žurnál

Magazine of Palacký University Olomouc, 2015 /1

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Palacký University in Select Company Due to Science and Research

Genius loci… �lomouc � �e �niversity �ity

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· English Philology · Deutsche Philologie · Euroculture · European Studies and International Relations · Chinese Philology · Jewish and Israeli Studies · Dentistry · General Medicine · Leisure Time Activities Counselling and Management · Pre-Primary Education · Special Needs Counselling · Specialnaja Pedagogika · Biochemistry · International Development Studies · Ph.D. programmes in Sciences, Social Sciences, Medical Sciences, Education, Law, Kinanthropology

www.upol.cz contents

2 — UP in Select Company Due to Science and Research 5 — Noam Chomsky, the Phenomenon 6 — Dean’s Wish Comes True: Faculty of Law Receives First Accreditation for Awarding Docentships 6 — Chemist Pavel Hobza Among the World’s Most Cited Scientists 7 — Peter Tavel Takes Over Leadership of Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology Annus mirabilis. 7 — Daniel Schacter Lectures on Human Memory I dare to describe the year 2014 with these rather audacious words. Perhaps surprisingly, it 8 — Dentistry Students Save the Dummies… for was not due to the visit of the global academic Training superstar Noam Chomsky, the flattering scores of Palacký University in global rankings, a number 8 — Speech Therapy Studies Found Excellent in of individual awards and achievements, our International Ranking expansion to Prague, nor the Alumni programme. €e main reason is the fact, perhaps considered 9 — Mark Latash: Keynote Speaker at Movement banal by many, that as the UP Rector I came to Analysis Conference know many colleagues and scientists in the past year who work very hard and whose primary 9 — BALUO Centre Construction Commenced: intention is not a vision of success, but simply their Hammering on the Foundation Stone love for science and their students; they never lack motivation, enjoying their profession sometimes 11 — Breakthrough Environmental Nanotechnologies even to the point of obsession. It has resulted from Olomouc in a breath-taking dynamic of development in a number of disciplines, whose mere list would 13 — Young Algologist Reveals Ancient History of fill this column. My logical conclusion after the Cyanobacteria past year is: Palacký University Olomouc has an immense human, infrastructural, scientific, and 15 — Olomouc Scientists Discover Method to Speed educational potential, whose continuous fulfilment Detection of Serious Diseases must be our objective in the years to come. I have been delighted in the past year for 16 — Mediterranean Bats Take a Fancy to Olomouc many reasons. €ese include the impressive 17 — Profile – Michael Beckerman achievements of individuals and research teams, as well as the less conspicuous—yet just as 20 — Fifty Times More than Just a Festival significant—events vital for the functioning and fine reputation of our university: the sophisticated 24 — “Once a student, always an alumnus.” system of science popularisation for secondary (Interview with Leona Axelsson) school students at the Faculty of Science; the accreditation of the Associate Professor 28 — Jaroslav Doležel Receives the Ministry Award for programme granted to the Faculty of Law; the first Research three graduates of the doctoral programme at the Faculty of Health Sciences; the completion of the 32 — Olomouc Residents Identify Their City with the new complex at the Faculty of Education, and the University commencement of the construction of the BALUO Application Centre at the Faculty of Physical 33 — Our Man in America: Motivation is the Key Culture; the refurbished Dentistry manikins; the completion of the Centre for Doctoral Studies at 35 — A Fulbright Means Finally Having Time for the Faculty of Arts; and the fantastic success of the One’s Own Work charity flea market at the Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of €eology. 37 — Park Here €e Science and Technology Park successfully 38 — Remem(Novem)bering started its new proof-of-concept programme and the Library has managed to link the Palacký 39 — Reflection: The Czech Republic—A New Page in University and Olomouc Regional Museum the Book of My Life catalogues. €e Rector’s Office supported many student clubs financially in 2014 that might be finally 40 — The Final Word & Comics able to find adequate premises for their activities in 2015 or 2016. €e past year was also marked by the beginning of the long-term process of the university’s internationalisation. €e first visible step was opening a branch of the Czech Department of Asylum and Migration Policy on academic grounds, which rather simplified the service for foreign students and academics at UP. Last but not Žurnál | Published annually in English | Czech Registration No.: MK ČR E 12524, least, our university proudly celebrated the 25th ISSN 1804-6754 | Published by Palacký University Olomouc, Křížkovského anniversary of the November 1989 changes, without 8, CZ-771 47 Olomouc, Czech Republic | VAT No.: 61989592 | Chairman of which none of the achievements described above the Editorial Board: Petr Bilík | Editor-in-Chief: Pavel Konečný | Layout: Věra would have been possible. Marešová | Graphic Editor: Michaela Cyprová | Proofreading: Matthew Sweney | Editorial Board | Biskupské nám. 1, Olomouc | Telephone: +420 585 631 155 Jaroslav Miller | E-mail: [email protected] | Print | Profi-Tisk Group Olomouc | 1000 copies Rector, Palacký University Olomouc text: Martina Šaradínová topic photos: Pavel Konečný, Viktor Čáp/RCPTM

UP in Select Company Due to Science and Research

Palacký University Olomouc scored again in an international univer- sity ranking. After this year’s premiere in the list of the world’s top universities made by the Centre for World University Rankings, UP also recently succeeded in the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings, where it achieved the 488th posi- tion. ªe other two Czech universities included in the company of the world’s 500 top universities were Charles University in Prague (no. 179) and Czech Technical University in Prague (no. 371).

UP Rector Jaroslav Miller was pleased, esTM, an analytics platform for bibliomet- but not surprised by the achievement. “I’m ric comparison of scientific performance. glad our university has been ranked among Primarily, the academic research perfor- the best universities internationally. It’s an mance is monitored, but some of the fac- appreciation of our work, giving us motiva- tors also involve the quality of education. tion to further improve,” said Miller. Apart from the number of publications, ci- The Best Global Universities Rankings tations, and other relevant data, the rank- is based on data and analytics solutions ings also take into account the opinions provided by Thomson Reuters, whose and evaluations of approximately 8000 ac- portfolio includes bibliometric and citation ademics associated via the Thomson Reu- data from the Web of Science and InCit- ters database.

2 žurnál 2015 Long-standing trend According to the university management, UP’s successful ranking is a result of the emphasis on scientific work and excel- lence in research. “This trend has been long-standing and has been shown in all indicators. International comparison in the form of the rankings is one of them,” added the UP Rector. UP’s impressive results have been con- firmed in another research output analy- sis assessing more than 5,000 research-fo- cused institutions – Scimago Institutions Rankings, based on the SciVerse Scopus database owned by Elsevier publishing house. “The rapidity of our improvement is very high. In the last five years, Palacký University has moved between four and six hundred places higher in this rank- ing,” said Miller. The most significant shift occurred in the indicator monitoring ex- cellent publications. UP also greatly im- proved in the number and proportion of publications that are cited in patent appli- cations.

Scientific publications and Ph.D. students on the increase of Palacký University’s strong points. In definitely strengthen its reputation and may The resulting score in Best Global Univer- the percentage of total publications that are have a synergetic effect. “It may indirectly sities Rankings comprises ten indicators among the 10 percent most cited, UP occu- enhance our chances to score in other with varying weights. The most important pies the 222th position, outpacing Charles rankings too, and the increasing awareness ones are global and regional reputation of University (no. 473) and Czech Technical of UP in more than the international the university, followed by bibliometric in- University (no. 305). UP’s best score, no. scientific community will improve our dicators such as the number of publications 162, was achieved in normalised citation starting position for establishing further or the number of frequently cited publica- impact which takes into account the insti- international collaborations,” she said. tions (that are among the 10 percent most tution’s size. UP also excelled in the num- The 2014 results correspond with a pre- cited), total citations, normalised citation ber of awarded Ph.D. degrees per academic vious Thomson Reuters analysis via the impact, or international collaboration. The staff member (ranked no. 250). Web of Science database that monitors ci- final two indicators assess the total num- tation impact of scholarly articles and bib- ber of awarded Ph.D. degrees and their Strengthened reputation liographic information from more than number per academic staff member. According to Zuzana Polanská, Director 12,500 prominent scientific journals Publications on quality research con- of the UP Strategy Support Office, the across all disciplines. Palacký Universi- ducted by Olomouc scientists that have success of inclusion of Palacký University ty achieved an above-average score in the a positive response in expert circles are one in the 500 best global universities will years 2002 to 2011.

Excellence of Czech universities according to the first decile of citations €e number stands for the total position in respective years among 5100 monitored institutes, regardless of size 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Palacký University 1460 1438 1417 1300 1247 1093 Charles University 1497 1503 1508 1490 1465 1381 Masaryk University 1556 1572 1615 1618 1613 1559 Czech Technical University in Prague 1325 1258 1312 1287 1287 1241 Brno University of Technology 1569 1641 1638 1528 1548 1533 Institute of Chemical Technology 1442 1515 1510 1460 1511 1504 Technical University of Ostrava 1549 1596 1634 1642 1735 1700 Source: Scimago

žurnál 2015 3 Research centres and top-level received from the Czech budget for publi- scientists cations in scientific journals based on RIV According to Rector Miller, UP’s excel- evaluation is redistributed to the depart- lent publications largely result from the ments where the publications were made. work of high-tech institutes that were de- “The finances are used for materials and veloped with the support of EU funds: the equipment for research and, of course, for Institute of Molecular and Translation- salaries of employees who generate ex- al Medicine (IMTM), Centre of the Haná cellent publications,” explained Zdeněk Region for Biotechnological and Agricul- Dořák, UP Vice-Dean for Science and Re- tural Research, and the Regional Centre search. Another motivational tool is the of Advanced Technologies and Materials Dean’s Award for Outstanding Publica- (RCPTM). “Needless to say, these and tion, including a financial award. other institutes did not appear out of no- Science at Palacký University, howev- where – the European funds only allowed er, goes beyond the domain of natural sci- their more intense development. Olomouc ence and medicine. The Faculty of Physical has always had an outstanding science and Culture has defended its primacy among research base,” added the Rector. Czech sports faculties in terms of research. Distinguished experts of global re- Its academicians contributed less frequent- nown in their disciplines are employed at ly to Czech peer-reviewed periodicals, but the university and in its science centres. significantly increased the number of their One of the key figures in the RCPTM is the publications in impact journals. chemist Pavel Hobza, who also works for According to Dean Jiří Lach, the Facul- the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Bi- ty of Arts also stands proudly in the field ochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of of science and research, thanks to extraor- the Czech Republic. Awarded Czech Mind dinary research projects that received in- 2008, he entered the Highly Cited Re- ternational acclaim, a growing number of searchers list in 2014. publications, and a strengthened scientif- One of the research programmes at the ic profile among faculties of Arts at three IMTM is led by the most cited Czech sci- Czech “marbled hall” universities. He also entist in biomedicine, Jiří Bártek, Head of pointed out the importance of interdiscipli- the Cell Cycle and Cancer Laboratory in the nary collaboration. “The faculty manage- Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen. ment’s long-term goal and continually im- Global authorities draw young scientists plemented approach is to systematically like magnets. For instance, Jiří Pospíšil, the support academic work across disciplines 2014 laureate of the Alfred Bader Prize in and generations,” said Lach. Organic Chemistry, admitted that after many years spent abroad he decided to join Still room to improve the Centre of the Haná Region because of Despite the positive trend, there is still room the opportunity to collaborate with superb for improvement. “We must maintain our experts such as Miroslav Strnad. ability to support especially the science dis- ciplines in which we’re top-ranked – as well Emphasis on excellence as our ability to present our research results The Faculty of Science lays emphasis on ex- and achievements to both Czech and inter- cellent publications. The financial support national experts,” concluded Rector Miller.

