She has discovered new ways to use nanofibers in the environmental field. Fatma Yalcinkaya is a scientist whose name resonates both here and abroad. More than a decade ago, it was the nanoscale world that attracted her to the Technical University of Liberec from Turkey.Fatma comes to our interview right on time, ready for every question. It is clear at first glance that she has a fixed direction she wants to take, but she comes across as very modest and pleasant. Her dedication and diligence is paying off, as she has been among the top 2% of the most cited scientists in the world for four consecutive years across all fields covered by Scopus, according to Elsevier and SciTech Strategies together with Stanford University.<h4>Nano-small, mega-interesting</h4>Fatma chose the textile industry in Turkey because it was at a high level at that time. She chose the Technical University of Liberec as her Erasmus traineeship. Here she fell under the spell of the nanoworld. "The nanoworld is really small, but also really interesting. I like that it is a multidisciplinary combination of chemistry, polymers, materials or physics. I chose Liberec because it is one of the world leaders in nanotechnology," she says.At TUL she met Oldřich Jirsák, who made the first industrial nanospider. And she was rightly impressed. A nanospider can really be imagined as a spider that forms filaments so thin that a microscope is needed to see them nicely. But this device works much faster and is slightly larger than a human. And it is in speed that the nanospider is groundbreaking.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_It_amuses_me_when_people_tell_me_they_don_t_believe_in_nano_says_Fatma_Yalcinkaya_3_50c29eccaf.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: It amuses me when people tell me they don't believe in nano, says Fatma Yalcinkaya." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_It_amuses_me_when_people_tell_me_they_don_t_believe_in_nano_says_Fatma_Yalcinkaya_3_50c29eccaf.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1500" height="2000"><h4>Partners also in research</h4>In 2010 she decided to move to Liberec permanently and took her husband, who also worked at TUL but now works for the company, with her. She and her husband are also partners in research and help each other out. "He is a support for me, even though he accidentally electroshocked me once," she laughs. "After a grueling day of taking measurements for my dissertation, I still had my fingers on the needle where the fibers are forming. There's a voltage attached to it. And my husband didn't notice and accidentally let electricity into me. It wasn't explicitly painful, but it was unpleasant," Fatma recalls.<h4>Contact between research and industry</h4>Before Fatma joined the Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations at TUL, she tried her hand at working in a research company partly supported by the state, which focused more on basic research. "There was high-end instrumentation, we were given training on the different instruments and could use them. There was also a unique opportunity to publish much more frequently in the top decile. On the other hand, there was also a lot of competition and the pressure was discouraging. At TUL it is different, we can only work on instruments within our department. If we want to use another instrument, we have to find a project that will fund the work on it. But the facilities here are great," explains Fatma, for whom the positive side of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/319">CXI TUL</a> is that the people there are very nice and there is a close connection with industry. She sees her research being used in industry."I never imagined the direction I wanted to take. I wanted to travel the world and explore. And as a scientist, that's exactly what I'm doing. I really enjoy it, meeting new people or new directions in research. Working at a university gives me more opportunities to start new research. In industry, I am closer to the real application, but starting new research is not so easy," Fatma lists the reasons why she chose a career as a scientist at university.<h4>Who doesn't believe in nano?</h4>Pure joy. That is what I feel from Fatma as soon as she starts describing her research on microbial fuel cells. Such a cell is made up of microorganisms from wastewater, and the wastewater also serves as a source of organic matter that is their food. The bacteria convert the food into electrons and the energy in them is further used. "Microbial fuel cells don't just stay in the lab. The system has been used to power a Glastonbury Festival or is being used in Africa as a light source in public toilets by top one of the top scientist Prof. Ioannis Ieropoulos and his team in UK.""I'm always surprised when someone says they don't believe in nano," Fatma continues to explain her research with amusement. "And yet it has so many different applications. For example, I work on membrane technologies for water purification and reuse. I prepare the membranes myself using nanofibres and they can trap a spesific range spectrum of substances, even microplastics or oily substances. But such a membrane can also be used for water desalination as support layer or air filtration," she enthuses, explaining the future directions of her research.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_It_amuses_me_when_people_tell_me_they_don_t_believe_in_nano_says_Fatma_Yalcinkaya_4_1fa67fc551.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: &quot;It amuses me when people tell me they don't believe in nano,&quot; says Fatma Yalcinkaya." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_It_amuses_me_when_people_tell_me_they_don_t_believe_in_nano_says_Fatma_Yalcinkaya_4_1fa67fc551.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1500" height="2000"><h4>Under the hood of companies</h4>Fatma is currently working most intensively on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sites.google.com/view/v4-project/home">a project</a> funded by the international Visegrad Fund, which connects the Technical University of Liberec with academic institutions in Poland and Hungary, as well as with industrial companies. "Our goal is to create a network of excellence in the field of nanofibers in the V4 countries involving three respected academic institutions and industrial partners. So I am bringing my knowledge about nanomembranes there. It's a project more focused on sharing experiences, but because we are also working with companies, we know which problems are burning the industry and what else we have to work on. I think if the science stays behind closed doors, there's no point. I'm very much in favour of open science, open science facilitates the exchange of knowledge and contributes to the development of science internationally. At the moment I am busy preparing the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sites.google.com/view/electrospinningworkshop2024/home">workshop</a>," Fatma concludes.<h4>Czech family</h4>And where does Fatma see herself in five years? Again at CXI TUL. She is simply happy here, perhaps because she received a really warm welcome at the beginning. Her thesis advisor picked her up at the airport and brought her to the room she was to share with her roommate. He helped her with her luggage and prepared a few essentials for the kitchen so that she could prepare a meal. "My roommate thought he was my dad. And indeed, in reality, my dissertation advisor and his wife became my Czech family. I really appreciate their help."<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_It_amuses_me_when_people_tell_me_they_don_t_believe_in_nano_says_Fatma_Yalcinkaya_1_bac2e5ddd8.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: It amuses me when people tell me they don't believe in nano, says Fatma Yalcinkaya." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_It_amuses_me_when_people_tell_me_they_don_t_believe_in_nano_says_Fatma_Yalcinkaya_1_bac2e5ddd8.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="3000" height="4000">

"It amuses me when people tell me they don't believe in nano," says Fatma Yalcinkaya

"I like the non-violence of the environmental chemistry field. We're trying to help society," says analytical chemist Martin Palušák from the Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation, who is currently working on methods for reusing metals from mine water.Martin grew up in the popularity of Jurassic Park. He wanted to travel the world and discover dinosaurs, but over time he found chemistry and physics more interesting. "My chemist and I went to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/62">Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry</a> of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/10">CAS</a>. We went to a lab where they were studying the structures of proteins. It was in the basement, with an old couch against the wall and a shelf full of fantasy books next to it. And I thought, I have to do this. That's when I decided that I wanted to be a scientist," recalls Martin, who returned to the Institute of Chemical Biology as part of his bachelor's thesis. "It was a valuable experience, there are real experts working there," he says. So Martin studied biochemistry at the UK and ended up at the Faculty of Nuclear and Physical Engineering at the Czech Technical University, where he went on to complete his PhD.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Z_laborky_rovnou_na_longboard_Martin_Palusak_jede_ve_vede_a_adrenalinu_cover_image_0faeb1c613.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Martin Palušák goes from lab to longboard: science and adrenaline" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Z_laborky_rovnou_na_longboard_Martin_Palusak_jede_ve_vede_a_adrenalinu_cover_image_0faeb1c613.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1080" height="670">In a white coat instead of a helmet on the dig siteEventually he returned from Prague to his native Liberec and currently works in the environmental chemistry laboratory at the Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/319">CXI TUL</a>). "During my PhD I worked here two days a week. And then my wife was pregnant, so we decided to go back to our family. Everything goes better with the help of grandmothers," explains Martin.Martin values the freedom of self-realization and the opportunity to gain experience abroad. "We have a lot of international collaborations, I have gotten to places I would never have thought of in my life. I was in the oceanography lab. They had round windows on the door, just like on a ship. There were aquariums full of fish or even coral. Of course, we don't have that in the Czech Republic."Did his childhood dream come true? He travels the world and discovers. Not dinosaurs, but analytical methods.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Z_laborky_rovnou_na_longboard_Martin_Palusak_jede_ve_vede_a_adrenalinu_1_4827d2c497.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Martin Palušák goes from lab to longboard: science and adrenaline." