FunGlass School 2025: A Fusion of Science, Collaboration, and Nature

From June 23–25, 2025, we gathered at Hotel Čertov in Lazy pod Makytou for our traditional FunGlass School – a vibrant combination of scientific presentations, professional development, and team-building activities.

Researchers from the Department of Functional Materials and the VILA Department, along with our talented PhD students, presented their latest results across a broad spectrum of topics. The program was packed, with 40 scientific presentations covering:

  • Luminescent and Optical Functional Materials

  • Photocatalytic and Photoactive Materials

  • High-Entropy and Advanced Ceramic Materials

  • Biomedical and Bioactive Glass Materials

  • Sustainability and Circular Economy in Glass and Ceramics

  • Processing and Manufacturing Technologies for Functional Materials

A valuable session was led by Natália Kraxner, FunGlass Study Officer, who provided a comprehensive overview of the doctoral study program. Her presentation summarized the requirements, expectations, and responsibilities for students at all stages—from first-year PhDs to soon-to-be graduates.

Special talks were delivered by Assoc. Prof. David Salamon, GlaCerHub Innovation Chair, and Stanislav Fečko, Business Development Officer, titled “GlaCerHub – What It Can Bring to Young Researchers.”

We were honored to welcome Dr. Tetiana Khristova, Sr. Customer Success Manager at ACS International, Ltd. (representing CAS), who provided valuable insights into the CAS SciFinder Discovery Platform and shared effective strategies for retrieving scientific information.

Another highlight was a guest lecture by Assoc. Prof. Vlastimil Hotař, Head of the Department of Glass Producing Machines and Robotics at the Technical University of Liberec. In his presentation, “My Glass Research Story – Fractals, Image Analysis, 3D Printing, and Recycling,” he shared his research journey and opened the door to potential future collaboration.

As we reach the midpoint of the event, we’re looking forward to some well-deserved downtime—nature walks, volleyball, football, or simply relaxing in the serene beauty of the mountains.