On 21 November 2025, the Czech Academy of Sciences Awards were presented at Villa Lanna in Prague. Among this year’s laureates were two researchers from the Institute of Physics of Materials of The Czech Academy of Sciences – Assoc. Prof. Roman Gröger, Ph.D., and Ing. Jakub Poloprudský, Ph.D.
The CAS Awards annually highlight researchers who have achieved exceptional results and who significantly contribute to the development and international reputation of Czech science. The awards are presented in three categories: outstanding research achievements, researchers under 35, and promotion or popularization of science.
Roman Gröger Awarded for Outstanding Research Achievements
Assoc. Prof. Roman Gröger received the Czech Academy of Sciences Award for Outstanding Results in Research, Experimental Development, and Innovations. His work has made a substantial contribution to understanding the behaviour of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, which play a crucial role in modern nanotechnologies.
Gröger’s team clarified the mechanisms of magnetization reversal and spontaneous phase transformations in these nanoparticles. The results are significant not only for materials engineering, but also for biomedicine, where such particles are used, for example, in the treatment of deep-seated tumors.
Jakub Poloprudský Recognized as a Young Talent of Czech Science
In the category of researchers under the age of 35, Ing. Jakub Poloprudský, Ph.D., also from the Institute of Physics of Materials, received an award. Poloprudský developed a new methodology for evaluating surface erosion caused by impacting water droplets, which makes it possible to detect the very first changes in the material’s microstructure — well before any visible damage occurs.
This innovative approach opens new possibilities for assessing the service life of materials used, for example, in energy systems or biomedical applications, and enables researchers to design surfaces more resistant to erosion.
A Success Demonstrating the Quality of Research at IPM
The awards granted to Roman Gröger and Jakub Poloprudský reaffirm the high level of research that has long been cultivated at the Institute of Physics of Materials. For our institute, both awards are not only a great honor but also a motivation for the years to come.
We warmly congratulate both laureates and thank them for their contribution to Czech science and international research.
Photo: Jana Plavec, External Relations Division, CAS
Full article by The Czech Academy of Sciences: https://www.avcr.cz/cs/o-nas/Z-Akademie/Akademie-ved-CR-ocenila-vyjimecne-vysledky-ve-vede-i-popularizaci/
