The fifth annual CEET Employees’ Christmas Gathering took place on Thursday, 11 December 2025, at DK Poklad. This traditional event of the Centre of Energy and Environmental Technologies (CEET) at VSB – Technical University of Ostrava (VSB-TUO) carried the motto “Energy in a New Balance” and focused on connecting research, practice, and industry in the context of the energy transition, system integration, and the circular economy.
Together, we reviewed the past year, presented new results from our research in the fields of energy and environmental technologies, and opened space for discussion about future directions in these areas. As in the previous year, the programme featured panel discussions with experts from academia, representatives of industry, and the public sector. They offered their perspectives on the current state of energy and industry, emerging development trends, and concrete opportunities for collaboration.
“Every year is filled with hundreds of important meetings, formal presentations of results, preparations for new challenges, and the implementation of existing ones. Most of these moments take place in a purely work-related and formal setting, often without room for more personal contact. That is precisely why the CEET Employees’ Christmas Gathering is, for me, one of the most significant events of the year. It is not only about looking back at the best of what we have achieved together, nor only about inspiring topics in sustainable energy discussed in the panels. Above all, it is a unique opportunity to meet all colleagues, pause for a moment after a demanding year, and share everything together in an informal and pleasant atmosphere,” said Stanislav Mišák, Director of CEET.
Panel Discussion I: Energy Transition and System Integration
The opening programme was followed by the first panel discussion, featuring colleagues Lukáš Prokop, Jiří Ryšavý, and Zdeněk Neufinger. Guests representing practice and public administration included Rut Bízková and Stanislav Cingroš. The discussion focused on how to align the development of low-carbon energy sources, new energy services, and industrial needs with requirements for the reliability and resilience of energy systems. Topics included the integration of renewable energy sources, hydrogen technologies, energy storage, and smart grids, as well as the role of regions and industrial partners in the practical implementation of the energy transition.
“I admire the team that has been built at CEET, including the part created within the REFRESH project. The idea to bring these scientists together was excellent and is already delivering great results. The panel discussions—and the awards themselves—clearly demonstrated the real quality of the scientific team and individual researchers. A second, more specific point is that in my work I also draw on the OECD STI Outlook 2025, from which I select key development directions, and Radek Zbořil very precisely reflects what these reports emphasize. An example is low-temperature materials, which represent a clear global trend. From my perspective, I can say that CEET is currently unequivocally the best centre for energy and materials research in the Czech Republic,” said Rut Bízková, an expert in sustainable development and innovation in the public sector.
“I was surprised by how profoundly CEET has changed over five years. When I first started coming here, I perceived it more as a smaller part of the university. But the current results have absolutely impressed me, as has the professional level of the people working at CEET. The research directions in materials and nanotechnologies as well as energy give great hope that truly practice-ready outputs are being created here. I particularly value the cross-disciplinary expertise that naturally complements itself. Personally, I consider this one of the ways to move the transition forward and implement it as an interconnected whole. Without centres like CEET, in my view, it simply will not be possible,” said Stanislav Cingroš, founder of a recycling cluster.
Poster Session for Young PhD Students: A New Platform for Promising Talent
A new feature of this year’s event was a poster session for young PhD students, held between the panel discussions. PhD candidates and early-career researchers from CEET presented their current projects, giving participants insight into ongoing topics across the centre. Visitors had the opportunity to speak directly with poster authors, gain a more detailed overview of their work, and build new contacts for future collaboration.
This session also included the announcement of the “Best Poster” award. The winner was Ajith Manayil Parambil, selected through audience voting, which recognized both his scientific work and the way he presented his results.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Best Poster Award at the Annual CEET Meet 2025. My sincere gratitude goes to the Centre of Nanotechnology, CEET, and VSB-TUO for providing outstanding research facilities and opportunities that have significantly supported my work. I would also like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to Prof. Radek Zbořil, the entire Materials-Envi Lab, and to our Solar Technology for Energy & Environment Group led by Dr. Štěpán Kment & Dr. Lukáš Zdražil for generously hosting me at VSB and fostering an inspiring and collaborative research environment.I am truly grateful to all members of our team in Ostrava for their continued encouragement, teamwork, and support. This recognition strengthens my motivation, and I eagerly look forward to advancing our research together with renewed dedication and enthusiasm,” said Ajith Manayil Parambil.