Comparison of FPC, FPES, and FSS in 5-year periods 2004–2008 | 2005–2009 | 2006–2010 | 2007–2011 | 2008–2012

 2008 |  2009 |  2010 |  2011 |  2012 6 000

5 000

4 000

3 000

2 000

1 000 236,3 1 100,1 1 713,4 1 522,3 1 582,6 2 359,9 4 027,7 4 670,1 5 008,3 5 279,4 2 706,4 3 363,5 3 878,0 4 4,6,2 4 938,1 0 Faculty of Physical Culture, Faculty of Physical Education Faculty of Sport Studies, Olomouc and Sport, Prague Brno

Source: Ministry of Education

4 žurnál 2015 text: Matěj Dostálek | photo: Kristýna Erbenová

Noam Chomsky, the Phenomenon

Noam Chomsky’s visit to Olomouc capped his several-week-long European lecture tour. Yet the 85-year-old founder of Generative Grammar, and left-wing intellectual icon, was still full of energy.

Just before noon on Wednesday, June university departments and faculties operating in ‘energy-efficient mode’, 4, Prof Chomsky arrived by train in Ol- taking part. From the very start it was which explains his moderate requests omouc to take part in a 36-hour whirl- clear that before Chomsky’s arrival, an for meals and accommodation. wind visit: a sold-out public debate in the appropriate hall must be found, as well as On Thursday morning, Chomsky had Metropol cinema, a press conference, a registration system that would prevent an audience at the Rector’s Office, where and a lecture at the Olomouc Linguis- anarchy. And because of a live broadcast he was welcomed by the former university tics Colloquium (Olinco), organised by by Radio Wave, it was necessary to begin rector, Prof Josef Jařab. In 1969, Prof the Department of English and Ameri- precisely at 7pm. A 30-member crew was Jařab had been to see Chomsky lecture at can Studies. at work not only preparing the stage, MIT several times. “I used to live around And as with other famous guests, it lights and seating, but also the necessary the corner on Franklin Street. At the time was true that the most famous global ac- equipment for simultaneous translation I was Roman Jacobson’s chauffeur, when ademic celebrities are possible to “get” and audiovisual recording, which less Jacobson was at odds with Chomsky—he almost exclusively through personal con- than ten hours later was on the Palacký pointed him out to me,” remembered Jařab. tacts: one of Chomsky’s former pupils, University YouTube channel; meanwhile, Immediately afterwards a press confer- Prof Joseph Emonds, lectures in Linguis- Chomsky had arrived at his hotel, where ence took place. The media storm which tics at Palacký University. more correspondence awaited him. ensued after Chomsky’s comments about “The last time we met was two years “Go ahead and open it,” Chomsky Czech dissidents was intensely followed ago at a conference, and he mentioned told Vice-Rector Petr Bilík, who had by Chomsky, one of the most important Olomouc. He is a distinguished linguist, brought him a huge package, which intellectuals today, on his way to Prague. whom I much admire, and so I took him Chomsky’s wife had sent to the hotel Chomsky took the reaction calmly. up on his invitation,” explained Chomsky ahead of time. Inside was a briefcase. “That’s how the media works,” he said, on his arrival. Although, in his words, he “It’s full of books I collected during my then added that the majority of the me- is “flooded” with email and invitations, tour—I have no place to put them,” dia took their news from ČTK, the official he takes his correspondence seriously. Chomsky explained. Accompanied by the Czech News Agency. “Too bad those peo- The details of his itinerary however are Olinco organiser, Ludmila Veselovská, ple who reacted so strongly to my com- left to secretaries at his home university Chomsky found the time to look at ments are not here—it would have made of MIT. the monuments on Olomouc’s Upper for a lively debate,” commented Chom- Chomsky’s visit was preceded by a long Square. It was clear that Prof Chomsky sky, adding that he was sorry his Europe- period of preparations, with several was able manage his gruelling tour by an tour had come to a close.

žurnál 2015 5 8 faculties 1 university

Dean’s Wish Comes True: Faculty of Law Receives First Accreditation for Awarding Docentships

The Faculty of Law has received its first ac- a second period of functionality,” said The dean connects the faculty’s promis- creditation for awarding docentships. By Dean Milana Hrušáková, in her seventh ing future with its development to date. “In decision of the Ministry of Education, for year as dean, unable to conceal her joy. 2009, we extended studies with a doctoral the next four years the faculty can name do- At the same time, the dean expects the programme as well as a new Master’s pro- cents —Associate Professors— in the field faculty in the near future to go further: gramme in Law which greatly differed of Civil Law. “I am counting on accreditation within from other institutions. We’ve significantly “We satisfied all the requirements of the a few years for awarding docentships in increased our publications and the grants accreditation commission. And for me, it Criminal, and International and European awarded to us,” stated the Dean, with was a dream come true to have now entered Law,” she said. pride. (mav)

Chemist Pavel Hobza Among the World’s Most Cited Scientists

Chemist Pavel Hobza has appeared on the Prof. Hobza gained his reputation main- list of the world’s most cited scientists, ac- ly by his discovery of improper, blue-shift- cording to the Web of Science database. ing hydrogen-bonding. It aroused great Besides working in the Institute of Organ- interest in the worldwide scientific com- ic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy munity for until then it had been assumed of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Hobza that no new discoveries could be made in is also a key scientific figure at the Faculty the area of hydrogen bonds. His theory of Science and its Regional Centre of Ad- was soon confirmed by laboratory experi- vanced Technologies and Materials. ments. His scientific achievements include “To be included in the Highly Cited Re- the elucidation of the role of stacked inter- searchers database is a great honour for actions in DNA and proteins and the expla- me, of course, as well as satisfaction. It nation of the role of dispersion energy in bi- means that our work is more than mean- omacromolecules. of publications and their reception in the ingful, having such a significant response Approximately 3000 researchers were scholarly world. The Web of Science lists in the world’s scientific literature,” said included in the top one percent of the most 486 articles by Hobza, with more than Hobza. cited scientists due to their high number 25,000 citations. His H-Index is 87. (srd)

6 žurnál 2015 Peter Tavel Takes Over Leadership of Sts Cyril and Methodius Faculty of ˆeology

In mid-September Peter Tavel received his nomination decree and accepted the posi- tion of Dean of the Sts Cyril and Methodi- us Faculty of Theology. The result of the March Academic Senate election had to wait until the approval nihil obstat from the Congregation for Catholic Education in Rome. One of the Dean’s first steps was to name his vice-deans and his new advisory board. He made only minor changes: “My idea was to maintain the status quo,” he said. Peter Tavel was voted Dean by the sen- ators on March 19, the only candidate for the position. “I had a huge advantage in that I didn’t have to make any unpopu- lar decisions regarding the faculty. Rath- er we need to consider what direction we With regards to the ties between the in Rome. The task of requesting the ni- should be heading in for the next few years, Theological Faculty and the Church, le- hil obstat fell upon the Great Chancellor what place the Theological Faculty should gal stipulations state that the result of the of the faculty, Olomouc Archbishop Jan have in society, in the Church, and in Ol- Academic Senate has to be approved by Graubner. omouc,” he said directly after his election. the Congregation for Catholic Education (caf, mav)

Daniel Schacter Lectures on Human Memory

Harvard University Professor Daniel people use their memory when they are Ten years ago, Schacter categorised Schacter accepted an invitation from the trying to imagine future events, or in pos- memory faults into seven “sins”. These Faculty of Arts to give a lecture in Olo- sible improvements of learning process- consist of transcience, absent-minded- mouc. Author of the book The Seven Sins of es. He has authored more than 250 pub- ness, blocking, misattribution, suggestibil- Memory (translated into twenty languag- lications and received dozens of awards, ity, bias, and persistence. During his Olo- es), he talked about his research concerned including the American Psychology As- mouc lecture, he also introduced the latest with memory and its findings. sociation Award. research on absent-mindedness. (map) In front of dozens of students, teachers, and members of the general public, Schac- ter went through the seven sins of memory just as he describes them in his book—in- cluding more recent information. He also mentioned regressive recollection of asso- ciations. Barbora Burešová, a student of Psychol- ogy in Olomouc, found Schacter’s lecture inspirational. “Testing caught my atten- tion—once a student knows he is going to be tested at the end of the lecture, he or she is more focussed during the lecture. His words on day dreaming, digressing from a topic, and the lack of concentration were interesting, too,” Burešová said. In his research, Schacter is focussing on the difference between explicit and implicit forms of memory, the nature of memory failures, and the consequences of ageing. He is also interested in the way photos: Pavel Konečný, Stu Rosner Konečný, photos: Pavel

žurnál 2015 7 Dentistry Students Save the Dummies… for Training

A new open-door classroom for Dentist- ry, with ten refurbished manikins, was opened at the end of November at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. The dummies will serve medical students who want to practise pulling teeth in their free time, making this a unique facility in the Czech Republic. “These were decommissioned dum- mies, down in the cellar. We thought we could use them when we were training for a teeth polishing contest, and we had to really convince the clinic that we wanted to train on them,” explained Jakub Kania, a fourth-year student. Dean Milan Kolář, during the opening ceremonies, gave credit to the students for the facility. “I think it was a great idea. We are the only Czech medical fac- Dentistry students association also Each year roughly 100 new students en- ulty which has such a classroom,” said received instruments to work with in ter studies in Dentistry at UP. They will the Dean. the classroom. Students can work on the meet the dummies at their very first training The faculty spent about €22,000 dummies from morning to 7pm, even on session. Students will have to wait another refurbishing the dummies, and the weekends. year to pull teeth from real patients. (caf)

Speech ˆerapy Studies Found Excellent in International Ranking

Speech Therapy at the Faculty of Educa- the world’s most high-quality and demand- ropean Union countries and in the United tion is setting trends in the internation- ing educational programmes in its catego- States. Furthermore, the essential com- al field. This has been confirmed recently ry. This recognition opens doors for further mon core competencies for therapists were by the international NetQues project ex- important research projects in Olomouc. delineated. amining the study of the discipline in 31 The main objective of the project was “The UP study programme was evaluat- countries, including the Czech Republic. an analysis of requirements placed on ed as one of the best, because unlike in other One of its conclusions is that the study of pre-graduate education in Speech and countries, its entire Master’s programme is Speech Therapy in Olomouc ranks among Language Therapy (SLT) within the Eu- accredited. We have also been praised for the fact that our programme is a follow-up on Special Education essentials, which is not common world-wide. This strategy has thus proven its worth,” said Kateřina Vitásková, Head of the Speech and Lan- guage Therapy programme. Due to the participation in the project, an extensive academic-professional net- work of educators and employers in the field of SLT was created. The faculty will maintain professional contacts with them in the years to come. Academic papers by Olomouc experts will be able to gain en- trance to the prestigious impact journal Pholia Phoniatrica et Logopedica, and Ol- omouc SLT students will be able to study abroad. There is great interest in the study of logopaedics in Olomouc, with approxi- mately 300 applicants annually for only še training of correct articulation. 15 places. (srd)

8 žurnál 2015 8 faculties / 1 university

Mark Latash: Keynote Speaker at Movement Analysis Conference

U. S. Professor Mark L. Latash, Penn State practice, where they will apply this 15,000 citations. He calls his discipline University, led the workshop for physio- knowledge,” said Petra Bastlová from “physics of living systems”. therapists at the international conference the Institute of Physiotherapy, on be- The conference at the Institute of Physio- Movement Analysis, organised by the Fac- half of the organisers. therapy hosted about 150 Czech and Slovak ulty of Health Sciences. In his research, Latash frequently col- participants. The program was focused on “His workshop and lecture great- laborates with the National Institutes of the analysis of movement and consisted of ly contributed to our research and fur- Health in the U.S.A. and his findings are presentations in kinetic analysis, posturog- ther scientific work. In addition, many applied in neurological and physiother- raphy and surface electromyography, in- participants have their own clinical apeutic practice. Latash has more than cluding their practical applications. (caf)