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Z_laborky_rovnou_na_longboard_Martin_Palusak_jede_ve_vede_a_adrenalinu_1_4827d2c497.jpg 156w," sizes="100vw" width="1080" height="1080">Hit the bull's-eyeAnd what would Martin recommend to budding scientists? "The most important thing is to choose the right field," he jokes."I chose environmental chemistry. I enjoy the fact that this field is trying to help society. For example, there is a lot of debate these days about whether or not there is global warming and who is to blame. We look for the facts and use them to decide on solutions to improve the current situation. In our case, for example, by treating water better or using neglected resources."The fact that Martin is passionate about chemistry is evidenced by the fact that he performed chemical experiments at schools and then taught organic chemistry and ran laboratories at the PhD level. "When I think about it, it was definitely an important experience. It made me realize how much I didn't know. Nowadays, teaching is no longer compulsory, but I think everyone who wants to work in a university should try it as a career."Did his childhood dream come true? He travels the world and discovers. Not dinosaurs, but analytical methods.From the lab straight to the longboardAnd what's Martin up to after work? He rides from the peaks of the Jizera Mountains on a longboard. He has no brakes, he controls everything with his body. "Now I take more care of myself for my family. I go slower, maybe 60 km per hour," explains Martin, who still relaxes after work by bouldering and of course with his wife and daughter.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Z_laborky_rovnou_na_longboard_Martin_Palusak_jede_ve_vede_a_adrenalinu_3_2536599565.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Martin Palušák goes from lab to longboard: science and adrenaline." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Z_laborky_rovnou_na_longboard_Martin_Palusak_jede_ve_vede_a_adrenalinu_3_2536599565.jpg 229w," sizes="100vw" width="1627" height="1107">Horizon Europe TwinningMartin is working on several projects, one of the larger ones being <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://surri.eu/">SURRI</a> (Sustainable Remediation of Radionuclide Impacts on Land and Critical Materials Recovery). It is a prestigious international Horizon Europe Twinning project. The main idea is to form a team and exchange know-how through the world.And what is the project about? The Czech Republic has been one of the main producers of uranium in recent years. After mining, there are many sites with high levels of radioactive substances or rare heavy metals. However, these can still be considered strategic raw materials. "The first problem that SURRI is addressing is how to clean up the mine water. This is because a huge amount of money is spent to ensure that contaminated water does not flow into the environment. But by cleaning the water, we concentrate strategic materials such as uranium or heavy metals. The next problem is how to access and reuse these valuable resources. The options are biological or chemical. I am working on electrochemical methods."Extracting metals from mine waterTo a layman, what Martin is doing can be described as having two magnets that can attract certain chemicals, but instead of magnetism, electricity is used. "Our partner, the University of Southampton, has a lot of experience in this and that helps us transfer their methods to our conditions. And it was an English university that was almost excluded because of Brexit. And then we have partnerships with Sapienza University of Rome and the University of Granada, and in the Czech Republic we work with the national company Diamo. SURRI is a project that promotes knowledge transfer."<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Z_laborky_rovnou_na_longboard_Martin_Palusak_jede_ve_vede_a_adrenalinu_2_d877d2c4c2.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Martin Palušák goes from lab to longboard: science and adrenaline." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Z_laborky_rovnou_na_longboard_Martin_Palusak_jede_ve_vede_a_adrenalinu_2_d877d2c4c2.jpg 145w," sizes="100vw" width="1046" height="1124">Comprehensive methodology and other projectsThe end result of the project will be a comprehensive methodology using both chemical and biological methods for the reuse of valuable raw materials from mine water. "Ideally, SURRI will be followed by another project that would integrate our technologies into site-specific operations. I would like to be involved in this. I appreciate the fact that I write interesting projects," Martin explains enthusiastically."For example, when I came from Prague, I didn't know how to write projects. At CXI TUL, I was immediately involved in all the processes and they helped me get collaborations going pretty quickly. So far, my projects haven't worked out well. I am at the beginning of my career. But I'm still trying. It's probably best to take the plunge and not be afraid to work on it again and again. That's what I'm free to do here."For CXI TUL and across half the countryAnd where does Martin see himself in five years? "I would like to go back to my PhD studies, but now we are about to have another child, so it will be slower," he calculates, adding in one breath that he would like to stay at CXI TUL, simply because he is working with leading capacities in the field of environmental chemistry. "For example, there are scientists working here who do not hesitate to commute to Liberec from Prague every day," he says.

