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    Jan Křetínský: Laureate of the Neuron Award 2024 for promising young scientists

    Since 2009, the Neuron Foundation has supported Czech science and honored exceptional scientists whose work contributes to advancing knowledge and improving societal well-being. The Neuron Awards are presented annually across seven scientific fields: biology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, social sciences, medicine, and computer science. In the 2024 edition, Professor Jan Křetínský (FI MU) was among the awardees—congratulations!

    Starting in 2024, the foundation also extended its awards to educators who inspire younger generations to engage with science. This new category symbolizes Neuron’s commitment to motivating young talents and showcasing the beauty of science to the public.

    The ceremonial gala took place on January 19, 2025, at the National Museum under the theme Science is Beautiful. The event was attended by prominent figures from the academic community as well as distinguished public personalities, including the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, who presented one of the awards. The evening was hosted by the popular actor Marek Adamczyk. It was not only a celebration of scientific achievements but also an inspiration for the younger generation and a demonstration of the vital role of science in society.

    One of this year’s laureates is Professor Jan Křetínský, who serves at the Faculty of Informatics at Masaryk University. He received the Neuron Award for Promising Young Scientists in the field of computer science for his pioneering research in the verification of artificial intelligence systems and the safety of complex programs.

    Jan Křetínský addresses critical issues that will shape the future of technologies, such as autonomous vehicles and robots capable of interacting with people. His work combines automatic theory, machine learning, and mathematical methods to develop tools ensuring the reliability of these systems.

    Interview with Professor Křetínský:

    1. Your research focuses on the safety and correctness of systems involving artificial intelligence. Could you explain why this area is critical for the future? Where can we see practical applications of your research in everyday life?
    We are collaborating on applying our findings with car manufacturers in the field of autonomous driving and with roboticists working on robots operating among humans.

    2. Verification of neural networks sounds like a highly complex discipline. What fascinates you about it?
    They often perform better than we understand (and sometimes they don’t :-)). The fact that no one truly comprehends them in depth and that their verification is currently many orders of magnitude beyond our capabilities makes it a great challenge.

    3. What does the Neuron Award for Promising Young Scientists mean to you? How did you feel when receiving this prestigious honor?
    It is, of course, a great honor for me, but it is also undoubtedly a recognition of my excellent students, colleagues, mentors, and, last but not least, my supportive family. I am particularly glad for them that I was fortunate enough to receive this award.

    4. Do you think awards like this could motivate young people to pursue careers in science?
    Awards would be a rather poor motivation :-). However, it is highly commendable to highlight exciting science and present it to young people, encouraging them to consider it a real possibility. Genuine motivation, however, must come from within—a desire to discover things no one has ever seen.

    Congratulations to the other Neuron Award Laureates:

    • Biology: Klára Hlouchová – Research on the origins and evolution of proteins.
    • Mathematics: Jan Volec – Specialist in graph theory and combinatorics.
    • Social Sciences: Ota Pavlíček – Exploration of scientific traditions and their roots in an international context.
    • Chemistry: Tomáš Pluskal – Expert in metabolomics, providing insights into small molecules in living organisms.
    • Physics: Petr Šulc – Modeling nucleic acids and developing the oxDNA tool.
    • Medicine: Martina Benešová Schäfer – Development of radiopharmaceuticals for prostate cancer treatment.
    • Cyril Höschl: Lifetime contribution to science in medicine.
    • Pavel Jungwirth: Lifetime contribution to science, focusing on solvation of ions and electrons in water and interfaces. He received the main Neuron Award.
    • Jan Černý: Inspiring the love of science and tirelessly popularizing it.
    • SophoMer a.s.: For bridging science and business.

    We extend our congratulations to Professor Jan Křetínský and all the other laureates and wish them continued success in their scientific endeavors. Thank you for your work, which positively impacts society and inspires future generations.

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