Guest researchers in da house

2020 Feb-Mar (5 weeks)
Athina Papatheodoulou
(Limassol, Ciprus)
DNAQUA.NET Cost Action STSM
Athina came to us as part of a joint research project exploring the macroinvertebrate fauna of Cyprus with an integrative taxonomic approach using classical morphology and modern molecular methods in support of the DNAQUA.NET network. Her visit and activities here focused primarily on processing from Cyprus previously collected chironomid samples and preparing them for DNA testing. Incredibly dedicated, helpful with a very kind personality, we spent splendid weeks with her.

2019 May-Jul (2 months)
Elisa Perlangeli (Lecce, Italy)
BSc, Erasmus internship
During her two-month stay in Pécs, Eliza became thoroughly acquainted with our work. We have introduced her to the application of some field sampling techniques and to the mysteries of sample selection, preparation, and microscopic measurements. She was also able to get a taste of the family-level determination of aquatic macroinvertebrates, as well as gaining insight into an ongoing experiment in our stream lab. She also carried out her own project: she measured several morphological parameters in individuals of two species with different dispersion activity from constant and drying watercourses, and then found differences in body size in relation to different water circulation characteristics.

2019 May (2 weeks)
Denis Bućan (Zagreb, Croatia)
SMIRES Cost Action STSM
Denis spent two weeks with us courtesy of the SMIRES Cost Action Network, where he joined the experiment of Bára and Alena (see below) to study the synergistic effect of drying and pollution on the structure of aquatic macroinvertebrate communities.

2019 Apr-Jun (2 months)
Barbora Loskotová and Alena Dostálová
(Brno, Czechia)
PhD, Freemover scholarship
As part of our long-term cooperation with Masaryk University, Bára and Alena spent two months with us, with whom we conducted an interesting series of experiments in our stream laboratory. The study revealed the relationship between stream pollution, or the ability to purify and water cycle, water circulation, moreover the effect of the combined presence of pollution and drying on the organization and survival of stream-dwelling macroinvertebrate communities. Of course, during the two months there was also time for ‘socializing’, they got to know the area thoroughly, the restaurants and the common cooking with garden party could not be missed either.

2018 Nov (1 week)
Michal Straka and Barbora Loskotová
(Brno, Czechia)
Partner University programme
Visit within the framework of a partner university program
Michal and Bára delighted us with two exciting lectures as part of our departmental seminar, where we were told about the increasing drying of streams due to climate change, their latest results and plans regarding. We also took advantage of their stay here planning a joint series of experiments to be conducted in our artificial stream lab the following spring (see above).

2018 Oct (1 week)
Karolina Bącela-Spychalska (Lodz, Poland)
Erasmus+ teaching staff visit
Karolina gave very meaningful lectures to our students about the invasive processes that are increasingly present among aquatic macroinvertebrates, the breakthrough of Ponto-kaspi species and showed very interesting results about their laboratory and semi-field mesocosm experiments in still water environments. Of course, she also visited our stream lab to gather ideas for possible future joint experiments as well.

2015 Jul (3 days)
David Boukal (České Budějovice, Czechia)
David visited our department to help us and provide guidance for conducting our joint experiments on the behavior of diving beetles.

2015 Jun-Aug (2 months)
Tomáš Ondáš (Prague, Czechia)
PhD Erasmus+ internship
Together with Tomas, under the supervision of David Boukal, we set up a three-pool, camera-monitored experimental system in which we monitored the swimming, escape, dispersion, and respiratory behavior of large diving beetles under different experimental settings. We also made interesting discoveries about the effectiveness of the traps used to investigate them.

2013 Szeptember (1 week)
Petr Pařil and Jan Sychra (Brno, Czechia)
Partner University programme
During their one week visit, Petr and Honzin got acquainted with our research, tools, explored our favorite streams, and in the meantime negotiated opportunities for collaboration, from which strong joint projects and articles have since emerged. Of course, we also listened to their lectures, which, in addition to the results of serious research work, also introduced us and our students to the mysteries of Brno's research life.

2010 May (1 month)
Thomas Horvath (Oneonta, USA)
Fulbright scholarship
Tom reviewed our environmental science curriculum in consultation with students and faculty and provided advice on redesigning training for better utilization. Since he, too, is basically an “aquaphile” ecologist, we took interesting visits to some of our sampling sites and had a great outdoor party at Lake Cserkút, where our goulash competed with his famous chili. Although there is no longer environmental science training in Pécs, the relationship with Tom remained. In 2014 he and his family visited Hungary and Pécs as part of a holiday, and in 2016 also for a conference organized by us. It was a great pleasure to see him again, we look forward to seeing him anytime!