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Get to know our doctoral students

Lukáš Plesník

Batteries can be found almost everywhere today—in phones, laptops, electric vehicles, and large energy storage facilities. Inside each of them are materials that the average user will never see, but they have a crucial impact on the safety and efficiency of the entire device.


Lukáš Plesník focuses on the development of advanced membrane nanocomposite materials for energy applications. Simply put, he researches materials that can help separate the individual parts of a battery so that it operates more reliably and safely. In his work, he uses methods ranging from solution casting to electrospinning, which creates very fine fibres. The result could be new types of battery separators for more efficient energy storage.

Shamal Kareem

Graphene is often described as one of the most interesting materials in contemporary science. It is extremely thin, strong, and has extraordinary electrical properties. However, for it to truly find practical application, it must be prepared in high quality and its properties must be controlled.


In his doctoral research, Shamal Kareem focuses on advanced methods for preparing graphene in scalable volumes. His work aims to ensure that high-quality graphene is not just a laboratory curiosity, but a material that can be used in future technologies, such as the energy sector, electronics, or sensor technology.

Petr Běčák

Petr Běčák works at the intersection of chemistry, nanotechnology, and biomedicine. His research focuses on the biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles and nanoclusters using bovine serum, specifically albumin (a protein), which can bind metal ions under suitable conditions.


The result can be very small particles with interesting optical or magnetic properties. Some can fluoresce, while others could serve as contrast agents for imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging. This is an example of research where a biological molecule helps create a material with potential applications in medical diagnostics.

Shaho Salah Hwayyiz Drezh

Some materials are interesting not only because of what they are made of but also because of their internal shape. Shaho Salah Hwayyiz Drezh focuses on the preparation of new carbon materials inspired by structures called schwarzites. These can simply be imagined as very light and porous carbon networks with a specific internal geometry.


In his research, he uses minerals such as zeolites, clays, or diatomaceous earth as temporary templates. These help create the desired structure, which can have interesting mechanical, electronic, or adsorption properties. Such materials could be used in the future, for example, in the energy sector, filtration, or as fillers in composites for transportation.   

Vít Kubáň

Vít Kubáň focuses on porous carbonaceous materials with a graphitic structure. It sounds complex, but the principle is simple: the goal is to prepare materials with a suitable structure and porosity for the efficient storage of electrical energy.


Interestingly, waste cellulose biomass plays a significant role in his work. This can serve as a starting raw material for preparing carbonaceous materials that can be used, for example, to improve separators or optimise electrode materials in batteries. The research thus connects the energy sector, materials engineering, and the concept of sustainability of the industry's natural resource base.

Amisha Singh

Amisha Singh focuses on organic chemistry, photochemical transformations, and heterogeneous catalysis. Her research is based on the idea that light can be a tool for triggering or controlling chemical reactions.


Such an approach is of great interest for modern sustainable chemistry. It can help find reaction processes that are gentler, more efficient, and more compatible with demands for lower energy and material intensity.

Pavel Czernek

Pavel Czernek focuses on carbon fibres and nanocomposite materials. One of his goals is the development of affordable composites for the automotive industry. A lighter car can mean lower fuel or electrical energy consumption.


At the same time, he is also dedicated to materials for capturing pollutants from water. His research therefore shows two very practical sides of nanotechnologies: on the one hand, lighter structural materials, and on the other, materials for environmental protection. For his scientific results, he received the Talent of the Year 2024 award from the statutory city of Ostrava.

Muhammad Aashir Awan

Muhammad Aashir Awan works in the EBEAM team, which focuses on electron beam technologies and graphene research. His work is aimed at the development of new graphene materials for energy and technical applications.


Graphene is a material with extraordinary potential, but its use depends on whether we can prepare it with the required structure, quality, and stability. This is exactly what this research addresses: how to improve the properties of graphene materials so that they are more efficient and durable.

