Propojujme vědu, studium a praxi, aby rostla celá společnost
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HEALTHCARE
of measurements, we will be able to assess more
accurately whether people living in a more polluted
environment benefit from physical activity in the same
way as others, or whether certain health risks appear
among them.
You began your career as a physical education
teacher. Is movement something we should place
greater emphasis on?
We could prevent a range of health problems
through an active lifestyle. This is precisely
why research into physical activity and health
is developing significantly around the world. At our
faculty, we also try not to remain only at the level
of theory. When we manage to identify important
connections, we translate them into practice,
for example through recommendations for the public,
the development of mobile apps, or tailored physical
activity programmes for different groups of people.
How does the new City Campus building help you
in this?
City Campus naturally supports an active lifestyle.
It is very valuable for us to be able to connect research
facilities, sports grounds and education in one place.
From a global perspective, it is quite a unique concept,
and our facilities are attracting interest from abroad as
well.
The City Campus is home to the Centre for Human
Movement Diagnostics. It is very well equipped
and serves not only research, but also people
from outside the university. Members of the public
and athletes can, for example, use our MRI facilities.
In addition, we offer nutritional counselling
and comprehensive diagnostics of the body. We
also deal with topics that are becoming increasingly
relevant today, such as longevity and well-being.
Do members of the public and athletes make use
of these opportunities?
We have managed to create a place full of activities
for people of all ages. At the same time, however, we still
see room for greater public involvement. Many people
still have no idea what they can actually make use of here.
The Centre also serves elite sport. Athletes train with us
and use our facilities for both training and diagnostics.
For example, Baník players undergo exercise stress tests
or body composition analysis here.
Should university study be connected with research?
Study programmes should enable students to read
academic literature, take part in research and gain
international experience. Practice is of course important,
but it is equally important to understand how knowledge
expands and how new findings can be applied in different
situations.
This helps students better understand the world and their
own profession. At the same time, it strengthens
society’s resilience to current threats. And in my view, that
cannot be replaced simply by courses in critical thinking.
Is political pressure also affecting the scientific
community today?
We have seen this very clearly recently, for example
in the United States. But we are also observing similar
tendencies in the Czech Republic. Scientists in some
fields are being ridiculed or dismissed by politicians. In my
view, that is not a good strategy and it does not contribute
to the development of society.
The role of scientists is to examine problems in depth
and look for solutions. Politicians should make use of that,
rather than criticise science. Only in this way can society
move forward and find answers to the major technical
and social problems of our time.