The ICRC Academy was born from the idea of two friends – Zuzka and Lucie – who were thinking about how to promote collaboration with students at the newly opened ICRC.
The scientific environment is fast-paced, ever-changing, and demanding. That’s exactly why they wanted to create a space that faithfully simulates these conditions – while also offering support, safety, and shared motivation.
And so, a weekend seminar was created, placing participants in situations that closely resemble real scientific practice. People who share an interest in research find themselves in one team, receive a challenging task at the last minute, and must solve it together with other students they’ve never met before.
No hints, no comfort zone – just pure collaboration, improvisation, and thinking under pressure – all as part of an authentic experience.
In 2020, due to the pandemic, we moved online. That’s when Markét took over the Academy and proved that a strong experience and community can still be created in a digital format. Thanks to her leadership, the most important elements – meaningful connection, challenge, and inspiration – were preserved. This approach continues to this day.
In 2024, Zuzka and Lucie met Kristýna, in whom they saw a younger version of themselves. They passed the leadership of the Academy to her so she could breathe new life into it and adapt it for the next generation of scientists – Generation Z – curious, critical, and creative.
The Academy is open to both university and high school students. Our goal is to give young people a chance to peek behind the scenes of science and help them kickstart their own research journey.
Over time, a community has formed around the Academy that meets every year at the autumn seminars – whether they’ve been with us from the beginning or joined just recently.
Today, the Academy is more than just one weekend a year. In the spring, we organize a cycle of Science Talks and Lab Tours – a series of lectures and visits to research teams. During exam season and summer holidays, we give you space to rest – but come autumn, we’re back. A new round of Science Talks and Lab Tours kicks off, culminating in the fall seminar.
And it’s after that seminar that we look for the most talented among you. Those who are ready to take the next step. We recommend you for internships in FNUSA-ICRC research teams, where your scientific journey can truly begin.
You learn, and we observe who among you might change the world one day. We offer you opportunity – and you show us the future. You gain experience, and we discover future scientists for our teams. It’s a win-win.
Scientific Faces of the ICRC Academy
Since we come from HR and PR backgrounds – not scientific fields – we have real experts in our team to ensure that you’ll truly meet and work with actual researchers.
MUDr. Martin Pešl, Ph.D. is a cardiologist and researcher at FNUSA-ICRC Brno. We are immensely grateful for his commitment and long-standing support. Like a true cardiologist, he’s the one who keeps the Academy in a healthy rhythm.
Mgr. Marcela Hortová-Kohoutková, Ph.D. is a lead researcher at FNUSA-ICRC Brno and a huge inspiration for us. She can explain science in a clear and engaging way! We’re very grateful to have her on our team.
Ing. Petr Klimeš, Ph.D. currently leads a computational neuroscience research group at the Czech Academy of Sciences and also serves as a senior research associate at Duke University in the USA. Petr is not only a top expert, but also a person with great empathy and a willingness to help every student. And even though the Atlantic Ocean separates us for now, you can still meet him during events like intern workshops.
