5. 4. 2024, 10:07

Newsletter for PhD students and Postdocs

Dear PhD students and Postdocs,

We hope that the Easter holidays afforded you much-needed rest and gave you renewed energy for further study and work challenges. And there is really a lot of news to be announced. In our April Newsletter for Early-stage researchers, you will find all the valuable insights and information you may need. This newsletter will help you take your studies to the next level. You won't regret reading it!

Save the Date

    • JobNEST - Conference of public administration and non-profit organisations, April 10, 2024. Otevřená zahrada. Held in English / Czech. Web
    • Elections to the Academic Senate of MU - up to April 8, 2024 - You have the right to influence things at MUNI. Choose your candidates and vote!
    • How to: Curriculum vitae II. – Online seminar, May 7, 2024. Registration needed. Held in English. Web
    • MUNI Day 2024 - May 16, 2024, Bohunice University Campus. Web
    • Starmus - Scientific festival - Bratislava, Slovakia. May 12 - 15, 2024. Web
    • Student Geological Conference 2024 - May 29, 2024, Kotlářská 2, Brno. Held in English. Web

Special Information Notice

The PhD Reform: Information Updates for Supervisors

Dear PhD supervisors,

We are sharing the presentation about important updates on the reform of PhD studies summarised by the Dean’s office of the Faculty of Science. The new law (when approved by Parliament) will bring new regulations to finance PhD students starting in January 2025. Please find more in the presentation below.

Presentation

With Fulbright to America: Webinars on Scholarships

The prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Programmes funded by the Czech and U.S. governments provide opportunities for Czech citizens to study, conduct research, or teach in the United States. Each year, there are supported approximately 40 Czech applicants in all programmes. If you are a PhD student or a Postdoc and you have an excellent knowledge of English, it could be the right choice for starting your career!

If you want to learn more about this programme, we recommend participating in the upcoming webinars on the individual Fulbright grants for 2025/26. You can register for:

  • Scholarships for Students: Study and Research: April 17, 2024 at 15:00
  • Scholarship for Researchers and Lecturers: April 18, 2024 at 15:00

You can look forward not only to a practical summary of our programmes in a nutshell but also to the participation of alumni who will share their experiences with you, and we will give plenty of space for your questions. This webinar is definitely worth taking!

Masaryk University's Authors Can Now Use Tokens and Discounts to Publish in Open Access Mode!

For authors interested in publishing their work in Open Access mode but do not have the resources to fund the publication fees, there is good news that tokens and discounts from publishers have been negotiated for Masaryk University within the CzechELib consortium for this year as well. Compared to last year, there is a possibility of using an unlimited number of tokens with seven publishers, including the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) or Oxford University Press. The number of tokens is limited for other major publishers, such as Wiley or Taylor & Francis.
Please visit the library's web / or Open Science web for more information about discounts and the conditions for obtaining them.

Nominate a Speaker for MUNI Life Sciences Seminar

Do you know someone who is a leader in the field? A respected scientist, or maybe even a pioneer in a particular discipline? If so, don't hesitate to nominate them for the Life Sciences Seminar. If the expert committee selects and invites your nominee, you can meet a professional who inspires you, or you look up to personally. Become a guide for your host, and you will surely build a future collaboration or scientific friendship. Send your nominations to noskova@sci.muni.cz by May 22, 2024.
More information about the nominations and the seminar can be found on the web.

Have a "Scientific" Breakfast!

We invite you to participate in a new concept of meeting PhD students with experienced scientists and managers from academia. It is a social/educational event supported by a good breakfast, where you can learn a lot of practical information that you will definitely use as a future scientist. Although hosted by the Faculty of Medicine, PhD students from the Faculty of Science are also invited for their disciplinary proximity and interdisciplinary learning opportunities.

"Research Breakfasts become a space for meeting and sharing experiences across disciplines and generations of researchers, including those from abroad. It is great to see how the community of people who are interested in what is happening in science is growing and contributing to a friendly and stimulating atmosphere," said Tomáš Kašpárek, Vice Dean for Science, Doctoral Studies and Organisational Development of the MU Faculty of Medicine, at the beginning of the event.

