Personalities received awards at the 125th anniversary Academic Assembly of BUT

Brno University of Technology celebrates its 125th anniversary. The oldest university in Brno commemorated its foundation on Thursday, 19 September 2024, with a festive academic assembly at the Brno City Theatre’s music stage. On this occasion, members of the academic community, BUT employees, and other guests gathered to reflect on significant moments in the university's history and to honor the contributions of several individuals who have helped build its reputation.

Right at the beginning of the assembly, the University received a special gift - a new festive fanfare played by the brass quintet of the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts Brno. The fanfares came out of a competition announced by BUT before the beginning of this jubilee year. Their author Roman Veverka, who was personally present at the event, chose the appropriate name Viva Tech for them.

The event was moderated by the Vice-Rector of BUT Martin Weiter, who after welcoming all visitors invited the chairman of the Academic Senate of BUT Miloslav Steinbauer to the lectern. In his speech, he offered an insight into the key moments related to the emergence of BUT at the end of the 19th century and also recalled the most important personalities of its history.

This was followed by a solemn speech by the Rector of BUT Ladislav Janíček, during which he highlighted the achievements and recalled the direction and vision of the University. "We want to be a valid part of our educational system and contribute to positive changes in the world around us in accordance with the needs of society and to contribute our share to the prosperity and competitiveness of the Czech Republic and the European Union," said the Rector and continued. "The greatest wealth of our University is in the people. Tonight is all about them. I would like to thank the deans, the directors of the institutes and units and the heads of the faculty institutes. I would like to thank the academic and scientific staff and PhD students and all the students for their activity. To the graduates who contribute to building the prestigious status of our University. Thanks also go to all non-academic and technical staff who create the necessary facilities, as well as to BUT partners from the private and public sphere who support our activities. I am very pleased to be able to recognize today a number of personalities who have contributed to building the reputation of BUT," added Rector.

During the Ceremonial Academic Assembly, BUT Rector awarded seven gold, nine silver, nine commemorative medals and one honorary award.

Gold Medals

• Prof. Dr. Volker Epping - President of Leibniz University Hannover and also Professor of Public, International and European Law at the Faculty of Law of Leibniz University Hannover. Until May this year, he was President of the Governing Board of the network of European Universities Linking Society and Technology (EULiST for short), is actively involved in the development of this alliance and contributed significantly to EULiST becoming a European University in November 2023. The Gold Medal was awarded for long-term outstanding activities that have contributed to the development of BUT in the areas of internationalisation and international cooperation.
• Prof. PaedDr. Radek Horáček, Ph.D. - an important personality of the Czech cultural scene, a pioneer of gallery pedagogy in the Czech Republic. He also serves on the Scientific Council of BUT and the Council for Art, Design and Architecture of BUT. Gold Medal awarded for outstanding achievements that contributed to the development of BUT in the fields of education and organization.
• PhDr. Miroslava Kopicová - former Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, has a lifelong commitment to issues of competitiveness, education and human resources development. She was involved in the management of the most important European aid programmes for the Czech Republic in the field of education, employment, social policy and management and was responsible for programmes supporting the transformation of the Czech economy and the process of integration of the Czech Republic into the European Union. The Gold Medal was awarded for lifetime achievements that contributed to the development of higher education in the fields of education, research, development and innovation.
• Prof. RNDr. Michal Kotoul, Dr.Sc. - has been working at BUT for 35 years. He is an internationally recognized expert in the field of fracture mechanics and computational analysis of crack behaviour in inhomogeneous media. He has published over 100 papers in this field, including prestigious high impact journals. At the Institute of Solid Mechanics, Mechatronics and Biomechanics, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, he has trained a number of followers. Gold Medal awarded for lifetime achievements that contributed to the development of BUT in the field of research, development and innovation.
• Prof. RNDr. Jiří Spousta, Ph.D. - during his more than 35 years at the University, he has contributed to the quality education of students of mechanical and physical engineering, including the education of a large number of PhD students. He has been a member of the Academic Senate of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of BUT since its inception and has also served as its chairman during one term. Gold Medal awarded for lifetime achievements that have contributed to the development of BUT in the areas of education and organization.
• Prof. Ing. Kamil Vrba, CSc. - a distinguished academic at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication BUT, where he has been successfully working since 1972. He is a recognized expert in the field of electronics and communication technology. His major contribution is the introduction of new progressive courses of study in the field of telecommunication technologies, which are among the most attractive study programmes at the faculty and his lectures are highly appreciated by students. The Gold Medal is awarded for lifetime achievements that have contributed to the development of BUT in the areas of education, research, development and innovation.
• Prof. Dr. Ing. Pavel Zemčík, Ph.D. - in 2002, when the Faculty of Information Technology BUT was founded, he was appointed Head of the Department of Computer Graphics and Multimedia. In 2008, he became the Faculty's Vice-Dean for External Relations, in 2016 he took up the position of Dean of the Faculty and currently holds the position of Vice-Dean for Research, Development and Foreign Affairs of the Faculty of Information Technology. The Gold Medal is awarded for long-term achievements that have contributed to the development of BUT in the fields of education, research, development and innovation.