Martin Palušák goes from lab to longboard: science and adrenaline

She comes to work to play with glass plasticine. In fact, she already has several patents for different types of it, like for hydroponics or jewellery making. Marie Stará and the team from the Department of Glass Producing Machines and Robotics at the Technical University of Liberec are behind the discovery of how to give waste glass a chance that would otherwise end up in landfill.&nbsp;I open the door to Marie Stara's office and I am greeted by Barney the Boston Terrier. "I brought him into my office when he was a puppy so he wouldn't be alone. Just for fourteen days. Well, it's been two years. He's our pet,"&nbsp;explains Marie, whose office is full of glass specimens but has a homey feel.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_1_c959b3ebd3.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_1_c959b3ebd3.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1500" height="2000"><h4>Glass as a fateful heritage</h4>Marie originally wanted to study nursing school, but she also liked to straighten screws with her dad as a child and was interested in technical things. In the end, she went to a technical high school and continued her studies at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of TUL. In her third year she decided to major in glassmaking and stayed at TUL. "I have to say that I was attracted to glass because my uncle painted on it and my grandfather worked in a glasswork in Desná. However, I didn't try painting or blowing glass. I am purely a technologist, but I think there is some genetic memory there," explains Marie that the path to glass was given to her perhaps before she was born.<h4>The cold suits the glass</h4>Marie describes herself as being quite cold emotionally. "Unless it involves my family, I can't empathize with other people's feelings. It's actually lucky I didn't become a nurse. My husband laughs at me that my care would often be impossible for patients to handle. Glass is also cold, and I have gotten comfortable with this material," adds Marie, who teaches at TUL.&nbsp;The students certainly don't feel the chill from her, as she is one of their favourite teachers. She even received an award from the rector for outstanding teaching achievement. She enjoys teaching, but it has to be within a tolerable level. "I want to engage the students first and foremost. I don't give them technical explanations; I use common sense and show them a lot of things. I simply don't want to have a theoretical exercise."<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_2_58b623e4be.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_2_58b623e4be.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1536" height="2048"><h4>Plasticine was created by accident</h4>The story of the glass plasticine called Glassticine began by accident. "Over and over again, we've treated silica sand with a laser to make it melt. We couldn't keep the sand in shape, it was a disaster. Then I put the sand in a mould in the oven and it turned into this white plasticine. I wanted to throw it in the trash because we wanted a transparent product. But the boss liked it and started to test what properties the material had," recalls Marie, who also collaborated with the Institute of Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations at TUL.<h4>Each variant of plasticine has its own charm&nbsp;</h4>The glass plasticine is made of silica sand or glass recyclate. "We use sand because it has a snow-white colour after firing and it is still the same. However, with recyclate, I enjoy the fact that we create a new use for the waste product, even though each piece is unique,"&nbsp;Marie explains.Plasticine can have different properties depending on what other additives are added. "It's not that you mix everything together and burn it. It needs a certain process. We've managed to do that and we've also worked out the optimum additive ratios for the desired properties." explains Marie, who works in the department with her husband. "Until a few years ago, we also shared an office. It's good, we have a common interest. We have been together since our student days and I was the one who brought us both to the Department of Glass Machinery."<h4>The future is in space</h4>The final material is non-toxic and porous, very absorbent. This characteristic makes it suitable for hydroponics, for example, and maybe one day plants will be grown on it in space. The material is reusable and at the end of its life cycle the product can be put into a glass bottle container. Finally, the glass can be scented so that the scent is released gradually. In this way, jewellery can be produced that also smells. "I have no sense of aesthetics at all. A student from the Faculty of Textile Engineering created it for us," explains Marie, who clearly answers no to the question of whether she wears plasticine jewellery. "I don't wear any jewellery, but it's a great idea and I like it."<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_3_3928bc3af6.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_3_3928bc3af6.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1536" height="2048"><h4>Nobody wants this glass. Except for Marie.