Twenty best young scientists, students and teachers were awarded in the 22nd edition of a prestigious scientific competition Werner von Siemens Award. Czech branch of Siemens appreciates the work and projects in the field of technical and natural sciences in four categories: the most important result of basic research, the best diploma thesis, the best dissertation and the best teacher. Together with students, their work leaders also receive rewards. The winner in the category of the best doctoral thesis is Ivo Straka from the Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, supervised by prof. Jaromír Fiurášek. He was awarded for his work in the field of quantum optics called „Preparation, Detection and Characterization of Quantum States of Light”, which deals with the quantum nature of light in laboratory experiments.

Czech-Austrian projects
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has announced a call for applications for grants to support joint Czech-Austrian projects within the mobility activity with implementation period of 2021-2022. The deadline for submitting project proposals to the R&D department of Miriam Delong is 12 May 2020. More information here.

Grant Agency of the Czech Republic
GA CR has announced a public tender for the support of standard, junior, international, EXPRO and LA projects with the expected start of the solution in 2021. Project documentation, forms to prove eligibility and further information on the calls can be found at the following links:

https://gacr.cz/vyhlaseni-verejne-souteze-standardni-projekty-4/
https://gacr.cz/vyhlaseni-verejne-souteze-junior-star/
https://gacr.cz/vyhlaseni-verejne-souteze-mezinarodni-projekty-4/
https://gacr.cz/vyhlaseni-verejne-souteze-expro-projekty-3/
https://gacr.cz/vyzva-pro-podavani-projektu-na-principu-hodnoceni-lead-agency/

The deadline for submitting project proposals for all project types is set by Rector´s Office no later than Friday, April 3, 2020. Rector´s Office asks for timely submission of proposals due to possible problems of matching proposals with GACR and the increased time consumption of the new electronic file service.

Project proposals generated from the application must be sent electronically to ivana.saitzova@upol.cz by April 3, 2020.

Scholarship stays in Poland
AIA agency offers scholarship or research stays in Poland for 1 to 10 months. University students and teachers can submit applications until March 9. The scholarship for students of Bachelor and Master study programs is CZK 9000, for Doctoral students and university teachers CZK 9500 per month.

Support for foreign cooperation development
This year the International Relations Office UP will again provide our faculty with additional resources to develop international cooperation. These resources can be used for travel costs of faculty staff related to cooperation development, short-term visits of foreign experts or co-financing of student mobilities abroad. However, no wage or personal expenses can be paid from these resources. If you are planning a trip or a visit that meets the above definition, you can pre-apply for (partial) financial support by email to Waleria Slowiková ( waleria.slowikova@upol.cz). Please, take into account that the amount of resources for this year is much lower than in previous years. Therefore, it may not be possible to satisfy all applicants. The decision on granting the support will be made with regard to the degree of completion of the cooperation and with an effort to evenly cover all the fields. Preference will be given to activities co-financed by the departments.

Websites of the faculty
English websites of the Faculty of Science are continuously updated. A new feature has been added - the Annoucements and Contact section on the main site (https://www.prf.upol.cz/en/), where the current information regarding student affairs of the foreign students will be posted. Please, browse through the websites and check the information available. Your feedback is welcome and you can share your thoughts at waleria.slowikova@upol.cz.

Academic Senate
Academic Senate of the Faculty of Science announces ELECTIONS IN THE ACADEMIC SENATE OF PRF UP for election period May 8, 2020 – May 8, 2023.

Elections in the Academic Senate of the Faculty of Science will take place on the following dates:

• 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

The list of candidates was published on website: https://www.upol.cz/en/university/university-authorities/elections-for-up-academic-senate/.

Composition of the Election Committee
At its meeting on January 29, the Academic Senate of the Faculty of Science UP elected in a secret ballot 10 members of the Election Committee for the elections to the AS of the Faculty of Science and the partial Election Committee for the elections to the AS of Palacký University Olomouc as follows:

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 become the chairman of the election committee.

Mgr. Ondřej Vencálek, Ph.D., has been according to agreed procedure elected as a substitute.

Concurrently there will be elections to the Academic Senate of UP taking place https://www.upol.cz/en/university/university-authorities/elections-for-up-academic-senate/.

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.

Trips abroad
Students who have a full-time contract at the faculty must report this fact to the Human Resources Department when traveling abroad through the Erasmus program.

Round table
Round table on „Undergraduate Teacher Training in Science and Mathematics" for students - future teachers and teachers of all scientific fields at universities, high schools, and junior high schools will be held on April 16, 2020 at 3.30 pm in the boardroom of the Dean's Office in Olomouc, tř. 17 November 12, 6th floor.

You may look forward to a guest speaker Dr. Dag Hrubý - one of the most prominent personalities of Czech mathematics and didactics of mathematics, long-time director of Jevíčko secondary grammar school, holder of the Medal of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports for outstanding teaching activity, author of many textbooks and specialized articles for Czech mathematics.

The roundtable is organized as a part of the Operational Program Research, Development and Education under Pregraduate II - Improving preparation of future teachers at Palacký University Olomouc.

UP Foundation
The foundation of the Palacký University Olomouc announces the 6th call for applications for a grant. Students of master's and doctoral degree programs at Palacký University Olomouc may apply for a grant. The fund supports students´ scientific research and artistic activities. The call is open until March 30. All necessary information, including access to the online system, can be found at www.fond.upol.cz. 

UP Crowd
Students' association UP Crowd and Science café Olomouc would like to invite you to the lecture of MUDr. Martin Nevrlý from the University Hospital Olomouc called Deep Brain Stimulation (not only) in neurological diseases. It will take place on Tuesday, March 10, from 6:00 pm at Coffee Library. For booking use the form at sciencecafe.sestihran.cz. On Wednesday, March 18, the members of the association will go to Prostějov for a meeting of CHEMIE Methodological Cabinet to present its activities. At the same time, they will lead a seminar on the Use of Inspirational Experiments in Chemistry and Biochemistry at School and will present a popular lecture called Dragons - a complex biological and biochemical problem simply and illustratively.

Student Science Competition for the Dean´s Award
The competition is open to all duly enrolled bachelor, master and doctoral students at the Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc. The competition is organized in six sections, each divided into three categories. Additionally, students may apply for poster session. Thus, one student can compete in up to two sections, in the field and poster sections. The deadline for registration is on the website where you can find detailed information about the competition. The scientific work needs to be uploaded along with the application. Competition papers will be presented to an evaluation committee is April 27, 2020.

Training for pressure vessels and gas equipment - alternative date
In accordance with the provisions of Section 103 (2) of Act No. 262/2006 Coll., The Labor Code, as amended, employees will be trained in the field of health and safety at work with pressure vesseld and containers for technical and medical gases - technical and operating rules. The training will take place on Thursday, March 19, 2020 in room 1.037 at the Faculty of Science, 17. listopadu 12, 9.00 - 11.00 am. Due to the limited number of seats we recommend to make a reservation at e-mail: jana.hanychova@upol.cz.

Covid-19
The Rector of Palacký University Olomouc recommends University staff and students who arrive from areas affected by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) epidemy or come into direct contact with infected persons limit their stay outside for two weeks and not participate in teaching or working at the University, even if they are not currently showing symptoms of the disease. Visit the website for more information.