BALUO Centre Construction Commenced: Hammering on the Foundation Stone

In the sporting spirit, representatives of the most up-to-date centre in the Czech Re- range of activities provided here,” explained Palacký University, the City of Olomouc and public, but the most up-to-date centre in the Svozil. the Olomouc Region commenced construc- whole of Central Europe—we aspire to be Costs of the construction are expected tion on the BALUO (Bases of Application more than a Czech university,” Rector Mill- to amount to €6 million; Palacký Universi- Life Utilities Olomouc) application centre er told reporters. ty received €4.5 million from the Prosperi- at the Faculty of Physical Culture. Research According to the Faculty of Physical Cul- ty support scheme under the Enterprise and on human movement will be combined with ture Dean Zbyněk Svozil and Olomouc Innovation Operational Programme. The re- practical experiments concerning the devel- Mayor Martin Major, the BALUO Centre construction of the former laundry, a remnant opment of new sporting and rehabilitative will also contribute to a healthy lifestyle in from the expulsion of the Soviet Army, into aids and devices. the neighbourhood, as it will be open to the a modern kinanthropological centre will cost By the construction of the application public. “All generations, from youths to sen- €4.5 million. The whole sporting-research centre, the faculty will obtain more than ior citizens, will be able to benefit from the complex should be completed in 2016. 4,000 square metres of sporting facilities, a test hall, a swimming pool, laboratories, prototype workshops, and other facilities. In 2015, the new building will be followed by renovation of a former army laundry, where modern laboratories for the Centre for Kinanthropological Research will be built. “The heart of the campus will be a fif- ty-metre-long test running track. It will be a sort of caterpillar, connecting all the other complexes,” said Miroslav Pospíšil from At- elier-r in Olomouc, one of the authors of the project’s architectural design. Other complexes will accommodate a twenty-five-metre-long swimming pool with a test swimming track and a pool with counter current, a sports hall, and a smaller Hammering on the BALUO foundation stone. From left to right: Radek Hanuš (Faculty of Physical Culture multi-purpose gym with tatami mats, tram- Vice-Dean), Jan Březina, Jiří Rozbořil (Olomouc Region Governor), Jaroslav Miller (UP Rector), Martin Major (Olomouc Mayor), Zbyněk Svozil (Faculty of Physical Culture Dean), Jaromír Uhýrek (construction Martin Višňa | vizualisation: Atelier-r poline pit, and climbing wall. The test facili- firm Gemo), and Olomouc Archbishop Jan Graubner. ties will be equipped with state-of-the-art re- cording devices. The BALUO Centre will also be aimed commercially at companies who are seek- ing inspiration for new products and servic- es in the area of healthy lifestyle and move- ment activities, and to professional sports teams. “Our intention has not been to build photos: Pavel Konečný, Konečný, photos: Pavel

žurnál 2015 9 rcptm text: Martina Šaradínová | photos: Viktor Čáp, RCPTM archives

še study of iron nanoparticles requires measurements at low temperatures. Petr Novák prepares the Mössbauer spectrometer to measure samples at the temperature of 5 K.

10 žurnál 2015 Breakthrough Environmental Nanotechnologies from Olomouc

Palacký University is among the leaders in European environ- mental research, due to the activities of the Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials (RCPTM), which partici- pates in key projects in water treatment and soil remediation. ªe common denominator is nanomaterials, materials consist- ing of particles 100–1000 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.

“We conduct both basic and applied re- development of nanomaterials which are search. Our approach is very complex and subsequently field-tested in a number of includes development of new nanomateri- European sites in groundwater treatment. als, their optimisation and transfer to the production phase, and pilot testing at sites Iron nanoparticles dominate with a specific type of contamination,” said Olomouc researchers most often work Jan Filip of the RCPTM. with iron nanoparticles, which alter the Researchers are involved in a number physical and chemical parameters of of national projects, and co-ordinate the groundwater and react with certain types Czech national Competence Centre called of contaminating agents. They can break Environmentally Friendly Nanotechnolo- them down chemically or transform them gies and Biotechnologies in Water and Soil from highly toxic forms into less toxic sol- Treatment. id states. “It is the most extensive Czech environ- With the help of nanotechnologies, Ol- mental project, supported by the Technol- omouc scientists are able to dispose of ogy Agency of the Czech Republic, whose dozens of toxic substances from water, allocation amounts to almost €12 million. thus contributing to toxic waste disposal Apart from three academic institutions, in sites where non-ecological plants op- six industrial companies are also involved, erated in the past, or where former Sovi- specialising in environmental remedia- et Army troops were stationed. The new tion. Technologies developed in our Cen- technologies have proved their high effi- tre are commonly applied in practice,” said cacy in pilot remediation as well as in re- Radek Zbořil, the Director of the Compe- al-world practice. They facilitated decon- tence Centre and General Director of the tamination of the premises of an industrial RCPTM. complex in Hořice, where the groundwa- Similar research is conducted within ter was contaminated with chlorinated hy- the Nanorem project, financed from the drocarbons. On the premises of the Kara 7th Framework Programme of the Euro- textile company in Trutnov, they contrib- pean Union. This venture brings together uted to treatment of groundwater contam- Preparation of nano-iron samples for their 28 partners, mostly from European coun- inated with chromium(VI), used abun- phase analysis by means of RTG powder tries. The Olomouc team is in charge of the dantly in the fur-making industry. diffractometer.

žurnál 2015 11 Can nanotechnologies deal with preventing its secondary release into the “They are capable of eliminating contami- cyanobacteria? environment, which is the main drawback nation that cannot be removed by any other According to scientists, iron nanoparti- of current adsorption technologies. After technology. Nanoparticles are conveyed to cles might be used in decontamination the application of nano-iron, only non-tox- groundwater through a system of drills and of groundwater from cyanobacteria. To- ic iron oxides remain in the water, similar then work independently. There’s no need gether with their colleagues from Brno, to minerals naturally occurring in rocks to separate them and rinse huge quanti- Olomouc scientists have been testing and soils. ties of soil or rocks, or draw the water to the technologies efficiently eradicating these The Brno company Asio, in collabora- ground and then treat it expensively,” clar- unwanted “water blooms”. “Materials tion with Olomouc scientists, has devel- ified Filip. based on iron can release phosphorus, oped reactors that could be used in water, In other projects, Olomouc experts are which is the key nutrient for cyanobacte- along with ferrate application, for remov- investigating the optimisation of mate- ria. In addition, they degrade their cells al of arsenic or residues of pharmaceuti- rials currently used for water filtration. and absorb the released toxins produced cal products, hormonal contraceptives, Their patented technology allows anti- by these organisms,” explained Zbořil. herbicides, heavy metals, and microor- microbial treatment of filters and mem- Nanotechnologies are relied upon also ganisms. branes using nanosilver. Nanosilver is in the solution of one of the gravest ecologi- “These materials are aimed at purifica- firmly embedded in the structure of the cal problems of today, which is the presence tion and disinfection of drinking, surface, material, so it is not released into the en- of arsenic in drinking water in many Asian and wastewater or soil. They also have vironment. Such modified filters and countries, Europe, the United States, and a great potential for treatment of chemical membranes are more resistant to the de- South America. Arsenic contamination and biological warfare agents. Our future velopment of biofilms, allowing their life- could be relatively easily removed by filters research will test these materials for appli- time to be extended, which has a signifi- containing iron nanoparticles developed at cation in industrial accidents or toxic spill- cant economic impact. the RCPTM. ages. Ferrates have a very rapid effect,” ex- Researchers are not only investigating Another possibility is using iron com- plained Filip. the processes of water and soil treatment, pounds in high oxidation states (ferrates). but are also considering the impact of new These are capable of superior elimination Where traditional methods fail technologies on the environment. Their fo- of arsenic and its firm chemical embedding The potential of application of nano- cus extends even to reaction products for in secondary formed iron oxides, thereby materials in water treatment is immense. application of new technologies.

A cluster of iron nanoparticles through a transmission electron microscope.

12 žurnál 2015 text: Martina Šaradínová photos: Pavel Konečný | Kristýna Erbenová | Petr Hašler science

Young Algologist Reveals Ancient History of Cyanobacteria

ªe scientific community has gained a clearer understanding of the evolution of cyanobacteria of the Synechococcus group. It is Mgr. Petr Dvořák, Ph.D. one of the largest groups of cyanobacteria, widespread from the (b. 1984) poles to the equator, in the sea as well as on land. Petr Dvořák, He graduated Palacký a phycologist from the Faculty of Science, has compared their University, where he genes and constructed, with the help of molecular biology, the defended his Ph.D. thesis in first complex phylogenetic tree of this group, an interpretation 2013. He gained experience of its evolution. It shows that cyanobacteria have been living on during scholarships at the Earth for more than 3 billion years. John Carroll University in Cleveland and the Although most of us would associate cy- Investigated genes and the tree University of North Florida anobacteria with the unwanted “water of life in Jacksonville. blooms”, which make bathing and swim- Petr Dvořák from the Department of Botany ming in many ponds and lakes problemat- has been shedding light in the last two years ic, cyanobacteria are vital in nature. They mainly on the Synechococcus group domi- survive everywhere where sunlight is avail- nant in the maritime environment. It is one able, even in extreme temperatures. They of the most important components of pho- function as primary producers, conducting tosynthetic picoplankton under the ocean oxygenic photosynthesis as well as plants. surface. “We have used various molecular Their metabolism produces oxygen and methods to reconstruct the evolutionary sugar and fixates nitrogen, which is uti- tree of this genus. Phylogenetic analyses are lised by other organisms. most commonly used for this purpose.

žurnál 2015 13 Cyanobacteria are reproduced in cultures on media containing basic nutrients vital for their metabolism. še cultures are preserved, for example, in Erlenmeyer flasks.

On the basis of algorithms of DNA se- Scientists have discovered that the quanti- jointly with the University of North Florida quences, we can estimate the hierarchical ty of these exchanges depends on time. The in Jacksonville and the Stazione Zoologica timeline of evolution,” explained Dvořák. newer the lineage is, the more gene trans- Anton Dohrn in Naples. Evolution of cyanobacteria differs from fers occurred. that of plants or humans. Cyanobacteria “The research has confirmed that cy- Important fragment for live in huge populations, and genetic ex- anobacteria of the Synechococcus group understanding the ecosystem change occurs very frequently. And it is not have been on the Earth for about 3 billion Concerning how very widespread cy- by means of reproduction, since they do not years. They alter genetically and develop anobacteria are in the world, the research reproduce sexually, their genetic material various evolutionary lines. They have sur- findings are precious. “They appear in im- is transferred among the cells themselves. vived here for a uniquely long time. Their mense quantities in the world, possibly existence is many times longer than that of thousands of billions of cells. They greatly plants or animals, not mentioning humans. affect the global ecosystem, so it’s vital to This has been a matter of speculation in the know their evolution. This may be of sig- Cyanobacteria past, but now we have another proof it’s re- nificance in the future, too. The occurrence €e oldest photosynthetic ally so,” said Dvořák, hardly concealing and quantity of maritime cyanobacteria organisms on the planet. €eir his enthusiasm. Scientists have described of this genus keep changing in relation to simple structure allows them thousands of cyanobacteria species to global warming,” said Dvořák. to survive extremely adverse date; however, dozens of thousands exist For instance, maritime Synechococ- conditions. €ey often live in on the Earth according to estimations. cus and Prochlorococcus, belonging to the symbiosis with other organ- same group, are responsible for 25 per- isms. €eir reproduction is Unique plenitude of data cent of primary production of energy in the asexual. €eir name comes Dvořák and his colleagues utilised also a ge- oceans. Produced sugars and oxygen are from the Greek word for blue, nome sequence of a new genus of cyanobac- subsequently utilised by other organisms cyanos. teria found in a peatbog in Slovakia. It was in the food chain. Some cyanobacteria are Algology (from algae) is named Neosynechococcus. Along with it, used in agriculture to make up for the lack a branch of biology studying genes of another 200 cyanobacteria species of nitrogen in the soil. In rice fields, chem- algae and cyanobacteria. It were analysed. “Until now, scientists have ical fertilisers can be replaced with cyano- deals with the systematisa- explored only the maritime or freshwater bacteria that fixate nitrogen from the air. tion, phylogenesis, and ecolo- cyanobacteria within each group. I’ve put As a result, rice plants can thrive. gy of these organisms. It also them all together,” explained Dvořák. Their Cyanobacteria are able to survive ex- includes physiology, biochemis- latest findings were published in the jour- treme conditions. They live in Antarctica try, and genetics. nal Molecular Ecology in September 2014. as well as in mountain springs. One species Olomouc botanists conducted the research was even isolated from polar bear hairs.

Cyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. PCC 6717 living Cyanobacterium sp. PCC 7202, occurring in stag- Neosynechococcus sphagnicola (cyanobacteria). in thermal springs in Yellowstone National Park nant waters in Africa. šis group is related to šis genus was recently described in the labora- in the United States. Individual cells form sim- the Synechococcus genus. tory at the Department of Botany where its ge- ple “threads”, consisting of two cells. nome was also later sequenced. Elongated cells can be seen between cellular walls of peat moss.

14 žurnál 2015 discovery

text: Martina Šaradínová illustration: Radim Měsíc

še magnetite particle binds with silver nanoparticles that contain molecules of a “key” on their surfaces, such as an antibody.

Olomouc Scientists Discover Method to Speed Detection of Serious Diseases

Scientists from the Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials (RCPTM) have discov- ered a new method of isolating agents important for detection of serious illnesses, including Parkin- son’s disease. ªeir procedure is based on unique properties of nanoparticles and may be employed on an extensive scale due to its high sensitivity as well as its simple and speedy application.

In order to separate and analyze target- Dopamine and immunoglobulin G displayed on the front page of the pres- ed molecules, a patented nanocompos- This procedure has been used by the RCPTM tigious journal Analytical Chemistry, pub- ite of magnetite and silver nanoparticles researchers, for example, to determine the lished by the American Chemical Socie- was used. “The silver nanoparticles are level of dopamine in cerebrospinal fluid. ty. The authors are confident in practical modified with specific molecules, which A low level of this neurotransmitter (a chem- application of their technology, since it function as a sort of key. This key fits ical that transmits signals between brain has several advantages. “The determi- perfectly into the structure of the target- cells) is associated with diseases such as Par- nation itself takes only a few minutes and ed agent, present for instance in blood, kinson’s. “The new procedure allows us to the necessary technical equipment is ap- urine, or cerebrospinal fluid. In our case, measure its level in quantities that are a thou- proximately ten times cheaper than other the targeted agent becomes a sort of key- sand times lower in comparison to other methods used today,” said Zbořil. hole,” said Radek Zbořil, Director of the methods,” said Václav Ranc, one of the main The new technology may be applied to RCPTM. authors of this new technology allowing the determine hundreds of other diagnostically The targeted molecules are separat- determination of biomolecules by means of relevant molecules, where the antigen-an- ed magnetically, and then the nanos- nanoparticles. Two corporations operating tibody complex is known. Olomouc scien- ilver is used to determine their level in in the biochemical and medical market have tists have also been developing diagnostics extremely low concentrations. This is already expressed interest in the procedure. for selected tumorous diseases. It has po- done by surface-enhanced Raman spec- tential in other areas as well – for instance in troscopy, which is one of the most sensi- Fast, simple, and efficient the detection of highly toxic materials in the tive spectroscopic methods in analytical The study describing the new findings by environment or potentially harmful ingre- chemistry. Olomouc researchers has recently been dients in the food and distilling industries.

žurnál 2015 15 text: Martina Šaradínová úspěchrarity photos: Monika Kukalová

Mediterranean Bats Take a Fancy to Olomouc

ˆe rare southern vesper bat, Kuhl’s pipistrelle (Pipistrellus kuhlii), whose home is usually in the Mediterranean, paid a visit this year to Olomouc. Experts from the Faculty of Sci- ence immediately identified two individuals alerted to them by Olomouc citizens.

This makes it the most northern sighting second case, people called experts to inves- of this bat so far in Europe. However, these tigate a female. mammals live in colonies, so no doubt The question of why these tiny fliers more of these small, brown sandy-colour- have reached an area much further north ed bats will be found in the city. than ever before is not an easy one to an- “There are three similar types of bats swer, say experts. The area covered by bat in the Czech Republic, but to find Ku- species often varies significantly. One ex- Kuhl’s pipistrelle is tiny, hl’s pipistrelle is quite rare,” said Evžen ample is another type of Pipistrellus— with a body 55 mm long, Tošenevský of the Faculty of Sciences and Pipistrellus nathusii (Nathusius’s pipist- weighing 5–10 g. It is usually the Czech Association for the Protection relle). While twenty years ago it was rare sandy-coloured along its spine, of Bats. The first ever sighting of this bat in these parts, today it is one of the most with most individuals having in the Czech Republic was in Znojmo in widespread Czech bats. Olomouc’s “visi- a 1–2 mm white edge to their 2007, then the year before last near Brno. tors” may well have been influenced by last wings between the fifth finger The Olomouc sightings are now the third year’s mild winter. and foot. and fourth. Bats are among those animals which Kuhl’s pipistrelle is a synanthropic an- have not been studied in exhaustive de- imal, found in near vicinity with humans, tail. Distinguishing one type from an- and this is the case with the two sightings in other is practically impossible for lay- Olomouc. The first case was a male found men. There are 27 species of bats in the on Olomouc’s Lower Square. “It was an Czech Republic. They are found not only adult male, probably sheltering inside one in parks and caves as many think, but also of the houses to mate. Unfortunately, his for example in crevices in housing es- wing was broken in two places, and he died tates. All bats are legally protected, and a few days later,” said Tošenovský. In the their homes as well.

16 žurnál 2015 Michael profile Beckerman

World- Renowned Musicologist, Honorary Doctor at Palacký University

For forty years, Michael Beckerman has been building a systematically close relationship between Czech and American Music Studies, fundamentally contributing to the research and promotion of Czech musical culture.

text: Milada Hronová photography: Vladislav Galgonek

žurnál 2015 17 November 12: Michael Beckerman receives his honorary doctorate from Palacký University.

There were no musicians in Becker- Czech composers, Beckerman has been every genius in the history of music (in- man’s family, nor have any of his three chil- working with his Czech counterparts cluding Mozart) was just an incredibly tal- dren become involved in music. His father since the 1970s. He has also been debat- ented and able person. was a theatre director and leading Shake- ing Czech music with leading experts in The world-renowned expert became in- speare scholar, while his mother worked as Prague and Brno, although his closest col- terested in the Czechs already during the an actress and university teacher. She also leagues are the musicologist, composer, 1970s while studying at Hofstra Univer- writes poems. and UP Vice-Rector Vít Zouhar, and Mi- sity in New York, where he came across “I played piano as a child and chose Mu- kuláš Bek, the Masaryk University Rector. the work of composer Hanuš Schimmer- sicology simply because it allows me to do One of their favourite arguments is what ling (and to whom he devoted his doctor- everything I want in life: I can play, com- constitutes Czech music and what does al address). pose, write lyrics, lecture, and even devote not. “A good musicologist has to be persis- some of my time to research.” “We still have our doubts. We may not tent, hardworking, committed to his work, When he was first invited to Olomouc by be questioning Dvořák, but what about and above all honest with himself. Working the Department of Musicology, it was the Gustav Mahler or music with not only in this field can be very frustrating, because year 1997, and Beckerman would have nev- Czech, but also Hungarian lyrics? This it is hard to learn about musical history, er thought then that the university in this kind of music has its specifics, and we are understand music, and to be able to speak city (which has become his second home) considering if it fits into the concept of about it. And there is one more thing—do would award him with an honorary doc- the Czech musical tradition. For example, not fool yourself and believe that you ac- torate. “It is a miracle! I have so many out- while I might hear African rhythms in Pav- tually understand what you are doing. It is standing colleagues, and none of them has lica’s songs, I do not see them as a violation similar to the universe: the more we learn, been so lucky. Even though this is not the of the concept. I think it would be much the more complicated it gets.” end of my career, it makes me feel I need to better for Czech music if we accepted cer- Michael Beckerman lectures at New stop for a moment and contemplate what tain overlaps.” York University, where he has influenced comes next.” Czech music is something which Beck- hundreds of students, and he says that It was this year—the Year of Czech Mu- erman hears in his heart. When he heard a lecturer should always take risks. “If sic—when the academic boards of the Fac- Dvořák for the first time, it was—accord- all the students like your lecture, there is ulties of Arts and Education acknowledged ing to his own words—the most beauti- something wrong, and you have most likely the extraordinary contribution of Michael ful music he had ever heard. And the same not said anything important or essential.” Beckerman to Czech musical culture and happened to him when he was later listen- At least twenty of Beckerman’s former stu- Czech university education. ing to Martinů, Janáček, and other com- dents are now lecturing on Czech music An American citizen who admires An- posers. However, do not talk to him about at universities not only in the USA, but all tonín Dvořák, Leoš Janáček and other musical geniuses: Beckerman claims that over the world.

18 žurnál 2015 Beckerman’s recent trip to Olomouc was of hope and optimism. Jiří Přibyl, a vocalist a great experience—not only for musicolo- from the Moravian Theatre, confirmed that gists, but for all music enthusiasts who at- singing ‘Four Songs’ was the most demand- tended his lectures ‘Musical Translations, ing vocal performance of his career. Poetry Reading: Chinese Poems Set to Today, Michael Beckerman is working Music by Pavel Haas’. According to Zde- on three books, is a member of the com- na Plachá from the music web portal Op- mittee of the Czech Center in New York, era Plus, the song cycle ‘Čtyři písně na slo- and Vice-President of the Dvořák Ameri- va čínské poesie’ (‘Four Songs Reflecting can Heritage Association. He admits that Chinese Poetry’) was a truly exceptional he has no leisure time, and if he finds a few performance. Ghetto, Terezín, China! Its minutes to spare, he prefers to spend them rendition allowed Plachá to inspect the feel- in the garden—sometimes with a book, the ings of a person in a critical point in his life, one now is on the situation in Central Eu- one who is still unbroken, desirous, and full rope between 1945 and 1955.

Prof. Michael Beckerman (b. 1951)

After graduating from Columbia University, he spent a brief period of time in Brno researching the theoretical work of Leoš Janáček. Jan Vičar Vít Zouhar He has been giving lectures Department of Music Education Vice-Rector | Department of Musicology on Czech music all around the world, including in “Michael Beckerman, in my opinion, repre- “Not many researchers are able to attract and the Czech Republic, and sents the ideal university Music Education interest people who are not really familiar teacher, one who has to be both a great with their field of study. Prof Michael Beck- has organised several musician (Beckerman is an outstanding pi- erman is one of the few with this ability. I am international conferences ano player and occasional composer) and not overstating it when I say he is a stand-up about the works of Antonín also an accomplished researcher. In addi- scholar: an academician who aims at the heart Dvořák, Leoš Janáček, tion, he is a “showman” who enchants his of the matter in a provocative and unconven- Bohuslav Martinů, and other students, and a hardworking populiser of tional manner, yet profoundly amusing his au- composers. He has published music in the newspapers, radio, and televi- dience. I do not exactly remember when we six books and anthologies sion. He is an outstanding example of the met for the first time—maybe it was the end about Czech music, and sixty type of Music Education I have been trying of the 1980s when I studied Musicology in studies. He has also written to establish at Palacký University Olomouc Brno, maybe it was thanks to my father ten since 1990. We are lucky that Beckerman, years before that. And maybe I heard of him numerous articles for an American citizen, decided to study and only later, in 1988, when he organised a leg- American newspapers and research primarily Czech music, particu- endary conference on Leoš Janáček at Wash- has been a guest on many TV larly the works of Dvořák, Janáček, Mar- ington University in St. Louis. It was where and radio shows in the USA, tinů, Jaroslav Ježek, Adam Michna z Otra- the Czechoslovak and American musicolo- UK, Germany, and Japan. dovic, but also Ervin Schulhoff, Pavel Haas, gists met for the first time—thanks to Beck- For his achievements and Gideon Klein, and other personalities from erman. It seems to me that we have known promotion of Czech music, Terezín. He is the author of six books and each other forever, because all of his sweep- anthologies, dozens of studies, and has giv- ingly inspirational studies, books and lectures Beckerman has received en hundreds of lectures all over the world, have always seemed so familiar to me. I will medals from the Leoš influencing a great many students with his never forget when he was in Texas explain- Janáček Society, the Antonín teaching – at least twenty of whom are lec- ing the relationship between local and global Dvořák Society, the Bohuslav turing about Czech music at American uni- using as example the conceptual song ‘Inside’ Martinů Society, and the versities and elsewhere. At the University by Ivo and Sára Medek and the song ‘Ej lásko, Czech Ministry of Culture. of California, Beckerman started a founda- lásko’; his comparison between Bohuslav Mar- He has also been awarded tion supporting research into Czech mu- tinů’s compositions and Mandelbrot’s fractal by the Czech Music Board, sic, managing to raise USD 350,000. If we sets; his specific explanation of Janáček’s ter- and received a certificate of take into account how inadequate our cur- minology or the fundamentals of Dvořák’s or rent governmental cultural diplomacy in Haas’s compositions. A meeting in his flat in merit from the Parliament the field of music is, it is hard not to see Greenwich Village was also an unforgettable of the Czech Republic. In how important the new Palacký Universi- experience when it turned into an unexpect- addition, Beckerman is the ty Honorary Doctor is for the internation- ed concert with Beckerman and his wife play- founder of the Czech Music al representation of Czech music culture.” ing and singing Moravian folk songs. Or an Foundation at the University improvised piano concert in Dobratice, where of California. my three-year-old son was using a toy truck to bang on the piano keys along with Mike. Mi- chael Beckerman is always showing us how im- portant these connections are, and how im- portant is to think about them.”

