NEWS AT BUT 2020/2021

The PSAT2 satellite is the result of teamwork between scientists from BUT and USNA EDITORIAL

News VUTIUM Press

NEWS AT BUT English Yearbook published by the Brno University of Technology ID 00216305, VUTIUM Press Reg. no.: MK ČR E 7521, ISSN 1211–4421. Editor Jana Novotná tel.: +420 541 145 345 [email protected] Translation Miloš Bartoň Editor-in-chief Radana Koudelová tel.: +420 541 145 146 [email protected] Dear readers, Editorial board Mária Režňáková (Vice-rector), Miroslav As director of a research centre I have the chance to observe directly Doupovec (Vice-rector), Renata at the source how a seemingly small discovery, minor innovation or Herrmannová (Head, Marketing and External Relations), Anna Kruljacová just an idea may cause a big breakthrough and, in the end, transform (Chairman of Chamber, Chamber of society, often within an incredibly short time. Students), Eva Münsterová (Quality Department), Eva Gescheidtová (Vice-chairman, Academic Senate To take an example, in the research group of Lucy Vojtová we of BUT) are experimenting with regeneration of skin and the spine. New Editorial Office biomaterials for replacement of the full thickness of skin and creating VUTIUM Press an intervertebral bone fusion will be protected by patent for further Kolejní 4, CZ-612 00 Brno [email protected], www.vutbr.cz clinical application later this year. We are currently working on a project of healing bone inflammation with the aid of newly developed Graphic Design The publication by Jan Hrubý on Vojtěch Lunga antibacterial bone cement, in collaboration with the Motol University

the centenary of architecture Hospital in Prague, as well as a project of the development of new Typesetting by Jan Janák (VUTIUM) haemostatic materials from biopolymers and a new project for education in Brno captures Cover Photo the archive of Aleš Povalač and Lucie Šiprová Mojžíšová healing chronic wounds. As has been shown by this year’s situation several generations that made Printed by Helbich, a. s., Brno with COVID-19 we should be able to appreciate scientific progress. school history. Issue 4 I 2020/2021 At the moment of the spreading of the virus our eyes became fixed It reminds us of the names Issued on 12 October 2020 on scientists who made health protection and improvement of the Please, address your quality of life their mission. I am proud that we at CEITEC BUT were imprinted on the subconscious comments, suggestions and remarks able to quickly respond and almost immediately, in collaboration to [email protected] of Brno architecture as well as with the faculties, assembled and put into operation a makeshift line those that may have slipped producing protective shields. Over thirty thousand units were delivered from memory but have left a to hospitals, senior citizens’ homes, schools and people in the front line NOT FOR SALE! strong legacy behind. thanks to volunteers, students, technicians and research workers. The book is homage to all who Let us try to keep in mind how important science is for our society. have shaped the centenary. After the “coronavirus time” has passed, there will be new issues and tasks before us to be addressed. Will there be enough water after 2050? Where will we draw energy from? Will our materials be resistant enough? I look forward to the fact that some aspects will be resolved with the help of discoveries from Brno.

www.vutium.vutbr.cz

Radimír Vrba Director of Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC) BUT

NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 1 CONTENTS TOPIC BUT at the time of corona 3 News 7 Ladislav Jackson: An uncommitted art BUT at the time of corona historian is of no value to society 8 News 11 Jiří Tocháček: We already know how Hospitals, schools and offices. Places where the ideas and dexterous hands of the staff and students polymers degrade in the permanently of Brno University of Technology have helped during the unexpected covid-19 pandemic, which raised frozen environment of Antarctica 12 a large wave of solidarity across society. An important role in this was played by universities. Let’s take a Signal from space sent to amateur look at some projects which arose in the spring months at BUT and helped, including over the ocean. radio operators via a satellite made by FEEC experts 15 Samuel Dušek: If you prove your ability on 34 the job, doors will be open to you 18 Radana Koudelová and material or they are not our respirator is conceived so launched as early as March The devices made by Photon Photo Andrea Němcová and Tereza efficient enough. The material as to have an easily replace- by FabLab Brno in the South After school I will make a living by going to Kadrnožková work like everybody else, says the softball Systems Instruments, a company commonly used for 3D printing able textile filter. The quality of Moravian Innovation Centre. pitcher Michal Holobrádek 21 from Drásov near Tišnov built by is relatively porous and there the filter then determines the As the capacity of their 3D CEITEC Nano can be visited by anyone a BUT graduate, are used by is no guarantee that you protection level. It is possible printers soon filled up they with a clear research goal 24 would not draw in air through to use locally available filtra- looked for other enthusiasts. researchers from NASA, My task is to give back to people the chance At the end of March a team it. We came up with a simple tion material. The material of Over time virtually all the BUT to choose, says the strategist and mental Cambridge and Monsanto. made up of the staff and enhancement, to overlay the the mask proper is washable faculties became involved in couch Radim Valigura 27 students of the Faculty of printed mask with a disposable and can be disinfected,” added printing parts of face shields Dragon 9 on the race track 30 Electrical Engineering and latex or nitrile glove. This will Radek Přikryl from the Faculty before it was possible, thanks Communication BUT devel- make the mask impervious of Chemistry, who collaborated to CEITEC and FCH, to move Board games from Brno celebrate 38 success around the world 32 oped a protective half-mask, and it fits better on the face. on the project with colleagues over to more efficient produc- the components of which can At the same time it is from at- from the Faculty of Mechanical tion using injection moulding. News 33 Jindřich Melcher has been be made on commonly used tested material which ensures Engineering. Soon afterwards “The shield consists of four We still don’t know much about plants, working for the Institute of 3D printers. You only need a it is not harmful to health,” the whole team embarked parts, being the headband, says the creator of instruments for NASA, few generally available items explained one of the authors on the development of this chin, Plexiglas shield and a Oxford and Monsanto 34 Metal and Timber Structures FCE for nearly 60 years. His for its production. The mask of the half-mask from BUT, filter from materials that are rubber band. We add instruc- Jindřich Melcher: In designing structures can be partially adapted to the Václav Kaczmarczyk. decomposable in nature, which tions for use and naturally we have to ensure safety, reliability and teacher was Ferdinand Lederer, shape of the face to increase is important for application in disinfect the shields. Injection robustness 38 who designed the legendary its efficiency to the maxi- The Faculty of Chemistry de- developing countries without moulding enabled us to ramp An IFE graduate who left for Iceland to work Pavilion Z. mum. Its creators have made veloped a concept for a simple necessary experience in up production from 200 to as a tourist guide on a glacier 42 detailed instructions including respirator, the production of recycling. The project was a roughly 2,000 units daily. Crossing the border with BUT 46 a video and the source code which, using the method of collaborative effort including a In addition, the shields are The Chybík+Krištof architectural studio from for production on a 3D printer vacuum thermoforming, could partner from the industry and mechanically and chemically Brno is the best in the world 48 50 available to the general public. be inexpensive as with drink- experts from the Faculty of more resistant,” stated Luděk The Optical Communication Laboratory at As a result the mask began ing cups. A respirator tested Chemical and Food Technology Žalud from CEITEC and FEEC, the FEEC carries out unique research into The Optical Communication to help around the world. For for the FFP1 and FFP2 protec- of Slovak University of who was in charge of produc- information transmission via a laser beam 50 Laboratory at the Department of example, it was printed by tion level could become an Technology in Bratislava. tion logistics. With the help of Andrea Konečná: When you step out of your Radioengineering FEEC serves the staff of the Henry Mayo affordable variant both for the a number of firms and institu- comfort zone ideas will start to arrive 54 both for teaching courses and Newhall Hospital in California. health emergency system and BUT produced over 36 tions and financial support To be successful you need to fit hundreds research into scientific projects It is now available in a range the population in general. “As thousand protective from the city we were able to of parts together, says the boss of of sizes, including a version it is a plastic shell the respi- shields hand out free of charge more Flowmon Networks 57 of global significance. 60 for children. A Czech company rator is incredibly light and Thanks to the collaboration than 36 thousand protective News 59 from Lanškroun asked for a relatively mouldable. It weighs of a number of faculties and shields which went to medi- From Tunisia to Brno in pursuit of a Thanks to the prestigious Marie licence for mass production. less than 25 grams including units within BUT and several cal personnel, pharmacists, scientific career 60 Skłodowska-Curie fellowship “We wanted to invent an the filter and rubber bands. external partners we managed shop assistants, to schools, alternative to the available For comparison, the lightest offices, social workers and News 61 programme the doctoral to expedite production of makeshift means of protection textile respirators are about protective shields by employ- many other places. “Our initial The education system in Denmark is based researcher Salwa Saafi from as most of the resources on 10 grams. Respirators with ing the injection moulding goal was to produce roughly on confrontation between teacher and student, says Lukáš Arbeit 62 Tunisia travelled to Brno, where offer for 3D printed masks ei- replaceable filters weigh up method. The production and 10 thousand protective shields ther require special machines to ten times more. In addition, distribution of this aid was and preferably cover the needs News 64 she is now in charge of the A-WEAR project at FEEC.

2 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 3 workplace was created on created a germicidal radiator and other necessary material until the time when the supply demand from the University at the request of the University were again provided by the of thermocameras was taken Hospital which is planning its Hospital Brno. These radiators team free of charge so that an- care of by the state. "Data and pilot deployment and testing. or lamps are devices used for yone interested could use their images from the thermovision The researchers are in further disinfecting air and surfaces, know-how in these compli- cameras were sent to the negotiations with the Masaryk for which they take advantage cated times. About 60 cotton central computer operated Memorial Cancer Institute and of UVC radiation, a part of face masks were delivered by by medical students. If the CEITEC laboratories. One of the electromagnetic spectrum the researchers to the hospital cameras registered a raised possible applications is the invisible to man. The pandemic in Vyškov, and dozens more to temperature in someone, the preparation of samples taken made germicide radiators the Peace Corps and the city students alerted the medical from patients suspected to scarce commodities and quarter of Brno-Centre, which staff physically present at the have covid-19. “The samples the University Hospital Brno handed them out to senior entrance who ensured that the are digitally identified, un- turned to FME. “We furnished citizens. high-risk patient did not come plugged, a pipette draws the the radiator with an automated into contact with others,” de- fluid that the robot transports timer. After a defined time, Valuable help to the scribed the researchers Ondřej into a microtube or a depres- which is now pre-set at 40 University Hospital Brno Pech and Petr Kracík. sion in a cassette for 8 to 96 minutes, it will switch off by Experts from BUT helped the samples. The cassette again itself. This primarily relieves largest South Moravian hos- BUT established collaboration receives a digital code and operators from the neces- pital in many different ways. with the University Hospital identification of the position sary control of the exposition FME provided laboratory for of St. Anne in Brno as well. of each processed sample. In period,” added Matoušek, the measurement of protective Together they tested increas- this way a batch of samples giving details on the working aids and filters. During a week ing the disinfecting capabilities is made ready for further of the device. A similar radiator one of the laboratories of the of 3D masks by metal coating. processing which consists of was developed by the FEEC Energy Institute FME normally Experts from the Faculty of separation of the nucleic acid which donated it to a company used for studying aerosols Civil Engineering led by Jan and the PCR test proper. The in Břeclav. was reconfigured to enable Podroužek experimented with laboratory assistant monitors measuring filtration efficiency applying antimicrobial coat- the whole process and con- Mechanical engineers also and pressure drop, which are ings on the external side of trols it via an application that came up with the idea of two essential parameters the adapter of the face mask may be installed in a tablet creating a modified frame from that determine the efficiency made by 3D printing in the or smartphone,” explained flexible material that will en- of protective aids. For the strojLAB laboratory at FME BUT Radomil Matoušek, head of able a classic cloth face mask University Hospital Brno they as well as door handles and the Institute of Automation to better adhere to the face measured the filtration ef- handrails. Some microorgan- and Computer Science at and prevent air from escaping ficiency of respirators, tested isms can remain outside a the Faculty of Mechanical at the sides. A simple solu- the complete set of protective host for several days which is Engineering, describing the tion which helps increase the aids and the filtration effi- essential for spreading the dis- operation of openTube, which cloth mask’s efficiency during ciency of the filter employed in ease. According to latest data he managed to develop with wear was tested by scientists the lung ventilator. this time can be considerably his four-strong team within a from FME. They modified the reduced on metal surfaces. In of smaller medical practices, very start. After receiving the over to the Brno City Police, covid-19 in the University month. A dexterous laboratory already known concept accord- BUT lent three thermovision addition it is easier to disinfect shops and individuals as we necessary permits it began fire brigade in Brno-Žebětín Hospital Brno is an invention assistant can complete the ing to their design, and made cameras to the University a smooth surface than a rough expected that hospitals and to be produced by the Faculty and most importantly the with the name openTube. The whole process a little faster, the final version available Hospital Brno. Two cameras printout from the 3D printer. health centres would be sup- of Chemistry BUT, follow- University Hospital in Brno. As laboratory assistant will insert but unlike humans the robot to the public so that anyone serving scientific purposes at This is very important in mass plied by the state,” recalled ing an official recipe of the with the printing of protective tubes with samples in place, never gets tired and the labo- could produce a tailor-made the Energy Institute FME were printed reductions for diving Luděk Žalud in an interview for World Health Organisation. shields the help of the team activate the system and every- ratory staff need not manipu- compression frame on a 3D installed and put into service masks worn mainly by medical CEITEC. In the end shields from The permit granted to the of Tomáš Opravil was again thing else works automatically. late a potentially hazardous printer. Another idea from the by the researchers at hospital staff for several hours a day. BUT were redirected to many faculty allowed production crucial in this endeavour. This solution for biohazard infectious sample. same faculty was two types entrances. The third camera hospitals as well. of the disinfectant for the laboratories is the work of of single-layer face masks – was lent by CEITEC BUT to the Zeros and ones can help, needs of the organisational Mechanical engineers vs. researchers from the Institute Apart from the above de- EasyOn and PiggyNOSE. Both Children's Hospital which falls too Hospitals and health centres units of the state, the region, coronavirus of Automation and Computer scribed robotic system types can be immediately under the University Hospital BUT computers became were also helped by the cities, municipalities and their A robotic system from BUT Science at the Faculty of the Faculty of Mechanical attached on the ears as they Brno. The state-of-the-art involved in research into the anti-COVID disinfectant which contributing organisations. that will save work of labora- Mechanical Engineering Engineering, specifically the have no tying string. Files for research cameras were on virus and development of a was in short supply from the The first batches were handed tory staff with samples of BUT. The openTube robotic team of Radomil Matoušek, the laser, instruction manuals loan to the beginning of May, vaccine through the Folding@