</h4>Marie was given the opportunity to lecture&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://amia.cxi.tul.cz/">at AMIA</a>. This association brings science to industry while enabling scientists to listen to the needs of industrial partners. The aim is to provide a basis for collaboration on specific technical problems of individual companies. AMIA also organises technical workshops where Marie presents the results of her research. "After my lecture, I was contacted by Miroslav Ležák from Praktik system s.r.o. Their company deals with the recycling of electrical appliances. They also recycle washing machines and these have doors with glass panels. That's a problem because it's borosilicate glass, and you can't just throw that in the collection. By the way, not a lot of people address this, but the glass recycling bins don't include simax glass, like baking dishes or medicine bottles. It raises the melting point of the final product, and therefore the price, and is accordingly not suitable for recycling. No one wants this glass and neither did I, at first. But thanks to AMIA's financial support, I was able to do analyses and found that there is not so much borosilicate impurity. So, we ended up working with this glass. And we got a nice product out of it."<h4>Closer to the market</h4>Because plasticine has become popular, a few months ago scientists decided to start a spin-off at TUL called&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://glassiteca.eu/">Glassiteca</a>. "I was involved in the birth of plasticine, I'm on patents. I didn't go directly into the spin off because my husband is there. That would be a family business," laughs Marie. "My colleagues had to take the plunge. There's a lot of potential for commercialisation. They wanted to move away from the university environment a bit and be more flexible and faster. There are now two strands to the company, scented jewellery and hydroponics on glass plasticine. We are currently testing hydroponics trays for ForrestBit, a hydroponics company. They are also growing lettuce on the roof of TUL with this technology," concludes Marie, who plans to stay at TUL.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_4_71e6c48ecc.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_4_71e6c48ecc.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="3000" height="4000">

Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses.

Bohumil Kolář applies artificial intelligence in places where ordinary people can hardly imagine it. We talked about how AI makes work easier, how construction kit Mercur continues to inspire a hundred years after its creation, and beer cups whose meaning will blow your mind.I'm taking pictures of Bohumil with the computer. "And now I'm going to take a picture of you with neural networks," I say mischievously. "Well, we have some graphic simulation, so I can send it to you," Bohumil replies with hesitation. I can see that my sense of humor is off, so I'm getting insecure with the conversation. ChatGPT is now an integral part of my life, but what's behind it, I don't know. And Bohumil knows, he's an AI expert.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/TUL_CXI_Bohumil_Kolar_5cdb8ef8d0.jpg" alt="TUL CXI: Bohumil Kolář" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_TUL_CXI_Bohumil_Kolar_5cdb8ef8d0.jpg 231w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="540"><h5>Sometimes I'm lazy</h5>And what does Bohumil use ChatGPT for? "Sometimes I'm just lazy," Bohumil admits. "The AI saves me hours of reading," he says with a guilty smile. "Sometimes I copy a long text into ChatGPT and ask it to summarize it in two paragraphs. Why? Because I don't always have the desire or time to read anything longer than two pages," he explains candidly.Bohumil found out about the AI Specialist position at CXI TUL when he was looking for a job after school. "For example, I was offered a job developing a cable car control system, which is not interesting for me. Then I found an offer from CXI TUL and I'm happy, I often learn new things. I enjoy challenges. For example, I am working on an AI application for laser calibration," he shrugs. The aforementioned laser has many applications, for example from eye surgery, through brute force cutting to space research and defense systems.<h5>It started with Mercur</h5>Bohumil was a fan of the construction kit Merkur as a kid, but he was missing something to get the kit moving. So he became interested in electrical engineering. He soon discovered that there was always a need for a man to program everything. "I'm not really a programmer, I've always been attracted to the interdisciplinary field, the connection with electrical engineering. Now, for example, I'm tackling business efficiency with artificial intelligence in the European Digital Innovation Hub, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.edih-northeast.cz/en/home/">EDIH</a>."<h5>Real problems, practical solutions</h5>Businesses from across the spectrum of industries turn to Bohumil directly or attend training sessions where he shows them the possibilities of AI to streamline operations. "For example, Škoda approached us about vibrodiagnostics. The brief was to see if we could predict when an engine would break down. My job was to teach AI to recognize the vibration of a balanced engine and detect deflections such as bearing float, unbalance, and so on. Based on this data, they can prevent failures and maintain production quality," Bohumil recounts.