Our group of travel award winners visited the American Embassy in Prague to learn about funding and research opportunities in the Czech Republic and across Europe. I live by the philosophy that one needs to put oneself in the line of opportunity, and I found this panel especially intriguing.
The city of Brno, CZ is a hub of scholarly activity. The city is home to eight universities, totaling 80,000 students. The University of Brno Department of Chemistry Chairman Ctibor Mazal spoke about the ongoing research and facilities in his department. He noted that there has been a recent swell of investment funds supporting research centers in Brno.
Jan Neuman spoke on behalf of Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), a partnership of the Brno-area universities. This project has seven research centers devoted to advancing knowledge in life sciences and advanced materials.
Global and regional funding opportunities abound for adventurous researchers. The longstanding Fulbright program sends students or scholars to participating nations at a host institution. Marie Curie Actions is a program that funds applicants for stays at European universities to work on projects of their own interest. SoMoPro is an organization from the Monrovian region of the Czech Republic that supports scientific projects by inviting applicants to study at their selected universities.
These opportunities could open the doors to new international collaborations for scientists, young and old. I am considering an international postdoctoral experience as part of my career and ongoing education. Learning about these opportunities inspires me to further pursue this avenue.