Silver Medals

• prof. Ing. Ivo Dlouhý CSc. - for outstanding achievements that contributed to the development of BUT in the areas of research, development and innovation and creative activities,
• Prof. RNDr. Zdeněk Chobola, CSc. - for extraordinary results that contributed to the development of BUT in the fields of education, research, development and innovation,
• doc. Ing. Karel Katovský, Ph.D. - for extraordinary results that contributed to the development of BUT in the field of research, development and innovation,
• doc. Ing. Tomáš Kazda, PhD. - for extraordinary results that contributed to the development of BUT in the field of research, development and innovation,
• prof. Ing. Zbyněk Keršner, CSc. - for lifetime achievements that contributed to the development of BUT in the fields of education, research, development and innovation,
• doc. Mgr. Tomáš Medek - for outstanding results that contributed to the development of BUT in the areas of education and organization,
• doc. Dr. Ing. Petr Neugebauer, Ph.D. - for outstanding results that contributed to the development of BUT in the areas of research, development and innovation and international cooperation,
• prof. Ing. arch. Helena Zemánková, CSc. - for lifetime achievements that contributed to the development of BUT in the fields of education, architecture and other creative activities and international cooperation,
• Prof. Mordechai (Moti) Zwilling - for the long-term cooperation between Ariel University and Brno University of Technology in the fields of education, research, development and innovation.

Honorary Award

• prof. Albert Pinhasov - Rector of Ariel University in Israel, received honorary recognition for long-term support of scientific and pedagogical cooperation between BUT and Ariel University and for extraordinary results that contribute to the development of Czech-Israeli cooperation in the field of higher education, research and technology transfer.

Commemorative Medals

• JUDr. Petr Dítě, MBA, LL.M. - for his long-standing cooperation with BUT and for providing legal support in the field of investment and in matters related to the University's strategic issues,
• Ing. Dana Foltýnová - for her contribution to the development of teaching in undergraduate study programmes at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering BUT in the areas of fundamentals of design and construction,
• Jana Janečková - for her many years of excellent results in organizational activities and professional work within the study agenda of the Faculty of Fine Arts BUT,
• Ing. Martin Juliš, PhD. - for outstanding achievements in the areas of research, development and innovation, cooperation with industry and especially the production of porosity-free castings based on advanced aluminium and magnesium alloys for the automotive and aerospace industry,
• Ing. Marta Mizerová - for professional work within the study agenda and exemplary management of the study department at the Faculty of Business and Management BUT,
• Ing. Vojtěch Mrázek, Ph.D. - for outstanding scientific results, exemplary educational and organizational activities at the Faculty of Information Technology BUT,
• Josef, Marie and Zdeňka Hlávka Endowment Foundation - for significant contribution and support of Czech education and democracy based on the fulfillment of Josef Hlávka's legacy to support Czech higher education, its students and personalities. Part of the legacy was also BUT, which at the time of the foundation of the Endowment was the only Czech university in Moravia. The award will be received by Prof. JUDr. Václav Pavlíček, CSc., Chairman of the Foundation's Board of Trustees and Foundation Presidium,
• Mgr. Ilona Pipková - for her long-term professional and dedicated work in organizational activities at the Faculty of Chemistry BUT,
• PaedDr. Milan Slezáček - for his long-standing educational and coaching activities in the field of sports at BUT and for his long-term work in the Academic Senate BUT.

Rector's Award to Students and Graduates of BUT

For outstanding results in scientific training in the form of doctoral studies

• Ing. Lucia Ivanová
• MgA. Judita Levitnerová
• Xia Peng
• Mgr. Juraj Síč
• MgA. Tamara Spalajković
• Ing. Vojtěch Vaněk
  
  

For outstanding results in Master's studies

• Ing. arch. Klarisa Ach-Hübner
• Bc. Natálie Dreslerová
• Bc. Veronika Chrástová
• Ing. arch. Anna Jelínková
• Bc. Dominik Klement
• Ing. Jakub Koláček
• Ing. Anna Kurowská
• Ing. Arch. Ondřej Válek
  
  

For outstanding results in Bachelor studies

• Bc. Lukáš Ježek
• Bc. Radka Juránková
  
  

For outstanding results in sports representation of BUT

• Bc. Filip Čapka
• Šimon Potůček
• Martin Roháč
  
  

For contribution to the development of BUT

• Ing. Lucie Fedorková
• Ing. Anna Kruljacová, M.Sc.
• Ing. Marek Řihák
• Ing. Michaela Vojníková
• Bc. Petr Zábojník
  
  

Two student teams of BUT were awarded for another extraordinary act

• Y Space - dedicated to creative activities in the field of space technology,
• TU Brno Racing - represents the university in the Formula Student competition.

