Hello — tell us a bit about who are you and what do you do.
I am a ground vehicle agricultural engineer working in the area of soil-tire interraction under heavy agricultural machinery. I am a research assistant at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague (CULS), Faculty of Engineering; teaching and doing research.
What are you working on now?
Currently, I am working on two research projects related to establishment of tire load limits for minimizing of harmfull soil compaction, and I would like to develop a new procedure for evaluation of soil density under engineering-pedologic way.
Do you have a first childhood memory of “engineering” something?
My first childhood memory of “engineering” something was when I was three years old. In the morning, when my parents slept, I played quietly with food processor and beater. When they woke, it was thrashing. :-)
Did you have a specific “aha” moment when you knew that you wanted to focus on engineering?
I think when I met with Prof. Alexadr Grečenko. This moment was ten years ago. This man is my teacher until now and I am grateful to him.
Describe your path to becoming a engineer. Have you had any mentors along the way?
As I said, my mentor Prof. Alexandr Grečenko, is an outstanding automotive engineer, researcher and mainly person. He inspires me to devote my career to terrain vehicle engineering. His constant support and teachings greatly impacted my career.
What does a typical day look like for you?
My a typical day, I am still busy working on my research and teaching my students.
Do you feel a responsibility to contribute to something bigger than yourself? What do you hope to contribute through your work?
My work is my hobby and as a agricultural engineer I would like to contribute to a considerate stance to arable soil and to the better use of powerful machinery.
If you could give one piece of advice to another engineer starting out, what would you say?
In everything what you do, think ahead.
Are there things that you want to tackle 5 to 10 years down the road?
In the next 5-10 years, I would like to tackle specifics in the interactions of soil-tire and terramechanics generally.
What are your current best sources of news and information for staying up on your field?
I regularly receive information from scientific journals and books that are applicable to my research and future plans. I attend at least 2-3 professional (quality) conferences per year. Working with industry also allows me to stay current on the latest outputs and advancements.
If you weren't doing what you're doing now, what might you have gone into?
Farmer or agricultural machinery dealer.
What’s your favorite food? ッ
Hunger is the best sauce. :-)