Leona Zuzáková submitted her thesis to the Academia Publishing House competition at the last minute, never expecting to win. Her research into the surface structures of plants, which involved hundreds of hours in the laboratory and at the electron microscope, impressed the expert jury so much that she won the prestigious award. In this interview, she talks about how she came to choose this topic, the challenging process of preparing samples, her inspiring collaboration with experts, and how she managed to balance her studies and scientific work with raising a family.
How did you feel when you found out that you had won the Academia Publishing House Award?
To be honest, I didn't expect to win at all. The idea to submit my work came from my consultant, Ing. Hana Ondrušková. I hadn't even heard of the competition until then. However, the application had to be submitted by the thesis supervisor, so I discussed everything with Dr. Olga Rotreklová. In the end, we decided it wouldn't hurt to try, so we sent it in at the last minute – and it paid off!
What or who inspired you to choose the topic of plant surface structures?
At the start of my master's degree, I had no idea what to write my thesis on. I wanted a topic that I could apply to my teaching practice, but I was still searching for inspiration. During a consultation, Dr. Rotreklová suggested this topic to me. once again, Ing. Ondrušková had a hand in it, as she had been looking for someone to work on it for a long time.
Which part of the work did you find most challenging, and what did you enjoy the most?
There were several challenges. For example, the topic was not related to my bachelor's thesis, so I had to start from scratch. I enrolled on an electron microscopy course, where I received some valuable advice. It turned out that the samples would need to be chemically prepared before observation, which meant months of laboratory work and long hours at the microscope. This was difficult to combine with my studies, internships and family life. Overall, I enjoyed the actual observations the most – I was always curious to see what the results would look like.
What was it like working with experts from different departments?
The experts I mentioned earlier guided me through the entire process. Dr. Naděžda Vaškovicová, from the Department of Histology and Embryology at the Faculty of Medicine, played a key role in ensuring the quality of the samples. She provided me with protocols and access to facilities, as well as lots of advice. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Jana Jurmanová, from the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology at the Faculty of Science, with whom I spent countless hours using the electron microscope. Without her help, the photographs would not have been possible. I am very grateful for the collaboration with everyone, which was great.
These photos were also presented as an exhibition at the Masaryk University Faculty of Science Botanical Garden. Whose idea was that?
It was a project by Ing. Ondrušková from the Botanical Garden. From the outset, she stated that one of the objectives of the project was to produce images for educational and popularisation activities. The prospect of an exhibition was motivating, but also stressful as the results had to be of a high quality. I am glad that the exhibition finally took place.
What experiences from the Department of Botany and Zoology and the Faculty of Science proved most valuable, and why?
The Biosystematics Seminar was very beneficial; we presented our preliminary results there and received valuable feedback. Although the first presentation was challenging, it pushed me forward. My experience in chemistry also proved useful as I was no stranger to laboratory work.
If you were advising students considering a career in science, what would you tell them?
Don't be afraid to give it a try! MUNI offers plenty of opportunities and excellent facilities, not to mention experts who are willing to help. It's time-consuming, but the results are worthwhile.
Do you plan to continue your work?
After my final exams, I felt I needed a rest as I had been combining my studies with raising a family. I've got an idea of how I want to continue, but there's no room for it right now. However, I miss working with a microscope, so who knows, maybe in time.
The award comes at a time when you are expecting your second daughter. What is it like to combine scientific endeavours with raising a family?
For me, this victory is the icing on the cake for all the sleepless nights. My second pregnancy is much calmer. I wrote most of my thesis at night when my daughter was asleep, and I had a huge sleep deficit. I'm glad that period is behind me.
Has raising a family inspired you to take a different view of science or nature?
On the contrary, I now show my daughter nature more often. She loves catching invertebrates in the stream, an activity that I probably wouldn't have suggested myself if it weren't for the field exercises I did during my studies. We also do chemical and physical experiments at home using kits. Children are great at this; they get so excited by even the simplest experiment.
The book will be published as part of the prize. Do you know how many copies will be printed?
The book will be published next year as a special edition created for this purpose, with a minimum print run of 100 copies. It will be available in all Academia bookshops and on the Academia Publishing House e-shop. I hope it finds its readers.
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