A double interview with Helena Reichlova and Barbora Špačková, who have succeeded in tough competition and both won five-year funding for their own Dioscuri centres. They describe, for example, the role they believe social media play in research careers. And they also explain what guides their selection of new collaborators.
The first one to open a Dioscuri centre at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre for Spin Caloritronics and Magnonics, was Helena Reichlová, a solid state physicist who is looking for ways to reduce the exponentially increasing energy consumption in the information technology sector of the future. And a few months later, the Dioscuri Centre for Single-Molecule Optics was opened by Barbora Špačková, who will focus on developing new technologies that open up insights into the biological nanoworld.
You lead Dioscuri centres, which will allow you to develop the research group you set up over the next five years. What does the freedom of research that you have gained mean to you?
HR: Freedom of research as I see it has several levels. The opportunity to pursue a topic that interests and entertains me was something I felt I already had both in the German and the Czech environment before having been awarded the centre. Although I do not have direct experience with the private sector, I believe that this freedom is a great advantage of the academic environment. With Dioscuri, however, I have gained more freedom in terms of securing funds for research, from personnel costs to funds for organising workshops. And it is the ability to employ quality people, to allow students and postdocs to further develop themselves through conferences, internships and summer schools that I consider a great benefit of Dioscuri.
BŠ: For me, freedom of research means being able to pursue my research interests without administrative constraints and pressures for immediate results. It allows me to engage in long-term projects that can lead to significant discoveries. This freedom also encourages innovative thinking and openness to new approaches.
You both set up your own research groups, what rules do you apply to the selection of new collaborators?
HR: In addition to certain minimum requirements, such as previous education in physics and fluent English, independence and good communication skills are important to me. However, I believe that having a diverse team is an advantage, so we treat each application individually and try to get to know the candidate during a visit or a short project together.
BŠ: When selecting new members, the most important qualities are creativity, intrinsic motivation and the ability to work as a team. I am looking for people who have the desire to create and discover the new and unknown. Professional knowledge is an advantage, but I consider it secondary. It is also important to me that they can communicate their ideas and work in a multidisciplinary environment.
Countries such as the Czech Republic, but also Italy and Sweden, have overtaken Germany in this year's Academic Freedom Index 2024. According to the ranking, only one in three scientists today lives in a country where freedom of research is well protected. You both have a lot of experience of working as scientists abroad, do you perceive a change in the environment in the countries where you have lived? And how do you see the situation in the Czech Republic?
HR: The Academic Freedom Index is an important initiative that points out worrying trends in some countries. At the same time, however, I think that it needs to be taken with a grain of salt and I would put the countries mentioned, also based on my own experience, in the same category of 'relatively few problems'. Even after all the corrections, the score is given based on the reports of assessors whose feelings are simply not a measurable physical quantity. Comparing decimal scores can lead to the paradoxical situation where even Honduras, one of the most violent countries in the world, is higher in the rankings than Germany. However, I did not feel there was a discussion in Germany about what we should learn about academic freedoms from Honduras. But it is important to monitor trends and to react if Germany or the Czech Republic were to fall consistently in the rankings.
BŠ: I have experienced research work in the Czech Republic and Sweden, and I very much appreciate the fact that I could and can work in an environment where academic freedom is well protected. And naturally, I would like to see the global situation improve and more scientists have the opportunity to work in an environment where they can research freely.
What led you to become a scientist in the first place?
HR: We had great physics and maths teachers at high school and studying at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics seemed like a good universal foundation that would allow me to pursue interesting careers in different directions. Eventually, during my studies, I learned that academia suited me best and I decided to pursue a career in science.
BŠ: I have enjoyed solving complex puzzles since childhood. The desire to understand the basic principles of the world resulted in my decision to pursue science. But over time I also realised that through science I could contribute to the advancement of human knowledge and bring new technologies that could improve the quality of life. This is what I certainly consider essential.
Do you remember who your biggest role model was at high school? And who is it today?
HR: I guess I didn't have a particular role model, but in general I liked personalities from the world of science who didn't fit the stereotypical idea of a scientist. For example, I recall photographs of Mildred Dresselhaus in a laboratory in an elegant dress. Today, it would probably be top scientists who can manage large teams and institutions without losing touch with their students and their work in the lab.
BŠ: I don't recall a specific role model at high school, just a general desire to go against the flow. Today, I admire scientists who combine a successful career in science with significant contributions to the community and strong moral principles. Such figures include Richard Feynman, known not only for his contributions to quantum electrodynamics but also for his approach to teaching and popularising science, and Jane Goodall, whose work in primatology and conservation goes hand in hand with a deep moral commitment to the planet and communities.