4 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 5 NEWS home project. By installing the involved and a number of made arrangements for a con- of the state of emergency and BUT and was embraced by a from elementary school and SUCCESS programme the user enables students of Brno University tract for a loan. The result of compulsory quarantine. number of volunteers from one secondary school student. scientists to use the comput- of Technology regardless of this activity initiated by Radka among BUT students. One When they receive a task that ing power of the processor the faculty dedicated their Báčová was the acquisition of Students to students of the volunteers was Milan is beyond them, they will show or the graphic card, whereby personal computers to the nine notebooks, five tablets Right from the start of the pan- Klapetek, who lectures at BUT it to me on the camera and thousands of users intercon- cause. and two mobile phones. demic in March BUT students to senior citizens within the I will explain how to solve it. nect their machines into a ‘su- became actively involved in University of the Third Age. He In addition I teach chemistry percomputer’. For a long time The Faculty of Information A student of FEEC and her the nation-wide initiative Chci prepared a series of videos for to that secondary student,” the team of Brno University Technology BUT decided to mate from FIT helped the pomoct (I Want to Help). This them that help senior citizens stated Kristina Stejskalová, a of Technology held first help the Dagmar Children’s general public by offering is used for registration and the find motivation or hope and student at FEEC BUT in mid- position in the table of Czech Home Brno by organising a people an existing application sorting of help by volunteers. advise them on how to survive March. Students of the Faculty universities in the extent of charity collection of computer called Don’t Panic! designed Those interested could select in the difficult times. A number of Business and Management FME team won silver in the EBEC donated computer capacity technology to assist the for people with psychological from among activities such as of BUT students became have been in long-term col- finals (at the time of going to print children in online education. problems. They can use the help with shopping, provision engaged in a similar initiative laboration with the Association FIT was followed by Czech People from the ranks of the application for breathing of face masks and disinfect- called MUNI Helps co-ordinated of Foster Parents and offered Second place in the all-European finals Technical University). The staff, students and the general exercises, and an exercise ants, remedial classes and by Masaryk University. extra classes there. For a of the EBEC 2019 (European BEST activities of Folding@home public, as well as from com- to distract one’s attention. babysitting, taking pets out change, students of the Engineering Competition) event was were significantly supported panies and other institutions In the worst cases there for a walk and many other. The Volunteers from the ranks Faculty of Civil Engineering claimed by a four-strong team from the by the Students’ Chamber of who were interested could are contacts to specialised force behind I Want to Help of the staff and students remotely helped senior citizens Faculty of Mechanical Engineering BUT. the Academic Senate BUT, the donate functional computers assistance. The application is the Academic Centre of of the Faculty of Fine Arts with software installation to They qualified for the contest first with Faculty of Civil Engineering or tablets that the children’s has been downloaded for free Students’ Activities (ACSA), led established a workshop for enable them to communicate victory at BUT and then in the regional and, for example, the Faculty home could use in teaching. by more than sixty thousand by the FIT graduate Jaroslav sewing textile face masks on with their families. round of teams from the Czech Republic, of Information Technology. Who could not directly donate people, some of whom found it Švec. The initiative was sup- the premises of the Goose on Slovakia and Hungary. The final round of Virtually anyone could get computer technology, FIT helpful during the difficult time ported by Student´s Chamber a String Theatre which they BUT was the first Czech the competition in Italy brought together handed out for free, mainly to university to make a helpful 120 best students from the whole social workers. Part of the face step towards its students Europe. masks, specifically the fixation accommodated in students’ bands, were cut on a laser halls of residence. From as The foursome of young mechanical cutter by architects from the early as 17th March it was engineers comprising of Josef Pažourek, Faculty of Architecture BUT decided to compensate them Jan Abrahám, Ondřej Sláma and Ondřej in the Modelling Centre. The for the rent in the full amount Švanda participated in the Team project was considerably con- from the profits of past years, Design category. In Turin, Italy they had tributed to by Vojtěch Kundrát so that students who checked to prove their abilities and creativity from FCH. More information out could leave their things in in assembling a functional model of on this initiative is available at the room with no worries about machinery following specifications by www.sijemerousky.cz. payment. From the start of the engineering companies. pandemic BUT management Students across BUT faculties has been collecting informa- From the Danieli company of Italy offered voluntary remedial tion on the volunteering activi- they received the task of upgrading a distance-learning classes, ties of students and staff in production line so as to increase the primarily to secondary and fighting the virus. Their efforts efficiency of processes, and their design elementary school students will be awarded in the autumn was evaluated by the jury as the best out who were at a loss with in the form of scholarships and of 14 submitted designs. Although they their schoolwork. They gave financial rewards. captured only fourth place for the design extra classes in mathemat- of a special fire extinguishing system for ics, physics, chemistry and Škoda Auto, both placements brought other subjects. One example them up to second position overall. to speak for all: “I am at home A total of 88 technical universities at the moment writing my from the whole Europe took part in the diploma thesis, so I decided to competition last year. help and give extra classes via Skype. Right now I am teach- (ed) ing mathematics to two boys

6 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 7 BUT INTERVIEW Ladislav Jackson: An uncommitted art historian is of no value to society

8 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 9 NEWS

With the art Manual, and we are in negotia- implemented or not. All in all, oblivion. He died in California and what position they take by dirty – is totally wrong in my AWARD historian Ladislav tions with Paseka Publishers it shows that the trace that where he is buried. A consider- their statement. Contemporary opinion. Art has always been Jackson, since the concerning the Modern Jaroslav Polívka left behind able part of the prepared book art should be increasingly shaped to a great extent by last academic year Hradec guide, which should himself in Brno was much called Californian Dreams will more able to defend its own circumstances outside of be another volume in the more profound than just the be dedicated to Polívka and existence, whether in the field art, such as money, politics, a lecturer at the Modern Prague and Modern Palác Jalta, which made him his Californian period. There of art criticism or academic power, the magic of various Department of Art Brno series. As far as Brno is famous. The Palác Jalta was are plans for a possible future debate, but mainly in front of kind and belief in supernatural Theory and History concerned, given the number exhibition and a monograph. the public. Good art is vital powers. Art has always been at the Faculty of Fine of excellent historians of Between 1938 and 1939 for society but it should be political, whether we like it or modern architecture who have What was it that brought you accessible to everyone who is not. And the more political it Arts of Brno University Polívka emigrated to the of Technology, on his been active here, and also to California? interested. gets, the louder it states about thanks to the BAM that you United States, worked At the turn of 2016 and itself that it is not. affinity with Hradec mentioned, there were not at the universities in 2017 I was in California as You are known for your com- Králové and search many themes left for me. But Berkeley and Stanford a Fulbright scholar. After my mitment in public arguments Endangering heritage monu- for Brno-specific I did find one which is linked and after the war started return I didn’t know exactly related to endangered heritage ments need not include solely demolition; it often involves themes, what Brno with my California research, to closely cooperate with what to do as in the meantime monuments. Do you think that Stanislav Libenský Award for an a forgotten but rather impor- I had severed all employment commitment is part of an art insensitive reconstructions. FFA student and Berkeley have the important American in common, how to tant interwar civil engineer links. I sent in applications historian’s job description? Do you know any example of and designer, who also termed architect Frank Lloyd to a number of free position No doubting about that – an endangerment in Brno today? The Stanislav Libenský Award 2019 went teach art history himself an architect, although Wright. offers and one of them was for uncommitted art historian is A kind of a warning signal to Adam Hejduk, a student of sculpture to future artists he studied civil engineering, a lecturer at BUT and it turned of no value to society. When was the moment a few years at the Faculty of Fine Arts BUT, for his and the obligation Jaroslav Josef Polívka. He was out well. someone completes a special- ago when the owner of the work Support. He created an object of art historians to a figure of world stature in the the first big city multifunc- ised type of education and ac- International Hotel appealed consisting of two glass plates rising occasionally show civil true meaning of the word. tional palace with a shopping What kind of students are the quires relevant knowledge and for the revoking of the from a wooden base and leaning away disobedience. arcade in Brno. Drawing on his undergraduates at the Faculty abilities one should use them protected heritage monument from each other, forming a V-shape. What is his relationship with experience with the Chicago of Fine Arts? for the benefit of society. Just status of the hotel and the The object is held in place by strings Brno? and Habich palaces, Polívka I worked at the Faculty of take the ability to critically ana- Ministry of Culture obliged. which, after activation by a bow, transfer Initially he worked in Zurich, introduced this type of building Arts in České Budějovice for lyse the meaning of a visual Although no clearly endan- vibrations to the glass. Adam Hejduk then in Prague but simultane- to Brno and it served as the several years, teaching future message. I think that things gering interventions in the sends sounds from the installation to his ously left a significant trace in model for similar projects in art historians. Education at an simply don’t work without com- monument have been carried friends who modify them and after remix Jana Novotná Brno between the wars. From the city that followed. art school is essentially differ- out, because of what hap- use them as a musical instrument. Photo Igor Šefr pened, they could be executed his diaries we know that at ent, the students there do not Between 1938 and 1939 the turn of the twenties and How does Polívka relate to need an encyclopaedic knowl- without any obstacles in the The organisers praised the work stating the thirties he spent almost your research in California? edge or an expert’s eye and Polívka emigrated to the future. And then there is the that it transcends previous experience You specialise in 19th and 20th half of his working time in Between 1938 and 1939 trained visual memory like art United States, worked whole huge chapter of art in the application of glass in art. As the century architecture, mainly Brno, where he designed the Jaroslav Polívka emigrated historians. Future artists can at the universities in in the public space. In Brno main prize the awarded student received in connection with Hradec Palác Jalta and the adjoining to the United States and make do with a basic outline Berkeley and Stanford this has been under close a three-week-long stay at the Pilchuck Králové, where you come from, building (formerly Siemens), never returned. He settled in of art history but what they and after the war started observation thanks to people Glass School in the USA. In 2019 a total who have been committed to but you have been living in as well as apartment houses Berkeley in California where do need is to learn to think to closely cooperate with of 140 competitors sent applications to Brno for a second year. Have on the corner of Kotlářská he worked at the university about the artworks and most this area for many years, but the competition which aims to present you managed to find time to St and Bayerova St and the and simultaneously began to importantly to talk about them. the important American in other cities sculptures are works by young glass designers, and 28 get acquainted with the Brno functionalist palace of the teach at Stanford University. Language prowess needs architect Frank Lloyd being constantly removed artists from 13 countries, including the Architecture Manual, or BAM? Co-operative of Employees in In 1946 he started to closely to be cultivated so that they Wright. and dumped or bought for the USA, Sweden and China, made it to the Yes, I have, but… although Trade and Industry erected cooperate with the important could express themselves in cost of the material. This is finals. I expect I have exhausted the on the site of today’s Scala American architect Frank Lloyd things related to art, as it can scandalous. interesting themes related to cinema and converted by Wright. This was his greatest help them defend their own mitment of whichever kind. So, (ed) modern architecture in Hradec the architect Lubor Lacina in lifetime achievement at age work, think critically about the idea that is quite common Králové and would like to the 1950s. He was also the 60, thanks to which he is actu- it. They have to be capable in the public space today – cast Hradec aside, I still don’t author of a number of unbuilt ally more famous in the United of informed self-reflection. that it is necessary to sepa- seem to be able to shake it designs for Brno and there Sates than over here. As an For artists it is important to rate art and politics and that off. Together with my col- are several projects here emigrant he became persona be able to step back a little art represents some timeless leagues we are working on the where we have so far failed non grata in Czechoslovakia from what they are doing and aesthetic values, while politics Hradec Králové Architecture to identify whether they were after 1948 and fell into realise why they are doing it is something that makes art

10 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 11 RESEARCH Jiří Tocháček: We already know how polymers degrade in the permanently frozen environment of Antarctica

Roughly five years ago the media informed us that scientists from BUT would acute day by day. Given the be the first in the world to investigate the aging of plastics in Antarctica. Today very low temperatures and things are slowly coming the full circle and the unique multidisciplinary project short sunlight period, at first under the supervision of Jiří Tocháček from the Advanced Polymers and glance the environment in Antarctica may seem friendly Composites research group of Josef Jančář from CEITEC BUT is publishing the to polymers. On the other first results. Since the time of their emergence synthetic polymers have literally hand, it is Antarctica over flooded the world and although they degrade naturally, the speed of their which the ozone anomaly, disintegration is still much slower than the pace of their production. To attempt which enables some compo- to change this is one of the project goals of Jiří Tocháček, an internationally nents of the sun’s radiation to recognised expert in polymer degradation and stability. pass through more easily, is most evident.