žurnál 2015 19 afo text: Pavel Konečný, photos: AFO

Fifty Times More than Just a Festival

Academia Film Olomouc (AFO) is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary in 2015. However, this festival of popular science “With the growing popularity films has long been a significant exhibition of audiovisual of the festival, organisation communication of science in the European context. and preparations have grown, becoming more and more time-consuming. It could be Festival Director Matěj Dostálek, who be- an event consisting of one small classroom, divided into four different came involved in the organisation of the one projector and a small audience would demanding phases basically event already as a student in 2007, will be become so huge in fifty years?” exclaimed over the four seasons. How- in charge of AFO’s fiftieth birthday cele- Dostálek. ever, some things need to be brations. “2007 was the first year it was or- His team is also trying to think about organised more than a year in ganised by the Department of Theatre and its main themes and potential guests on advance: for example, it is es- Film Studies at the Faculty of Arts. Accord- a long-term basis. “We have recently drift- sential to secure non-university ing to statistics, there was a record number ed far away, when we caught ourselves resources in advance, because of 670 accredited visitors in that year,” re- talking about the schedule for 2016, al- they represent the primary called Dostálek. though we have not yet officially present- source of AFO financing,“ Seven years later and the number is six ed the main theme of this fiftieth anniver- AFO Director Matěj Dostálek times higher; there were 4,067 accredita- sary: our planet. The gripping films in the detailed. tions for this year’s AFO—and more than section “Rise and Fall” will provide a close 300 Czech and foreign guests, scientists look at the rise and fall of civilizations and and professionals from the audiovisual in- animal species. The audience will have dustry. a chance to see life in ancient Egypt, walk “I am sure that all the activities of our with dinosaurs, admire Viking culture or university regarding the festival are pay- glimpse the secrets of life,” said AFO Pro- ing off. Who would have dared to say that gramme Director Jakub Ráliš.

20 žurnál 2015 

Director Matěj Dostálek leading the AFO team.

From left to right: Jakub Korda Ondřej Čížek Jan Jendřejek Martina Juříková Petr Vlček Matěj Dostálek Jakub Ráliš Jana Jedličková Lucie Klevarová Diana Gallasová Marek Čermák

Seeing over knowing “It gives us a great deal of variabili- The AFO Platform The fiftieth birthday is being sophisticated- ty when working with our brand. For re- Today, Academia Film Olomouc is not just ly reflected in its visual presentation: “A se- leases of a steady or conservative charac- a festival. For several years, it has also been ries of posters is going to illustrate techno- ter, we use a heading complemented with serving as an educational platform for stu- logical achievements of the past fifty years photographs. In this way, we published dents of the Faculty of Arts. Students re- in two versions—the first showing how a magazine AFO 2014 for guests and part- ceive credits for their participation in the people imagined them fifty years ago, and ners of the festival. For street campaigns organisation of the festival, for helping the second showing how they actually look and advertisements, we are, on the other with dramaturgy or publishing; the best now,” explained Dostálek. hand, using such slogans and graphic mo- ones even receive stipends. Many under- The management of the festival has tifs that should attract attention, raising graduates are also choosing the genre of a long-term concept of graphic design and questions or even eyebrows,” said Dostál- popular science films as the topic of their its own visual identity—the three-year de- ek. According to the Director, the upcom- Master’s theses. sign plan of the ReDesign studio consists of ing jubilee will be intentionally presented The Department of Theatre, Film and uniform typography and layout with a new as a relaxed comparison of imaginative vi- Media Studies has been running a project slogan and graphic motif for every year. sion and reality. for the past two years called AFO:

žurnál 2015 21 Program Director Jakub Ráliš during this year’s projection.

Practical Networking of Audiovisual Pop- fields meet with directors of television and “Our job was to use our expertise and ularisation of Science, which enables stu- production companies such as the BBC, choose the films, obtain licenses and ar- dents to join Czech and foreign production PBS, ABC, Discovery, and Atlantic. range the dubbing. We won this contract in companies and institutions engaged in the “This year, apart from having the oppor- a competition,” added Ráliš. popularisation of science. tunity to watch the latest developments in According to Ráliš, audiences should “The experience gained will help them scientific documentary films and to estab- be looking forward to the 3D documenta- not only in their own further research, but lish personal contacts with producers, we ries Flying Monsters with David Attenbor- will also contribute crucially to the further are presenting ourselves for the first time ough, where the famous naturalist reveals development of the festival—due to their also as producers and distributors. It is ac- the secret of life of lesser-known prehistor- new knowledge and valuable contacts. We tually in the film distribution field where we ic lizards; an adventurous journey with pre- have had the opportunity, thanks to this have recently achieved several significant historic Titans of the Ice Age, or The Last unique project, to visit world famous festi- accomplishments,” noted Dostálek. Reef—a documentary describing coral vals, congresses and conferences focused Via AFO, Palacký University has start- reefs as organic undersea cities visible from on science communication, where we had ed to choose and distribute films for Czech outer space. the chance to personally meet top experts scientific centres. “Personally, I think this “We are also going to show Vlčie hory in the field of science and the film indus- is an important milestone in both AFO and (The Wolf Mountains), a Slovak docu- try. Consequently, it was not so hard for us UP activities, one which has the potential mentary depicting rare encounters with to persuade them to come to AFO,” noted to make popular science films to become shy animals in an untouched ecosystem Ráliš. the most attended documentaries in Czech in such a suggestive way that it won the cinemas within the next two years,” ex- Audience Award at this year’s AFO. And AFO Distribution pressed Dostálek. we are not going to miss out on the Czech In November, the AFO team attended for The first contract was the distribution of film Whose is My Child? dealing with the the fourth time the World Congress of Sci- five top-quality documentaries to the edu- issue of the impact of genetic testing on ence and Factual Producers—the most im- cational centre Svět techniky in Ostrava, parenthood—a television documentary portant event of its kind, this year in Hong where the films will be shown in the biggest that has also won several awards,” said Kong. Here top experts in their respective Czech non-commercial 3D cinema. Dostálek.

22 žurnál 2015 Made in AFO shooting days in a spa and in mining are- The first hour-long episode should ap- And there is more to AFO than buying and as in Jáchymov, where the opening scenes pear on TV during 2015. selling foreign films. Thanks to contacts and other sequences for all three parts The AFO brand also brings together ex- made in the past few years, the organis- of this miniseries were shot,” confirmed perts from scientific centres and the gener- ers have become directly involved in the Dostálek. al public in an informal environment called production of a three-part Australian TV The AFO team took care of everything: Science Café shows. series called Uranium: Twisting the Dra- from setting up the shooting locations, All the activities of Academia Film Olo- gon’s Tail. production on site, to staff for the filming, mouc are undoubtedly contributing not “On this project, we are working togeth- and all translation services. Viewers will be only to the improvement of communi- er with the renowned Genepool Produc- guided through all three episodes by Derek cating science to the public, but also help tions company, led by producer and Emmy Muller—one of the main guests of this make Palacký University more visible and Award-winner Sonya Pemberton. Thus in year’s AFO, a presenter and video blogger confirm its status as a progressive Czech September, our production team spent five with millions of followers. university.

Uranium. Jakub Ráliš and Jiří Slavík (behind the camera).

3D cinema. Svět techniky, Ostrava

žurnál 2015 23 text: Pavel Konečný interview photos: Vladislav Galgonek | Orasis foto

Leona Axelsson: “Once a student, always an alumnus.”

Leona Axelsson spent twelve years working so well with alum- ni at Sweden’s Örebro University that she received an offer to work with alumni at Stockholm University. Born in Vysoké Mýto, Czech Republic, Leona also recently worked as an adviser for building relationships with alumni at Palacký University.

—What is most important in the always depends on what they have experi- relationship between universities enced during their studies, or even before. and their alumni? It is necessary for every student to be sat- —Even before? isfied both during and after their studies, Well, yes – new students need to feel wel- and to want to stay in touch with their uni- come and wanted. For example, they She graduated from high versity. If students are not satisfied because should have mentors – fellow students who school in Vysoké Mýto in the they are not getting what they expected, or would help with their first steps into uni- 1980s. She had always been do not get a job in their field of study, then versity life. So that they feel there is some- fond of languages, but she did there is a big chance they would not want to thing they want and admire. One needs to not pass the entrance exams to stay in touch with their school. It is hard to get used to new rules, a new lifestyle, and study interpreting at university, attract these people again. Once a student, learning processes. During the first term, so she went to a hotel school always an alumnus. But do they want to it is absolutely necessary to become enthu- and worked as a receptionist. stay in touch with their alma mater? That siastic about one’s field of study, or else try

24 žurnál 2015 She arrived in a two-piece suit wearing a Stockholm University badge. “Every alumnus has this little reminder. Little, but im- portant!” she notes. ›e current Swedish cabinet has twenty-four members, out of which ten are Stockholm University alumni. ›ey all must have the same badge somewhere.

a different field. And then, it means more —Did you start immediately at the and more studying – but at the same time university? thinking about possible future careers: are The original plan was to look for a job in the one’s studies going to be of any use? hotel industry because I like languages – but it did not happen. I was advised to get —How does it work at Stockholm a university degree first, so I began to study University? Swedish, then English and eventually got There are various approaches. We organ- my degree in Literature. Then I was offered ise lectures on how to study in different a position at Örebro University. Örebro is in fields, there are mentors assigned to new the middle of Sweden, about the same size students and there are activities helping as Hradec Králové. students to get used to university life. —And you got a job at the Depart- —So something like our “buddy” ment of International Relations? system? I worked there for twelve years. This was Yes, something like Erasmus, but every a smaller university of regional character faculty is different. – it has about fifteen thousand students. It was there where I formulated the rules of —Comparing classmates, is there how to approach alumni. I drew my inspi- a difference between Czech and ration from the United States, Great Brit- Swedish students? ain, and Finland. I did not attend university in the Czech Re- public, so I cannot really compare. Gen- —What brought you to Stockholm? erally speaking, Swedish students have I was attending a conference in Great Brit- more freedom: it is their decision to work ain three years ago, where I met the head of individually or in groups, there are not so the Department of International Relations many compulsory lessons but more indi- at Stockholm University. She was asking vidual responsibility. me about my work with our alumni, be- cause the relationship with their alumni —How did you end up in Sweden? was faltering. Once there was a position I had worked as a receptionist in the hotel open, they contacted me and I got the job. Labe in Pardubice, and my husband Mi- Now I am commuting two hours by train to kael Axelsson had been designing a fac- Stockholm. tory in nearby Semtín. We were married twenty-five years ago and left for Örebro —Every day? just after the Velvet Revolution. We man- Almost. Once a week I am allowed to work aged to attend few protests before leaving from home, and the two hours spent work- in January 1990. My husband spent one- ing in the train are added to my work hours. and-a-half years here, he learned a little We may eventually move to Stockholm. Czech, liked Czech beer and dumplings. Our daughter Veronika is twenty-four and And he said that if I did not like Sweden, is already living on her own, so I and my we could always return. husband can do what we want.