The next "Research Breakfast" is planned for April 9, 2024, and its main topic will be Postdoc and an early career in the US, Life in the US, and US funding opportunities. Vice Dean Tomáš Kašpárek will ask his colleague Dr. Zdeněk Andrysík about his experience. The event will be held in English. Registration needed!

When:  April 9, 2024, (8:00 - 9:00)
Where: UKB Library (B09)

Interdisciplinary Trainings

The EMBO-FEBS Lecture Course

Would you like to learn more about ageing principles and you have no plans for this September? Then you might be interested in the EMBO/FEBS Lecture Course: Molecular Mechanisms of Ageing and Regeneration: from Hydra to Humans. The course will take place on the charming Greek island of Spetses from September 5 to 12 of this year, and it is suitable for PhD students and Postdocs. The intense nature of the course creates a familiar and inspiring atmosphere and fosters interactions between participants and speakers. Thus, it makes a unique training and networking opportunity! The deadline for registration is on May 1, 2024. Held in English.

When: September 5 - 12, 2024
When: Spetses, Greece

Flyer

Try the EDUC Courses, the Offering is Really Broad!

The EDUC (European Digital UniverCity) alliance, the members of which include, aside from MU, universities in Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, Norway and Spain, has opened up to MU students new opportunities for international education in a wide variety of formats, from a broad range of foreign placements or short-term summer schools all the way through to virtual mobility at partner universities. MU students can enrol in virtual mobility & online courses through the inter-university campus. Students can study online courses from eight universities, including MU. The list of EDUC online courses is available in the EDUC Course Catalogue.

Competition / Fellowship

The Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology

The Eppendorf & Science International Prize for Neurobiology is awarded annually to a young excellent scientist under the age of 35 for the most outstanding neurobiological research based on methods of molecular and cell biology conducted during the past three years. The award is associated with a financial reward of USD 25,000!

The application form and other materials must be submitted electronically via the online form by June 15, 2024. Further information on the prize is available on its website.

The ERA Green Hydrogen Fellowships in Germany for Early-stage Researchers

Do you want to be actively involved in transforming the energy sector and decarbonising emission-intensive industries in the framework of the European hydrogen strategy? Then, the ERA Fellowships - Green Hydrogen programme is for you. It is open to graduate students interested in Green Hydrogen (GH2) related topics who want to actively participate in one of the four working groups within the project:

  • Production
  • Transport and Infrastructure
  • Market stimulation (i.e. further development of the market for hydrogen)
  • cross-cutting issues (i.e. regulation, socio-economic and legal framework)

General information on ERA GH2 fellowships can be found here. For more information on each category, please follow these links: PhD studentsPostdocs.
Minimum duration of stay: 1 - 18 months

Summer School for PhD Students

The 20th RECETOX Summer School and PARC Training

This year, the RECETOX Centre has again prepared a Summer PhD school for you, entitled "Chemical Science Exposure and Modelling". The capacity is limited to only 20 places! Potential applicants will be requested to send their CV and cover letter, based on which an expert committee will select the 20 best applicants, who will be able to attend the summer school for free*. The flyer contains more information about the 20th RECETOX Summer School and PARC Training. The deadline for application is on April 15, 2024. 

When: June 10 - 12, 2024
Where: Brno, University Campus Bohunice, RECETOX

* Selected participants will pay only for accommodation and transportation.

Flyer

Conferences

The Conference MITAV 2024

The Union of Czech Mathematicians and Physicists (UCMF), Brno Branch, cordially invites you to the MITAV (Mathematics, Information Technology and Applied Sciences) conference.

