Prague, June 16 (CTK) – French Ambassador Roland Galharague and Jean-Marie Lehn, laureate of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, presented 22 young Czech scientists with awards for research work at the French embassy in Prague today.
A commission of 52 Czech and French experts selected the winners aged under 30 were out of 90 candidates who took part in a competition, annually organised by the French embassy.
The awards, founded by Lehn, were bestowed for the 20th time in a row this year.
The candidates had to participate in a nationwide competition and prepare their presentation for the jury.
They were awarded in six categories: chemistry, informatics, medicine, pharmacy and this year newly in humanities, and nuclear research.
Three laureates in each branch received a financial reward in the form of a cheque from a sponsor of the contest. The first two best participants also got a one-month scholarship in a French laboratory they can choose themselves.
In the sphere of science and research, the French Embassy in Prague closely cooperates with Charles University, the Czech Academy of Science (AV), the French Research Center in Humanities and Social Sciences (CEFRES) and the National Centre for Scientific Research social platform.
The embassy supports French-Czech projects. It holds expert debates that enable young researchers to meet and helps organise seminars in biology and chemistry both in the Czech Republic and France. This year, it also offered debates on nanomaterials and nuclear research.
The Barrande French programme of scientists mobility, co-funded by the Education Ministry, enables scientists to meet their foreign colleagues during mutual visits and cooperate in laboratories. The French government scholarships, granted to some 1500 Czechs so far, contribute to long-lasting international cooperation.