žurnál 2015 25 še Library of Stockholm University.

—Can she speak Czech? and wants to work in this field. Most impor- we also organise lectures where students Just a little, she is not bilingual. I spoke tant for me is that she is doing what she likes. are advised by our alumni about what to do Czech to her before she started going to in their fields and how. school, but then I focused on her to be —Work in the field – a popular perfect in Swedish because it had been topic in Sweden… —Is education considered a com- hard for me. Also, she did not have any Yes, it is important – even for students – to modity in Sweden? Czech-speaking friends of her age, and establish contacts with possible future em- Students receive study stipends, and they when we are here, even Czechs want to ployers. That is why we have career advis- can also apply for low-rate student loans. speak English with her. But she under- ers at our university. There are many people over forty who study stands Czech. because the benefits are available until you —Career advisers? are forty-five. It comes in handy if you want —What is her job? There is a central office, faculty offices and to change your career and you can get a sti- She is a make-up artist. She told me that she sometimes even offices at individual de- pend or loan. So you have twenty- and for- is not the studying type, she likes fashion partments. In addition to career advisers, ty-year-olds in one classroom. The most im-

She likes to go to Swedish Hockey Games. €e best are the Swedish national team games: “My husband wears a Swedish jersey; I wear a Czech one. Every time the Czechs win, we go to Švejk’s Pub. I support the Czech team, but I have dual citizenship, so I am happy no matter who wins.”

University of Stockholm: Frescati campus and Geo-Science building.

26 žurnál 2015 portant thing is long-term vision; and then to everyone. Today, the university is not observe that education is really useful for funded by alumni, but mainly by the state; On her bedside table, we alumni, that it is important to them. however, it was founded because of the would most likely find Karel afore-mentioned grants, and to this day Čapek’s books. It comes as no —Are your visions evolving? some alumni contribute financially. But surprise, because her Mas- A vision should have its horizons, but we the biggest contributions come from them ter’s thesis was called Narra- adjust it according to the external condi- in the form of their time and advice. tology and Philosophy in Karel tions. The whole society is evolving, so we Čapek’s Trilogy. She rarely have to adapt. — Do the alumni receive any benefits? reads Scandinavian crime Yes. Above all, they can use all universi- stories. “Only at the seaside —Is there competition between ty cultural and sport facilities. Sometimes during summer holidays.” universities? completely free, sometimes with a dis- Yes, and it is reflected in various rankings. count.

— Do you organise alumni reunions —Can you observe a closer relation- too? ship between alumni and teachers? The Business School has a long tradition It depends on the particular field of study. of reunions which take place every ten However, the closest relationship is usu- years. First, there is a lecture, then a pan- ally seen between teachers, lecturers, and el discussion, and then individual depart- alumni, rather than between the former ments have parallel evening programmes. students themselves. The reason behind It is important for the alumni to come here, this is our decentralisation and too many learn some general knowledge, and then courses: most of the students have different get a chance to debate their own fields with classmates for each course, but there can their colleagues. be exceptions. We definitely do not want to copy the American way – we do not organ- —Why is that important? ise any weekends with alumni who would It is vital for both the university and the bring their whole families to our campus; alumni. If the university wants to pros- that is simply not a part of our European per, it needs to know that the curriculum is tradition. meaningful. It is a huge and costly decision for a potential student, so he or she needs —So you are not planning to intro- to be sure it will pay off, that it would help duce such a scheme? with their professional development. And Not unless there are significant changes. alumni need to know what other seminars are available to them, how to get engaged —What is, on the other hand, a part – if they can give lectures, recruit work- of European or Swedish culture and ers among students for their companies or tradition? how to support the university. Our Technical Faculty is, for example, in touch with its alumni all over the world —Do the alumni support their alma – we have around ten thousand alumni Her nephew studies at Palacký mater? abroad. We have established alumni or- University: Ludvík Kalibán Stockholm University was established in ganisations in Japan, China, and the USA. attends the Faculty of Educa- 1878, thanks to grants from successful sci- The alumni are visited by their former pro- tion, so he can personally check entists, whose purpose was to provide an fessors, who bring interesting articles, give whether his alma mater applies alternative to big universities – in order to lectures, etc. There is a constant mutual ex- his aunt’s advice. offer the possibility of university education change between them.

žurnál 2015 27 awards

Jaroslav Doležel Receives the Ministry Award for Research

Jaroslav Doležel, the Science Director “I knew about my nomination by Palacký analysis of more complex genomes. He is of the Centre of the Haná Region for University, but never expected to be cho- the founder and pioneer of chromosome Biotechnological and Agricultural Re- sen as one of the five finalists. All the great- genomics to support mapping and se- search, received the Czech Ministry of er was my delight. This is really recognition quencing of complex genomes and isola- Education Award for Outstanding Re- of our entire team’s long-term systematic tion of individual chromosomes. search, Experimental Development and work,” Doležel told Žurnál. The research findings may have im- Innovation. The globally renowned sci- He focusses on the study of the plant mediate practical application in agri- entist was awarded for his extraordinary genome, its structure and changes culture. They are a foundation of new achievements in plant genome mapping. throughout the evolution of plants, and breeding methods that may increase development of new species. He and his yields as well as resistance to diseases team worked out new methods enabling and pests. (srd)

Immunologists Awarded for Collaboration Karel Indrák Receives Prestigious in Development of Lyme Disease Vaccine Scientist of the Year Prize in Dubai Experts from the Department of Immunology at the Faculty of The Minister of Culture and Medicine succeeded in the Best Co-operation of 2014, a competition Social Affairs of the United involving co-operation between companies and the research sphere. Arab Emirates, sheik Nahy- They took third place for their development of a vaccine against an bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Lyme disease together with their colleagues from the Veterinary awarded Prof. Karel Indrák Research Institute in Brno, the Institute of Organic Chemistry and from the Faculty of Medi- Biochemistry and the Institute of Physics at the Academy of Sciences cine in Olomouc with the in Prague, and Bioveta Inc. international Scientist of The competition is organised by the American Chamber of Com- the Year prize in September merce in the Czech Republic, the Association for Foreign Investment, in Dubai. His was rewarded Karel Indrák compared the prize to an and the Czech Innovation project along with the Technology Agency for his research of congeni- Olympic medal. of the Czech Republic. tal genetic disorders. Michal Křupka, the Vice-Head of the Department of Immunolo- “It is a prestigious prize and for me, it’s like an Olympic medal,” gy, said that the achievement is said Indrák upon his return to Olomouc. He appreciated the fact it is an impulse for further work. The an acknowledgement by the international community and the deci- most demanding task, clinical sion of an independent committee which evaluated 24 candidates. testing and registration, is still “It is noteworthy that they acknowledged research findings ahead. (srd) from a country where this disorder is rare and had been con- sidered non-existent until we began our research in 1990,” he še awards ceremony. Milan added. Indrák and his Olomouc colleagues described the new Raška, the Head of the Depart- ment of Immunology, is 2nd from mechanisms causing thalassemia and have identified new hae- the left. moglobinopathies. (caf)

28 žurnál 2015 Alfred Bader Prize Goes to Chemist Jiří Pospíšil The prestigious Alfred Bader Prize for “My unrealistic dream came true. Organic Chemistry 2014 was awarded When I looked up to the previous winners to Jiří Pospíšil from the Centre of the as a graduate, they were my heroes, and Haná Region for Biotechnological and I thought, I can never become one of them. Agricultural Research for his achieve- It feels strange to hold the prize now,” con- ments in development of new synthetic fessed Pospíšil. procedures and their applications in the Pospíšil mainly explores the develop- preparation of natural substances. It is ment of new synthetic methods for produc- the most esteemed prize for young (un- ing biologically active natural substances der-35) chemists. and their derivatives. (srd)

Bohumil Stoklasa (on the right), Hat-Trick of Olomouc Physicists, Including 1st Prize Martina Miková, and Ivo Straka in the Laboratory of Optics. Three awards, including first prize, went to Charles University, Czech Technical Uni- postgraduate students of the Department versity in Prague, and the institutes of the of Optics in the Milan Odehnal Prize com- Academy of Sciences. petition for young physicists in 2014. The Stoklasa perceives his primacy in the winner was Bohumil Stoklasa, while his prestigious contest as encouragement for colleagues Martina Miková and Ivo Stra- further scientific work at the department. ka took third place and honorary mention. Third place went to Martina Mik- “My works, published in scientific ová’s work on quantum information pro- journals, focussed on the improvement cessing. Ivo Straka received honorary men- of the existing principles of tomographic tion for his study of quantum information methods. It’s also the theme of my disser- processing. The ceremony took place at the tation,” said Stoklasa on his prize-win- opening of the Conference of Czech and ning work. He stood out in the compe- Slovak Physicists in September 2014 in the tition of seventeen young talents from Archbishop’s Palace in Olomouc. (mav)

Martina Knápková Awarded for Her Translation of Gary Shteyngart’s Super Sad True Love Story Velena Mazochpvá, NSR, Martina Šaradínová, MK archive Velena The English and American Literature in the novel has a different idiolect and postgraduate student was awarded by some are far from speaking fluent Eng- the Czech Literary Translators’ Guild lish, so it was a real challenge to imitate with the Tomáš Hrách Prize for young the broken English of a Korean or Rus- translators, which is granted along with sian emigrant without making it sound the Josef Jungmann Prize for the best like a poor translation. “This book has translation of the year, published in a special place in my translator’s heart,”

photos: Pavel Konečný, Konečný, photos: Pavel Czech for the first time. Each character said Knápková. (map)

žurnál 2015 29 kaleidoscope

Svalbard, an Ideal Place for Personal and Life Style Development Radek Hanuš and Michal Kalman, two members of the Faculty of Physical Culture, de- cided to visit the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean at the end of September and beginning of October in order to explore the possibilities of professional co-operation in environmental tourism, active movement in the outdoors, and try sail training. Along with thirty other people from the Netherlands, Germany, United States, and Belgium, they joined an exploring expedition on board the Dutch sailboat Antigua along the western coasts of the islands. During the sail, they visited a whole range of natural habitats and research stations and met with colleagues at the University Cen- tre in Svalbard. “We have an opportunity to learn from the active tourism programmes based on the Medals by an Olympian ‘friluftsliv’ concept of nature stays, characterised by active movement in the country- side. Once we arrived, the specific environment and conditions on the boat became the The biathalonist Gabriela Souka- centre of our learning process. Neither the Arctic nor sailboats are typical features of in- lová, who won a silver medal at the So- land life in Central Europe. Our social models are of no use in a wilderness ruled by po- chi Olympic Games, designed medals for the World University Orienteering lar bears,” explained Vice-Dean Hanuš. Championship. One of the organisers Svalbard represents, according to Hanuš, an ideal opportunity to realise develop- of this summer’s event was Palacký Uni- ment and interventional programmes focused on personal development and an active versity. life style. Soukalová, who graduated from a medal-making school, designed them during the Olympic Games. The ob- verse depicts a map and arrow, the re- verse depicts dominant features of the Olomouc region. “I did not want to use the typical motif of a runner; I like to do unconventional things and I tried to achieve a certain simplicity and purity,” explained Soukalová. More than three hundred compet- itors from 32 countries gathered for the Award Ceremony in the Zbrojnice quadrangle. After one week of sporting competitions, the most successful na- tion was Switzerland, with nine med- als. The Czech team ended up fifth, with six medals, although none of them were gold. (caf)

One Year in Olomouc

Seven Ukrainian stipend students from partner universities in Odessa, Zaporizhia, and Kiev have been attending Palacký University since September as a part of their doctoral studies at the Faculties of Law, Medicine and Dentistry, and Arts. “It is a gesture of solidarity towards Ukraine, because they cannot focus on their re- search in such turbulent times. That is why we decided to allow them to continue their research here,” announced Rector Jaroslav Miller. The doctoral students can rely on the university’s financial and social support. “Even though I have been to Prague twice already, I like Olomouc more. People are friendly and willing to help,” said oncologist Alona Chasovská, sharing her first impressions. She and her colleague Petr Škrobotko also appreciated the top quality of the Institute of Molecu- lar and Translational Medicine. (caf)

30 žurnál 2015 Plant Growth Stimulator Confucius Institute Celebrates Granted EU Patent the Opening of its Prague Branch

In November, the Confucius Institute at Palacký University opened a branch in Prague. Among the guests attending the celebration were Chinese Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Ma Keqing, and the former Foreign Affairs Minister, Cyril Svoboda, whose Diplomatic Academy on Charles Square became the seat of the new branch.