How difficult was it to organ- Jana Novotná higher temperatures to reach Although we didn’t know each ise this logistically complex Photo Igor Šefr and the archive of results as quickly as possible. other at that time, a year later project? Jiří Tocháček this was put right over a beer Over a few weeks we put to- How did you get the idea of and things took a rapid turn. gether a team of researchers Antarctica? from different disciplines and It all started in 2013, when the What makes Antarctica attrac- institutions who were inter- In polymer research you use geochemist Lukáš Krmíček tive for you as a researcher? ested in collaboration. From the term “weathering”. What from the Faculty of Civil Antarctica was an untouched Masaryk University they were is it? Engineering BUT returned territory in this respect, the Antarctic scientific station Weathering is the ageing of from an expedition at the J. G. nobody had organised a similar master Pavel Kapler and the polymers under the natural Mendel station run by Masaryk systematic experiment with climatologists Kamil Láska climatic conditions of our University on James Ross is- plastic there before. It’s not and Klára Čížková, followed by planet. It is one of the ways to land in Antarctica. Although his just a romantic continent full Michael Tupý from the Fatra learn more about the technical specialisation has nothing in of snow, ice and penguins. company, Radka Bálková and specifications of these materi- common with plastics, his feel Year by year more and more Petr Poláček from BUT, Jan als and their reliability in the for chemistry could not be held plastic waste reaches its Merna from the University of intended application. Exposed down and he noticed polymer shores, floating in from dif- Chemistry and Technology test sites are distributed pipes with damaged surfaces, ferent parts of the world. This Prague and Zdeněk Buráň throughout the world, but serving as protection of cables makes the problem of the from Polymer Institute Brno. mainly in locations with higher connecting the individual natural degradation of plastics During a relatively short time intensity of solar radiation and workplaces in the station. in the local environment more we prepared test samples of

12 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 13 COLLABORATION purpose-made polymers at the laboratories of CEITEC Antarctica, despite its low to submit applications and CEITEC BUT that were installed BUT and other participat- temperatures, is by far not as wait for an uncertain result. on test panels. Five panels ing organisations. The first friendly to polymers as was Consequently, the project has were handed over to the preliminary results were initially expected. The impact a rather specific method of nearest expedition at the end known after retrieving the of the hole in the ozone layer financing – it has no dedicated of 2014 and in January 2015 first round of samples, but permitting the passage of resources of its own but has the samples were exposed in for the sake of reliability and a higher percentage of the been supported by several dif- Antarctica. The second series rigour it was necessary to UV component of the global ferent grants from the Ministry of five panels serving as a con- obtain much more data. Only sun's radiation has shown of Education, of which only trol was exposed in parallel on results after three years of itself to be very important. And one was directly assigned to the rooftop of the library of the exposure could be considered although the results obtained the logistics of materials and Faculty of Science MU. This well grounded. In August up till now have proven that equipment transported to the was the launch of the unique 2019 they were published in degradation due to external station. This lack of homoge- long-term research project into Polymer Testing (Elsevier), exposure is faster in Brno, neity in financing showed as the degradation of synthetic one of the renowned journals representing typical climate kind of an advantage as it did polymers under the climatic dedicated to the properties conditions in Central Europe, not present a serious adminis- conditions of the continent and behaviour of synthetic the difference was surprisingly trative load. Quite the opposite, with no existing data on its polymers. Given the topicality not huge. In addition, apart it greatly suited the specific effect on the life of polymers. of the subject lectures on this from radiation proper, in Brno and long-term nature of the theme were accepted at two it is augmented by air pollution project, where the workload How did you evaluate the foreign conferences, one of in the atmosphere typical of was greatest within a few samples? them being the 9th European an industrial agglomeration, months after taking samples The exposed polymers Weathering Symposium EWS, which is completely missing in and for the rest of the year we were removed each year held in September 2019 in Antarctica. waited for the next round of and brought back by the Basel, Switzerland. samples which were pro- expeditions of scientists who How did you find resources to cessed exclusively by nature. regularly visit the station. The What did the research reveal? finance the project? samples were continually The results have indicated Given the necessity of a What was it like to work in this processed and evaluated in that the environment in quick start there was no time large multidisciplinary group? The fact that the project is multi-institutional and, in a way, multidisciplinary is quite unique. Although the principal subject of research is polymer degradation, only a half of the authors of the publication are polymer experts. The others are geographers, geochem- ists and climatologists who worked together in preparing the samples, characteristics of Signal from space sent to the radiation and the logistics. Without their participation the implementation of this project would be unthinkable. amateur radio operators via Collaboration with them was excellent, simply because they all liked to collaborate and were convinced without reser- a satellite made by FEEC vation about the importance of their work. experts

14 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 15 What for Aleš Povalač and Tomáš Urbanec from the Department Zuzana Hübnerová official project as it was a run satellite, which functions as The transmission of a single could not even exclude with Photo Igor Šefr and the archive of Aleš over a long distance with an a responder so that it sends image lasts from several certainty an error during the of Radioengineering at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Povalač Communication BUT started as a project for free evenings and uncertain result,” explained the received signals back. This dozen seconds to minutes,” loading into the rocket and weekends, over the course of four years metamorphosed into Aleš Povalač with a smile. allows us to use the satellite described Martin Pospíšil, making connections. When the According to him, working on to establish amateur radio another project participant, first pieces of news arrived a satellite orbiting in space. For an object of the United States “It started as a project and a satellite is magnificent but it connection,” explained Povalač who underlined that in the directly from the satellite Naval Academy (USNA) they designed and developed two ended as a success many peo- can’t be taken for granted that in more detail. As he de- case of image transmission we were overwhelmed with key systems to attend receiving signals, communication with ple can only dream about, “The an unprofessional apparatus scribes, amateur radio connec- using audio the downloading joy over here that we made amateur radio operators from the whole world and sending off equipment that we worked on will finally make it to orbit and tion means that two stations of the image is accompanied it and everything worked as images captured by a miniature camera. The PSAT2 satellite with my colleague Urbanec will work. “At the moment will exchange information on by characteristic interference it should,” confirmed Tomáš together with additional twenty-three objects was placed to orbit was more of a hobby. It would when it stops operating after whether and how well they and noise. “It’s not the most Urbanec. be difficult to find sponsorship launch you can’t repair it any hear each other, their call sophisticated technology, in June 2019 by the famous Falcon Heavy rocket. or financial backing through an more,” added the second signs and existing location. but on the other hand it is How long the satellite is yet to of the designers, Tomáš “This type of connection via a standard in the field. As revolve around the Earth is not Urbanec. a satellite is a matter of pres- a result, every amateur radio known at present. “The esti- tige for ham radio operators operator in the world knows mate is plus minus five years, But this did not happen to as it requires equipment and what it means when he hears but that’s for rough orientation the team from FEEC BUT. The good technical knowledge at this signal and how to decode only. It has ballast inside, being satellite on which they collabo- both stations,” added Tomáš it,” added Pospíšil. a weight which is in there to rated with the United States Urbanec with the proviso secure maximum momentum Naval Academy endured the that the Czech co-designers Thanks to a minicamera and of the satellite. In this way we launch and so far has been are simultaneously users of the possibility to send audio ensure that it will stick to orbit working in space without any the satellite as they are all images the team from FEEC and not descend too quickly. problem. But it was not the amateur radio operators. “We BUT now owns a unique This ballast weight maximizes first successful co-operation. are members of the OK2KOJ collection of photographs of the lifetime in orbit,” explained The Czech specialists con- radio club at BUT and we know the Earth and space. “Radio Aleš Povalač. tinued a successful series the ham radio community, we stations around the world even of previous projects with the have contacts abroad which is managed to capture moments The Czech team would like to American team. “The United useful. Stations from around immediately after the launch gradually provide access to States Naval Academy is able the world become connected of the satellite. When we did more functionality and speci- to participate in the space pro- and regularly send us reports the count we discovered that fications for the ham radio gramme and may occasionally that they heard the satel- just ten seconds after the community. “Naturally we will place its own object on orbit. lite. We receive reports from release of our satellite from keep monitoring the state of While in the past the satellites America, Australia and Japan. the rocket the camera acti- the satellite to possibly inter- were designed with scientific We have information that the vated itself and shot the first vene when necessary. But so research in mind, this small satellite works and for them it images. They made it clear to far everything looks good. We CubeSat, on which we worked is a chance to receive interest- us that we were successful,” have lots of ideas about what together, is more of a dem- ing data and image specifica- remarked Aleš Povalač. could be improved. But we try onstration of technology. It is tions,” explained Urbanec. to hold ourselves back and we used by specialists mainly to According to the Czech team it wait to see whether we might test or verify something. The Apart from text the satellite was the first piece of informa- be able to participate in a new PSAT2 satellite is an amateur from the workshop of Czech tion about the satellite after version of the satellite,” ended radio satellite serving primarily experts is capable of relaying two years. “We sent our part Povalač. the community of amateur images as well. “The satellite of the equipment to America radio operators around the primarily has two modes. One in 2017. It was then completed world,” explained Povalač. of them is text communication, and tested by our American when the individual letters colleagues. In addition, the In practical terms this means transmit rather slowly, but date of the start of the rocket that the frequencies on which the amateur radio operators kept being postponed, so our it relays are co-ordinated can exchange messages. satellite just lay down some- exactly for ham radio opera- The second mode sends where in the US and we waited tors. “They have a possibility images in the form of audio. to see whether it would maybe to send out their signal to the It is termed slow television. fly somewhere sometime. We

16 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 17 STUDENT ABROAD Samuel Dušek: If you prove your ability on the job, doors will be open to you

“Students are afraid that if they go abroad for an internship and prolong their study they will lose a year of their life. I think they will lose nothing. Quite the opposite. They will gain so much experience that they will be able to draw upon it for the rest of their life,” says Samuel Dušek, a student of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication BUT, who completed a year-long internship with Analog Devices, an Irish company of losing my background. The of electrical engineering specialising in first half-year was exhausting, equipment consists of several but the second was magnifi- stages. It’s a good idea, when the production of cent and full of experiences. an electrical engineer who semiconductor chips. On departure I realised that works most of his life in the I would miss the life that I had same position, tries them all created for myself there over out. The boss let me work for Hana Marko the year,” says the former three months on software de- Photo archive of Samuel Dušek student of the fifth year of velopment, and the next three microelectronics at FEEC BUT. months on a chip, which I later When Samuel Dušek returned He joined the Irish branch of measured and tested over the to the Czech Republic in Analog Devices, specialising in same period. In the last three August last year, just a few the development and produc- months I had an opportunity days after arrival he admit- tion of silicon circuitry, in July to write my diploma thesis. ted that he missed living in 2018. He took up the position I gained plenty of experience,” Ireland. “I have gone through of a co-op student in a team described the student. all phases – shortly before of analogue designers who leaving for abroad I didn’t feel developed integrated chips. Dušek positively acknowledges like going at all, I was afraid “The process of the production the company’s approach,

18 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 19 SPORTS when they let him work on open to you. Not just in terms to going to work at nine and children. “When I told my Irish real-life projects right from the of a financial offer, but job returning home at six. But my colleagues at work that when start. “I appreciate that the opportunities as well.” colleagues advised me not to I was in first class parents let After supervisors put their trust in go out in the evening. The city me walk alone to school a few me from the beginning. I was Despite excellent working of Limerick, where I lived with kilometres away they were able to work on things of great conditions and a good team my girlfriend, has been nick- in shock. They thought I was value which must have cost the first half-year of life in named ‘stab city’. It was once pulling their leg. In Ireland this school I the company a lot of money. Ireland was challenging. Dušek ruled over by the mafia, which situation would be immediately Experienced colleagues were had to get accustomed to used screwdrivers and knives examined by social care,” de- willing to spend three hours rainy weather and a different to settle accounts. And these scribed the student mention- with me to explain something. rhythm of work. “I like to sleep attacks still happen occasion- ing the cultural differences. will make But they told me they could when it’s dark and live when ally,” explained Dušek. In his words, it was one of also learn something by talking it’s light. In the Czech Republic the reasons why he could not with me about things. When I would go to work at six to be As he maintains, increased imagine a family life in Ireland. you worked hard and proved able to do some sports in the safety measures are reflected a living by your ability, doors were wide afternoon. The Irish are used in the relationship with In the end he caught up at the weekends with the sporting and travelling activities that he had to do without dur- going to ing the week. “We travelled through the whole of Ireland. Beautiful countryside. Almost every weekend we set off to work like a different place. If they had a more welcoming weather, I believe Ireland would be tour- ist destination number one,” everybody evaluated Dušek who devoted himself to his favourite hobby of photography when discover- ing the new country. else, says To students who are weigh- ing up an internship in Analog Devices, Samuel Dušek can the softball only recommend it from his ex- perience, “It would be a shame to miss out on an excellent opportunity merely because of pitcher a lack of information or out of apprehension of the unknown,” emphasized Dušek stating that the Irish development Michal firm offers a great number of internships at various posi- tions every year. Holobrádek

20 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 21 How did you get to playing team in Břeclav I have stayed the nearest larger town has little, but at the same time I softball? And what is the dif- in Havlíčkův Brod. hardly 5,000 inhabitants. think we have nothing to be ference between softball and Maize seems to be grown ashamed of. We managed to baseball? Last year you spent your sum- everywhere and it does not get to the play-offs, which My first encounter with soft- mer holidays for the second resemble the America from would normally be considered ball was in the scout group time in Pennsylvania in the films even remotely. And a great success. We will all in Břeclav. When a year later US. How did it come about there is a numerous Amish remember the world champi- a softball hobby circle was that the Americans chose you community living there. So it onship, no doubt about that, established at our elementary for their team? is also a great contribution also thanks to the unbeliev- school I joined and have stuck The ISC World Championship to expanding my cultural able atmosphere that our with softball ever after. The tournament, which can be horizons. fans created. Our matches basic difference between compared to a world cham- were seen by around three softball and baseball is that pionship of softball clubs, You are just starting the third thousand spectators, which in softball the throw is made takes place every summer year at the business faculty. is about 2 950 more than at with an underhand motion in August. In its quality and How do you manage to mix our regular extraleague con- while in baseball with an over- prestige it equals the tradi- university studies with sport tests. These are the moments hand one. As a result some tional world championship, at the top level? that will remain with us in our people think that softball is to say the least. The tourna- Combining sport and study is memories! much slower than baseball, ment is attended by nearly quite demanding. During the but it's not like that. The best 40 teams from the US and week I have training every With all of that, can you still pitchers in the world can Canada which invite players day after school, whether find some time for scout throw at a speed of around from the whole world, so it is sofballing or exercises in group activities? 130 km/h, so when they are a meeting of the best of the the gym. But so far I have I have been a scout since I pitching from 12 meters away, best. I visited the tournament fulfilled all of my duties and was eight and I currently lead it is fast. The other difference for the first time two years I firmly believe that I will still a group of teenage scouts is the larger ball in softball ago thanks to my team mate find enough time for study. I aged 15 to 20, in Břeclav. It and shorter distances from Havlíčkův Brod who had have already learned to blend gives me another chance to between bases. But the basic travelled to the US before and study with other hobbies. I fulfil myself, do things that idea of the game is identi- arranged a place for me in don’t have a single weekend make sense to me, and last cal – try to hit the ball and run the team of Pennsylvania. We free and during the week I but not least to mentally relax around four bases. scored a huge success and arrive home late which does from softball and study. In the came 7th. Last year I played in not give me much time to scout group I met my best How did a native of Břeclav the tournament for the same prepare for school but so far I friends and my girlfriend – the become the pitcher of the team and we finished 13th. have coped. scout group environment Hippos from Havlíčkův Brod? is where my most powerful When we were starting with What does the American Last year the world men's experiences and memories Jana Novotná He is at home in Břeclav, plays softball for softball in Břeclav, we all engagement bring to you, softball championship was come from. Photo Jan Beneš Havlíčkův Brod, studies in Brno and spent the learned to pitch as it is use- sports-wise and socially? held in the Czech Republic summer in Pennsylvania. This is the current life less for players to specialise From the sports side it is for the first time, where the map of Michal Holobrádek, a sought-after softball at an early age. During the probably the best that can Czech national team finished first years I played in the happen to a softballer. You 8th. Was it a disappointment? pitcher who has so far finished the second position of catcher and my have an opportunity to play Yes and no. Our goal was to year of Managerial Informatics at the Faculty of elder brother, also a student for two months at various achieve the best historical Business and Management BUT. Although he has at BUT, was the pitcher. Then tournaments against the result for the Czech team already devoted two of his summer holidays to we changed roles and it has best players in the world, which would have been 5th a world softball competition, after school he will remained so until now – I which you can otherwise position. Unfortunately, make a living by taking a job. Men's softball is a pitch and he is my catcher. do only every second year we did not succeed – in I joined Havlíčkův Brod as at the world championship. the crucial match we were purely amateur sport. it was the nearest team Socially, the contribution defeated by the favourites, for which I could play in the is undoubtedly in learning Canada. If we had won, we extraleague in the category of about a different culture. My would have been in the semi- up to 16 years, and because temporary home is situated finals, among the four best. there was no junior or men's in an agricultural area, where On the one side I regret it a

