

Meet the supervisors and fellows
All supervisors and group leaders are senior researchers with significant results, their own patents, foreign study/research/teaching experience, substantial experience in tutoring and mentoring postdocs, and are prolific authors in their area of specialisation in high impact journals. The main role of the supervisors is to closely cooperate with the fellow and their research project during the fellowship and help the fellow develop their research skills.
Supervisors or group leaders


Jiří Dostál
I am the head of Control Systems and Optimization team at the University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings of the Czech Technical University in Prague. I focus on applying advanced control, statistical estimation and machine learning to industrial processes and buildings. I worked as well for a world manufacturer of check-in systems as a programmer of microprocessors and subsequently also for the prestigious Automatic Control Laboratory of Honeywell in Prague.
About the position
The successful candidate will be based at the University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings, Czech Technical University in Prague
The Postdoctoral fellow will join the Control systems and optimization team that is focused on applying advanced control, estimation and detection, and that is working to find solutions to different challenges in the field of industrial processes and buildings.
The fellow may also have the opportunity to carry out secondments in the non-academic sector, in cooperation with our industrial partners, e.g. TÜV SÜD, Siemens, Linet. Potential projects to be involved with include Safety of traction batteries, Energy Flexibility, Machine learning processing of building process data, Energy optimization of industrial processes.
Given the main focus of our research group, the expected outputs of the fellowship are high-level scientific publications or applied research outputs. The applicant shall have studied control science. Additionally, knowledge of Li-ion batteries is beneficial.

Jan Včelák

Jan Včelák
I am the head of the Electronic Systems and Diagnostics team at the University Centre for Energy Efficient Buildings of the Czech Technical University in Prague. In parallel I am working at InnoRenew CoE (Slovenia) as a researcher in the field of sensors and building monitoring. I am a co-founder of MoistureGuard and InoSens CZ companies where he leads R&D activities. I have expertise connected with sensor design for special purposes, and complex sensor systems including data processing algorithms. My activities also cover the topic of sustainable building construction materials and sensor systems for their diagnostics and monitoring covering fiber optic sensors, timber construction monitoring systems and structural health monitoring. I was a member of the microsystems group in Tyndall NI (Cork, Ireland) and working at InnoRenew CoE (Slovenia) as a researcher in the field of sensors and building monitoring during my research career. My tasks are mainly in coordination of R&D activities and supervising research projects as a principal investigator or coordinator mainly in electronics design, renewable energy sources, energy storage and sustainable built environment.
About the position
1. The successful candidate will join the research Electronic Systems and Diagnostics team with experience in sensor design for building structures monitoring and indoor Environment quality measurement. The candidates should focus their research on areas of sensor design, embedded AI algorithms and advanced data processing. The research field covers sensors and data processing of indoor parameter values as well as sensors for the detection of abnormal user behaviour or detection of dangerous situations in the indoor environment.
The laboratory of electronic systems is fully equipped with development and design tools. The department has access to smart fully equipped dwelling directly in research Centre where the technologies and algorithms can be tested. The candidate will work in the international team and he will cooperate with other research departments in the Centre on research topics that can be multidisciplinary.Given the focus of our research group, the expected outputs of the fellowship are high-level scientific publications and applied research outputs and collaboration on group research projects and new proposals.
2. The successful candidate will join the research sub-team of optic fiber sensors applications and is expected to work on research topics related to fiber optic sensors applications for SHM monitoring of building structures such as reinforced concrete, timber or hybrid structures. The research topics can be also related to data processing or the design of algorithms for the detection of deviations from the model or sudden changes in behavior of the structural elements.
The laboratory is fully equipped with optic fibre testing and development tools with a focus on Fibre Bragg Grating Sensors and has experience with FBG sensor applications for bridge and other structure monitoring. The candidate will work in an international team and will cooperate with other research departments in the Centre and thus research topics can be multidisciplinary .Given the focus of our research group, the expected outputs of the fellowship are high-level scientific publications and applied research outputs and collaboration on group research projects and new proposals.

