HR Award – Activities 2025
27 February 2025: PhD peers
The PhD representatives introduced a new format of event featuring an invited speaker, the “PhD peers” series. In the first event of the series, PhD students hosted Tereza Ormsby of “Zeptej se vědce” (Ask a Science) to explain the mission of the organization, which provides fact-checked answers to scientific questions for the public, and how students can potentially get involved.
20 February 2025: Workshop with Data steward
Marie Šafner, the IOCB Prague’s data steward, hosted the first breakfast seminar with data management representatives from individual research groups. The session covered a range of topics, including ORCID, file and data organisation systems, and the Chemotion repository for samples, reactions, and related research data.
18 February 2025: 1st PhD breakfast and Postdoc club with IOCB social media manager
The PhD representatives organized the inaugural PhD breakfast, providing an opportunity for fellow students to meet, network, and share their study and research experience. With approximately 95 students in attendance, the event was a great success, and future gatherings are already being planned.
Meanwhile, the Postdoc club hosted IOCB Prague’s social media manager Ladislav Loukota, who introduced strategies for engaging specific target groups through different social media channels and tailoring messages for each platform.
11 February 2025: Women in Science host Ivana Mejdrová
The Women in Science at IOCB group welcomed medicinal chemist Dr. Ivana Mejdrová. Now a postdoctoral researcher at the Ludwig Maximilian Universität in Munich, she is a past IOCB graduate and shared insights into the challenges of establishing an independent research group – an endeavor she is currently pursuing. The key takeaway was that things don’t always go as planned and that aspiring group leaders should start considering their future positions while finishing their PhD, as the clock on grant application deadlines begins ticking from the moment the doctorate is awarded.
February 2025: Lenka Žáková is the new ethical proxy
In a by-election, a new Ethical Proxy was elected at IOCB. A big thank you to Zuzana Kečkéšová, the outgoing Ethical proxy, for supporting her colleagues since 2019, and welcome to Lenka Žáková in her new role.
23–24 January 2025: Liblice brainstorming session
Over two days, the IOCB management met with most of the institute’s group leaders at Liblice Castle to discuss strategic directions, future plans, and feedback on various key topics.
21 January 2025: Postdoc club on moving from academia to a startup
Building on a previous discussion about working in a large pharmaceutical company, the IOCB Postdoc Club hosted i&i Prague project manager Roberto Fernandez Alvarez, who shared key insights on what to consider when transitioning to a startup.