22 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 23 VISIT TO A LABORATORY

period of time at one of our 80 devices. We are here 24/7,” CEITEC Nano can be visited by anyone with a clear explains Urbánek and adds: “Some of our apparatuses are extremely loaded, so we had to introduce a special measure – research goal during regular working hours users may reserve a device only twice, and if they want to work more frequently, they Jana Novotná universities the Brno address need to come after 5pm.” Photo Igor Šefr is a great advantage as they can use the laboratory more Cleanroom laboratories are comfortably. The workplace characterised by controlled Since 2016 the CEITEC is unique even on the broader air quality. “This is mainly to Nano laboratories scale of the Central European prevent dust particles from have been the largest region – around 30 % of falling on nanoobjects, as they cleanroom nanocentre users come from countries are bigger than the parts that outside the Czech Republic we produce or investigate in the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. “It’s about 23 here,” explains the head of the providing facilities nationalities, with highest laboratory. “The air pressure in for research into representation from Austria, the cleanrooms is higher than materials, advanced- followed by Poland, Hungary, in the surrounding spaces, materials and and surprisingly Germany, we generating a draft, so if dust nanotechnologies to also had here one Mexican, particles do occur in the cor- and people regularly fly in ridor the higher pressure will internal and external from UK. The most faraway keep them out.” users from the user from Ethiopia found us academic community on the internet, obtained a In the nanocharacterisation and industry. Michal scholarship and spent three laboratory you can examine Urbánek, today head months here,” enumerates the the shape, chemical composi- of the unit, has been laboratory boss. tion and structure of samples, as well as their properties, there from the very The facility itself is divided such as electrical, optical or beginning. into four laboratories: a magnetic. “A typical example nanofabrication lab, with of what we can produce here production of nanostructures is a chip or sensor on a silicon and nanoparts, a nanochar- plate, which is connected via The laboratories fall within the acterisation lab, where the golden wires with the capsule national research infrastruc- produced samples are tested, of a standard integrated ture of the Czech Ministry of a structural analysis lab, which circuit. As a matter of fact we Education, which also largely concentrates on material not only produce nanobjects finances them. “In return structure examination, and here, but when we want to the Ministry requires that a computer tomography lab examine them, we have to be we have as many users as with X-ray aided 3D mapping able to connect them to the possible across a most varied of materials and parts. When outer world, with devices of spectrum. The laboratories Michal Urbánek leads us to the normal size, which is called can therefore be accessed cleanrooms of the first two microcontacting,” says Michal by students or scientists laboratories, we stop in the Urbánek. from the whole world under corridor at the planning table. the same conditions,” says “Every authorised user can We take a look into the Michal Urbánek and adds make an advance reservation nanofabrication laboratory. that for students from local over the internet for a certain “Here the ceiling is made up

24 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 25 GRADUATE

Technology taking place in the autumn. My task “We would like to increase students’ awareness that they can come to the laboratory but at the same time we would is to give want to be sure that they will use the laboratory with a clear goal,” emphasises Michal Urbánek. Whether a student back to comes here depends primarily on their instructor who has to be familiar with the possibili- ties that this shared labora- people the tory offers. For each student the instructor has to pay a contribution of 30 thousand crowns per year. Compared to chance to the possibilities and equip- ment that the laboratories offer, the amount is merely symbolic and hardly covers 10 choose, percent of the real operating costs of the laboratory. This is made particularly clear after comparison with similar says the workplaces in the world where of filters, from which the air and development,” adds fees which amount to about 6 similar access costs multiples falls down by the shortest Urbánek. million crowns.” More than a of that amount. route, and if it hits a particle half of the users are students strategist falling off people it will carry it What makes the CEITEC Nano at all levels of study, and the “In addition every registered straight to the floor which is laboratories unique? “It's others are researchers. Among user may bring a visitor who perforated and the air will be not so much any particular the Brno faculties most users can walk through the laborato- re-filtrated there,” explains the apparatus, rather it is the fact are from CEITEC BUT, followed ries with the user and observe and mental laboratory supervisor, describ- that we have a great number by other BUT faculties, while the experiments. For example, ing the safety measures in of top class equipment units, those from Masaryk University a doctoral student may bring a laboratory producing the together making up a complete come mainly from CEITEC MU a bachelor’s student who can most sensitive things, such technological and analytical and the Faculty of Science. gain an idea of whether it will couch as structures of nanometric line so that a scientist can pay to visit the laboratory. dimensions which can be carry out research here from This level of interest still does Our priority is to have as few observed only under special almost 100 percent in one not completely exhaust the bureaucratic obstacles as pos- electron microscopes. “We place without having to travel huge potential for research sible, and as a result we can Radim produce microfluid channels elsewhere,” says the labora- and development in the field provide access to someone here through which a solu- tory boss. “The laboratory of modern technologies which with a serious interest within tion flows to a microanalysis. operation costs us about the CEITEC Nano laboratories five days,” sums up Michal Before, you needed to take a 50 million crowns per year, represent. One of the reasons Urbánek, head of CEITEC Valigura whole syringe of blood, today investments into equipment is the fact that the academic Nano. one drop is enough. We also are around 800 million crowns. world is still not fully informed study the problems of micro/ From the Ministry of Education about this potential. To im- nanoelectromechanical sys- we receive 27 million annually, prove this situation, the labora- tems and many other attrac- while other funds come from tory organises a presentation tive vistas in research our own projects and user event within Brno University of

26 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 27 Whether you want to achieve excellent results in my studies and extend the of each individual works by long-term view even in the switch off and, unfortunately, sports or business, according to Radim Valigura, scope of opportunities in my the same logic. This means The result is either flexing challenging times of changes do not consider it important. you need to learn to handle your energy in the future professional career,” that it has a certain mental or releasing the muscles de- and crises” added Radim They are working all the time first place. A graduate of the Faculty of Business added Valigura. and physical setup and, most pending on the level of stress Valigura. and frequently the only way importantly, energetic readi- that corresponds to the given to relieve themselves is and Management BUT he became acquainted with Although he opted for the setup. You are either tense He admits though that many through alcohol, medicines the mysteries of so-called energy psychology as Company Management and Thanks to my or relaxed. A firm reacts in people still search for the and other external stimuli,” a top-class tennis player and later the coach of Economics course at the the same way. When the esoteric and supernatural stated Radim Valigura. collaboration with the former world number one Martina Hingis. After Faculty of Business and management is doing well, in his work. “There is noth- Martina I met people who the end of their collaboration and return from Management, his interest in there is high energy in the ing esoteric in working with He thinks there is no univer- showed me how I could firm, employees are relaxed, energy. Athletes do it every sal solution to these prob- Switzerland he decided to concentrate more on this working with body and mind persevered. “I have always apply my experience motivated and put up a good day. When I don’t put energy lems. “The first thing that I do area and connect it with his knowledge of how firms been curious about why from sports to strategic performance. At the moment in a shot, the ball simply with clients could be simply work. Today he helps both athletes and managers it was that Martina Hingis consultancy in business when the company fails to doesn't fly. Who has experi- called centring. They learn to connect body and mind and manage their own could so perfectly cope with fulfil its vision and strategy, ence in martial arts, is certain to connect with themselves. and management. energy more efficiently. He maintains that many pressure and deliver excel- people are tense and just like to know what we are talking They become conscious of people today give in to the impression that things lent performance. In the end I the muscles in our body will about. But people need the themselves. Today we tend to happen to them in their life and they cannot change landed with so-called energy become weaker or blocked,” same energy everywhere, for be completely disconnected psychology. Just like physics ness that affects the two explained Valigura. example, in decision making from our body and conscious anything. Radim Valigura tries to teach them that gradually transforms from components. A top sports- and communication. Energy is mind. Consequently, we often no one is a victim and we all have the possibility of physics of the traditional man realises this perfectly, According to him, the level a key to change,” emphasised slip into the role of victim and a choice. It only depends on how effectively we can Newtonian type, energy psy- as physical results can be of success of managers and Valigura. feel that things are happen- work with pressure from the external environment. chology is a superstructure seen immediately. A firm can athletes depends primarily ing to us. We are unable to re- of traditional psychology,” be looked upon as an organ- on their ability to work with In general, according to alise that the given situation explained Valigura. ism, too. It has its mental energy. “I teach them to Valigura, people still do not is caused by our setup and During his studies at BUT he setup in the form of vision ’breathe through’ difficult work too much with energy. incorrectly focused atten- did not sever contacts with and strategy and a method situations by broadening tion. I use a number of tools, such as specialised forms his Swiss colleagues and of management. It also has their context and giving them I teach clients to connect began to regularly return to its physical body, being the a different perspective on of the Business Master Key with themselves, to Zuzana Hübnerová the country and assist in the people, products and facili- the matter. When they get to managerial tool or the Mental Photo archive of Radim Valigura facing the decision of what to development of athletes and ties. And, above all, it has its grips with the energetic prin- become conscious of Supremacy® methodology to do next. “At a relatively young firms. “The world of sports energy or dynamics, which is ciples of their organism, they themselves. Today we understand the relationships age I took a peak backstage was small for me and studies manifested by how people in will equally understand what tend to be completely as well as all the traditional After the first year at the of the big world of profes- at BUT helped me understand the company communicate is happening in their firm. disconnected from our approaches to centring, including conscious breath- Faculty of Business and sional sports. I could have how business and corpora- with one another, how com- If we raise the energy level bodies and conscious Management BUT Radim stayed but there was hardly tions work. My history in mitted they are and how will- in our organism, the centre ing, kinesiological exercises, Valigura received an offer sports combined with eco- ing they are to concentrate of conscious thinking in our mind and often feel that different forms of physical things are happening to which could not be turned After the first year at nomic education and thanks on the substantial things that brain will start to work and training, visualisation and down. He was invited to to collaboration with Martina lead to resolving a situation. we are able to think strategi- us. meditation. But at the base Switzerland to be a sparring the Faculty of Business I met people who showed me These three components cally, that is from a long-term level I give back to people the partner of the world tennis and Management Radim how I could apply my experi- influence one another. The perspective. The same hap- chance to choose. I help them legend Martina Hingis. Radim Valigura received an ence from sports to strategic mental setup affects our pens in the company. People Unlike athletes, managers realise that in every situation Valigura, who then played offer which could not consultancy in business and emotions and emotions are have a tendency to solve don’t know how to relax. we always have a choice and tennis in the first league, be turned down. He was management,” added Radim the source of our energy details at the moment when “Learning to relax is one of that wherever our attention took up the opportunity, sus- invited to Switzerland to Valigura. which in the end moves our they do not have the strength the fundamental things. With goes our energy goes with it,” pended his studies and left body. And it also works the and energy to address the athletes the logic is very concluded Radim Valigura. for four years abroad. “In the be a sparring partner of Today he helps firms over- other way round. Physical whole. By increasing energy, simple. If they don’t take a course of three years I made the world tennis legend come new challenges and movement generates energy, micro management will again rest, they will not perform a gradual transition from the Martina Hingis. changes and to survive which changes our mental become macro management. well and will have nowhere role of the sparring partner to crises. “I counsel companies setup. At any rate, at the I employ different techniques to hide from responsibility the role of Martina's coach,” on how to get stronger from moment when I set up my to help company manage- for a bad result, as opposed described Valigura. When the anywhere to go any higher. I the inside. It is crucial to un- head in some way, my body ment to effectively direct to a corporate manager. collaboration ended he was decided to return, complete derstand that the organism responds accordingly. its energy and retain this Managers are often unable to

28 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 29 PHOTO REPORTAGE Dragon 9 on the race track

Members of the TU Brno Racing team had a busy summer 2019. In July and August they took part in the Formula Student international races in the Netherlands, Hungary, Germany and the Czech Republic with the Dragon 9 racing car. The best placing was achieved by the students’ car in the Netherlands and the Czech Republic where it claimed bronze. At the races in Most the team also came first in the engineering design category. The young designers successfully completed the ninth (ed) season in a row and are already preparing for Photo archive of TU Brno Racing the tenth in which they will design and build the first electric formula car, alongside one with a combustion engine.