Pavel Kuzník

Pavel Kuzník focuses on the preparation of thin polymer layers that can serve as a starting material for the creation of 2D graphene structures. A scanning electron microscope plays a role in his work; this is a device typically used to observe very small structures, but here it also becomes a tool for their targeted transformation.


This direction of research shows that modern microscopes are not just the "eyes" of scientists. They can also be a tool used to alter materials and produce new structures with potential applications in electronics, the energy sector, or sensor technology.

Vít Kvasnička

With the transition to renewable resources, the need to store massive amounts of electrical energy is growing. Although current lithium batteries dominate the market, they face limits associated with high costs, raw material availability, and safety risks. The solution could lie in entirely new types of accumulators that use significantly more accessible elements.


Vít Kvasnička focuses on electrochemistry and the study of modern technologies for electrical energy storage. For this purpose, he explores the application of graphene derivatives, which, thanks to modifications at the atomic level, offer a wide range of material properties tailored to specific battery systems. This approach is essential for the development of a new generation of storage devices that could replace current lithium-ion technologies with systems using zinc, for example. His research in this area thus opens the way to cheaper, safer, and more sustainable green energy.

Sajjan Kumar Sathish

Lithium-ion batteries are currently among the main technologies for energy storage. However, their safety depends not only on capacity or lifespan but also on the materials inside the cell. The electrolyte, which allows ions to move between the electrodes, plays an important role here. With conventional liquid electrolytes, mechanical and thermal stability can be a particular problem.


Sajjan Kumar Sathish is therefore working on the development of new types of composite electrolytes as a safer alternative to the current liquid electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries. He focuses on materials that are more stable from a mechanical and thermal perspective and, at the same time, can be more environmentally friendly through the use of accessible mineral components. His research thus contributes to the development of accumulators that could be safer, more durable, and more sustainable in use.

Mina Rasteragaralam

Modern energy seeks materials that can more efficiently convert various forms of energy into electricity. In addition to photovoltaic technologies, thermoelectric materials are also of interest, as they allow the direct conversion of thermal energy into electrical energy without the need for moving mechanical parts.


Mina Rasteragaralam focuses on new polymer composites for energy applications. She works on modifying these materials using metal nanoparticles, which can improve their operational properties, such as electrical conductivity or final power output. The research thus points towards materials that can be used in technologies for more efficient energy generation and conversion.

Video profiles of doctoral students

News

Cooperation between CEET and Estetico Energo opens the way to advanced graphene technologies

The reconstructed granary in Jevišovice is becoming the base for joint research by the CEET Nanotechnology Centre and Estetico Energo, focused on the development of graphene inks.

CNT scientists instrumental in obtaining a patent for an adsorbent for the sorption of a boron compound from water

In June, scientists from the CEET Nanotechnology Centre at VŠB-TUO achieved success by obtaining a patent for an innovative adsorbent for the sorption of a boron compound from water (Patent 310487). This is the result of research focused on the development of advanced polymeric ion-exchange adsorbents with high efficiency and reusability.

No two days are the same. Research is always teaching me, says award-winning young scientist Zuzana Vilamová

The Best Publishing Young Scientist award, success in grant competitions, and the development of materials for water and air purification. In an interview, Zuzana Vilamová from VŠB-TUO describes her path to nanomaterials, the joy of research, the importance of teamwork, and why it pays off to persevere in science despite initial setbacks.

Werner von Siemens Award 2025: Vojtěch Blažek succeeds in the Smart Infrastructure and Energy category

What will the energy sector look like in the future? One possible answer is provided by the research of Vojtěch Blažek, which deals with the smart management of electrical energy and the use of electric vehicle batteries. It is for this work that he has now received a significant award in the prestigious Werner von Siemens Award competition.

