Interest in science transfer is growing, Czech university students will learn more about it in Israel

Eleven university students will head to Israel this year to work on their research and get to know the Israeli scientific ecosystem with the focus on application, commercialization and the transfer of scientific knowledge into practice. They were selected from dozens of applicants and will be sent to internships at the best Israeli institutions. This will be made possible by the new grant program Neuron & IOCB Tech Internships in Israel.

The most successful students in the selection were from Charles University and University of Chemistry and Technology Prague. Most of interns will be heading to Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Weizmann Institute of Sciences. They will work on their projects in the field of cellular and molecular biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, statistics, political studies, economics or regional development. 

"The upcoming scientific generation represents potential for the entire Czech society. And its support is essential for us," says Monika Vondráková, chairwoman of Neuron Endowment Fund's board of directors. "We believe that students across scientific disciplines will gain a new perspective on the usefulness of science for the real needs of society. And they will transfer their experience from Israeli science to the Czech environment," she adds.

The new interns were selected from the submitted applications by the Scientific Council of Neuron Endowment Fund, that evaluated the quality of their study project and the possibility of its application. The internships in Israel are arranged by students themselves. The Neuron & IOCB Tech Internships in Israel grant contributes CZK 60,000 to cover travel costs, visas, insurance, accommodation and food.

"Our foundation has its roots in the academic environment and in the successful transfer of scientific results into practice, which is why we focus especially on supporting science and technology transfer. I am very happy that, together with Neuron, we can organize trips for Czech students to universities in Israel, where they will get to know an environment that systematically and successfully supports the application of scientific results in practice. I believe that this experience will enrich not only them, but also our entire society as a result," says Barbara Eignerová, chairwoman of the board of directors of the IOCB Tech Foundation.

Neuron & IOCB Tech Internships in Israel is a grant program of the Neuron Endowment Fund and the IOCB Tech Foundation with the support of the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, the Czech Israeli Mutual Chamber of Commerce, the Embassy of the State of Israel in Prague and the Czech Embassy in Tel Aviv. Internships are intended for students of Czech universities of all fields who want to enrich their research with experience of Israeli science, gain a new perspective on doing their own work and spread new knowledge in the Czech Republic.

We congratulate the selected students and look forward to their scientific results and the representation of Czech science in Israel.

Fellows of the Neuron & IOCB Tech Internships in Israel 2023 program and their internships:

Vojtěch Dvořák (Faculty of Business Administration, University of Economics and Business Prague) – Shamoon College of Engineering

Sára Englišová (Faculty of Arts, Charles University) – Hebrew University in Jerusalem

Františka Belzová Konvalinková (Moravian Business College Olomouc) – Tel Aviv University 

Lucie Mrázková (Faculty of Science, Charles University) – Weizmann Institute of Sciences

Karolína Mrzílková (Faculty of Science, Charles University) – Weizmann Institute of Sciences

Vojtěch Musil (Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague) – Tel Aviv University

Martin Pivnička (Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of Technology) – Hebrew University in Jerusalem

Klára Plešingrová (Faculty of Science, Masaryk University) – Bar-Ilan University

David Ryzák (Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University) – Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Jan Šnábl (Faculty of Food and Biochemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague) – Tel-Hai College

Eliška Trampotová (Faculty of Science, Charles University) – Tel Aviv University