Posts – Czexpats in Science

Czexpats Christmas Conference 2025: Global Science in the Local Context

On Monday, 22 December 2025, the annual Czexpats Christmas Conference returned, turning the final days of the year into a celebration of scientific exchange, global collaboration and community spirit. The event filled the historic Modrá posluchárna at the Carolinum, Charles University in Prague with almost 250 people attending in person, while another 50 or so joined online. The conference brought together Czech scientists with international experience and international researchers based in Czechia, creating a truly global community.

Rethinking Where We Look for Inspiration: Good Practice in Science Funding Close to Home

In Czech science, we often look “towards the West” to find inspiration for good practice. In terms of the national grant funding agencies, chemist Soňa Krajčovičová (University of Cambridge), who has experienced the Czech application system from the point of view of someone looking to apply for funding and return to a Czech institution, argues that perhaps looking “towards the North” might suffice.

From Research Rats to Racing Skis: Mixing Academia and Sport in Europe

How do you combine top level sport with a laboratory based research career? And can you hop into a PhD straight from a US bachelor’s level course? You can read all about this in our blog written by Fabián Štoček, a PhD neuroscientist-cum-international level skier.

Series ABROAD

Are you a student or researcher with a dream of going abroad, but feel unsure about the first step? Come and get inspired, with practical advice from people who have been exactly where you are!

Our three-part online discussion Series ABROAD (“Série VEN!”), is designed for anyone considering a Master’s, PhD, or postdoc overseas. We’ve invited Czech scientists who are currently based around the world and are ready to share their stories and insights. You’ll not only get a clear idea of what to do, but also the confidence to make it happen. During these three online panel discussions, you can ask any questions you have.

Jakub Drápal’s ERC grant will focus on sentencing across Europe

For the second time in the past year, a project developed by researchers at Charles University’s Faculty of Law has received grant support from the European Research Council. The ERC Starting Grant, worth €1.5 million, goes to Jakub Drápal, who focuses on the issue of criminal sentencing across continental Europe.

The Start-up Gives Scientists the Opportunity to Help Shape the Path of Their Discovery

Jiří Růžička works as an incubation manager at the biotech incubator i&i Prague, where he focuses on innovations in drug development, diagnostics, and medical technologies. His work centers on analyzing scientific projects from the perspective of their commercial potential and supporting early-stage scientific start-ups and spin-offs. What does he think about the relationship between basic research and the commercialization of scientific discoveries? Why should young scientists consider creating a start-up, and when is the right time to start? What role do incubators play in this process? He answers all of these questions in the following interview…

Pavel Plevka: I only give my team colleagues projects that I would be happy to work on myself

Structural virologist Pavel Plevka, a two-time ERC grant holder and head of a research group at CEITEC Masaryk University, is looking for new colleagues to join his team. Even if you are not a structural virologist seeking an inspiring research environment, this interview is worth reading. Pavel Plevka explains his focus on studying human viruses and bacteriophages, his approach to team leadership, and the opportunities available for students and postdoctoral researchers who want to work in CEITEC’s international and interdisciplinary research environment.

Christmas Conference 2024: Ideas That Change the World

The annual Christmas Conference organised by Czexpats in Science brought together nearly 300 Czech scientists from 22 countries in a hybrid event held in Prague and online. This gathering was focused on “Ideas That Change the World” and on how to stay innovative, motivated, and joyful in scientific pursuits, with an emphasis on fostering environments that enable groundbreaking research.

Czexpats in Science project supporting incoming Ukrainian scientists in Czechia

For the past two and a half years, we have supported Ukrainian scientists seeking safety in Czechia through the Czexpats for Ukraine project. As the project concludes, we are pleased to present a comprehensive final report of our efforts. This report also introduces the newly established Czech-Ukrainian Scientific Society.

Conference: Academic culture is a key enabler of quality science

On 12 June 2024, the “Through Academic Culture to Scientific Excellence” conference in Prague concluded a project supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to improve academic culture in the Czech Republic. The event brought together personalities who are key to the development of a healthy academic environment in the Czech Republic. Maria Leptin, President of the European Research Council (ERC), visited the Czech Republic for the first time upon an invitation from Czexpats in Science. High profile representatives of the Czech scientific community, government and research institutions also addressed the event.

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