The MITAV Conference is intended primarily for teachers of all types of schools. It focuses on the latest findings in mathematics, computer science and other sciences, as well as on the issues of teaching these disciplines, including e-learning and other applications of information technology in the educational process. The organisers want to focus on education in essential areas and its high demand in today's society. The conference also aims to create a space to present achievements in various disciplines and simultaneously provide an opportunity for meetings and discussions with staff from different schools and backgrounds. Presentations by students (graduates, postgraduates) and beginning teachers are also welcome, as their new perspectives and approaches can be very interesting and beneficial for the participants. Held in English / Czech. Web

When:  June 20 - 21, 2024
Where: The Club of the University of Defence, Brno, Šumavská 4, Brno

The FameLab 2024

FameLab is an international science communication competition developed in 2004. Since 2022, FameLab has been realised by Charles University. FameLab is a stand-up competition in which contestants have three minutes to explain their scientific phenomena understandably and amusingly.

Terms and conditions:

  • working or studying in the field of natural sciences, technology, medicine, mathematics or humanities at a Czech-based university or research institution
  • to attend a MASTERCLASS training (Free)
  • over 21 years old

The talk must not be longer than 3 minutes, on a scientific subject, and be scientifically correct. You cannot use a projector (i.e. electronic presentations, videos, etc.)

By submitting your video to famelab@cuni.cz by May 31, 2024, you will enter a preliminary round where an expert jury will select the ten best videos based on criteria (content, clarity and charisma). The winner then becomes one of the best in the participating countries. More information can be found on the competition website.

The deadline for application: May 31, 2024

Interesting Reading from The Faculty of Science

MUNI BioPharma Hub Brings Autonomy in Pharmaceutical Production

Text/Foto:Simona Polcarová

The laying of the foundation stone marked the beginning of the construction of the new educational infrastructure of Masaryk University and the new location of the Faculty of Pharmacy.

One of the fundamental missions of the MUNI BioPharma Hub project – which will see the Faculty of Pharmacy collaborate with the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Science, CEITEC, the Faculty of Economics and Administration and the Faculty of Social Studies – is to train experts who will work in companies or regulatory bodies such as the State Institute for Drug Control. It will offer a unique combination of modern teaching facilities and the cutting-edge research infrastructure of the Preclinical Centre and the Centre for Molecular Medicine. Another important aspect is drug self-sufficiency. After the construction of the Bohunice University Campus, the MUNI BioPharma Hub project is the second largest investment in Masaryk University’s history. Current MU Rector Martin Bareš, Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Mikuláš Bek, both former rectors of Masaryk University, gathered at the construction site to lay the foundation stone. The continuity of their work also became a leitmotif of the ceremony.

The construction of the Bohunice University Campus proved to be a prudent decision and became an impulse to build on our work. The management changes, but Masaryk University knows how to move forward. With the opening of the Simulation Centre complex in September 2020, we are about to begin construction that will have an impact on the city of Brno, the South Moravian region, national education and pharmacy research. The linking of the Faculty of Pharmacy with the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Science and others can help MUNI BioPharma Hub to strengthen the strategic autonomy of the Czech Republic in the field of pharmaceutical production,” said Rector Martin Bareš and concluded his remarks with a quote by Tomáš G. Masaryk, the first president of Czechoslovakia: “The world is cultivated by work – small and everyday work.”

Full Article

The Faculty of Science of Masaryk University has Become an Academic Partner of the STARMUS Festival

The STARMUS festival, which brings together Nobel Prize winners, scientists, astronauts, thinkers, artists and musicians, will visit Bratislava from May 12 to 17, 2024. This is the first time that the festival will come to Central Europe, giving visitors a unique opportunity to meet live with world-famous scientists and personalities from various fields. The Faculty of Science of MU has become an academic partner of the festival and will present itself during the event as part of the accompanying Starmus Camp programme.

Full Article

 

 Sites we recommend to follow:

Develop Your Skills  Externí odkaz

MUNI Mendel Doctorandus  Externí odkaz

 

Life Science Seminar  Externí odkaz

Competitions for Students  Externí odkaz

All issues of Newsletters for PhD students and Postdocs

Distributed by:

Office for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic Affairs and Internationalization (noskova@sci.muni.cz)

© 2024
Masarykova univerzita

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