Czech permafrost research activities cover a wide range of research topics, including long-term monitoring of active layer and permafrost thermal regimes, periglacial geomorphology microbiology, and the ecology of the periglacial domain. Notably, Masaryk University in Brno and the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice operate research stations in James Ross Island, Antarctica, and Svalbard, respectively, providing a unique opportunity for long-term research and education of new generations of students. Moreover, Czech scientists are involved in permafrost-related projects in Alaska, Canada, Siberia, and Greenland.
The application of Czech Republic to join IPA was submitted in 2024 by Filip Hrbáček (Masaryk University) supported by a group of six scientists – Michaela Kňažková (Masaryk University), Jana Voříšková (Institute of Microbiology, CAS), Jiří Bárta, Jan Kavan, (University of South Bohemia) Tomáš Uxa (Institute of Geophysics, CAS), Zbyněk Engel (Charles University). The application was approved by the IPA Council and the membership will start in 2025.
Filip Hrbáček will serve as a new representative of the Czech Republic in the IPA council. His work is focused on the active layer thermal regime in the Antarctic Peninsula region. Since 2021, he has been a member of the GTN-P Steering Committee representing Antarctic permafrost research.
Credit: Filip Hrbáček