30 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 31 STARTUP NEWS

game which is essentially com- do not hesitate to pay a high RESEARCH plete,” noted Dovrtělová. In the price. As a result many produc- Board games from Brno first published games they let ers offer special editions of the gaming community have characters within crowdfund- its say in the final version. “For ing campaigns and guarantee those people it’s a way of life. the buyers that they will not celebrate success around Many of them write to us with be able to buy them elsewhere comments several pages long and so on,” described Silvie and ideas for improvement. Dovrtělová and added that From time to time our develop- board games inspired by a the world ers put those suggestions concrete computer game are together, browse through them very successful as well. Researchers at CEITEC BUT are and sort out which are relevant assembling a unique magnetic and which are not. But in the As Silvie Dovrtělová elucidates, resonance device The workshop of Czech consideration even things like vast majority people ask for a the success of the Brno team start-up Boardcubator has the politics of Donald Trump. change of colour or shape of in a highly competitive gaming Petr Neugebauer and his team presented produced several board games Boardcubator was launched by the game components,” stated environment is given both by a unique device which turns upside down loved by fans around the world. Jan Soukal, who had solved IT Silvie Dovrtělová. the fact that they are good the established principle of measuring The team of enthusiasts from security issues of companies at campaigns and in com- electron paramagnetic resonance. It Brno that is behind games on his job and in his free time The game is always tested munication with the gaming happened on 12th November 2019, on like Space Race and Project devoted himself to playing in several rounds by the community, and by the games the occasion of the opening of a new L launched a number of very and inventing board games. Boardcubator team. “Once themselves. “Jan Soukal, who laboratory at CEITEC BUT. successful campaigns on He created his own card we are clear about the basic is responsible for new games, the Kickstarter crowdfunding game called Space Race, but game mechanics and what the tries really hard to think about Thanks to an ERC grant the head of platform. At the same time didn’t know how to distribute individual game components everything down to the last the laboratory and main researcher they created a community it among people. At that time entitled Mosaic Maker and sub- postage fees, as we definitely will look like, we create a detail – to invent interesting Petr Neugebauer is assembling of passionate board game he met Marek Loskot, who had sequently renamed Project L to don’t want to make money on prototype. This is then tested. game mechanics and exclude a revolutionary spectrometer for players who can't wait to see experience with campaigns the founders of Boardcubator. that,” clarified Dovrtělová and We play the particular game the random element. So that paramagnetic resonance and he counts what Boardcubator is going to on crowdfunding platforms, “Together they completed the added that right now she is and say to ourselves what we it would not be based on on its commercial production in the come up with next. such as Kickstarter. Those game’s development and again concerned particularly about like in it and what not. Based the cast of the dice, and the form of technology transfer after the who are interested have an offered it to the community on American politics and threats on this a new prototype is result of the game would be development has finished. Neugebauer opportunity there to financially Kickstarter. As far as demand by Donald Trump. “In August created and again tested. completely in your hands,” received 2 million EURO from the support projects they like in and collected money are it was announced that from Sometimes it happens that explained Dovrtělová. In the European Research Council for research, exchange for various bonuses concerned, in the end Project December they would raise we sit the whole afternoon in future Boardcubator would like development and assembly of the device. and rewards. “Our campaign L was even more success- the customs fee from 0 to the firm and play. We have to to continue down the path of The new spectrometer of paramagnetic Zuzana Hübnerová was very successful and we ful than Space Race,” added 10 %”. Initially they even talked push all work aside and play,” developing their own games. resonance may bring a significant shift Photo archive of Boardcubator managed to collect the money Dovrtělová and explained that about up to 25 % which would described Dovrtělová. These As Silvie Dovrtělová says the in many disciplines, such as physics, necessary for production and now they are facing a difficult mean extra costs for Czech days customers and players firm is planning more cam- chemistry and medicine. For more than a year, Silvie distribution,” confirmed Silvie period of sending the com- producers. of games by Boardcubator are paigns and gradually hopes to Dovrtělová, a graduate of Dovrtělová, who is primarily in pleted game to all those who most frequently Americans. build an even greater renown The idea itself is revolutionary in that the Faculty of Business and charge of the logistics in the supported them and ordered On a general level, But according to Dovrtělová and enlarge the community it turns upside down paramagnetic Management BUT, has been company. It was then that Jan the game, reminiscent of Boardcubator operates like there are no fundamental of people who will want to sup- resonance which has to date mainly taking care that all games Soukal, nicknamed Suki by his Tetris. Specifically she has the this: first, creators publish an cultural differences in the port the group of enthusiasts operated on the principle of a variable arrive in perfect condition colleagues, and Marek Loskot, task of dispatching the game idea for a game. If the gam- board game community. from Brno over the long term. magnetic field under invariable frequency. and on time anywhere in the called Mára, decided to make to more than seventy coun- ing community likes it and “Family games are particularly “For the time being we are do- The new method works in an invariable world. According to her, board the project a full time job and tries around the whole world. supports it, the phase of final popular. In this case people ing it more for fun rather than magnetic field with a fast frequency games are undergoing a to establish a firm that will “It is very demanding in terms development, production and look at the price and want the to be financially saturated,” change, which, apart from the obtained renaissance and demand for enable board game creators to of co-ordination and paper distribution is ready to start. game to be appealing. Another ended Dovrtělová with a spectra, will enable the revealing of the them, particularly in America, bring their ideas to the market. work. I have to think about “The whole process usually category is so-called figure smile. relaxation times of various materials is huge. It takes about a year going through the customs, takes about a year. But we are games. Here the players are which are presently a big unknown. The for the Brno team to develop The opportunity was taken by and to find the cheapest way simultaneously working on more like collectors and like it new method makes measurements one game and during their Adam Španěl, who presented of sending the games, so that cutting the development time. when there are many compo- faster, more complex and more precise. work they have to take into his idea for a game originally customers would not pay high In the future we want to offer a nents in the game. Then they (ed)

32 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 33 GRADUATE We still don’t know much about plants, says the creator of instruments for NASA, Oxford and Monsanto

Martin Trtílek from Photon Systems According to Martin Trtílek, Instruments, or PSI, supplies the fact that he has devoted instrumentation for plant research to most of his career to studying the most prestigious institutions and the plants and inventing instru- ments for their research was largest agricultural companies. Every day basically down to coincidence. researchers from NASA, Cambridge and “Someone calls it destiny. Monsanto handle instruments conceived During my studies I developed and developed in Drásov near Brno by and produced instruments. I Martin and today a nearly 100-strong caught the attention of people team. A graduate of the Faculty of from the Academy of Science who asked me whether I could Electrical Engineering and Communication develop instrumentation for created his first instrument for plant the study of plants and other research at the beginning of the 1990s. organisms for their applica- Today he has five hundred of them under tion. Shortly afterwards I met his belt and his head is still bursting with my future colleague who was ideas. working in the USA at that time. Thanks to this encounter I developed several instru- ments for the laboratories of Zuzana Hübnerová the University in Illinois,” said Photo archive of Photon Systems Trtílek describing his begin- Instruments nings. The said colleague was the scientist Ladislav Nedbal, with whom they subsequently

34 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 35 Occasionally I bring name for itself by the so- unaware of a whole number I have an excellent team a seed or two from a called FluorPen – a hand-held of mechanisms that occur in around me, which success- business trip abroad device measuring photosyn- a plant. How does it come to fully implements our ideas,” thesis. One was transported terms with a change in the added Trtílek. and plant it into the soil to the International Space conditions in the environment at home. I built a garden Station where it is used by where it grows. As it has no That there is no dearth of which takes care of experts from NASA. Apart option to run away from unfa- ideas in Drásov is confirmed itself and requires from instruments intended vourable conditions, it has to by Martin Trtílek when he is minimal intervention. primarily for research the develop several mechanisms describing the dream projects company offers mass- to survive them,” emphasised or research planned for the produced devices that may Trtílek. be encountered in vineyards The FluorPen, a and sell are intended for or offices. The spectrometer But as he says he spends less research into CO2 seques- from Drásov measures both and less time on research and hand-held device tration and should directly the intensity of light from development proper. Today measuring assist in addressing the high which plants benefit and the most of his working day is photosynthesis, was volume of carbon dioxide in correct level of illumination in taken up by company man- transported to the the atmosphere,” explained the office. WinePen is used by agement. “Most of my time International Space Trtílek. Climate change is an agriculturalists to determine is dedicated to the activities Station where it is used increasingly topical subject the sugar content in grapes. around the company. Although for PSI and a number of research and the develop- by experts from NASA. the current activities and Regardless of the number of ment of instruments is what I research are heading in this instruments, in Martin Trtílek's enjoy the most, to be honest direction. "We try to help and opinion there are still many I get to it only rarely. On the future. "I think that every man bring a concrete solution to things about plants that other hand, I am relatively has some unrealised or un- the issue," added Martin. we don’t know. “To take an successful in my research finished things in the drawer. example, we are not familiar and even the scarce time For myself, it is an instrument Alongside the instruments de- with the complete function that I can reserve for it brings to search for life on Mars. It scribed above, PSI has made a of their genetic code. We are some results. In addition, was to have been produced but financial issues prevented it. I also have plans to move into the field of medicine as many of our things find an application there. And it’s founded PSI. Today Nedbal is aspect was to lead scholarly whole world need a lot of care care of itself and requires also a chance to help people. no longer active in the firm, conversation with people who as each of them requires dif- minimal intervention. I only Plants are fine, but we belong which is solely run by Martin are top scientists in their field ferent conditions and types of add something new from time to homo sapiens,” ended Trtílek. of research. I had to gain an care. Admittedly, I don't have to time,” added Martin Trtílek. Trtílek. overview including the highly time for that which clearly lim- And it is the differences Being a graduate in electric- detailed and specialised areas its my potential to cultivate. between plants that are al engineering, he had to of their research,” noted I built a garden which takes the research focus of PSI. become versed in biology. Trtílek. “We study the differences “The transition from the Someone calls it between the individual phe- disciplines of physics and But as he says he has a natu- notypes and our instruments electronics to biology was ral liking for plants and likes destiny…thanks to help experts determine even more or less spontaneous to take care of them even in an encounter with my those not discernible with the in my case. I simply worked his leisure time. “I really like future colleague who naked eye,” elucidated Trtílek. on solving requirements for flowers and various plants. was working in the USA The phenotyping lines devel- instrumentation which made Occasionally I may bring a at that time I developed oped in Drásov are designed, me gain an insight in biol- seed or two from a business several instruments for for example, to search for ogy. It was not so difficult to trip abroad and plant it into plants that are more resist- extend my previously obtained the soil at home. The problem the laboratories of the ant to climate change. “The knowledge. The most arduous is that plants from around the University in Illinois. bioreactors that we produce

36 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 37 BUT INTERVIEW

Jindřich Melcher has Professor, was your selection everything is welded together, been working for the of the Department of Steel the whole structure sits on Jindřich Melcher: Institute of Metal and Structures made on purpose? supports and is stable with Timber Structures In fact, it was a coincidence minimal hazard. that I got there. I was originally of the Faculty of Civil determined to go to the What is the lifetime of a In designing Engineering BUT Department of Concrete structure? without interruption Bridges, because at that time Earlier it used to be said that since 1962. With Karel Zůda had returned from the structure should be safe in his acclaimed the UK and he could sway us terms of the general principles structures built projects and students that we all wanted to of probability, later, that it build concrete bridges. But should be reliable, and today it experimental research then I received a letter at home is generally stated that it he continues the with an offer for the position of should have good resistance. we have to legacy of Ferdinand a student research assistant Consequently, safety, reliabil- Lederer. As a member at the Department of Steel ity and resistance are the of his team he has Structures under Professor three categories that we have developed into Lederer. I had just been on a to ensure. The life of any ensure safety, placement in East Germany construction work is not an internationally and my parents did not want it infinite. Water dams have the respected expert. He is to fall through, so they longest durability, they are the author of a number answered that I accepted it. I massive blocks which can last reliability and of specialised studies, knew about Lederer that he one or two hundred years, but over 400 publications had designed Pavilion Z at the our structures only fifty sixty and textbooks, a Brno Trade Fair, so I went to years. It is counted on that the see him and as it was very building will become obsolete member of many robustness interesting I stayed there. naturally through use or international scientific morally and something else organizations, How did it feel to work with will be designed in its place. including an Professor Lederer? Material characteristics also elected member- We learned to design real-life play a role, such as corrosion, correspondent of SSRC structures which are safe from or the way it is stressed and, the point of view of reliability. above all, maintenance in the (Structural Stability Together with Professor process of using it. In addition, Research Council) Lederer we did, for example, we have a tendency to do slim, with headquarters in the roofing over the largest thin-walled structures to the USA. In November ice-hockey stadium in the reduce their weight, which 2019 he received the country in Olomouc, which has naturally increases the risk. Gold Medal of BUT in been in place until today. The When Ferdinand Lederer was swimming stadium in Brno or designing Pavilion Z, he did not Brno for outstanding the Festival Buildings in know one hundred percent lifelong achievements Karlovy Vary architecturally how it would turn out, but he in scientific research designed by the Machonins. was given an offer and he and his merits in Lederer got this job thanks to went for it. This is our disad- the development of his reputation, and we did the vantage as opposed to the Faculty of Civil designs for three film projec- architects – they will complete tion auditoriums with him. In a the design but when it falls Engineering. similar way, but alone, we did down it’s someone else’s fault. the structure in the Boby When, for example, the bridge Centre, where the traditional in Genoa collapsed a few years Jana Novotná ball of our faculty is held. It is a ago, they said on TV that the Photo Igor Šefr classic pipe structure with architect proposed a new spherical thin-walled joints, solution. But it couldn't have

38 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 39 been an architect because standards, naturally we do that on visual inspection. But for us valued. Take Lederer – he has from Brno), which was granted In connection with this we designing – for example, for available to us, from material they are mainly concerned as well, but we have always it’s still good, so we take it, a number of water works the European Steel Design might mention another designing steel structures it to construction, so nobody can with the visual expression done implementations. For establish the elasticity behind himself. In his time he Award in 2001. So I may say interesting piece of informa- used to be the ČSN standard, blame us that we do not work without more detailed atten- example, when we were modulus and use it. And it’s was given an opportunity, via that the work should play a tion which is not generally today it’s the European EN at the level that is common in tion to resolving the complex working on the Rondo sports those wire ropes that were built projects for the Brno decisive part, but when you known. About 3 years after document. The student has to other European countries. issue of the resistance of the arena with a pre-stressed wire used in the structure of the Trade Fair he got further to look around at construction completing Pavilion Z in Brno a learn to design, which does not Interestingly, they are refer- load-bearing system. rope structure, we tested the Rondo arena. other things and built a projects in Brno, it’s not easy similar pavilion was built at the concern appearance, but the ence materials for learning to wire rope modulus of elasticity. number of them. Later we, too, to get something done. trade fair grounds in relationships that he or she design steel structures, but A major part of your work This is interesting: in building Is it the successful implemen- did several high-profile Winning an important order in Bucharest, Romania. Professor needs to master. We have a there is nothing remotely consists of experimental structures we do not have tations that bring fame to the implementations, such as the competition is much more Lederer was not invited to number of publications similar available for concrete research. Does research have such strict safety require- designer? Boby Center (architectural difficult that publishing a short collaborate or asked to grant originally issued in English and structures, timber structures to be crowned with implemen- ments as, let's say, in the Today the accent is laid mainly design by HEXAPLAN INT. article. A significant contribu- approval with adopting the now in Czech translation as or geotechnology, not to speak tation in order to prove its structural frames above mine on publishing in high-impact Brno) that received the tion to our work is the develop- Brno system, but in the end well, and there you have the of other specialisations. validity? shafts. There the wire rope journals although I say to Building of the Year 1993 ment and application of a the situation resolved itself word design, but contrary to Some things are purely that transports miners up and myself that it should not go Award, or the South Moravian unique method of vacuum naturally: when the building of the general understanding in In the end, what would be your theoretical, such as deriving down has to be replaced after too far with the impacts. It Gas company (architectural stressing of load-bearing the Romanian pavilion was our country it does not imply arguments if you wanted to the relationships in the five years even if it looks good should be the work that is design by the A PLUS studio structures enabling us to finished, the structure appearance but structure. sway an undecided potential verify the mechanism of collapsed. Those who were not Today mastering the discipline student to study your disci- damaging and altering flat and completely informed about the consists of adopting docu- pline? bar-shaped structural mem- authorship and the circum- ments valid in a number of Our discipline has the back- bers from metal, wood, glass, stances of its design were countries which almost tally ground of practice, it has the composites and combined quick to reach a corresponding with the EU. In addition, we use background of theory and the materials. conclusion: Lederer's lattice the European Steel Design connection of theory and dome in Romania collapsed. Education Programme so when practice is undoubtedly Which implemented project Nevertheless, the point of the someone wants to know important. The prospects for from your field is the most problem was soon clarified by whether the course that we finding a job are good, our valuable from your point of the circumstances of the teach here is at the same level students have no problem in view? collapse. During the installa- as in Austria or France we can finding a position. Given the Lederer's Pavilion Z. This tion of exhibits an aeroplane clearly say yes. We have a content and specialisation of structure is as unique today as was suspended from one of total of 28 volumes of ESDEP the courses it is easy to go on it was then, still not fully the wire ropes of the roof in English in which the a temporary placement abroad appreciated. Nobody knows structure and the extreme complete programme is during the studies. I think it is a about the things that hap- local stress on the roof shell elaborated in detail. great opportunity for those pened there. When it was triggered its breaking and a who want to create load- being assembled in 1958 we collapse of the whole roofing How did you procure them? bearing structures of build- were on the site as students. system, adapted to standard Organisationally, the system ings, industrial, sports and The structure was hung surface loading by its own was created in the Steel business facilities and vertically on wire ropes from weight, snow or wind, but not Construction Institute in Ascot, bridges. the central pylon and the dome to a locally concentrated Great Britain which we visited was gradually woven on the stress from suspension. with our colleagues, where we ground – it was always raised gave talks on our activities and by a metre or two, the next How much has your discipline have been in touch ever since. section was woven and so on changed since the time of your When we want to do some- and so on, but then catastro- studies? thing that should comply with phe struck. While they were The fundamental element in at least European require- hoisting it vertically, it curled our discipline continues to be ments, we have something to up like a piece of cloth. Nobody dimensioning or calculation of look into. But when I ask took into consideration that a the structures based on students from Spain or shell like that had to be raised construction mechanics and Portugal who arrive here on along the tangent to the knowledge of the real-life the Erasmus programme central line at the end. After effect of load-bearing compo- whether they know it they have reconfiguration, it proceeded nents. We have technical never heard about that. We upwards smoothly. documents that aid us in have the complete discipline