The Centre of the Haná Region for Bi- otechnological and Agricultural Re- search is the proud holder of anoth- er European patent. The preparation, with the working name PI-55, was de- veloped in collaboration with Freie Universität in Berlin and positively af- fects plant growth, increasing root sys- tem development, and resistance to stress. According to scientists, some- thing similar to this “helper” is needed by farmers. Hormones, specifically cytokinins, Rector Miller Thanks Josef Jařab are crucial for a number of processes connected to plant growth regulation for the Student Revolution and development. The contribution of A march called Prozvoníme Olomouc (Ringing Olomouc) reminded us of the 25th an- the experts from Olomouc and Ber- niversary of November 17th—the beginning of the Velvet Revolution. lin lies in the discovery of substances At first, Rector Jaroslav Miller was not sure if or how the young generation of stu- blocking the perception of cytokinins dents is concerned with the importance of November 17th. “It makes me proud that in the plant, thus altering plant devel- opment and growth. The technology Palacký University has students who honour the legacy of the Revolution and who find of cytokinin antagonists and the first the values of freedom, democracy, and civil rights of utmost importance,” said Miller. preparation based upon this principle He also noted that the future may hold many totalitarian threats if we do not stand was described in 2009. In July 2014, up every day for the values and principles of November 17th. “I realise that I have never the whole process culminated in being personally expressed my thanks to Josef Jařab, the key figure at Palacký University dur- granted a European patent. ing the November events, for his courage to stand up against the Communist regime at “The plant has receptors in order to a time when it was far from sure the regime would collapse. Were it not for people like perceive its own chemical signals— Josef Jařab, my life and the life of people in this country would be completely different. hormones. Our agent blocks these re- And that is why I thank you, Professor!” said the Rector. ceptors—to put it simply, it blinds the plant with regard to perception of its own hormones. Should this agent be used in agrochemical treatment, there would be no need to use large doses,” said Lukáš Spíchal from the research team. Preparations based on the mecha- nism of cytokinin antagonists are not yet on the market. The patented sub- stance presents zero ecological risk, stimulates the growth of root systems, and increases both yields and resist- ance of plants against stress. (srd) photos: Pavel Konečný, Petr Makovička, Vladislav Galgonek, RH archive Makovička, Petr Konečný, photos: Pavel

žurnál 2015 31 university town text: Milada Hronová | photos: Milada Hronová, Jan Andreáš

Olomouc Residents Identify ˆeir City with the University

People from Olomouc are well aware of the fact that Palacký Uni- versity plays a significant role in the life of the Haná region’s capi- tal, as shown by a recent survey conducted by the Department of Politics and European Studies at the Faculty of Arts.

In this survey focussed on perceptions The Church has been forgotten of Olomouc, respondents mentioned the Among the main symbols, there is a sig- sights, the historic town centre, and the nificant one missing in the survey—the university as its three most distinctive fea- Catholic Church, even though Olomouc is tures. Olomouc was considered a universi- the seat of one of the two Czech Archbish- ty town by 78 percent of more than 1,000 oprics. The Church was mentioned as an respondents, who could choose from ten important feature of the city by only 44% of alternatives, such as its parks, archdiocese, respondents. Tomáš Lebeda, Dept. of Politics or football team. “Personally, I find it surprising, because, and European Studies for me, Olomouc history is closely tied to University as the symbol both the university and the Church. Both of the city of them were shaping the history of Olo- Every year at the end of September, the mouc, and it is interesting to see that peo- streets of Olomouc are filled with more ple nowadays do not regard the Church in than 22,000 Palacký University students, that way,” said Lebeda. and the huge potential of young people in- However, the reason for this could be re- fluences both life in the city and its life style. cent political campaigns against Church “For the university, it is great that Ol- restitutions, Lebeda admits. omouc residents acknowledge its impor- tance and regard it as an integral part of Win-Win situation Hidden Treasure the city,” said Tomáš Lebeda, the head of The university has always been an integral For the third year in a row, the Department of Politics and European part of Olomouc—it is its biggest employer Olomouc made it to the top Studies. Together with his colleagues Pav- and by far the largest institution. of the prestigious Lonely el Šaradín and Michal Kuděla, he subjected The survey Attitudes of Olomouc Resi- Planet guide’s list of the most respondents’ views to factor analysis. dents 2014 was made on order of the Town beautiful, yet little-known According to Lebeda, Olomouc is seen Hall. Experts from the Department of Pol- tourist destinations. as a historic city with a university and many itics and European Studies worked on it for monuments by most of its residents. about six months.

32 žurnál 2015 text: Pavel Konečný | photos: MB personal archive graduate

Our Man in America: Motivation is the Key

To this day, Miroslav Bešta states his studies at Palacký University were on a highlevel. ªis 1996 graduate from the Faculty of Computer Science is now working in his tenth year as a developer for Google in New York. As he admits, chance played a role.

“At the faculty we had a lot of mathemat- and they have a greater academic capaci- He mostly wanted the doctorate so ics and computer courses but students ty, but the basics were very similar to what that he could stay and teach at the uni- had huge motivation, we were able to learn I had studied in Olomouc,” he noted. versity in Olomouc. In the end it took quite a lot. Knowledge gained at Palacký him more than five years to finish his University can be applied anywhere in the American doctorate Ph.D. at Wayne State University in De- Czech Republic or even to make the big “I went to Prague to study in the Comput- troit. “In the Natural Sciences fields at time all over the globe. The key is to be mo- er Science department under Prof Fran- the doctoral level, one receives a stipend tivated and to be willing to work on your- tišek Plášil. However, after a year he left to for studies and for work performed. That self,” said Bešta. teach in Detroit and he needed students, so means that one must teach or grade pa- And he should know. He graduated sum- I left with him. I never planned to study in pers, but it is paid. A small amount of ma cum laude and moved from Olomouc to the USA, but when the opportunity came, money, but enough to live on. And so my Prague, where he wanted to get his Ph.D. I said I would try it for a year,” he remem- Ph.D. studies were practically free,” he at Charles University. “It’s a bigger school bered. recalls.

žurnál 2015 33 RNDr. Miloslav Bešta, Ph.D. (b. 1973)

His first computer was a Sinclair ZX Spectrum, today he is in his tenth year as a developer at Google in New York. Hiking is one of his hobbies—he enjoys walking in the mountains, especially in national parks in the USA. His highest peak was 4000 m. In the Czech Republic he fell in love with the Jeseník Mts and with Šumava.

He found the methodology at Wayne science, and it deals with trying to prove storing data is one of the foundations with- State University different. “A greater em- the correctness of complicated algorithms.” out which the company could not survive. phasis is placed on independent thinking. After almost six years in Detroit, he wanted I am in a senior position, which allows me For example there are tasks given to stu- to return to his alma mater. to influence the directions in which Goog- dents which take so much time that Czech “It had already been arranged that le is going along the lines of file systems,” students would say, ‘Forget it’. On the oth- I would teach in Olomouc, if I didn’t find he explained in detail. It is said that Goog- er hand, this way of teaching shows that if anything more interesting in the USA. But le tries to find generalists who are able to a student spends enough time on the prob- that is exactly what happened. I was only change their work orientation according to lem, he/she is able to solve it, no matter the looking at top employers in the USA, uni- demand. difficulty,” Bešta described. versities and a few firms… one of which He has only good memories of Olomouc. His first computer was a Sinclair ZX was Google,” he said. That was in 2005. “My class was relatively successful. It was Spectrum, which led him to the Faculty of two years after the Velvet Revolution when Sciences in Olomouc, where he met up with Attractive employment I was accepted. I remember lots of teachers “machines” like the legendary PC 386. For the first five years he worked on devel- and professors: for example, Dr Večerka “The title of the field, Theoretical Cyber- oping tools for developers in the in-house and his theories of automation and formal netics, Information Mathematics and The- Google Developer Infrastructure on dis- languages, which was for us a real experi- ory of Computer Systems, is an abstract tributed compilation of programs. Then ence. Also Prof Snášel and Prof Sklenář, concept which we used to laugh at as stu- for two years in the area of advertisements who was my advisor on my Master’s the- dents. In practical terms, it is information in the DoubleClick backend, “on the serv- sis…” echoed through the receiver from the theory, software engineering, computer ers which decide which ad we are going other side of the Atlantic. He mentioned his theory, and algorithms,” he explained. He to show you, when you browse pages,” he fellow pupils Petr Waclawek and Radovan taught for a year in Olomouc at the Com- explained. The past two years he has been Janeček. “Radim Bělohlávek was in the puter Science department before leaving back at Infrastructure, working on the dis- year ahead of us and now he is the depart- for Prague. tributed file system used in all data centres ment chair,” he added. During his doctoral studies in America, he at Google. He follows events in the Czech Republic, spent time researching a part of Information “When I started, it was a small firm although not on a daily basis. “I read news Science called Formal Methods and Formal which gave me the opportunity to contrib- on the internet, so I have a rough idea of Verification of Systems. “It’s on the border ute to a significant extent in developing sys- what’s happening.” He returns to his home between mathematics and information tems and software. The infrastructure for near Bouzov twice a year.

34 žurnál 2015 text: Velena Mazochová | photos: RZ archive | collage: Žurnál experience

A Fulbright Means Finally Having Time for One’s Own Work

Inexhaustible sources of information, inspirational everyday academic life, and above all, an un- interrupted sabbatical—a brief enumeration of the experiences and observations which came to a close last semester when Robert Zbíral, an assistant professor in the Political Science Depart- ment of the Faculty of Law, returned from a Fulbright Scholarship in the USA.