<h5>Image analysis of wastewater</h5>One of the most interesting contracts is the detection of problems at wastewater treatment plants. "My job is to teach the program to recognize what a poorly working treatment plant looks like. For example, foaming water means an overgrowth of microorganisms. Color changes can indicate a different type of problem. Camera detection is fast and efficient, and you don't have to physically go around to all the treatment plants," he says.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/TUL_CXI_Bohumil_Kolar_Umela_inteligence_otevira_nove_pracovni_moznosti_5386b28764.jpg" alt="TUL CXI: Bohumil Kolář (Artificial intelligence opens up new job opportunities)" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_TUL_CXI_Bohumil_Kolar_Umela_inteligence_otevira_nove_pracovni_moznosti_5386b28764.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1500" height="2000"><h5>AI and Beer cups</h5>And what does Bohumil have on his desk besides his computer? "Lots of beer cups," he laughs. One of his apps detects whether you have an honest pint in front of you or under measurement.The audience immediately thinks: nice, but what is it good for? "The same algorithm can detect a tank and guide a missile. Maybe in Ukraine," Bohumil answered laconically. It shows that even a seemingly innocent AI application can be a weapon.<h5>Revolution</h5>The rapid development of artificial intelligence is a challenge for Bohumil. "The pace at which AI is growing is insane," he says. "New algorithms and technologies are being created every day. Sometimes I must understand how a certain technology works, only to find out a year later that it's already outdated. The world's largest organizations are rapidly pushing the boundaries of AI. Guessing the direction of development and keeping track is a big challenge."<h5>AI gives work</h5>From engineering to natural sciences, Bohumil sees no limits to artificial intelligence. "The only problem is the lack of data to train the models." Many people argue that AI is taking jobs. Bohumil sees it differently. “Automation opens up opportunities for more work."It is important to show that AI is a tool. "It is not a threat. It depends on how we use it," concludes Bohumil.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/TUL_CXI_Bohumil_Kolar_Umela_inteligence_otevira_nove_pracovni_moznosti_2_e943a453a0.jpg" alt="TUL CXI: Bohumil Kolář (Artificial intelligence opens up new job opportunities)" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_TUL_CXI_Bohumil_Kolar_Umela_inteligence_otevira_nove_pracovni_moznosti_2_e943a453a0.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1500" height="2000">

Bohumil Kolář: Artificial intelligence opens up new job opportunities

With short videos on Instagram, they open the doors to the world of the laboratory, where they are looking for ways to clean water from persistent chemicals. Pavlína Konopáčová and David Mareš have already reached thousands of followers, and in October they will present their experiences at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cxi.tul.cz/kalendar-akci/424/">Sdílej vědu!</a> event.Michal Řezanka, head of the nanochemistry laboratory, came up with the idea that Instagram is popular, so why not set up an account for the laboratory as well. And because Pavla and David were familiar with this social network, it went quickly. The original idea of using Instagram to find industrial partners proved to be a dead end. "We realised that this was not the way forward. So we changed our strategy and are currently building a community of followers to raise awareness about us," they explain.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_56e1d28ba5.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Science is great, sharing it is rewarding, say CXI TUL chemists" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_56e1d28ba5.jpg 209w," sizes="100vw" width="1205" height="900"><h4>Anyone can start, the main thing is to persevere</h4>And what are the biggest challenges in popularising science? "Getting started," David says promptly. "And anyone can get started. The most important thing is not to get discouraged when it doesn't work right away. It takes patience and finding your own style and doing it because you enjoy it, not out of obligation," adds Pavlína.They do everything themselves in the videos. "I can make a short clip in five minutes, but I can easily spend hours on a longer one. For me, the biggest problem isn't editing, but finding the right music," laughs David, who taught himself everything with the help of self-study guides.<h4>Classmates are supportive, but they started from scratch</h4>Their classmates, who are the same age, are enthusiastic about the profile. Outside the laboratory, however, no one really cares. "No one shared our videos, we started from scratch. Fortunately, we have a lot of support from our supervisor, who sometimes gets involved himself.""It helps us a lot when one of our colleagues comes up with an idea or helps with filming. We have to stick to our posting schedule, and that's not always easy," explain the young chemists. Their fans come mostly from the USA, Asia and, of course, from Czechia.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_5_058d099fb9.