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Science Café, Czech Republic is a free for all society (rather than a café itself) which originally started in Prague, Czech Republic. As popularity grew their new strategy was to start Science Café’s around other major cities in the Czech Republic. These were open to the public, families, students, secondary, tertiary, postgraduate students and widely talked about across the country as the new vogue. As a free service and full of ‘up to date’ science presentations of well known and popular academic members of the country this was a rare treat for all who attended.
I first discovered Science Café, Czech Republic when I was posted at the National Centre of Biomolecular Research at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. I enquired whether they had Science Café events in Brno, South Moravia but was told only in Prague. Later when I further enquired they mentioned that they would like someone to launch Science Café in Brno the 2nd city of the Czech Republic and would I be interested.
My former employer from Lambda Laboratory Instruments CZ s.r.o., Dr.Pavel Lehky, who was a well known innovator in Biotechnology was willing to give our first presentation. Other interested speakers were from the Incredible Theatre of Physics, a speaker on Black Holes and Dark Matter, the Institute of Scientific Instruments, National Academy of Science of the Czech Republic and the South Moravian Innovation Centre (JIC).
It was Dr. Josef Lazar from the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the National Academy of Science of the Czech Republic that acknowledged the importance and need of a society like this in Brno, South Moravia. He contacted Ms. Irena Navratilova, Head of Administration of the National Academy of Science of the Czech Republic who initiated the new launch of Science Café, Brno backed by guest speakers from the local Brno and Prague Academy.
A yearly program was set up and a new venue was established at the Academic Bookshop and Europa Café in the city centre. Suddenly such publishers as the local Brnopolis and Metropolis, the International Mobility for South Moravia (JCMM), the Planetarium and the local Masaryk University publication were interested in promoting Science Café.
The new speakers attracted great attention. Notices were put in the book shop windows, stairs and at the café advising people to remember the dates of the 1st Wednesday of every month and who will be giving the next presentation/topic of discussion. Advertising was done through the Academy, local university boards, publications, innovation/international mobility centres and social media. The free handouts of the local Czech science magazine ‘Vesmir’ were made available for each presentation and for part of the Academic Bookshop’s Europa Café collection for visitors of the café. Free merchandise, such as T-Shirts, Coffee Cups, Shopping Bags, Winter Ski Hats and Stickers were sent from Prague for distribution.
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| Date of Listing: 08-September-2014 / 08:55:58 |
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| Category: Community |
Viewed: 683 times |
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| Author: craigofw |
Listing Ref: 73489509 |
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Science Cafe Czech Republic |
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