Two of our researchers – Ing. David Vojna, Ph.D. and Ing. Jan Kaufman, Ph.D. – have been awarded the prestigious Otto Wichterle Award 2025 by the Czech Academy of Sciences. This recognition is presented annually to exceptionally talented young scientists for their outstanding research achievements, international collaborations, and contributions to the development of science in the Czech Republic.
The Otto Wichterle Award is named in honour of Professor Otto Wichterle, a world-renowned Czech chemist and former president of the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences. The award is granted to early-career researchers under 35 years of age who are already making significant scientific contributions in their fields.
David Vojna has been contributing to the development of advanced laser systems and numerical modelling of thermo-optical effects at HiLASE Centre. His research has included the development of one of the world’s largest optical isolators for the BIVOJ laser, as well as international collaborations with the National Institute for Fusion Science in Japan. In 2024, he was also recognized with the prestigious Czech Head Award (Česká hlava) in the category Doctorandus for technical sciences.
“Receiving the Otto Wichterle Award is a great honor for me and also a motivation for my future work. I deeply appreciate the trust and support of the Czech Academy of Sciences as well as my home institution, HiLASE Centre. I see this award not only as recognition of my own work, but also as an acknowledgment of the entire team I have the privilege to work with. My sincere thanks go to all my colleagues, mentors, and collaborators – none of this would be possible without you. I am grateful to be able to do research that has meaning, and I look forward to seeing where our joint efforts will take us next.” – David Vojna
Jan Kaufman leads the Laser Shock Peening (LSP) research team at HiLASE Centre. His work focuses on laser-based technologies for extending the lifetime of metal components, with applications in aerospace, nuclear energy, toolmaking, and 3D printing. In 2025, his team achieved a world record in LSP technology. In addition to his scientific achievements, Jan is also active in education, mentoring, and science popularization. He is a Fulbright-Masaryk scholarship recipient and author of numerous scientific publications and patents.
“Receiving this award was a great honor and a surprise for me, as I do not feel any more deserving than anyone else in the inspiring team I work with every day. This makes me appreciate the award even more – I see it as recognition and the result of eight years of effort by the entire LSP team. At HiLASE, under the umbrella of FZU and the Czech Academy of Sciences, we have been working to transfer scientific knowledge into industrial practice. It is a challenging task, but thanks to this award, I know that we are on the right path. I would like to thank my team and my colleagues, and I look forward to what lies ahead on this journey.” – Jan Kaufman
In total, four researchers from the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, which includes HiLASE Centre, received this prestigious award: RNDr. Petr Hruška, Ph.D., Ing. Jan Kaufman, Ph.D., Ing. David Vojna, Ph.D., and Ing. Eliška Zmeškalová, Ph.D.
You can read the full official press release (CZ) by the Czech Academy of Sciences here.
