Martina Roeselová (1965–2015) was a Czech scientist working in the field of physical chemistry. She graduated from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague, in 1990, earning a RNDr degree in biophysics and chemical physics. In 2003, she completed her doctoral studies in biophysical chemistry and chemical and macromolecular physics at the Jaroslav Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry and at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics under Prof. Pavel Jungwirth’s supervision.
Martina then completed a post-doctoral program at the University of California, Irvine, and a year later she joined the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IOCB Prague), where she worked till her untimely death.
In the course of her prolific scientific career, Martina and her husband Marek raised three children. In addition, she encouraged junior researchers and strived to create conditions in the academic environment to facilitate a reasonable balance between family life and scientific work.
Martina, who was not only an internationally acclaimed scientist but also a popular lecturer, mentor, and well-liked colleague, died of cancer in February 2015 shortly before her fiftieth birthday.
After Martina’s death, Pavel Jungwirth and a number of other friends and colleagues initiated the establishment of the Martina Roeselová Memorial Fellowship with IOCB Prague as a fellowship for PhD and post-doctorate students who look after young children while actively pursuing scientific research. The fellowship aims to provide financial support to students and junior researchers–parents to cover child care services. The first fellowship was awarded for 2016 and was financially supported by Martina Roeselová’s family and a number of other donors.
In February 2017, Martina’s husband Marek Roesel and IOCB Prague Director Zdeněk Hostomský established the Martina Roeselová Foundation to oversee the future development of the fellowship.
Beginning in 2022, the fellowship is organized and financed by the IOCB Tech Foundation.
Applicants must be doctoral students or early-career postdoctoral researchers who are the primary caregivers of a preschool-aged child and are actively engaged in scientific work at a university or non-university research institution in the Czech Republic.
As of this year, the grant is open to applicants from all fields of natural, humanities, and social sciences.
Only individuals may apply, not couples.
Submissions
We usually publish the current conditions for grant applications for the following calendar year at the turn of June and July, and we then accept applications until mid-September.
Conditions for the 2026 grant
Application must be submitted in English and should include:
- A description of the family situation and the intended use of the funds (max 500 words)
- A plan of professional activities for the given year (max 500 words)
- The applicant’s CV with a list of selected publications and conference presentations (approx. 2 pages)
- A recommendation letter from the supervisor or direct superior
Applications are assessed in two separate branches, each with its own evaluation committee.
Each applicant may apply to only one branch of the program. If the research is interdisciplinary and would qualify for either branch, the applicant must choose one – only one application per person is allowed.
Applications are reviewed by expert panels specific to each branch. The committees consider the quality of the scientific project and the professional CV of the applicants, among other things. The commission also takes into account the family situation of the applicants and how effectively the funds would help combine scientific work with care for a preschool child or children.
The final decision is made by the foundation’s managing board based on the committee recommendations. This decision is final and cannot be appealed.
Once the board has reached its decision, both successful and unsuccessful applicants are promptly notified – usually in early November.
Expert committees
Natural sciences
- Prof. Radek Cibulka, Ph.D. (UCT Prague, IOCB Tech Foundation)
- Prof. Barbara Finlayson-Pitts, Ph.D. (University of California, Irvine)
- Barak Hirshberg, Ph.D. (Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University)
- Prof. Pavel Jungwirth, Ph.D. (IOCB Prague)
- Zuzana Kečkéšová, Ph.D. (IOCB Prague)
- David Roesel, Ph.D. (J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the CAS)
- Assoc. Prof. Pavlína Řezáčová, Ph.D. (IOCB Prague)
- Prof. Jitka Ulrichová, Ph.D. (Palacký University Olomouc)
Humanities and Social sciences
- Assoc. Prof. Mirjam Friedová, Ph.D. (Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Arts, Charles University)
- Assoc. Prof. Lucie Jarkovská, Ph.D. (Institute for Research in Inclusive Education, Faculty of Education, Masaryk University)
- Marcela Linková, Ph.D. (Centre for Gender and Science, Institute of Sociology, Czech Academy of Sciences)
- Prof. Olga Lomová, Ph.D. (Department of Sinology, Faculty of Arts, Charles University)
- Assoc. Prof. Kateřina Zábrodská, Ph.D. (Institute of Psychology, Czech Academy of Sciences)
The grant of CZK 150,000 is paid in two installments:
- The first installment (50%) is paid in January
- The second installment (50%) is paid in July
Grant recipients must submit a mid-year report on the use of the funds and achieved outcomes, which is a prerequisite for receiving the second installment.
A final report is required within one month after the grant year ends.
Who is the fellowship for?
The stipend is primarily intended for PhD students, as well as early career postdoctoral fellows, who are in a difficult life situation and are trying to combine competitive research with quality childcare.
In what fields does the applicant have to do their research?
The stipend is intended for applicants working across all fields of natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences at universities or non-university research institutions in the Czech Republic.
In the case of natural sciences, this typically refers to fields falling under the 1st and 2nd research areas as defined by the Czech Academy of Sciences; for humanities and social sciences, it refers to fields falling under the 3rd research area.
Do both parents have to meet the conditions of the grant?
Only the applicant needs to meet the conditions.
Can a couple apply for the grant if they meet the criteria?
Only individuals can apply for the grant. In the case of a couple where both partners are scientists, the primary caregiver should be the one to submit the application.
Are there any age limits for my child?
The grant is intended for parents of preschool children, primarily children under the age of 4. The purpose of the grant is to allow you to combine your scientific work with caring for a child in a complicated life situation where this is not possible or it is difficult for some objective reason.
The grant is not intended to replace the available childcare in state preschool institutions, but to provide this care in situations where the services of these institutions are not available (e.g. due to the age of the child and lack of available places, special family situation, the nature of their research or planned activities, e.g. due to the need to travel with the child to a foreign internship or conference).
What can I use the stipend for?
The funding is primarily intended to cover childcare services, such as pre-school education, a stay in a play area or babysitting for times when you need to be at your workplace, studying or perhaps travelling to a conference or field trip with your child. (Read how the fellowship helped Kateřina Sam from the Biology Center of the CAS.)
Can I apply for the grant for a period longer than 1 year?
The grant is for one calendar year only.
Can I reapply for the grant?
You can reapply for the grant as long as you meet the conditions and have not been awarded the grant in the past.
How should I acknowledge the fellowship in publications?
You can indicate the support in publications for example as follows:
This work was supported by the Martina Roeselová Memorial Fellowship granted by the IOCB Tech Foundation.
XY is grateful for the financial support of the Martina Roeselová Memorial Fellowship granted by the IOCB Tech Foundation.
etc.