Gabriele Maria Grittani

Gabriele Maria Grittani
I am the leader of the Electron Acceleration Group and the Deputy Head of the Department of Radiation Physics and electron acceleration at ELI-Beamlines in the Czech Republic. I received the Master’s Degree in Medical Physics at the University of Pisa (Italy) and the Ph.D. degree in Physical engineering in 2018 at the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, CTU in Prague, Czech Republic. During my studies, I had the opportunity to spend long stays in several international institutions, such as Fermilab (USA), LOA (France), LMU (Germany) and KPSI-QST (Japan). At ELI-Beamlines we have built and commissioned two laser wakefield acceleration beamlines, ALFA (2 TW, 1 kHz) and ELBA (0.4 PW, 3.3 Hz).
Meet our fellows

Maryam Barati Moghaddam

Maryam Barati Moghaddam
I have participated in several international projects. As a visiting researcher at Politecnico di Torino, I developed a mathematical model for identifying pollutant sources in river networks. After my PhD, I received a national scholarship from the Slovak Republic and worked as a researcher at the Institute of Hydrology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, on a project focused on identifying unknown pollution sources in urban sewer systems. I then worked on a project on urban ecohydrology at the University of Florence.
The MERIT fellowship offers an exceptional opportunity to conduct ambitious and innovative research projects. The Czech Republic’s strong commitment to environmental preservation, combined with the opportunity to enhance my skills in mathematical modeling and hydrology through collaboration with leading experts at the Hydrological and Climate Variability research team at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), motivated me to apply for this fellowship.
My research project addresses one of the significant environmental concerns in Europe, including Central Bohemia and the Czech Republic, namely the increasing volume of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater resources. I will develop a novel mathematical model to simulate the complex dynamics of MPs in river systems, considering hyporheic exchange processes. Combining mathematical modelling with lab experiments, I will also examine the impact of particle size and flow rate on MPs’ dynamics. This interdisciplinary project merges hydrology, water quality, environmental science, applied mathematics, and statistics to create a tool for protecting water resources from MP contamination.
The MERIT fellowship will significantly advance my career by providing interdisciplinary research opportunities and enhancing my research profile, particularly in developing mathematical models to address global environmental challenges.
The fellowship will help me expand my professional network, improve my employability, and position me as a strong candidate for prestigious grants, ultimately supporting my goal of leading my own research group.

Rufin Marie Toghueo Kouipou

Rufin Marie Toghueo Kouipou
My professional objective is to significantly mitigate the challenges of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa and globally. I aspire to contribute to developing the next generation of antibiotics. My ambition is to enhance pharmaceutical innovation by discovering and characterizing novel lead compounds from microorganisms found in underexplored ecological environments in Africa. I require a more robust research foundation and network to realize this vision, which I believe the MERIT Fellowship program can provide. Additionally, conducting research in the Czech Republic, known for its rich research culture and accomplishments, will equip me with the essential scientific training needed to evolve into the investigator I aspire to be. Through the MERIT Fellowship, I anticipate enhancing my competencies in grant writing, science communication, leadership, and mentorship, thereby becoming a more effective researcher.
My research proposal for the MERIT Fellowship focuses on investigating microbial species with the potential to synthesize bioactive chemical precursors for antibiotic discovery. This initiative will also contribute to the broader understanding of natural products by generating high-quality scientific research within an academic framework. The MERIT Fellowship will allow me to engage with a pharmaceutical company, bridging the divide between academia and industry, which is crucial for achieving my goals. This secondment will facilitate scientific discovery and provide insights into how to translate research outcomes into viable products that address societal challenges.
Before receiving the merit fellowship, I had the opportunity to excel in multiple fellowship programs, which enabled me to conduct research at various esteemed institutions. These included the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in India, the Welcome Centre for Anti-infectives Research (WCAIR) in the United Kingdom, and the Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca (IRNASA) in Spain. Additionally, I engaged in numerous international conferences, where I presented my research findings to fellow scholars.

Lison Zunino

Lison Zunino
I completed my PhD in Montpellier, France, at the Genetic Improvement and Adaptation of Mediterranean and Tropical Plants (AGAP) Institute and the Diversity-Adaptation-Development of Plants Unit (UMR DIADE), where I focused on the local adaptation of wild olive trees to climate. During my PhD, I attended a congress in Prague in 2022, where I got a taste of Czech Republic science and culture, which made me want to learn more about both. The MERIT fellowship in the Czech Republic is an excellent opportunity for that, and it is my first research project since my PhD and my first experience working in a laboratory abroad.
I aim to specialize in studying how organisms adapt to global change through genomics. The Laboratory of Molecular Ecology within the Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics was an ideal fit for addressing this issue.
The MERIT fellowship allows me to gain expertise in evolution and adaptation by collaborating with different field specialists. The research project aligns with ongoing research themes in the Czech Republic and contributes to a deeper understanding of the evolutionary processes of global change.
This project is significant as it could lead to the development of new methods for studying biodiversity conservation and crop species adaptation in the face of global change, both in the Czech Republic and Europe.
Do you need help? Contact us
Do you have any questions related to the Programme implementation? Do not hesitate to contact the Programme Manager or other member of the Management Board.
