She can predict the behavior of materials. Tereza Vaňková wins award for young scientists
FAV
Achievements
Science and research
Tereza Vaňková from the Department of Mechanics at the Faculty of Applied Sciences of UWB (FAV UWB) won the Professor Babuška Award in Computer Science for 2025 for her dissertation. She received the award on December 18 at the Institute of Thermomechanics of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague.
How can we predict the behavior of materials at different temperatures, under tension, and pressure? This was the subject of Tereza Vaňková's dissertation at FAV UWB, for which she won first place in the Professor Babuška Award competition for young scientists in the field of computer mechanics, analysis and mathematics on the last Thursday before Christmas. She focused primarily on composite materials, which are composed of multiple components and are used today in the automotive and aerospace industries, for example. She explains their uses in more detail in an interview.
Can you describe the materials we are actually discussing and what the goal of your work is?
These are modern materials composed of very strong fibers and a polymer matrix—a kind of binder that holds the fibers together. Such materials are light and strong, but their behavior is not simple. Even under the same stress in different directions, they deform differently. My goal is to understand and mathematically describe the behavior of these materials so that it is possible to simulate in advance on a computer what will happen to the material before anything is actually manufactured or broken.
Can you generally say which areas of science or industry your work overlaps with?
The work has a relatively broad overlap, especially where lightweight, strong and durable materials are important. In addition to the automotive and aerospace industries, where similar composite materials are used primarily for their low weight compared to their high strength, these materials are also used in engineering, in the manufacture of sports equipment and in bulletproof protective equipment for the armed forces.
What are you currently working on, and what results do you expect?
I am currently working on potentially refining the proposed computer model of the material. The more accurate the model, the more accurately the behavior of the material can be simulated. More realistic simulations save time and costs associated with producing and testing large numbers of samples and physical prototypes. Thanks to more accurate computer simulations, engineers can design more efficient structures and new products can be developed faster and with less risk of error.
What challenges do you face or what do you have to deal with in view of the rapid development of technology?
Technologies are evolving very quickly, and with them, new materials. These are becoming increasingly complex and must withstand extreme conditions – heat, cold, impact and long-term stress. The challenge for the future is not only to keep pace with the development of new materials, but also to increase the accuracy and speed of calculations while seeking more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions.
Gallery
Faculty of Applied Sciences
|
Martina Batková
|
18. 12. 2025
|