Panel Discussion II: Smart Materials and the Circular Economy for the Industry of the Future
The poster session was followed by the second panel discussion, attended by colleagues Grażyna Simha Martynková, Radek Zbořil, and Pavel Leštinský. As in the first discussion block, representatives from industry were also invited—specifically Libor Dluhoš and Stanislav Cingroš.
The discussion focused primarily on the role of advanced materials and nanotechnologies in modern industry, opportunities within the circular economy, recycling and the use of secondary raw materials, and the connection between materials research and energy technologies in reducing environmental impacts. The debate clearly showed how CEET research translates into concrete technological solutions and what opportunities it opens for industrial partners.
“I view the meeting very positively, and for me personally it was interesting also because the academic sector (both basic and applied research) naturally connected here with the perspective of practical application. That is exactly why similar discussions should take place more often: they help clarify and refine research directions so that they are not only scientifically ambitious but also practically usable. From my perspective, it would be beneficial to involve representatives of operations and manufacturing in these debates as well. Their direct experience can formulate needs, limits, and topics more precisely, thereby steering research toward solutions that will be more readily applicable in practice,” said Libor Dluhoš, Managing Director of BorsodChem MCHZ, s.r.o.
Recognition of Outstanding Research and Cooperation: The CEET Director’s Award
Another new element of this year’s event was an expression of thanks and the presentation of awards for exceptional achievements in research and collaboration with practice. Awards were granted in several categories.
Best Applied Research Result:
VLČEK, Jozef; BURDA, Jiří; KORPAS, Jakub; VELIČKA, Marek; FIEDOR, Jiří; MACHŮ, Mario; JIRSA, Petr; SOMMR, René
Technology for the thermal treatment of end-of-life vehicle waste from the perspective of maximum energy yields and minimum emissions.
Best Basic Research Result:
OBRAZTSOV, Ievgen; LANGER, Rostislav; RUTHES, Jean G. A.; PRESSER, Volker; OTYEPKA, Michal; ZBOŘIL, Radek; BAKANDRITSOS, Aristeidis
Harnessing enhanced lithium-ion storage in self-assembled organic nanowires for batteries and metal-ion supercapacitors.
Best Research Project:
ExPEDite: Enabling Positive Energy Districts through a Planning and Management Digital Twin
Best Result of Collaboration with Practice:
Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) analyses for Národní rozvojová banka (National Development Bank).
By announcing these awards, the Director of CEET, Stanislav Mišák, aimed to thank colleagues for the achievements reached and to emphasize the importance of top-tier scientific results, real-world impact, and collaboration with the applied sector.
The CEET Employees’ Christmas Gathering as a Mirror of Joint Work
The gathering has long served as a space for sharing experience across research teams and partners from practice, as well as for discussing the future direction of energy and environmental technologies not only in the Czech Republic, but also globally. This year’s edition continued that tradition, with an emphasis on a new balance between centralised and decentralised sources, between energy and industry, and between materials research and a circular approach.
“For the Centre of Energy and Environmental Technologies (CEET), 2025 was a year of extraordinary progress. We launched new European projects with significant societal impact and prepared key investment plans, including new facilities for materials science research (CEETe II) and hydrogen technology research using the unique CEETe H2 testing polygon. In the national evaluation of research organisations, we received the highest possible score, as well as in the interim evaluations of the REFRESH project and the National Centre for Energy II, to which CEET contributes significantly. The centre’s research teams achieved excellent results, the CEET team grew to 356 employees, and through joint effort we strengthened our position as the national leader in energy and a respected international partner. All of this was made possible thanks to the unique synergy of all research teams, which often had to step outside their comfort zones. I therefore express great appreciation and thanks to all scientists, technicians, PhD students, and administrative staff for their tireless work, team spirit, and determination to fulfil our shared vision. It is precisely thanks to them that 2025 could be so demanding—and yet exceptionally successful,” added Stanislav Mišák, Director of CEET.
The end of the year at CEET was therefore not only a formal review, but also a working milestone showing how individual results fit into the broader mosaic of the energy transition—and how much of this picture the centre and its employees will hold in their hands in the years to come.
