an assessment of the work by an expert in the field, such as a supervisor, with their signature and identifying details, which also describes the student's contribution to the work submitted.

The evaluation criteria are originality and the student's contribution to the submitted research work. The deadline for applications is January 31, 2025. The awards will be given to the winners at the General Assembly of the Learned Society. The submitted competition text can be sent in Czech or English. More info in Czech on the web.

Conference

Invitation to the 19th International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment

On behalf of the Division of Chemistry and the Environment (DCE) of the European Association of Chemical Societies (EuChemS), the Serbian Chemical Society, and the local organising committee, we warmly invite you to the 19th International Conference on Chemistry and the Environment (ICCE 2025). Hosted by the Serbian Chemical Society with support from the University of Belgrade and the University of Novi Sad, this event will welcome over 450 participants from Europe and beyond! ICCE 2025 will address critical challenges and advancements in environmental chemistry, advancing knowledge vital for sustainability and environmental health.

When: June 8 - 12, 2025
Where: Belgrade, Serbia

International Conference on Engineering Mathematics and Physics (ICEMP-25)

We are delighted to welcome you to the International Conference on Engineering Mathematics and Physics (ICEMP-25) in Berlin, Germany, on 6th - 7th January 2025. This event will bring leading scientists, academicians, industry professionals, speakers, and experts to one platform. The informative discussions highlight solutions, achievements, trending issues, and future strategies. ISER constantly aims to present techniques, skills, and the latest information in various fields like science, technology, medical sciences, and the environment. It helps participants to explore speaking opportunities, present their unique ideas and create significant connections. You can participate in the groundbreaking discussion, which welcomes active participation and benefits the field and humankind. So, enhance your personal and professional journey by attending the upcoming event. The deadline for registration is December 22, 2024.

Where: Berlin, Germany
When: January 6 - 7, 2025

Interdisciplinary Workshops for PhD Students

Explore EMBL Courses in 2025 – Advanced Training for PhD Students

The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) offers an exciting lineup of courses in 2025 designed to equip PhD students with cutting-edge skills and insights in molecular biology. These courses, led by top scientists, provide hands-on training in areas such as genomics, bioinformatics, and advanced microscopy. Join us to expand your expertise, engage with international peers, and learn from EMBL’s pioneering research community. Discover how EMBL courses can empower your research and accelerate your scientific journey! Check them out!

Soft Skills Training - Pedagogical Competences

Teaching Competence Development Workshop - Registration for Spring Semester 2025

The workshop is intended for all teachers and doctoral students of Masaryk University regardless of the amount of their time and teaching load or length of teaching experience. The educational programme consists of four educational parts: individual work and joint meetings. The workshop lasts one semester (58 hours of training) and is conducted in the Czech language. Active participation in all parts of the workshop is a prerequisite for obtaining the certificate. Registration to the programme and its schedule.

When: January 27 - June 5, 2024
Where: CERPEK (room 328), Komenského náměstí 2, Brno

Interesting Reading for PhD Students and Postdocs

MU Succeeds With Four Strategic Projects Worth CZK 600 Million

Text: Ema Marušáková / Linda Nosková (EN)

MU became the most successful university in the call of the Jan Amos Komenský Operational Programme (OP JAK), which focused on social sciences and humanities. The Faculty of Economics and Administration and Philosophy, the Faculty of Social Studies and the SYRI Institute were successful with their projects. The evaluation committee of the programme recommended 13 out of 38 projects for funding in this call for proposals, and MU succeeded with four out of five submitted projects. "This is confirmation of the fact that humanities and social science research at our university is of an excellent standard. The fact that our faculties and institutes are capable of effective cooperation helps us in the fierce competition, and thanks to this, we are able to solve at a top level even highly complex problems facing man and society today," said Radim Polčák, Vice-Rector for Development, Legislation and Information Technology. Each successful MU project is expected to receive nearly CZK 150 million in support from the OP JAK call entitled Man and Humanity in the Global Challenges of Today, which was aimed at supporting the potential of social sciences and humanities. All projects will be implemented by the end of 2028.
The second and third place in the overall evaluation of all submitted projects went to the project from the Faculty of Social Studies entitled "On Our Own: Opportunities and Risks of the Individualization of Society" and the Faculty of Philosophy entitled "A Lifetime with Language: the nature and ontogeny of linguistic communication (LangInLife)". The SYRI project "Research on Peripheries for Strengthening the Resilience of Czech Society" and the project from the Faculty of Economics and Administration ", Population Ageing and Related Challenges for Health and Social Systems (AGEING-CZ)" also received support. "The current results of this call show that Masaryk University can prepare and defend large strategic projects in the field of science and research. Taking into account the fact that more and more calls are being launched for projects of a rather larger scale, I also see this success as a confirmation that the set path of systemic project support at MU in cooperation between the central and faculty level is correct," said Bursar David Póč. The whole article in Czech.