As a visiting scholar, he spent six months in Sabbatical, or wish fulfilled division of authority between federal the Center for International and Compara- The main benefit for Zbíral was a wish ful- and individual states, I realised that the tive Law at Michigan University in Ann Ar- filled: uninterrupted study and research, situation has been so extensively written bor. freed from ordinary teaching duties. “In on, and in such depth, one cannot write Zbíral received his prestigious Fulbright comparison with twenty teaching hours about it after a mere two months. So I took Scholarship on the basis of his project per week in Olomouc, this was practically it as an opportunity to do research on aimed at the transferral of authority from a sabbatical—a space where a person can certain problems,” Zbíral explained. the EU to a member state. Primarily, the finally read, study, and devote oneself sys- stay allowed him to learn the American le- tematically to one’s own research,” Zbíral gal system in detail, as well as new method- emphasised. ological approaches. As opposed, for example, to colleagues Astonishing sources of in the sciences who form a laboratory information vs planned output team, law research, according to Zbíral, One of the positive aspects of his research is quite solitary. “I simply sat in an office, stay was the ability to make use of the in- writing, consulting with local professors, formation sources on offer via the libraries and making use of the inexhaustible infor- and databases. “Michigan University’s li- €e Czech-American government mation sources there,” is how he described brary is better than any in Europe… includ- stipend programme administered his daily programme. ing European Studies. You can order books by the James William Fulbright The details and programme of his stay via the internet, and they deliver them right Commission offers stipends for were left up to him: “I often visited sem- to your office,” he added. scientific, educational, and study inars in various subjects, taking the role The astonishing amount of information stays in the USA. It makes possible of an informal commentator—an expert transformed his ideas about specific research, studies, and lectures at on situations outside the USA. I was also research publications. “I thought that top institutions, as well as co-oper- interested in subjects where I was not an if a person went abroad, he or she could ation with world famous scientists. expert: at lectures on American constitu- write several articles and even, gradually, UP’s Fulbright Commission Ambas- tional law, I was almost in the position of a book. But once I started delving into sador is its Rector, Jaroslav Miller. a student,” Zbíral added. the information, for example about the

žurnál 2015 35 At the 2014 NHL Winter Classic game, held at Michigan University’s stadium, the largest in the USA, which set the NHL attendance record of 105,491.

An elite experience editors. A CV without related activities Several ideas he would like to see imple- His specific experience was also influ- looks suspicious,” added Zbíral. mented in Olomouc. enced by the environment of a prestigious And the more elite the school, the more “I liked how at Michigan they tried their university, in the top tenth percentile of extreme it gets. “At Michigan they even utmost to keep people on campus. You American universities. “In the USA, law- came up with this idea that they would come in the morning and leave at night— yers make up the elite, and the best law fac- not announce grades during the semester. because people have developed excellent ulties are not so open to outsiders,” Zbíral Students who wanted to end up in the top dining and meeting facilities, with areas revealed. five percent had to be so competitive that for relaxation and free time activities. Peo- The feeling of exclusivity permeates it started to influence their relationships at ple are living there, not just running there into the relationships inside the academic school,” Zbíral remarked. from their dormitories,” Zbíral observed. community. “Professors and students both The benefits of a Fulbright stay depend have—often justifiably—high confidence Inspiration upon the individual, and cannot be quan- in themselves. There is huge competition As the head of his department, and a mem- tified, according to Zbíral: “The most im- between students, so they have this ‘do it ber of the Academic Senate, he also consid- portant thing is the possibility to experi- yesterday’ attitude, you see it in student ered it a valuable experience to observe the ence how things work elsewhere, to debate organisations and also from magazine everyday inner university operations there. one’s themes, and to have time for yourself.”

With his colleague Jimmy Stevensen in front of the Law School dormitory: snow and –15 ºC.

36 žurnál 2015 text: Pavel Konečný | photos: Park Here life style

Park Here

A new university initiative called Park Here has brought fresh air into the life of Olomouc’s parks. Bezruč, Smetana, and Čech parks, but also the surroundings of the Svatý Kopeček basilica, and Poděbrady pond—these are places where young people sud- denly turned up and danced, watched movies, juggled, played barefoot football, or simply relaxed amidst the greenery.

“The project Park Here has been organ- people of all ages and puts together rath- ised by myself and five others,” explained er different things. I myself tried an ATV, its co-ordinator, Ondřej Martínek. In his juggling, and climbing beer cases. I also diary, he counted twenty-two events, or- watched several new films in different park ganised on a budget of only forty-five thou- locations this summer,” shared Klára Hen- sand Czech crowns (€1600). zlová, a student of English. It was enough to pay for eight film Jakub Sadecký from the Faculty of The- screenings, two Latin-American dance ology welcomes the existence of Park Here, shows, four piano shows, three art work- too. “Dancing parties in parks are an inter- shops and two sporting events. esting idea, I danced waltzes and polkas “I studied abroad so I am used to crowd- with my girlfriend,” said Sadecký. ed parks, but that is not exactly the case in According to Martínek, the average at- Olomouc; however, this project managed tendance was around 150, while the big- to fill them. I like that Park Here attracts gest event drew four hundred.

žurnál 2015 37 text and photo: Pavel Konečný 1989 archival photographs: Petr Zatloukal Remem(Novem)bering

Petr Zatloukal had a stormy Novem- And in the morning, the balloons were gone,” basically no one was able to see the linen ber twenty-five years ago. A series of coinci- described Zatloukal. Morning came, and stretched underneath. We just heard a cho- dences helped him become the key photogra- the sculpture group fell victim to the ‘Fly to rus of Whoooa…,” described Zatloukal, go- pher of the Velvet Revolution in Olomouc. “In Warmer Climes’ happening—a crane came ing through his photos. June 1989, I graduated from the Institute of and took the Stalinists away, to applause. He pauses before the next chapter. “I think Creative Photography in Opava, in the field “And this photo was actually on my New I prefer these from the occupational strike,” of Documentary Photography. So November Year’s greeting card: ‘Make a Wish upon he realises. “They are all authentic; I was go- caught me ready for some documentation. a Star’…” he points to the photo of climbers ing there at night, usually around 3 am, and Working with my camera was like breathing taking down the five-pointed communist star people were collapsing due to exhaustion and to me, and I also knew a group of Philosoph- from a high wall. At that time, the symbol was weariness. They just fell down in place and ical Faculty students who called themselves on every corner and even every locomotive. slept.” ‘Komuna’—The Commune. My original sub- “These happenings were kind of an Olo- He regularly took pictures of friends. ject field was cybernetics, so I found their mouc specialty—for example the coronation “Shortly after the beginning, I got the idea to philosophical view of life very refreshing,” re- of the stone lions in front of the courthouse, or avoid crowds in the streets and the two-fin- called Zatloukal. It was these students who the wall made of cardboard boxes around the ger Victory symbols. No big emotions: but later became leaders of the Velvet Revolution. seat of the District Party Committee. It was instead focus on what was going on behind We leaf through photos that were includ- amazing! ‘Honk if you like it!’ was written on the scenes—that fascinated me. I get goose ed in various anniversary publications. Un- a banner by the roadside, and everybody was bumps even now when I remember those fortunately, nothing was published for the honking…” days,” Zatloukal attested. 25th jubilee. “I don’t have a favourite. May- The happening called ‘Victorious Feb- “Was it all worth it? I am no expert in poli- be the one with the balloons,” he muses. The ruary’ was attended by spitting images of tics or sociology. To me, it was not really a rev- sculpture group of Bolshevik leaders used to not only Fidel Castro, but also other social- olution. It was a natural development, and stand next to the Theresian Gate, where to- ist dictators like Klement Gottwald and I think that it happened pretty spontaneously. day there is a car park. “People had put exe- Mao Zedong. “From the Town Hall balcony, I am sure that everything is as it should be— cutioner’s hoods on their heads before they where the King of Majáles coronation takes including all the consequences of November installed those balloons. I was taking the pic- place today, they delivered fiery oratory, 1989. We got what we deserved. I am not dis- tures at night; the place had a very strange at- and then jumped off the balcony. But when appointed with November 1989, nor its fur- mosphere. It is actually the only colour photo. they jumped, people were stunned, because ther development.”

38 žurnál 2015 photo: Pavel Konečný reflection

Марія Попко; in Czech, Marie Popková (b. 1990) Marie Popko was born in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, where she got her Master’s degree in Slavic Languages and Literature (Ukrainian and Czech Studies) from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev. She came to the Czech Republic for the first time in 2008 and since then has been regularly attending language school programmes in Brno and České Budějovice. In 2013, she began her Ph.D. studies in the field of Comparative Slavic Philology at Palacký University.

Чехія – нова сторінка у книзі мого життя The Czech Republic: A New Page in the Book of My Life Кажуть, зміна – це життя. І це правда. Без змін наші “‘Change is life,’ as the saying goes. And it is true. Without дні були б схожі на веселку без кольорів. Мій приїзд у Че- change the days of our lives would feel like a colourless rainbow. хію змінив усе: погляди на життя, ставлення до людей, My arrival to the Czech Republic changed everything: my life-view, характер. Я народилася і прожила 23 роки у прекрасно- attitude towards people, my personality. I was born and lived for му місті, столиці України – Києві. Мегаполіс сформу- вав і стиль мого життя – я постійно поспішала, у мене 23 years in a beautiful city, the capital of Ukraine—Kiev. My life практично не було часу просто спокійно прогулятися style was determined by life in a metropolis. I was rushing all the по парку чи посидіти на березі Дніпра. Коли я приїхала time, had practically no time to stroll through a park or sit down в Оломоуц – моє життя змінилося. З першого погляду by the Dnieper River. When I came to Olomouc, my life changed. я полюбила це маленьке, затишне, красиве містечко, де, I fell in love at first sight with this little, cosy and marvellous здається, час іде повільніше… Посидіти на лавці у Сме- town, where time does not fly by so fast; at least that’s how I feel. танових Садах, прогулятися площами міста, випити I like to sit down on the benches in Smetana Park, stroll through кави в улюбленій кав’ярні Тріесте – ось що я люблю. З че- Olomouc’s squares or enjoy coffee in my favourite Café Trieste in хами ми знайшли спільну мову. Так, у мене тут з’явили- the Lower Square. Czechs and I speak the same language, I have ся прекрасні друзі, з якими я проводжу вільний час, їж- джу на екскурсії і навчаюся. Вони допомагають мені у good friends here, spend my leisure time with them, go on trips, вивченні чеської мови – виправляють помилки та іноді and study together. Besides, they help me learn Czech, correct my сміються з мого українського акценту. Але чим більше mistakes and they laugh at my accent from time to time. But the я спілкуюся з чехами, тим частіше чую питання: «чому more I speak with Czechs, the more I hear one question: ‘Why do ти вчиш цю мову? Чому саме чеська?». Я вам відповім: you study this language? Why Czech?’ I will tell you why: Czech тому що це чудова слов’янська мова, якою говорили Ко- is a beautiful Slavic language, the language of Comenius and менський і Масарик, писали Божена Нємцова і Ярослав Masaryk; writers like Božena Němcová and Jaroslav Hašek;the Гашек, якою сьогодні говорять мільйони чехів у серці Єв- language of millions of people in the heart of Europe. I am positive ропи. Я з впевненістю можу сказати, що нова сторінка у книзі мого життя, яку я почала писати тут, в Чехії, to say that this new Czech page in the book of my life is full of наповнена новими враженнями, цікавими подіями, при- new experiences, interesting events, nice people, surprises, and ємними людьми, сюрпризами і неповторними емоціями! wonderful emotions!”

žurnál 2015 39 ˆe Final Word

In the beginning was the Word, the drunk October Revolution memorials. The told me, emphasising with his pointer fin- green leaves first turn orange, then red.... ger, as he leaned over the reception desk at And then they fall. Nothing remains. the Palác Hotel in Olomouc. It was the end I look at the black and white photos Petr Pavel Konečný of October 1989, and I was working the Zatloukal took here in November 1989, Editor-in-Chief, UP Media night shift, a student at the Philosophical but I see them in colour. I still know the Faculty. And what word? He left it up to me. relief of being freed from one’s shackles. “If I knew that, sir, I would be God.” He And how wondrous it is to be a part surprised me twice in one sentence. Peo- of history. In this country that feeling ple at that time used the word ‘comrade’— comes once every forty years, or once talking about ‘God’ was not allowed.... every third generation. And then a good I never saw him again, but from time to half of them reconsider, or reformulate time I would think about him. Just like what how it was. happened a month later. November 1989 is People who have the last word tend to a time everybody remembers a little differ- be unbearable. And I am afraid of that to- ently, and some would even like to forget. day. But I am even more afraid of those who In recent years, November has been have the last laugh. And how their numbers a time almost as lacklustre as the Great are increasing.

40 žurnál 2015 Cover page no.1 & 3 – photo: Kristýna Erbenová Back cover – Petra Bolková: Natali the Cat (collage detail). The collage was bought by Skarlet Křížová at a charity auction for the dog shelter in Neředín organised by StuArt.