PhD student Jan Skácel, supervised at Masaryk University by Dr. Zdeněk Bonaventura, has received the FRIA (Fund for Research Training in Industry and Agriculture) grant awarded by the F.R.S.–FNRS, the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research. His funded project, “Modelling and simulation of plasma–spacecraft interaction and charging in very low Earth orbit,” focuses on advanced numerical modelling relevant for spacecraft operation in low-altitude plasma environments.
Jan’s doctoral studies are conducted within a cotutelle agreement between Masaryk University and Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), under the co-supervision of Prof. Thierry Magin (ULB). His research builds on a strong international background: during his master’s studies he completed an Erasmus+ stay at the von Karman Institute, followed by the intensive one‑year programme Research Master in Fluid Dynamics at the beginning of his PhD.
In 2025, Jan also spent one month at NASA Ames Research Center in California, working on plasma modelling of arcs in the Arc Jet Complex, a unique facility used to test materials under extreme aerothermal conditions experienced during atmospheric entry. This experience further deepened his expertise in modelling kinetic boundary conditions for plasma-wall interaction on electrodes.
Awarding the FRIA grant marks a significant milestone and supports the continuation of an emerging collaboration between Masaryk University, Université Libre de Bruxelles, and the von Karman Institute.
Congratulations to Jan on this outstanding achievement.
During the visit of a high‑level diplomatic delegation from Costa Rica, Assoc. Prof. Pavel Souček represented Masaryk University’s semiconductor research strengths, a field developed by the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology and the Department of Condensed Matter Physics. The meeting with Foreign Minister Arnoldo André Tinoco highlighted new opportunities for international academic cooperation.
A visit from Dr. Krzysztof Gręda of the Wrocław University of Science and Technology launched an intensive joint effort to characterize a novel atomizer for detecting trace amounts of toxic elements. Early measurements performed with our researchers reveal promising performance of the pulsed‑discharge system and open new avenues for advanced plasma diagnostics.