40 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 41 GRADUATE ABROAD An IFE graduate who left for Iceland to work as a tourist guide on a glacier

42 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 43 It’s a story fit for a novel. Kateřina Šardická depending on the type of tour,” general, so it is probably up to boyfriend she applied some graduated in real estate engineering from the says the rookie guide who had each individual. It depends on knowledge from the Faculty Institute of Forensic Engineering BUT and left to get used to spending the how you care for yourself and of Business and Management for Iceland where she today works as a tourist day out in any kind of weather how your body copes. I know – creating a business plan, and in torrential rain pretend a guide who has been working calculation of costs and so guide on the glaciers. Except that it was not that she was enjoying it. “I gradu- all of his life and he's over 60 on. But her knowledge from easy. Initially she studied religions and social ally worked myself into the – probably the oldest guide in the Institute of Forensic anthropology at Masaryk University and when state that I am enjoying it,” Iceland.” Engineering will probably she began to miss mathematics she additionally laughs the young engineering go unused. “I would have to enrolled in the business economics course at graduate and emphasises Before Kateřina decided to become acquainted with their the Faculty of Business and Management BUT. that in communication with make the U-turn, she had complete legislation, which is clients she often can’t manage never considered herself understandably different to Afterwards she opted to continue with a master’s without immense patience. to be particularly impulsive. that in the Czech Republic, and course at the Institute of Forensic Engineering, “Not all clients speak English, “I might be a bit, although I due to the language barrier it is mainly to improve her chances of a good job. And and before we set off on the naturally think everything over. inaccessible to me for the time as she had never been on Erasmus, she decided glacier, they all have to be Before we started the Melrakki being. The method of building to spend at least the last holidays abroad and clear about things related to Adventures company with my houses in Iceland is com- headed to Iceland. safety. As a result I often use boyfriend, we thought about pletely different from ours, tim- hands and legs to make myself that for a long time. But ever ber buildings predominate, you understood.” A bonus in this since we met we have been have to take into consideration work is when you are social talking about having our own the natural elements, mainly and are able to share the ex- company focusing on guiding, the wind, and in areas where Jana Novotná first time in their lives so that it citement from the experience and when else to do it but now, the tectonic plates meet, the Photo archive of Kateřina Šardická would be safe yet still inter- with the tourists. when we’re young and don't risk of an earthquake, and esting,” says the graduate of have a family?” says the BUT I would have to study all of Brno University of Technology. Kateřina’s clients are most graduate and adds that if it that,” says Kateřina. So far she “The original plan was to go The course ended with the often ordinary tourists who fails they may take on a job has no Plan B ready for return- there just for the summer – crevasse rescue test: if the crave a different experience again, but if they didn’t try they ing home with her Icelandic sort of a last chance to travel client falls through into a cre- from their holidays. “If they do would have to think about it all boyfriend, although they have somewhere before I started to vasse the guide must be able have any experience in climb- the time. “It's the same for me visited the Czech Republic lead an adult life, so as not to to climb down to them, secure ing they usually write ahead to with Iceland. I can return home together several times and he regret it later,” says Kateřina. them, climb up again and pull say they would be interested in anytime but it’s important to likes it a lot over here. Trees, She took up a job in a hotel and up the client, and naturally all a private tour, and we venture try. I would say that the older among other things … there met her Icelandic boyfriend. of that in the shortest possible to places where I would not you are the more difficult it is are none in Iceland. This changed everything. After time. take a normal group, we have to cut the bonds, so I am glad the holidays she flew back to a go at ice climbing and so I found the courage at the the Czech Republic to com- After she successfully passed on. But standard tours are last minute and flew from the plete her studies and returned the tests, this native of South often booked by families with nest,” ponders Kateřina and to Iceland. She intended to Moravia with a diploma in children, couples or elderly simultaneously admits that master Icelandic on the job at forensic engineering began to people fulfilling their life dream she misses home every day. the hotel but it didn’t work. Her guide tourists on the Icelandic – our youngest visitor was 6 boyfriend worked as a guide on glacier. In the summer season years old, and the oldest was She had to accommodate to the glaciers where they would she usually catches three an 83-year-old Japanese,” great cultural and climatic walk together at leisure so she tours a day, and spends up to says Kateřina. The overwhelm- differences in Iceland. “The said to herself why not give 13 hours in the terrain, while ing majority of clients stand on contrasts are great. From it a try. “I entered in the Hard in winter it is only 9 hours crampons for the first time in crazy weather via the way peo- overturn a car. People are used snowing, they sit outside in and when the weather outside Ice 1 course which complies because of light. “In general their life and this determines ple spend their leisure time to to helping one another, maybe whirlpools or swim in heated is bad there is not much else with the AIMG (Association of clients come 15 minutes be- the speed of walking and the what is available in the shops. because there are so few of swimming pools. And many to do. Icelandic Mountain Guides) fore so we have time to show time spent on the glacier. Can The wind is constantly blowing them – Iceland's population is people indulge in knitting,” criteria. I learned to handle them how to wear the harness, one be a guide on glaciers for in Iceland, in winter the force roughly the same as that of adds Kateřina and admits that Can a BUT graduate put her the rope, assess the terrain, we adjust the crampons for one’s whole life? “Walking all of the wind is so great they Brno. Icelanders spend a lot of she has already picked up education to work in Iceland? find a path for people who are everybody and give them an day on ice exerts great stress have to close some sections time in open-air thermal pools. knitting, too. In winter there When they were founding standing on crampons for the ice-axe and possibly a helmet on the knees and joints in of roads as the wind could Including in winter, when it's are only four hours of daylight, the guiding company with her

44 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 45 PHOTO REPORT Crossing the border with BUT 1st place by FB: 1st place by the committee: Michal Jurko from FCH, Zdeněk Pokorný from FME, The Yellow Light (Poland) St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Bulgaria) In the academic year 2019/2020 the Department of Foreign Relations BUT organised the traditional photo competition capturing the experi- ences and observations of students from their foreign placements, internships and summer or winter school. The three best photographs were selected by a committee and by students on Facebook with the result of six awarded photographs presented below.

(ed)

3rd place by the committee: Kateřina Bortlová from FCE, Inverted Prayer (Switzerland)

2nd place by FB: 3rd place by FB: 2nd place by the committee: Radek Kubíček from FME, The Magdalena Urmínová from FIT, Ondřej Hanousek from FCE, Lost in Way Is the Goal (Norway) Small, but Wonderful World Asia (Vietnam) (Portugal)

46 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 47 AWARD The Chybík+Krištof architectural studio from Brno is the best in the world

Architectural Record is one at the Faculty of Architecture width of a vineyard row. The Václav Havel Airport in Prague. of the oldest magazines BUT. We discovered that slope of the amphitheatre “We want the resulting dedicated to architecture and taking part in various inter- resembles the shape of the visitor’s experience to be of design. It has been published national competitions and slopes in the surroundings,” the same high quality in both without interruption for 128 presenting one’s work in an in- explained Michal Krištof, projects. Our other projects years and since 2000 has ternational environment is the describing a project that was include the headquarters of awarded the Design Vanguard daily bread in our profession. completed in June 2020. Lesy ČR, a number of apart- prize to young and talented In this way Czech architecture ment buildings in Prague, architects. This year’s award is exported to the world and “We attempt to design every Brno, Olomouc and Ostrava as for a visionary style of people start talking about it,” project specifically for a given well as the reconstruction of work with architecture and stated Ondřej Chybík. site, context and client. We Brno’s Zvonařka bus station,” urbanism was received by don’t want to copy some- added Krištof. the Chybík+Krištof studio, In the competition the one or something else, or founded nine years ago by Chybík+Krištof studio pre- even ourselves. We aim at Design Vanguard has taken two graduates of the Faculty sented a selection of five of lightness and understated its place with many other of Architecture BUT – Ondřej its projects. One of them was originality. And we find the awards and successes of Chybík and Michal Krištof. the precinct of the Lahofer elimination of wastefulness to the Chybík+Krištof studio. winemaking company with be increasingly important to For the Furniture Gallery in “It is one of the most pres- a visitors’ centre and an us – we are after a compact Brno with a facade deco- tigious competitions with amphitheatre on the roof in quality of solution. This does rated with chairs the young participation by young archi- Dobšice near Znojmo. “We not mean that we concentrate architects claimed one of the tects from the whole world. try to integrate the Moravian on small projects only. It is in prizes of the Czech Award for Competition is fierce and landscape directly into the the big ones that it is neces- Architecture and the Grand we are happy that the prize building of the wine producer. sary to behave responsibly,” Prix of Architects 2017. The was finally won by someone The vault of the building added Chybík, explaining the very first significant undertak- from the Czech Republic and adjoining the rows of the philosophy of the studio, ing by Chybík and Krištof was Slovakia. It might be partly at- vineyard is made up of boards which today employs more the design for the national tributed to our frequent trav- with a span of 2.75 metres than 50 architects and has pavilion at the World EXPO in els abroad during our studies between them, which is the branches in Prague, Brno and Milan, Italy in 2015. The pavil- Bratislava. ion used modular architecture which allowed for reassembly “Right now we have around in 2018 and re-opening it to 40 very different projects on the public on the premises of the table. We are interested the KOMA company in Zlín. Hana Marko The Design Vanguard 2019 prize for young talented architects, in everything with a possibility Photo archive of the Chybík+Krištof of added value from the work studio given annually by the legendary American Architectural Record magazine, has been received in international competition for the of the architect, interiors or first time by Czechs and Slovaks. The Chybík+Krištof studio of exteriors,” said Krištof at the time of receiving the award two graduates of the Faculty of Architecture now ranks with other in June 2019. At that time famous names – Sou Fujimoto or Smiljan Radić. his studio was working on the design of a small bar in the Znojmo brewery and the extension of Terminal 2 at the

48 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 49 VISIT TO A LABORATORY The Optical Communication Laboratory at the FEEC carries out unique research into information transmission via a laser beam