An integral part of science is outreach. The popular three-day Science Fair event, organised by the Academy of Sciences, is a very effective way to introduce science and research and motivate students to take an interest in this area. This is evidenced by this year's record attendance of 58,000 visitors. However, not all disciplines are easily popularised at similar events. How do you get involved in outreach and what would you say is the most effective way in your field?
HR: It is great that many wonderful colleagues from all over the Czech Academy of Sciences are involved in such events. I think that introducing not only specific disciplines but also scientists themselves is a very important element in young people's decision to pursue career in science. I personally agreed to several outreach talks and panel discussions outside the physics community in the Czech Republic and Germany this year. At the same time, I try to be open in discussions during the various talks.
BŠ: Popularising science is absolutely key to inspiring a new generation of scientists. I personally get involved through public lectures and workshops. However, I find events like the Science Fair, the Open Day or the Researchers' Night to be great opportunities and we will definitely join in in the future. We have a new colleague in our team who will be working hard on these activities.
What role does social media play for you in your career? From your perspective, is it important to adapt to the demands of the times and simplify the presentation of research to 30 seconds, keeping an eye on the number of interactions and clicks on social media?
HR: I consider it right to try to convey to the public what we are researching with public money and what it could bring in the future. Social media is certainly not the only possible channel, but it is the preferred form for some people, so it is certainly good if scientific institutions use it. At the institutional level, it is important to have experts who follow trends and can simplify and communicate the results of their institution. I don't know how big the role of social media is for individual scientists. I don't use social media much myself for time reasons and I don't feel that my work suffers in any way. I learn about colleagues' work at conferences, workshops and in scientific journals. In basic research, it is ultimately the scientific community that gives us the most important critical feedback. For example, a quality review of a paper cannot be summarized in one or two tweets.
BŠ: I see social media as a tool that, when used properly, can support scientific endeavours, particularly in disseminating knowledge more effectively to the scientific community or making science more accessible to the general public. However, I must confess that I still have a lot of reserves in this area, and I use these tools little myself. Communication of science through journals is still a priority for me.
Based on your own experience, what steps would you recommend to the Minister for Science?
HR: There are certainly a few steps on the part of the state I would welcome. For example, simplifying the administration of certain types of funding, increasing the capacity of pre-school facilities and allowing scientists-parents to return to work more quickly, or supporting the internationalisation of universities. Unfortunately, I am afraid that these matters are often not covered by the Minister for Science. A possible point where the Minister for Science could open up a discussion is the focused research Ph.D. programmes that operate in Germany, titled Graduiertenkollegs. These are often interdisciplinary nine-year long consortiums of senior researchers and approximately ten Ph.D. students who have an overarching theme that responds to current societal needs, whether it is sustainable batteries or microbial communication. Graduiertenkollegs are prestigious programmes funded by the DFG (the German equivalent of the Czech Science Foundation) and can be international, but unfortunately there is no such equivalent in the Czech Republic.
BŠ: In addition to the typical agenda, such as ensuring sufficient funding for applied and basic research, I would stress supporting young scientists and establishing attractive conditions for their growth. And this does not only apply to Czech talents, but also to opening up to the world. I believe that attracting foreign scientists can make a significant contribution to the development of Czech science. Last but not least, I would recommend simplifying the administrative processes associated with grants and projects. The level of control and inflexibility is disproportionate. I believe that the scientific community is highly ethical, and a greater level of trust could increase the efficiency of research and reduce the administrative burden that often unnecessarily holds scientists back.
Helena Reichlová is an experimental physicist specializing in magneto-thermal transport in compensated magnetic systems. During her Ph.D. studies she spent part of her time at Ohio State University as a Fulbright Scholar. After completing her Ph.D., Helena moved to the Technical University of Dresden where she did research and taught for almost five years. In 2022, she was appointed "Eleonore Trefftz" visiting professor.
Barbora Špačková is the author of the nanofluidic scattering microscopy and co-founder of the Swedish spin-off company Envue, which is commercializing this method. In 2022, she was awarded Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral fellowship, which allowed her to return to the Czech Republic after five years at Swedish research institutions (Chalmers University and the University of Gothenburg) to pursue research at FZU.
The Dioscuri programme is funded by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT) together with the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF). The first three Czech Dioscuri centres are located at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences and at Masaryk University.
Adapted from Fine Mechanics and Optics, No. 7–8/2024