The traditional academic ceremony associated with the awarding of the MU Rector's Award and the Silver Medals of MU took place in the Karel Engliš Grand Auditorium at the Faculty of Law. Among the awardees were also exceptional scientists from our faculty and CEITEC MU: Robert Vácha, Petr Těšina, Klára Hilscherová, Klára Klinkovská, and Jiří Holoubek. Congratulations.
At the beginning, the Vice-Rector for Personnel Policy, Academic and Cultural Affairs Jiří Hanuš welcomed the crowded auditorium and expressed his appreciation for the work of the awardees through a quote by T. G. Masaryk: “A man who does his work without interest and only for bread is an unhappy and poisoned man. I love to hear someone speak with love and zest about their profession.”
The ideas of ´universitas´, the importance of education and educational institutions, and the tasks facing universities today were mentioned by MU Rector Martin Bareš in his speech. “The idea of universitas is closely linked to communities of scientists and scholars, which gradually became to some extent autonomous and self-governing, laying the foundations for later university autonomy and academic freedoms as we know them today,” Martin Bareš said. He also stressed the importance of critical thinking, the search for truth, the importance of the emancipation of the individual and - in the historical context - the role of universities in the development of European democratic societies. He described the ideas of universitas as a living force “…which plays - and should play - a similar role through contemporary universities”. He also warned against appeasement and populism, saying that “the values, principles and ideas associated with the concept of universitas can be and are the best defence and the best remedy against acute threats”.
President of the MU Academic Senate Petr Najvar mentioned his predecessors and focused on how their expertise was reflected in the position of Senate President. Reflecting on how he could contribute as a graduate teacher of primary school, he highlighted the qualities of a good teacher: active listening, understanding the topic and finding solutions. Like Rector Bareš, he concluded that it is knowledge that enables a person to orient themselves in the world, to perceive it in context and to think of consequences. “Even primary education has something to offer; it is about models of the world that are functional and understandable: not to hit the weaker, to admit a mistake, to lend a helping hand - this applies in the classroom, at university and in the community,” Petr Najvar summed up.
The award ceremony followed. The MU Rector's Award, which is awarded annually in several categories for extraordinary achievements in the field of science and research, sporting achievements, pedagogical activities, art and civic activities, was bestowed upon 25 personalities of the university. Five Silver Medals of MU were also awarded for strengthening the significance of MU at the national and global level, deepening the university's cooperation with domestic and foreign institutions and long-term significant support of the fields of study developed at MU.
MU Rector’s Award for Significant Creative Achievement
Robert Vácha, CEITEC MU
For two breakthrough studies Phospholipids are imported into mitochondria by VDAC, a dimeric beta barrel scramblase and Sequence and structural determinants of RNAPII CTD phase-separation and phosphorylation by CDK7. Both papers significantly improve our understanding of key biological processes in the biology and regulation of transcription.
MU Rector’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in a Grant Competition
Petr Těšina, CEITEC MU
In 2023, Těšina was awarded an ERC Starting Grant, which significantly contributed to the establishment of the award-winning research group at CEITEC MU. Last year, he was the only applicant from the Czech Republic to succeed in another prestigious international grant competition, the EMBO Installation Grant.
MU Rector’s Award for Long-term Excellence in Research
Natural Sciences and Medicine: Klára Hilscherová, Faculty of Science
Hilscherová is a world-renowned expert in the field of research into the mechanisms of biological effects of chemicals, natural toxins and their mixtures. Her research on toxic substances affecting hormone regulation, i.e. endocrine disruptors, is highly recognized. She is also the author of innovative biodetection tools based on in vitro cell models.
MU Rector’s Award for Outstanding Students of MU Doctoral Programmes
Klára Klinkovská, Faculty of Science, study programme Ecological and Evolutionary Biology
MU Rector’s Award for Outstanding Dissertation Thesis
Jiří Holoubek, Faculty of Science, study programme: microbiology
For his PhD thesis Tick-borne encephalitis: new insights into virus biology and therapy.
Photo: Martin Indruch
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