50 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 51 The Optical Communication Laboratory at the of the optical radiation master’s course in Quantum of numerous publications and of optical fibre and cable-less Important past projects not inhibit optical connection Department of Radioengineering of the Faculty spectrum, and other auxiliary and Laser Electronics. projects. links. “These are optical fibres undertaken by this Department like fog does, while fog does of Electrical Engineering and Communication devices,” recollects Otakar related to our applied research. included, for example, the not hinder radio connection. development of an optical We needed to solve the prob- was the brainchild of Otakar Wilfert. Established Wilfert. The uncommon colour As laser radiation can At the time of our visit the As we test optical communica- of the laboratory walls is team of Otakar Wilfert was tions on the roof, we need to cable-less communication sys- lem of switching – recognition, in 1997 in the building on Purkyňova Street 118 it related to reflections of laser reach the eye even in motion on the roof of the get the obtained information tem with the aim of increasing when it is more advantageous was used from the start for courses in optical radiation and work safety. through reflection from faculty and experimentally down to the laboratory here the availability of the connec- to use an optical link and communication, photonics, quantum electronics As laser radiation can hit the the walls and it reflects verified whether an adaptive to analyse it,” explains the tion over time. “Right now we when radio connection is more and laser technology. After the faculty moved to eye even through reflection better from lighter system assembly worked suc- researcher. “An optical signal have several heads around beneficial.” the new building on Technická Street 12 it was from the walls and it reflects walls, the laboratory cessfully. “Adaptability helps can be processed in a number the republic which are used to study the events in the atmos- Another field of research is transformed into a first-class facility which serves better from lighter walls, it was was decorated with olive the beam which is going from of ways, for example, using a necessary to choose the dark- the transmitter to the receiver spectrometer. We have a test modelling different atmos- both as a laboratory for teaching courses and an green paint. est possible shade for the wall to continually maintain the cor- unit down here for a receiv- The transmitted optical pheric phenomena which important scientific research unit. decoration. “Ideally black, but rect direction and if it deviates ing optical system – it is one affect the quality of the it would be rather depressing, Teaching takes place in the due to atmospheric phenom- of our prototypes. An optical radiation is affected optical bundle. Based on the so our olive green is kind of a front section of the labora- ena, the system can redirect fibre situated in the focal by many factors – a synthesis of a stationary compromise,” explains Lucie tory while the rear section is it correctly again,” clarifies point of the telescope collects number of optical and model, which is concerned Jana Novotná laboratory, which is striking Hudcová, who is guiding us reserved for scientists and Otakar Wilfert. “The laser received light from the open atmospheric phenomena, with modelling connections in Photo Igor Šefr at first glance with its unusu- through the workplace. students working on their beam has two fundamental space. Connecting an optical turbulent atmosphere, the laboratory, and a statisti- ally dark olive-tinged walls. projects. Research concen- properties. It can concentrate bundle to an optical fibre is and non-standard events cal model, which captures the Present at the birth of the new “The significant items among Currently the Department or- trates on different areas of a relatively great amount of rather problematic and quite modelling of the atmosphere laboratory was again Professor the first purchases include a ganises a bachelor's course in optical sensors, optical com- energy onto a very small spot, difficult. As a result we use such as a flying bird. outside, a complex model was Wilfert, who put forward the tunable laser, special optical Basic Optical Communication munication, particularly on the when a hole can even be burnt various adaptive systems that developed and its computer requirements for the procure- laboratory table, mechanically and Optoelectronics, which transmission of information in the material under certain may compensate for, let’s say, phere and the effect of the version is administered by ment of instrumentation and precise and resistant to shock, is more practically focused, through open space using a circumstances, and it has an the vibrations of the console atmosphere on the laser beam. the PhD student Petr Skryja. supervised even the selection the Fourier spectrometer, and a mathematically and laser beam. The results of the ability to concentrate a great on which the connection is For example, on the Milešovka “Our young colleague can find of suitable decoration in the capable of precise measuring physics-wise more demanding scientists from Brno’s faculty amount of information into a fixed, or the negative impacts mountain we can study the a site in the computer model, of electrical engineering are relatively short time interval, of the atmosphere on the propagation of the laser beam where the link is situated, he really unique in these fields. which is related to the high optical bundle. It is a complex in an almost vertical direction, can enter the performance “As a standard, using laser transmission speed.” system,” says the young which is unique. Milešovka parameters of the given link, radiation in open space we can scientist. is exceptional for having the even the path of the Sun in the transmit information over a When browsing through the worst weather in the republic sky, and based on the synthe- distance in the order of kilome- laboratory it is impossible to The innovation of the concept which provides us with a great sis of the stationary and the tres, but in special applications avoid noticing a bundle of ca- lies in the fact that it works opportunity to study nega- synthetic model can provide you can relay it over hundreds bles hanging from the roof and with optical radiation which tive atmospheric phenomena users with comprehensive of kilometres. In optical fibre mismatching the otherwise enables the links to achieve from an optical perspective,” information on the availability links these distances can be impeccable appearance of greater transmission speed describes Otakar Wilfert. of the given link working on even longer. The transmitted the workplace. An explanation compared to radio com- Another extraordinary output the selected site,” explains optical radiation is affected is provided by Peter Barcík, munication. “When they are is the statistical model of the Otakar Wilfert. But scientists by many factors – a number who specialises in research properly configured photonic link. “Under real-life conditions from FEEC are looking into the of optical phenomena on the and development in the field connections exhibit transmis- no link operates at 100 % all of future as well. After certain transmitting and receiving sion speeds higher by an the time. But when you analyse corrections the results of lens, atmospheric phenom- After certain corrections order than traditional optical the weather conditions on the their research can be used ena, such as rain and fog, or links that you can buy from selected site, you can statisti- to model the atmosphere on turbulent atmosphere, as well the results of their commercial sellers,” explains cally determine at which time Mars, which is typified by a as non-standard events such laboratory research can Lucie Hudcová and adds: intervals or with what prob- transmission environment as when a flying bird interrupts be used to model the “Presently there are plans ability the given connection filled with dust after frequent the laser beam for a moment. atmosphere on Mars, for using optical cable-less will work. This gave rise to the dust storms. And given that the laser beam which is typically filled networks for general pur- concept in which optical links is very narrow, it is very dif- with dust after frequent poses as only traditional radio co-operate with radio connec- ficult to aim the transmitter at connections will not be able to tions – so-called hybrid links,” the receiver,” explains Otakar dust storms. cover the increasing demands explains Lucie Hudcová and Wilfert, who can himself boast of society.” Otakar Wilfert adds: “Rain does

52 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 53 GRADUATE ABROAD Andrea Konečná: When you step out of your comfort zone ideas will start to arrive

She opted for the study of physical engineering my diploma thesis at BUT and and nanotechnologies at the Faculty of continued to collaborate with Mechanical Engineering BUT instead of physics at the group in San Sebastian, Masaryk University mainly due to a better chance where Javier Aizpurua offered me an opportunity to continue of finding a job in one of the high-tech firms and with doctoral studies. an opportunity to go on a placement abroad during the study. In the end Andrea Konečná You like to verify your calcula- experienced nomadic academic life to the full. tions in experiments. It brought her plentiful experience in the most Although in my work I make varied approaches to doing science and first-rate do with a pencil, paper and a better computer, it is great to collaborators. After a five-year-long tour of world have experiments together scientific institutions she is slowly returning to with calculations. During the Brno. whole of my study I was in contact with several experi- menters in the field of electron microscopy and spectroscopy, Jana Novotná chose a stay in San Sebastian who either verified our calcula- Photo archive of Andrea Konečná in the Basque Country, where tions by experiments or whom I spent half a year in the we helped with the interpre- Theoretical Nanophotonics tation of their experimental Where did the promised group under the supervision results. In 2016 I received placement at the Institute of of Javier Aizpurua. I became a grant from FEI (today Physical Engineering take you? involved in calculations ThermoFisher Scientific) and Students go out on a place- related to harnessing electron the Czechoslovak Microscopy ment during the fourth year bundles that we commonly Society thanks to which I three months at the Oak Ridge European and American during my present post-doc- PhD studies, who is on very time over whether to accept mainly within the Erasmus use in electron microscopes was able to cover the costs National Laboratory. All the science. In addition these toral position in Barcelona. good terms with my new tutor, the offer, as I had originally programme. The director of for atomic imaging in examin- of internships with several internships were excellent as I research internships together Javier García de Abajo. He thought about a non-academic the Institute Tomáš Šikola ing the optical properties collaborators of ours. First I drew on new ideas and themes with conferences where I How did you get to the was able to win the European position in Brno, in the end I managed to establish contacts of nano particles or nano spent three months at Rutgers for work, but I also found out could present our results Institute of Photonic Sciences ERC grant for the whole decided to give it a try. So far with a number of top (not only) structured materials with University, a year later two about the different ways of helped me establish a network in Barcelona? group which in its specialisa- I have not regretted it, I am European research institu- high 3D resolution. I was so months at Arizona State leading a research group and of contacts and find first-rate I received the offer for a tion partly overlaps with my assured that the “new” Javier tions, where students leave captivated by the subject that University and during the last conducting research as such collaborators. I continue to research position in Barcelona previous research subjects. is justifiably one of the leaders to work on research projects. I I also researched it as part of year of my doctoral study and the differences between work with some of them even indirectly via the tutor for my Although I hesitated for some in the field. And whatever

54 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 55 CO-OPERATION

groups led by young scientists who are not afraid to come for- ward with ambitious projects. To be I, too, will soon be able to take this opportunity and work on my own project. I managed to receive a grant where I will be successful able to apply my know-how, and I will also collaborate with scientists from the team of Tomáš Šikola, with whom we you need to should complement one an- other. We have partly tested it during another project in which I collaborated with them during fit hundreds my doctoral studies.

What did the nearly five-year- long tour of the map of world of parts science give you? Apart from comparing the different approaches to “doing science” from the level of the together, individual up to large institu- tions, it mainly gave me excel- lent collaborators. And it’s not my next position is I expect the given sample. We have the exceptions when people spend just about collaboration, the says the that the experience acquired best microscopes in the world their whole academic life in a important aspects are mutual here in Barcelona and in San today – you can take a look single institution, but normally inspiration and ideas, which Sebastian will definitely prove at how the individual atoms scientists have to accept that can arise in the office, or while useful. in a substance vibrate. Not to “nomadic” life. It makes sense. having a talk over an after- boss of speak of various special tech- When you step out of your noon coffee on the campus Can you try and explain to a lay niques and approaches that comfort zone and are under of Arizona State University or person what it is you find so are being installed in electron slight stress, new ideas will during a weekend trek in the fascinating about the atomic microscopes, so there is still a usually start to arrive. This is hills above the town. All in all, Flowmon world? lot of space for enhancement augmented by the fact that I feel enthusiastic when I see From a long-term perspective and innovation, including on you are in a new group which how the subject of electron I have been amazed by the the principle of other physical researches different scientific spectroscopy in connection scope of information that we methods than are those cur- subjects or where you learn with nanophotonics is moving Networks can retrieve from an “ordinary” rently used. new methods and techni- on, including thanks to the electron microscope – it is not cal approaches to solving work of the research groups in for nothing that it is said to be Why are you planning to return problems. which I gradually found myself. a diminished synchrotron. As home? It seems that you would And besides, sometimes an I mentioned, using electrons not get lost abroad. Personally, I will paradoxically idea is really enough and you we can make images with a The way things usually feel like leaving the comfort don’t even need first-rate Hana Nečasová, FIT BUT resolution down to individual work abroad is that a young zone on returning home. Both equipment. Photo archive of Flowmon Networks atoms, which is fascinating in scientist has to complete a for personal reasons and itself, but we can also measure “round” of positions in several because I see interesting emitted light, X-ray radiation research groups, at best in opportunities at home. For or the electron spectrum after different countries, and then example, in Brno we have passing through a substance. they’ll start to attempt to win a excellent scientific instrumen- We can correlate this data and steady position and found their tation within CEITEC and this find nearly everything about own group. Naturally, there are gives rise to newly emerging

56 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 57 NEWS

Together with a colleague Firstly, it’s the opportunity to commercial was a huge prob- Technologically, the success company that will give an at- The current crisis presents COLLABORATION from the Faculty of Information collaborate with the univer- lem timewise. of Flowmon went hand in hand tractive job to more than 800 new challenges in your field – Technology, they were the first sity over the long term. It’s with the change in companies’ people and will be the world it seems like an ideal time for employees of a start-up which easier for us to make arrange- Thirteen years ago Czech approach to the security of leader in monitoring and secu- cybersecurity attacks. operated from a single room. ments for a common project universities had little experi- their IT infrastructure. rity of network traffic. But we Yes, the covid pandemic is an Today Jiří Tobola is the head or specify the subject of a ence with commercialisation. had to revise the short-term opportunity for attackers. Over of a company which is one of diploma thesis. It is a power- And it was probably the same What exactly has changed? aims. In January we launched the last months of the pan- the leaders in monitoring and house which helps us innovate with you and your experience At the time of founding another round of expansion demic we saw ransomware analysing network traffic and our products. Regular collabo- in business … Flowmon it was obvious in the to the USA and wanted to hitting really hard again. We employs 130 staff. “I consider ration with universities is an in- It was indeed an area where global market for security solu- reinforce our branch with new could watch the high-profile all of this an incredible story tegral part of the development experience was lacking the tions that the existing method people in sales and marketing. cases in the media but the of the success towards which and innovation process in most. We received important of protecting IT infrastructure After two months we had to real extent was much greater. CEITEC BUT helped create a research at school can guide Flowmon Networks today. We support from the South based on guarding network suspend and postpone this Unfortunately, the reality holographic model of a meteorite you,” says the current boss of share a number of research Moravian Innovation Centre, perimeters and terminal sta- activity. today is such that company Flowmon Networks. The firm and development projects. which provided us both with tions was no longer sufficient. security ends at the level Using microCT with voxel resolution was established thirteen years And our customers encounter spaces and valuable consulta- Traditional tools can save a Do you see anything positive of the necessary minimum, of 80 μm scientists from CEITEC BUT ago as a university spin-off, the results of our cooperation tions, seminars, legal service firm only from some particular in the current situation? being the antivirus protec- analysed an unusually large piece of and today has more than a every day. and contact right from the attacks. Consequently, there We all know about the giant tion of stations, perimeter meteorite weighing 1,320 g and sized thousand customers around beginning, and then the arrival was a need for a technology problems experienced by the protection using a firewall roughly 11 × 15 × 4 cm, found in 2016 the world. You have experienced the of Rostislav Vocilka who took that would provide for visibility tourist industry, hotels, flight and infrastructure monitor- near the German village of Stubenberg in university environment as up the position of executive inside network traffic and companies, and obviously we ing to check the availability Lower Bavaria. a student. What were the director. He brought with him analyse unusual behaviour. are in for an economic reces- of servers and key services. You started as a “garage firm” benefits for you? the necessary experience from Technology that could cover sion. On the other hand, there This is where a false sense In connection with creating its virtual and today you are among the I consider all of this an incred- ICT firms in which he used to the blind spots in company are positive things – suddenly of security is generated. You 3D model the Ries-kratermuseum in leaders in the field. How did ible story of the success work. Specifically, experience security. it is possible to organise web have to realise that hundreds Nördlingen contacted scientists from you manage to succeed? towards which research in building up sales, placing meetings including Japan and of devices communicate in the CT laboratory at CEITEC BUT, who It was a winding road. At the at school can guide you. I brands on the market, team At the beginning there was America, which were originally your network without any determined the composition of the beginning it was academic enrolled at the Faculty of management and establishing the development of unique against this. Agendas are control or protection, such as meteorite’s surface and thanks to CT research where we wanted to Information Technology in and restructuring firms. technology. Do you still bet on transferred into electronic cameras, printers, even X-rays measurement segmented particles of compete with Cisco with our 2002 when it was a novelty development today? form and I believe that when and magnetic resonance. We metals and sulphides that it is composed products. It was an ambitious and kind of strange to work Are good technology and Without technological develop- we look back after five ten see the pandemic as an oppor- of. Based on the obtained data they but not very reasonable idea. on projects in groups. But it capable management the ment we would not have been years, we will say that it was tunity. Firms are discovering created a holographic model of the We had to go back to the was the right preparation for blueprint for success? where we are now. And if we the time of the acceleration of that IT infrastructure is critical whole meteorite and its inner structure. start and find our own way. real work in firms. It is great To be successful you need to want to be among the leaders digitisation, when our mums for their operations and they As a result museum visitors can switch At that time we focused our that so many research groups fit hundreds of parts together. in the field, the process of and grandmas learned to need to protect it. between images of the different attention on monitoring and operate at school and there And if one of the seemingly innovation and development is “skype”. structures and learn about the complex safety of computer networks. are many projects. From the lesser things wouldn't have absolutely essential for us. It composition of the meteorite. Our unique prototypes were second term I had a chance been there, we might have is one of the reasons why this favourably received by the to do research work in the not managed to make it. In my year we have been engaged Flowmon Networks helps firms administer and secure their net- (ed) European Commission, which Liberouter project. Apart from opinion, the basis of success in the greatest number of work infrastructure through modern technology monitoring and proposed that we should go receiving a welcome grant is a team of the right people, research and development analysing the behaviour of computer networks based on data commercial. That was the it meant doing a bachelor’s motivation to achieve some- projects in the company’s flows. Unlike many existing technologies, they are capable of beginning. The technology was or diploma work with real thing and being strong in tech- history and we are assigning identifying unknown threats merely through their unusual behav- the work of a group of scien- impact and not just for the nologies. The product itself more and more of our capacity iour in the network. In 2007 the firm started as a spin-off of Brno tists around the CESNET as- table drawer. In the end the kept changing over time and to them. University of Technology, Masaryk University and CESNET (Czech sociation, Flowmon Networks Liberouter project gave rise to will continue to change but if National Research and Education Network). Thanks to its own re- emerged later as a spin-off the Flowmon company. I only you have the right team around When you became company search and development, partnerships with universities and world firm, in which the university regret that I didn't manage to you can achieve unexpected director in 2018 you set ambi- technological leaders, Flowmon Networks is today one of the fast- has an interest. complete my work at school and unplanned successes. tious goals. Has the current est growing technological companies in the field – it has more than with a doctoral study, but When I look back – we came covid crisis changed anything a thousand customers in 43 countries around the world. What are the advantages of unfortunately it soon became at the right time, with the in them? being linked with the academic clear that doing research right technology and we had a Our long-term goal is stable. world? and at the same time going lucky hand in our acquisitions. To build a global technological

