Neuron Awards 2020
Neuron endowment fund supporting science has opened nominations for prestigous Neuron Awards 2020, which are granted to outstanding scientists who influence their fields. Awards are divided into two categories:

• Neuron Award for young gifted scientists
  The award is given to Czech scientists, usually up to 33 years of age, for outstanding scientific achievements as well as an encouragement to further work. Up to 7 scientists will be awarded, each laureate will receive a financial bonus of CZK 500,000.
• The Neuron Award for Contribution to World Science
  The award is given to up to three candidates, regardless of age. It is given to prominent scientists working at home and abroad who, through their world-wide discovery or long-term work, have  significantly contributed to the development of science, strengthened the name of the Czech Republic, and are a role model and inspiration for other members of the scientific community. An International Scientific Council of the Fund participates in the selection of laureates. Each laureate will receive a bonus of CZK 1,500,000.

Scientists will be awarded in the fields of biology, computer science, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine and social sciences. Candidates can be nominated using a simple nomination form by March 31, 2020. More information can be found at https://www.nfneuron.cz/en/neuron-prizes.

Nomination of external evaluators for the fourth tender of the Earth Program 2020 - 2022 of the Ministry of Agriculture

The Ministry of Agriculture has launched a call for nominations of external evaluators of project proposals for the EARTH Program. The term of office of the evaluators will be three years, valid for the public tenders announced in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Based on the Concept, there are three key areas in which the evaluators are selected according to their expertise:

• Working Group I Sustainable management of natural resources
• Working Group II Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry
• Working Group III Sustainable Food Production

The information system of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (ISTA) will be used for the administration of the evaluation of submitted projects, therefore evaluators and TACR will eneter into a framework agreement. The evaluation usually takes place between June and August. Each evaluated project proposal will be financially awarded. If interested, please send completed nomination forms by February 28, 2020 to nazv@mze.cz. Include "external evaluator nominations" in the email subject. Please send any questions to the same email. Detailed information can be found here.

Call ERCEA/SNE/184/2020
European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA) published a call ERCEA /SNE/184/2020. The Agency is looking for suitable candidates for outbound national experts in the following areas:

• Scientific Support to ERC
• Ethics Officer
• Life Sciences
• Engineering (2 posts)
• Chemistry or Materials Science
• Earth System Science
• Social Sciences and Humanities

It is a co-financed position for minimum duration of 2 years (usually expected 4), i.e. the university / institute pays the expert Czech salary, ERCEA allowances. More information about the call can be found here. The ERCEA call is open until April 21, 2020. If you have any questions, please contact Ms Linda Messias from the Permanent Representation of the Czech Republic to the EU (Linda_Messias@mzv.cz).

Grant for young researchers
A competition for a scholarship of CZK 200,000 has been announced by Thermo Fisher Scientific Brno s.r.o. and the Czechoslovak Microscopic Society. Scholarships may be awarded to researchers or PhD students of maximum 30 years of age who either use electron microscopy of their outputs in their research, or who focus on the development of electron microscopy. Applications can be submitted by May 31, 2020. Detailed information and application form can be found at https://mikrospol.cz/english.

Coronavirus
In connection with the development of coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Palacký University with effect from January 29, 2020 declared:

1 / ban on travel of students and staff of UP to China and any other outbreaks of coronavirus infection

2 / prohibition to accept students, academics and other guests currently residing in China

These measures are primarily of a preventive nature because of health protection of the academic and non-academic community of UP and because of the current very limited possibilities of air connections with the region. We are currently in contact with all UP students in China and all are well. We coordinate our actions with the Regional Hygiene Station, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in China, and we also monitor the movement and condition of our Chinese students who are currently traveling or have already arrived in Olomouc. We will keep you updated on new developments and possible further measures.

If you have any questions, please contact dr. Flajšarová (Vice-Dean for Foreign Relations, Faculty of Arts, Palacký University), e-mail: pavlina.flajsarova@upol.cz, who is the contact person for our students in China and the key person with whom the foreign departmemt of the Rector´s Office discusses UP´s steps in this matter.

Study stays in Colombia, Ecuador and the Republic of Korea
UP International Office has announced new calls for applications for the selection procedure for study stays in Winter semester 2020/2021 outside the EU under the university-wide cooperation agreements. These are stays at contractual partner institutions in Colombia, Ecuador and the Republic of Korea. The application form and all relevant paperwork must be sent in pdf format by e-mail to tereza.kalouskova@upol.cz, delivered in person or sent by post in printed form to Mgr. Tereza Kalousková, Foreign Department of UP, Křížkovského 8, 779 00 Olomouc by 14, February until 10:00 am. You may also leave the application in an envelope at RUP Registry on Friday, February 14, until 12:00.

