Student of FEEC wins the Mladá krev do podnikání competition with an idea from the field of metamaterials

Filip Dušek, a doctoral student in Electronics and Communication Technology at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication of Brno University of Technology (FEEC BUT), impressed the expert jury with his research focused on space compression using metamaterials.

Doctoral student Filip Dušek, FEEC BUt. | Author: F. Dušek archive

The law firm Legal Partners, in cooperation with the Boskovice-based company Gatema PCB specializing in the production of high-quality printed circuit boards, organized the innovative Mladá krev do podnikání 2025 competition. The main goal was to identify interesting ideas in fields related to the company’s core activities. The competition took place in two rounds – in the first round, participants presented their proposals, and if they captured the jury’s interest, they advanced to the second round.

Metamaterials for Space Compression

Filip Dušek, a third-year doctoral student at FEEC BUT under the supervision of Jaroslav Láčík from the Department of Radio Electronics, gained the jury’s attention with his dissertation topic focusing on metamaterials and space compression.

“I create passive elements that attempt to replace a certain distance of free space with a thinner component, a so-called metamaterial,” Filip explains the principle of his research. “I like to explain it using optics for better understanding – when I place a special material behind a camera lens, the whole device can be made smaller without losing its properties. Optical systems often contain a lot of empty, unused space.”

Unlike traditional optical approaches, Filip explores the issue from an electromagnetic perspective. The results of his research could find applications in a wide range of devices that work with electromagnetic waves - from communication and radar systems to highly precise measurement or medical technologies. Precisely designed structures on printed circuit boards play a crucial role in controlling and modifying the propagation of electromagnetic waves, for example slowing them down or speeding them up.

Filip Dušek – winner of Mladá krev do podnikání 2025. | Author: Legal Partners

Practical Approach and Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Filip has a clear view on the direction of his research: “For the results to be successfully applied in practice, they must have clear practical use. I’m mostly a practitioner, always looking for new ways to make things work.”

This mindset naturally leads him to collaborate with colleagues from other faculties of the university. “With technically demanding projects, it’s always good to combine knowledge with other experts. Often, you don’t even need to look abroad, because many skilled people at our own university can advise on the given issue.”

A year ago, Filip and colleagues from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering successfully applied for an internal grant for doctoral students. He is currently working on a project focused on microwave welding, again in cooperation with FSI. He is also actively seeking other grant opportunities, such as TREND TA ČR (announced in winter) or Sigma for researchers under 35 (in summer).

Collaboration with Companies as a Natural Path

“When you know companies and maintain contact with them, opportunities arise to enter projects together,” Filip says about his approach to applied research. Cooperation with Gatema PCB is valuable to him mainly for practical reasons. The company can manufacture printed circuit boards with precisely etched shapes needed for his experiments.

Freedom of Doctoral Studies as an Added Benefit

When asked why he chose doctoral studies, Filip answers: “I enjoy and appreciate the freedom in planning my time. I value the trust that I will do my work at the time of day that suits me. I also have the opportunity to independently search for grants and collaborate on them with other faculties.”

In his free time, Filip engages in wildlife photography. It’s a way for him to clear his mind while getting into nature. He enjoys spending time in silence, observing animals in their natural habitat, and trying to capture moments that usually escape the human eye. “Photography teaches me patience, respect for nature, and at the same time gives me space to use my technical knowledge in a different, more creative way,” he adds.

The Mladá krev do podnikání competition was created through collaboration between the law firm Legal Partners, Gatema PCB, and Brno University of Technology. The communication was handled mainly by representatives of the university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem ContriBUTe (Vice-Dean for External Relations of the Faculty of Business and Management Vít Chlebovský and Ing. Josef Sláma from the Knowledge Transfer Office of the Rector’s Office) and representatives of FEKT (Dean Prof. RNDr. Aubrecht, CSc., Vice-Dean for Creative Activities Jaroslav Koton, and Vice-Dean for External Relations Tomáš Kratochvíl).