Czech academics are heading to USA. Prestigious Fulbright program will support four scientists from BUT

Among the 23 Czech grantees supported by the Fulbright Commission for the upcoming 2025/2026 academic year are also 4 researchers from Brno University of Technology – physicists Petr Liška and Petr Neugebauer, electromagnetic field research specialist Martin Štumpf, and visual artist Adam Vačkář. The prestigious Fulbright scholarship programs offer Czech citizens the opportunity to study, conduct research, or teach in the USA. To date, 11 researchers from BUT have received the scholarship.

The prestigious Fulbright program will also support four researchers from BUT: Adam Vačkář, Petr Neugebauer, Martin Štumpf, and Petr Liška. | Author: BUT Archives

Physics engineer and doctoral student Petr Liška, based at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering BUT and CEITEC BUT, moved for 9 months to Stanford University. During his stay, he will focus on nanophotonics. “I will study nearly atomically thin layers of perovskite materials that exhibit quantum effects even at room temperature. These effects can be used to control the direction, phase, or shape of a light wave on the nanoscale with unprecedented precision and modularity. I would like to use them to create an electrically tunable optical element that is up to ten thousand times thinner than a human hair,” explained the physicist, who is also active in science outreach.

Physical engineer and doctoral student Petr Liška will be researching almost atomically thin layers of perovskite materials at Stanford University. | Author: Jakub Rozboud

Petr Neugebauer from CEITEC BUT headed for 10 months to the University of Colorado. “In the USA I will focus on mastering the preparation of metalloporphenes, a new class of 2D organic materials. These soft, flexible, and highly tunable materials in terms of conductivity offer unexpected opportunities for electronics, where they can be an alternative to current inorganic compounds,” explained the researcher, who works at the interface of physics and chemistry and has many achievements to his credit. He is a successful recipient of a prestigious ERC grant and, at this year’s international AMPER trade fair, he and his team won the main award for the revolutionary FRASCAN II spectrometer, which will be useful in drug development and disease diagnostics.

Petr Neugebauer (second from right) with colleagues from the research team at the AMPER trade fair. In the foreground is the winning Frascan II spectrometer, which won the main prize at the international trade fair. | Author: Václav Koníček

Martin Štumpf from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication BUT (FEEC BUT), a specialist in mathematical modeling of electromagnetic wave phenomena, will spend 7 months at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Boulder, Colorado. “My goal is to improve the performance of standard sensors. I am exploring how to use knowledge about Rydberg atoms, which behave as very sensitive quantum sensors, and apply it to classical wire probes. I assume that a small, smartly designed ‘time-varying load’ on the sensor can overcome their current limitations and significantly improve their sensitivity,” said the scientist, who works at the Department of Radio Electronics at FEEC BUT.

Adam Vačkář faces a six-and-a-half-month internship at the elite New York Parsons School of Design, where he will collaborate with researcher Harpreet Sareen on the project Invasive Plant Intelligence. “The project connects art, technology, and biology to explore plant consciousness through invasive species such as Giant Hogweed. We will use ultra-sensitive sensors, VR, film, and sound to translate plant signals into immersive artworks. The aim is to promote ecological awareness and interdisciplinary understanding,” presented his plans the visual artist and researcher from the Environment Studio at the Faculty of Fine Arts BUT.

The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by Arkansas Senator J. William Fulbright. Each year, approximately 8,000 scholarships are awarded in 155 countries. In Czechoslovakia, the Fulbright Program began in 1991, administered by the J. William Fulbright Commission, established by agreement between Czechoslovakia and the United States. Its current purpose is to support educational, scientific, and cultural exchanges between the Czech Republic and the USA through scholarship programs as well as advisory and information services. The program also offers American teachers and researchers the opportunity to work at Czech educational institutions. This year, 11 American academics will come to the Czech Republic.

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