Rector's Award to BUT Graduates

For outstanding results in scientific training in the form of doctoral studies

• Ing. Ondřej Červinek, Ph.D.
• Ing. Ivan Eryganov, Ph.D.
• Ing. Martin Fridrich, MSc, Ph.D.
• Ing. Mgr. Lada Vejmělková, Ph.D.
• Ing. Jakub Vrábel
  
  

For outstanding results in master's studies

• Ing. Jan Bureš
• Ing. Daniel Havránek
• Ing. David Novotný
• Ing. Martin Toman
  
  

For outstanding results in bachelor studies

• Bc. Dimitrii Semenov
• Bc. Dominik Zavadil
  
  

For other exceptional achievement

• Ing. Martin Horváth

Awards of BUT Rector for Outstanding Scientific Achievements and Artistic Outputs

Rector's Award for a publication with an exceptionally fast positive response from the scientific community

• Prof. RNDr. Martin Pumera, Ph.D.
  
  

For a publication with an extraordinary impact on the scientific community

• prof. Ing. Adriána Kovalčík, Ph.D.
• Prof. RNDr. Ivana Márová, CSc.
• prof. Ing. Stanislav Obruča, Ph.D.
  
  

For the publication with outstanding contribution of BUT team to the scientific community

• doc. Ing. Ladislav Čelko, Ph.D.
• Mrs. Adelia Kashimbetova
• Dr. Ing. Jan Macák
• M.Sc. Edgar Benjamin Montufar Jimenez, Ph.D.
• Dr. Sc. Ivan Saldan
  
  

For outstanding Applied Result

• Ing. Kristýna Bukvišová
• doc. Ing. Miroslav Kolíbal, Ph.D.
  
  

For outstanding conference contribution

• doc. Ing. Martin Čadík, Ph.D.
  
  

For outstanding artistic contribution

• doc. MgA. Mikuláš Macháček
  
  

For the result with exceptional media coverage

• doc. Ing. Pavel Rudolf, Ph.D.
  
  

For book publications with exceptional response

• prof. Dr. Ing. Jiří Marek, Ph.D., DBA, FEng.

Rector's Award for the Best Teachers According to Student Evaluations

The best teachers as voted by postgraduate students:

• Ing. Michal Belák, Ph.D., Institute of Forensic Engineering
• akad. mal. Milada Gabrielová, Faculty of Architecture
• Assoc. Ing. Jiří Jaroš, Ph.D., Faculty of Information Technology
• doc. Ing. Zdenka Kozáková, Ph.D., Faculty of Chemistry
• Ing. Pavel Lošák, Ph.D., Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Ing. Lukáš Radil, Ph.D., Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication
• doc. Ing. Petr Rozmahel, Ph.D., Faculty of Business and Management
• doc. Ing. Aleš Rubina, Ph.D., Faculty of Civil Engineering
• doc. Mgr. Jan Zálešák, Ph.D., Faculty of Fine Arts

The best teachers as voted by Bachelor students:

• Ing. Markéta Bednářová, Faculty of Business and Management
• Ing. Petr Dvořák, Ph.D., Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Ing. Oto Janoušek, Ph.D., at the Centre of Sports Activities
• Ing. Miroslav Jirgl, Ph.D., Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication
• Mgr. Michal Konečný, Ph.D., Faculty of Civil Engineering
• RNDr. Ivana Pilátová, CSc., Faculty of Chemistry
• Ing. Aleš Smrčka, Ph.D., Faculty of Information Technology
• Prof. PhDr. Pavel Šopák, Ph.D., Faculty of Architecture
• MgA. Vojtěch Vaněk, Faculty of Fine Arts

The final programme of the gala evening, which offered guests a concert from a selection of musical performances by the Brno City Theatre, was briefly introduced by its director Stanislav Moša. "I have had the honour of being a member of the Board of Trustees of Brno University of Technology for more than a decade and what I know about the university fills me with admiration," he said.