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Science is great, sharing it is rewarding, say CXI TUL chemists" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_5_058d099fb9.jpg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="900"><h4>Rick and Morty in the lab</h4>In their free time, they watch videos on Instagram. The algorithm serves them a lot of scientific content, but they also draw inspiration from non-scientific clips, which they then set in a laboratory environment. "I like Chemistry Daily, for example," says Pavlína. David also finds inspiration outside of Instagram and is a big fan of the series Rick and Morty. "Our humour is a bit harsher, so we don't take offence and we feel free to tease each other. And we usually agree on ideas," he adds.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_4_8fb3beae61.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Science is great, sharing it is rewarding, say CXI TUL chemists" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_4_8fb3beae61.jpg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="900"><h4>Science in the background: the fight against persistent chemicals</h4>But behind the attractive videos lies a serious topic: research into how to remove perfluorinated substances (PFAS) from water. These substances, used in Teflon, outdoor clothing and firefighting foams, are dangerous because they do not decompose in nature and therefore accumulate in living organisms. They have been found in the blood of humans and animals across the planet, and even in Antarctica.Their risks began to be highlighted thanks to the DuPont case in West Virginia, USA. A farmer was dealing with the prolonged death of cows, but it gradually became apparent that the factory had been polluting the surrounding environment for a long time with one of the many forms of PFAS used in the production of Teflon. Further revelations showed that the substance threatens unborn foetuses and is linked to certain types of cancer, thyroid disease and high cholesterol levels. It was this scandal that sparked a global debate and the gradual regulation of forever chemicals.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_2_9061b2b985.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Science is great, sharing it is rewarding, say CXI TUL chemists" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_2_9061b2b985.jpg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="900"><h4>Cyclodextrins: a weapon against PFAS</h4>Research at CXI TUL is trying to find a solution to the global PFAS problem. The team has already shown that the key is cyclodextrins, which are ring-shaped cyclic sugars that can capture PFAS molecules in their cavity and thus filter them out of water.Surprisingly, cyclodextrins are more effective than commonly used activated carbon. And they have another advantage: they are cheap because they are produced by breaking down starch, so they are actually a special form of sugar."So far, we are binding them into insoluble polymers that can capture these compounds in water," the researchers explain. "In the future, we want to bind them to magnetic nanoparticles so that we can easily separate them from the water using a magnet."<h4>Connection between the Czech Republic and the USA</h4>The research is supported by several projects. Pavlína mentions, for example, a project by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, in which they are collaborating with the University of Rhode Island, where Pavlína completed an internship. In the USA, the PFAS problem is even more pressing, as drinking water is often contaminated above the permitted limits. "It was beneficial to see how they do sorption experiments there, and also to go out into the field and take samples," she says.The situation in the Czech Republic is good, although PFAS concentrations are higher in the Jizera Mountains due to the use of cross-country skiing waxes, and contamination also occurs at airports, for example, due to firefighting foams.<h4>Above all, more information</h4>The Instagram community, positive reactions from followers, the opportunity to speak at conferences and be inspired by others – Pavlína and David see all this as a bonus. But the main thing for them is the research itself. And if their videos spark an interest in chemistry and bring young people into the laboratory, then their work has meaning not only in the laboratory, but also outside it.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_3_9bb293a651.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Science is great, sharing it is rewarding, say CXI TUL chemists" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Veda_je_super_a_ukazat_ji_ostatnim_je_satisfakce_rikaji_chemici_z_CXI_TUL_3_9bb293a651.jpg 208w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="900">Pavlína Konopáčová also did well in the Falling Walls Lab competition at the beginning of this week, placing third in the Czech finals of this prestigious competition.

Science is great, sharing it is rewarding, say CXI TUL chemists

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The Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations of the Technical University of Liberec, also known as CXI TUL, was founded in 2009. Our mission is to support TUL's long-term vision of collaboration with industry and innovation.

Science is great, sharing it is rewarding, say CXI TUL chemists

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