Cooperation between the Technical University and Industry Is the

REGION jsme jen potvrdili, že technická univerzita umí rychle a pružně reagovat na zadání výzkumných úkolů z průmyslu, ale také na akutní potřeby společnosti. Jak jste prožívala přerušení výuky a výzkumu na škole Vy osobně a jaké následky to může mít pro rozvoj školy? Z pozice prorektorky pro vědu a výzkum jsem se stala spojkou mezi Krajským úřadem MSK, Zdravotním ústavem v Ostravě a našimi vědeckými týmy. Aktivity v oblasti výzkumu na univerzitě nebyly tak zasaženy jako výuka, v rámci možností jsme pracovali dále. Výuka byla převedena na distanční formu. Naší prioritou bylo studentům připravit podmínky k pokračování v semestru tak, abychom minimalizovali negativní dopady vzniklé situace. Ta nám ale právě také jen potvrdila, že hlavní oblasti, kterými se VŠB-TUO zabývá, mohou sloužit pro řešení akutních potřeb společnosti. Nejde jen o bezpečnost, řešíme také otázky týkající se moderní energetiky, životního prostření, nových materiálů a superpočítaní. Děkuji Vám za rozhovor. Cooperation between the Technical University and Industry Is the Basis of Research Jana Kukutschová, prorector for science and research at VSB – Technical university of Ostrava, is a scientist responsible for the university’s prompt response to research tasks coming from enterprises. As a scientist, she specializes in nanomaterials and nanotechnologies and, as prorector, she has coordinated cooperation with hospitals during the pandemic in the 3D-print production of health aids. Ms Kukutschová, your competences include science and research. What do you consider the greatest achievements in these spheres? The VSB – Technical University of Ostrava operates in a wide range of fields, therefore it is difficult to list only a few examples. I would like to note recent achievements in areas which connect technology with other sciences. We have patented our monitor for the vital functions of an embryo, new materials for dental implants from nanostructured titan, and finished an international project on the use of geothermal energy. The current crisis has shown that technical universities play a significant role in searching for innovative solutions to ease the impact. How did your university contribute? Oh sure, we did contribute and keep contributing in numerous ways. To coordinate our activities, we started the Information Centre for COVID-19 at the Faculty of Safety Engineering. This faculty is the only of its kind in the Czech Republic, and situations like these are its primary focus both in theory and practice. More of our departments responded to the urgent calls of the Moravian-Silesian regions and other regions. First, our chemists started preparing spirituous disinfectant for health- and socialcare providers in the region when supplies in the region were depleted. We produced over 26,000 litres. We also printed shields for health professionals and others. The university basically started a 3D-print farm of almost eighty desktop 3D-printers, allowing us to deliver over 8,000 shields. Our scientific teams joined in solutions to a situation which might happen again, therefore we are focusing the development on a few targets. One of them is respiratory protective gear. We are already testing a prototype of a reactor filter, developing light breathing apparatuses, and we have been assigned a project to develop an adjustable semi-mask with bactericidal and virucidal nanofilters. 3D-printing from nylon resin allows us to produce swabs used to collect test samples. The IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Centre of VSB – Technical University of Ostrava joined in the fight against the pandemic, and offered computing capacities to users active in research. Besides the development of medical preparations, the Centre serves the research and development of nanomaterial vital in combating COVID-19, or modelling the spread of the epidemic. The Office of the Government of the Czech Republic can analyse the impact of the measures applied against the spread of the disease on the mobility of the Czech population via our project Atlas of Mobility, which is a collaboration with T-Mobile CZ. These activities promote the fact that the Technical University promptly responds to industry research orders as well as urgent demands from society. How did you feel when study and research at university stopped, and how will that affect the future of the school? As Prorector in Science and Research, I acted as a mediator between the Regional Government of the Moravian-Silesian Region, Zdravotní ústav (National Health Institute) in Ostrava, and our scientific teams. Research activities at university have not been hit as seriously as studies, although we did our best to continue our work. On-campus study transformed into extramural studies. Our priority was to prepare conditions for the students to continue their semester in the programme with minimal negative effects. The situation proved that the main areas in which VSB – Technical University of Ostrava operates can serve and solve urgent demands from society. Not only do we solve safety, but we also work in modern energy production, the environment, new materials and supercomputing. Thank you for the interview. Otázky připravil: Vít Ruprich Foto: VŠB – Technická univerzita Ostrava www.vsb.cz POSITIV 2/2020 ǀ 67