58 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 59 DOCTORAL RESEARCHER NEWS

Studying in the Marie COMPETITION SPORTS Skłodowska-Curie Innovative From Tunisia to Brno in Training Network is quite spe- cific. In what way exactly? Our doctoral studies last only three years, which is not very Photo Jana Kubátová pursuit of a scientific career common. The programme is very intensive as we need to comply with the same require- ments. It's not that we would How did the moving and where I concentrate on using have fewer publications or involvement in study at the these devices in industry. The acquired credits. Willy-nilly Chicken Wings came 7th in the Air Petr Horvát from FCH is European university go? potential applications include you will learn to manage your Cargo Challenge Champion in orienteering The university helped me a helmet or glasses enabling time. There are five universi- to do all the necessary extended reality. For example, ties involved and each doctoral FME students from the Chicken Wings At the European Universities paperwork and as another production lines could oper- student studies at two. I will be team scored a phenomenal success Orienteering Championship (EUOC), PhD student moved to Brno ate even better with the aid in Brno for two years and spend with the FausT plane in the Air Cargo which was held in 2019 for the first before me I came to a fur- of wearable devices. Instead a year at Tampere University, Challenge 2019 competition. A total of 27 time in Olomouc and surroundings the nished flat. I find the WISLAB of standing at the line and but it alternates so it will not teams competed for victory in Stuttgart, student of the Faculty of Chemistry BUT laboratory at the Department comparing how many units of a be two uninterrupted years. Germany. Four days before departure the Petr Horvát won gold medal and became of Telecommunications of the given product have passed on Within the project we work BUT students faced a grave problem – European University Champion. FEEC where I work and which is the belt and how many it should together with the other doctoral during the last training flight the plane led by my tutor, to be absolutely be according to some docu- students. Each of us has four was fatally damaged and the young “I was running as fast as I could from motivating. We meet every ments, you would wear smart tutors with whom we are in designers had to build it again. It took the first checkpoint, there was nothing week and discuss what we are glasses. It would be able to close contact. At the same exactly 96 hours from the plane’s crash to wait for. I had a very good feeling doing. That I was received well recognise what kind of object time I work with colleagues to the repeated maiden flight. throughout the race. I caught good When she was twenty- How did you get from Tunisia to may be indicated by the fact is sitting on the line, how many from the WISLAB laboratory speed after start where there were long six Salwa Saafi received Brno University of Technology? that in the very first week I ar- have been produced, and in and industrial partners, where I In Stuttgart FausT successfully passed runs, and I managed to maintain it in the the irresistible offer to Tunisian university education rived in Brno I received an e-mail extended reality you would see will also have a placement over the technical inspection and during more technical passage that followed become a doctoral student is similar to that in France. You saying there was a meeting on how many remain to be done. several months before complet- competition flights in international and I didn't do a mistake there, which in the prestigious Marie have two so-called prep years Tuesday and I should come. It's You wouldn’t need any papers ing my PhD where I will be able competition came 7th overall. This was a was very important. Then I realised that I Skłodowska-Curie programme. with really intensive instruction great that theory meets prac- in hand. Via a smart watch to verify whether my project is considerable improvement compared to was going well and I am glad that I didn’t As the innovative training in mathematics and physics tice there. All are top experts you would be able to send the applicable in practice. the last edition of the Air Cargo Challenge make any big mistakes afterwards,” said programme requires students and afterwards you pass a na- and easy to work with. I can do information to your supervisor in 2017, when the team ended 13th. The the winner from BUT immediately after to travel out to one of the tional examination. Depending a large portion of my work from or to the warehouse where What are your plans after com- designers are particularly proud of their finishing. partner universities with on your position in the exam home, but recently I needed to it would be received by truck pleting your doctoral studies? system of loading dead weight, which their research, she moved you can choose where you will work in the laboratory on some operators. I try to discover how Research is my passion. I was one of the best, and are determined Petr Horvát also represented BUT at the from her native Tunisia and go to university. When I was calculations and I would leave to use contemporary technol- worked for two years in Tunisia to come back for victory in the next Winter Universiade 2019 in Krasnoyarsk. settled in Brno. At the Faculty sitting for the exam, there were around eight in the evening. It ogy, such as Wi-Fi or 5G, for and had a chance to go abroad edition. This multifunctional sportsman of Electrical Engineering around a thousand of us, of takes up nearly all of my time the transmission of signals to work but I chose the career regularly excels both in orienteering and and Communication she which nine hundred passed but I am doing what I wanted between devices. Today we of a scientist. I know what I From this year the team has expanded swimming or ski orienteering. is now experimenting with and I was thirty-seventh. and I enjoy it. can use the 5G network but 6G want and I go for it. I often think from Brno to Prague – alongside students the options of connecting Although I initially thought that and 7G are around the corner. I about that and I guess that I will of the Institute of Aerospace Engineering (ed) smart watches or glasses in I would study energetics, in the What are you researching in equally try to find alternatives probably stay abroad. If there FME BUT it has brought onboard industrial applications. end I went to a top university your project? to the Wi-Fi network which is in will be a work opportunity for students of Czech Technical University for telecommunications and The whole A-WEAR project use today, as the requirements me there. It is still valid that the in Prague, mainly from the Department I don’t regret it as thanks to focuses on wearable devices, of up-to-date technologies are field of my research is the main of Aerospace Engineering. Such Tereza Kadrnožková that I am here. I felt certain I such as watches or glasses. higher than Wi-Fi can offer. thing for me so I will go where I collaboration between two universities Photo Igor Šefr wanted to do a doctoral degree We experiment with localisa- It is also about setting some will be able to continue it either within a single students’ team is unique. abroad, as I could not find a tion, machine learning and standards and mapping out the in post-doctoral studies or in suitable study programme in communication between these situation in order to know what the position of a researcher. I (ed) the telecommunications field devices, which is my field. I we need to work on in telecom- might even be here in Brno – we in Tunisia. have an extra specialisation munications. will see.

60 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 61 STUDENT ABROAD

Although Lukáš Arbeit was legendary Silicon Valley, within real-life cases for the stu- a student with a penchant easy reach of San Francisco. dents, who come forward with The education system in for travel, he never took part He was immediately overcome new ideas for society, and in in an official programme of by a desire to study there but turn can get a good job op- students’ mobility and went after he learned how expen- portunity during their studies,” his own way. During studies sive it would be he quickly clarifies Lukáš. Denmark is based on at the Faculty of Business and sobered up. But he became Management he hopped off to hooked and started mulling The form of instruction is America for a year, where he over other possibilities of adapted to this and as such discovered his inner desire to studying abroad. In the end he is considerably different from confrontation between study abroad. After completing decided in favour of Aalborg that we have grown accus- the bachelor’s course he set University in Denmark and he tomed to at home. “In the first off to Aalborg University in set off there after completing week the teachers introduced Denmark. There he received his bachelor’s degree. us to the focus of the subject, teacher and student, says his master’s degree in science or engineering activity as they and later made good use of “I opted for the International called it. One subject was his valuable experience in his Business course at the usually taught by a number of seminar paper at the Institute Aalborg University. The different lecturers. Instruction Lukáš Arbeit of Forensic Engineering where university is considered more took on the form of something he enrolled after returning of a scientific rather than an like discussion when students from Denmark. academic institution, where asked questions or argued the individual departments with teachers about the valid- cooperate on a professional ity of their statements,” says level,” explains Lukáš and adds the BUT student. “The Danish Jana Novotná that as a result of that they instructors are experts in their Photo archive of Lukáš Arbeit are all equals and the prevail- field with many specialised ing relationships are those publications and respected of colleagues. He decided to results behind them and in describe the specific features addition to teaching they work of the Danish education for various companies as well. system in a seminar paper for But during their absence they the Business Ethics course. were always available through His dream to travel across As he says in his work, unlike Skype and were ready to give America came true when he in the Czech Republic, where us their private phone number studied Business Economics instruction includes multiple for consultations,” explains at the Faculty of Business subjects during the semester, Lukáš and emphasises that and Management. He passed in Denmark there is only one the relationship with students the recruitment procedure subject on the curriculum in Denmark is highly profes- for YMCA and left for San which the students study sional and that of colleagues. Francisco in California for a for roughly a month and a The introduction to the prob- year. “I thought the level of half. The current subject of lem was followed by “Problem my English was decent, but instruction is always linked Formulation” which was built during the first month I was with real life in Danish society on linking theoretical instruc- struggling. I worked with col- and a particular issue that a tion with the formulation of leagues from the whole world firm wants to approach from a a real case of one of Danish and the most difficult part was different perspective than that companies. Throughout the to understand their different offered by professional agen- whole project the company co- dialects and accents,” admits cies. “Universities in Denmark operated with the students via Lukáš. In his free time he closely collaborate with local a contact person and gradually explored national parks and companies and invest a lot of acquainted them with all the the cities. He was strongly im- money in R&D (Research and processes and operations pressed by his visit to Stanford Development). This provides of the firm, or its branch or Horseshoe Bend in Arizona University in the heart of the universities with a source of factory.

62 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 63 NEWS

During work on the project the prove knowledge of other tech- EXPEDITION students were divided into niques than the one applied,” groups of three to six people. says Lukáš and describes the “As the students came from examination procedure at the five continents, long before end of which each member Photo Jana Hoderová th the first problems caused by of the committee talked with The 4 Sustainable Process Integration Laboratory different cultures and customs every student. Afterwards the emerged. Additionally, it might resulting mark was announced happen that the same brief followed by open discussion Scientific Conference was understood differently by on the subject. Over two years different people, and it was of study Lukáš Arbeit had a Energy, Water, Emission & Waste in Industry and Cities also difficult to find agreement chance to work on projects for For the team of Miloslav on the division of work and the such companies as Lego, Air Druckmüller the solar eclipse of results,” enumerates Lukáš Iceland, Škoda Auto as part 2019 was the most successful in 18-20 November 2020 (Online) Arbeit describing the pos- of the VW concern, NOWACO, the history of observations sible pitfalls of collaboration Ramboll and others. Chaired by Prof Jiří Jaromír Klemeš, DSc, SPIL, Brno University in international teams. After The total solar eclipse over South of Technology, Czech Republic learning the theory the groups Lukáš's experience suggests America occurred on 2nd July 2019. The started to work on their pro- that compared to the Czech team from the Institute of Mathematics jects, which the BUT student Republic the education system at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Confirmed Plenary Speakers compares to a diploma thesis in Denmark is based to a much BUT led by Miloslav Druckmüller was on Prof Chong Wen Tong, University of Malaya, Malaysia in terms of difficulty. About ten greater extent on confronta- site and it was the leader's 11th expedition days before the examination tion between the lecturer and to a total solar eclipse. Prof Friedler Ferenc, Szechenyi Istvan University, Hungary the project had to submitted students. “Everyone can come Prof Henrik Lund, Aalborg University, Denmark for inspection for potential pla- up with their idea, attempt to As Miloslav Druckmüller stated last Prof Ibrahim Dincer, Ontario Tech. University, Canada giarism and then handed over defend it, or learn to admit year’s observation was unique by the to the examination commit- a mistake. In the beginning I breadth of research: “We had 41 different Prof Panos Seferlis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece tee. Afterwards the students couldn’t find the courage to instruments, which were largely new. We Prof Vivien Lu Lin, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University prepared themselves for the oppose the lecturer or argue collected the greatest volume of data examination proper. with a company director. But making it the most successful eclipse everyone is open to new ideas of all time.” As the leader explained in First, the group stood before and likes to hear an opinion detail, the final image was created by the examination committee as from a different perspective, complicated mathematical processing of a team. Apart from representa- which I very positively ac- 129 photographs with exposition times tives of Aalborg University the knowledge. The study is very from 0.001 to 1.024 s. committee incorporated an demanding in terms of time. external member from another One project follows another, According to the original plan the university who invigilated the which means a lot of time expedition from BUT was to observe the impartiality of the examin- is spent in the library study- solar eclipse at three sites: the main ers, and representatives of ing specialised articles and observation spot in Rodeo in Argentina, the company for which the publications. But this gave me traditionally manned by Pavel Štarha, research was done. “The a much broader outlook and the Cerro Tololo observatory in Chile examination lasted two and helped me meet many people and Mascasin in Argentina. Given the a half hours. The students' from different corners of the unfavourable weather forecast the presentation took 50 minutes world,” concludes Lukáš Arbeit team was forced to withdraw from the during which they elaborated who successfully completed Mascasin site but they managed to on further possible steps in his studies at the Institute of arrange for positions at the Mamalluca research, different interpre- Forensic Engineering in the observatory near Vicuna in Chile. tations of the results and academic year 2019/2020. answered questions by the (ed) conferencespil.com/spil2020 committee. Each student had to be able to justify every sen- tence used in the project and

64 NEWS AT BUT ENGLISH YEARBOOK 2020/2021 VISUALOVE is a studio consisting of two graduates of the Faculty of Civil Engineering BUT.