From CEETletter

Lucie Řepecká

Lucie Řepecká is a doctoral student at the Institute of Environmental Technology at CEET, where she focuses on innovative wastewater treatment methods within the Water Treatment and Analysis research group. In her scientific work, she primarily deals with the removal of pharmaceutical residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria using modern filtration materials that combine activated carbon and ionic liquids. In a recent study on this topic, she completely designed and implemented an experimental design for testing bacterial viability, thereby demonstrating the real antimicrobial efficacy of the developed material. She worked her way to environmental issues during her twelve years of practice in the field of chemistry, and her main motivation is the possibility of applying research results directly into practice to protect the environment. After completing her doctoral studies, she plans to continue researching with her current team, maintaining the approach that even unsuccessful experiments are a necessary step that moves scientific knowledge forward.


You can read the full article here

Szymon Piotr Abrahamczyk

Szymon Piotr Abrahamczyk works at the CEET Nanotechnology Centre as a member of the EBEAM research team, where he focuses on the study and controlled modification of nanomaterials using an electron beam. Originally an analytical chemist by training, he recently received the prestigious ERA Fellowship for his innovative SENSE project. In this project, he focuses on the development of a new generation of miniaturised gas detectors, known as electronic noses. For their production, he uses the promising method of electron beam-induced deposition (EBID), which works on the principle of high-precision 3D printing at a submicrometre level. His goal is to integrate multiple porous and carbon-rich sensing materials onto a single chip within a single manufacturing process, utilising computer vision and machine learning for automation. The results of his research connect nanofabrication with chemical sensor technology, and the newly developed materials have great potential for future application in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis and plasmonics.

You can read the full article here

José Antonio Moscol Ortiz

José Antonio Moscol Ortiz is a doctoral student from Peru who is currently completing part of his studies at the Institute of Environmental Technology at CEET. In his scientific work, he focuses on the use of agricultural biowaste within the circular economy, specifically on the conversion of hard seeds of the red mombin into active carbon materials based on biochar. The goal of his research is to use these functional materials for the effective capture of gaseous ammonia from the air for its potential further application in the form of fertilizers, while also testing their ability to remove xylenes. His main motivation is to find specific environmental solutions that turn waste into a valuable raw material, thereby supporting the sustainability of industrial processes and economic opportunities for farmers. Upon returning to his homeland, he plans to maintain the established international research cooperation, publish the achieved results, and continue his academic and teaching career.


You can read the full article here

Scientific writing camp

The interdisciplinary NanoExplorer team, consisting of doctoral students from the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at VŠB-TUO working within CEET, took second place in the second edition of the Scientific Writing Camp. The group, comprising Martin Mánek, Jakub Zágora, Zuzana Vilamová, Pavel Czernek, and Štěpán Pravda, proposed an innovative research project aimed at improving the mechanical properties of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. The goal of their joint research is to incorporate carbon nitride and resin beads into these materials as a secondary filler. This should significantly increase the toughness of the composite even in extreme freezing conditions, which finds ideal application in the aerospace industry, for example. The team's successful participation in the camp enabled them to combine deep knowledge in the fields of chemistry, nanotechnology, materials synthesis, and applied mechanics. Currently, the young scientists plan to practically test their theoretical concept and publish the results of their interdisciplinary cooperation in a prestigious scientific journal, while concurrently completing their dissertations and getting involved in other strategic university projects.


You can read the full article here

Paulina Wojtko

Paulina Wojtko is a doctoral student at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences (UPWr) who is working at the Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies (CEET) as part of an international scholarship programme. In her scientific work, she has long focused on the energy efficiency of industrial enterprises and is looking for ways to efficiently burn biomass in traditional coal-fired grate boilers. During her internship at CEET, she prepares and tests mixtures of alternative fuels, such as coal and straw pellets, conducts flue gas analysis, and examines the properties of the residual material. She compares the obtained experimental data with results from her home university in order to develop a comprehensive methodology for evaluating the impact of biomass combustion on overall boiler efficiency. In addition, she participates in comparative research on pyrolysis and torrefaction processes with the aim of creating renewable coal substitutes. Her main motivation is to apply the achieved scientific results directly in industrial practice and help companies reduce their carbon footprint and transition to more sustainable energy sources.


You can read the full article here