Newsletter for PhD students and Postdocs

Don't be Afraid to Become a Member of the Academic Senate - Student Chamber and be Part of the Change.

Do you have an interest in the running of our faculty and want to take an active part in the decision-making? In that case, now is a good time to apply and become a member of the Academic Senate of the Faculty of Science (AS PřF MUNI). You may contribute to managing the faculty with the dean, vice-deans, and bursar.

As this Newsletter addresses primarily to Early-stage Researchers, we call especially for students to participate and become part of the Student Chamber (Studentská Komora – SKAS PřF MUNI). Your task will be to vote for the sake of other students on important issues concerning the developments at the MU Faculty of Science; you will approve and comment on the most important issues (such as electing a future dean and approving budgets or scholarships). You will also have the opportunity to make suggestions, which will improve life at the faculty. And since SKAS has 12 students out of 27 senate members, the SKAS voice is very strong.

But how does the election proceeds? Once every three years, an election is open in the university's Information System (IS). Each candidate briefly presents their programme or ideas, and students across all Faculty of Science vote for their 12 representatives. The dates of the upcoming elections will be announced at the end of April. So keep an eye on the bulletin board in the IS or the e-mail box where you receive regular newsletters about current events, and you won't miss anything.

All students are strongly encouraged to take the challenge – Czechs, Slovaks, and Internationals! Will you be the one who will influence the future of the Faculty of Science?

Soft Skills Training for Early-stage Researchers

We want to inform you about new training opportunities in pedagogical competencies provided in English by the MU Competence Development Centre, CERPEK.                 This spring, CERPEK is offering a new Foundation of University Teaching Excellence course and an opportunity for university staff to develop their teaching skills through interim mentoring.

• Foundation of University Teaching Excellence

Join us for a semester-long professional development programme focused on improving the quality of teaching. Topics will include aims and methods of lessons and courses, assessment, and further professional development. This professional development programme is intended for all teachers at Masaryk University. The program is open to non-Czech/Slovak speakers and those Czech and Slovak speakers who would feel more comfortable completing such a program in English. The deadline for registration is 30. 4. 2023. More info about programme and registration form here.

• Mentoring

Have you been teaching for a long time and need a boost to your teaching or your motivation? Or are you just starting out, and don't know what to do? Do you want to see if you are teaching well and what you could do differently? Do you need help solving a teaching problem satisfactorily? Then the mentoring programme is suitable for you. More info about Mentoring and application form here.

Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology

The Eppendorf & Science International Prize for Neurobiology is awarded annually to a young scientist under the age of 35 for the most outstanding neurobiological research based on methods of molecular and cell biology conducted by him/her during the past three years. The award is associated with a financial reward of $ 25,000.

Rules of eligibility

• The applicant must be a neurobiologist with an advanced degree received in the last 10 years and not older than 35 years of age.
• The applicant's essay must describe contributions to neurobiological research based on methods of molecular and cell biology.
• The applicant must have performed or directed the work described in the essay.
• The research must have been performed during the previous three years.

The application must be accompanied by (all in English):

• an essay of own research activity in accordance with current methods and advances in the field of neurobiology (max. 1000 words),
• a one-page letter of recommendation from a postdoctoral adviser, supervisor, or another senior colleague who is familiar with the applicant's work,
• a CV including:

1. Full citations of papers that the applicant has published on the research described in the essay
2. Academic and professional awards and honors received
3. Relevant professional experience
4. Copies of two of the applicant's papers that are most relevant to the essay

The application form and other materials must be submitted electronically via the online form by June 15, 2023. Further information on the prize is available on its website.

The Conference MITAV 2023

The Union of Czech Mathematicians and Physicists (UCMF), Brno Branch, cordially invites you to the MITAV (Mathematics, Information Technology and Applied Sciences) conference.

The MITAV Conference is intended primarily for teachers of all types of schools. It focuses on the latest findings in mathematics, computer science and other sciences, as well as on the issues of teaching these disciplines, including e-learning and other applications of information technology in the educational process. The organizers want to focus on education in essential areas and high demand in today's society. The conference also aiming to create a space to present achievements in various disciplines and simultaneously to provide an opportunity for meeting and mutual discussion of staff from different schools and backgrounds. Presentations by students (graduates, postgraduates) and beginning teachers are also welcome, as their new perspectives and approaches can be very interesting and beneficial for the participants.
The accreditation of DVPP by the Ministry of Education is under consideration. Conference will be held in English / Czech

When: June 15-16, 2023

Where: The Club of the University of Defence, Brno, Šumavská 4, Brno

Business Research Forum 2023

We cordially invite you to the 5th Masaryk University Cooperation Fair, where representatives of the university, university partners, private and public sector and other experts will meet in one place. The event will also include the MUNI Innovation Award 2023 ceremony.

*The programme on the main stage will be in Czech. Workshop "Protecting Your Brain Babies: Intellectual Property for Researchers and Other Brave Souls" will be in English.

When: April 26, 2023 (9:00–15:30)

Where: CEITEC MU, Brno University Campus