The MATUR project has completed its first meeting with representatives from research teams.

The project will start on 1 October under the leadership of the Faculty of Materials Technology (FMT), but researchers from other faculties and scientific centers of VSB-TUO will also be involved in the project. Other partners include the Institute of Physics of Materials of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IPM, CAS), the University of Chemistry and Technology (UCT), Palacký University Olomouc (UP), the Brno University of Technology (BUT), and the Institute of Technology and Business in České Budějovice (VSTE).

"It is a great pleasure to welcome representatives from all of the researchers. I appreciate the work of all those who participated in the preparation of the project. I hope that we will have a very productive cooperation," welcomed Kamila Janovská, the Dean of FMT.

The project is organized into four research projects. The aim is to develop new materials and technologies for a wide range of engineering applications that will play a major role in reducing the consumption of energy and raw materials. The basic principles of the project are sustainability, innovation, and the development of new materials and technologies with positive impacts on the circular economy.

"The project is not just about doing excellent research and solving our research goals. Its other important activities and benefits include the modernization and upgrade of infrastructure, the development of research team capacities, the development of internationalization and mobility of the research team," said Bohumír Strnadel, Principal investigator of the MATUR project from the FMT.

International cooperation is also important, with national scientists connecting with 25 institutions from 15 countries. The researchers want to establish partnerships with the Tokyo Institute of Technology or the Belgian company Tractebel Engineering. The project also has an international scientific council, chaired by Osamu Umezawa of the Yokohama National University.

In addition to new technologies and practical innovations, the project will also result in at least 200 publications, eight patents, 15 international grants, 44 national grants, and 58 mobilities.

Text: Martina Šaradínová
Photo: Petr Havlíček