If necessary, personal consultations will be held at the UP Foreign Department, meeting room 1.22 on Tuesday, February 11, from 9:15 to 10:00. We will be happy to answer all your questions. Details, including the conditions of participation, the application form and individual calls are available in the UP Scholarship Program - Study section.

The upcoming meeting of the Academic Senate will take place on Wednesday, March 4 at 1:00 pm in the large meeting room at the Dean´s Office (6.014). Deadline for sending relevant documents if February 18. Elections in the Academic Senate of the Faculty of Science will take place on:

• April 1, 2020 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm main Faculty building, 17. listopadu 12
• April 2, 2020 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm library of the faculty, Šlechtitelů 22

Academic Senate of PrF UP has approved the following elections committee for elections in Academic Senate of the Faculty and a sectional committee for elections to the Academic Senate of UP: Mgr. Jana Burkotová, Ph.D., RNDr. Jiří Fišer,  Ph.D., Mgr. Zbyněk Kurač, doc. Mgr. Ladislav Mišta, Ph.D., Mgr. Jana Oklešťková, Ph.D., Mgr. Petr Osička, Ph.D., doc. RNDr. Vilém Pechanec, Ph.D., Mgr. Patrik Peška, Ph.D., Mgr. Radim Simerský, Ph.D., RNDr. Jana Skopalová, Ph.D.

doc. Mgr. Ladislav Mišta, Ph.D. has been elected Chairman of the committee for elections to the Academic Senate of PrF UP.

Particulars of a proposal to the faculty senate: name and surname of the candidate, year of birth, workplace in case of academic employee, study program and year in case of student, determination to which group of candidates (student or academic) the person is nominated, the petitioner's signature. In addition, the election commission must also receive the consent of the nominated by the deadline for proposals; recommended directly on the proposal.

Evaluation of subjects
Please note that the evaluation of courses taught in the winter semester 2019/2020 ends on February 12, 2020. The evaluation is carried out electronically via the Portal or directly on the website. Subject evaluation is relevant only if a sufficient number of students participate. Therefore, we ask that you take a few minutes of your time and participate in the evaluation.

Subject registration in Summer semester 2019/2020
The enrollment of courses for the summer semester of the academic year 2019/2020 for undergraduate, follow-up master's and doctoral degree programs takes place from January 21 to February 17. Detailed information is available here.

Registration of courses for SS 2019/2020 - schedule adjustment
Minor adjustments to the schedule can be made at the Study Department from February 18-27.

Graduation ceremony
We kindly ask all graduates who have successfully completed their state final examinations in January and February and wish to attend the graduation ceremony to apply at the Study Department. These will be held on 29. 6. - 2. 7. 2020. The schedule will be posted on the faculty website in the second half of June. Confirmation of proper completion of studies can be obtained from the Study Department. Here you can also collect your diplomas at the end of March if you do not want to attend the graduation.

Scholarship applications
Please submit applications for regular scholarship payments until the end of the academic year, i.e. August 2020, and not until December 2020. This is because STAG works with academic years, not calendar years, and some students terminate their studies during the application etc. For September 2020, submit new applications.

Join Sustainable Palacký!
At the beginning of the new semester, we have again prepared a presentation of the activities of our association, in which we strive to strengthen social responsibility and environmentally friendly behavior at Palacký University Olomouc. If you have been following us from afar and wanted to get involved, now is a great opportunity! Come and learn more about us in the Bedřich Václavek´s Dormitory on Tuesday, February 18, from 8:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/udrzitelnypalacky/.

Fischer scholarship holder’s seminar
Vice-Dean for International Relations Miloslav Dušek, cordially invites you to the seminar for Fischer scholars. The event will be held on Wednesday, February 13^th at 9:00 a.m. in the Big Conference Room, Dean's Office (room 6.014) on the 6^th floor of the Faculty of Science. The attendance of the Fischer scholarship holders and their supervisors is requested, however, all the other faculty employees and students are welcome too.

Scientific conference in Nitra
The Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Sciences organizes XVIII. International scientific conference of bachelor and master students on April 23. Students can compete in the following sections:

- Quality and safety of raw materials and food of plant origin
- Quality and safety of raw materials and food of animal origin
- Control and safety of the food chain
- Applied biology
- Biology

The registration form can be found at https://svk.fbp.uniag.sk/student-conference-of-fbfs.