“I am grateful for having the University of Pardubice as my alma mater, and I am proud of working here.”
Libor Čapek was born in 1975 and fell in love with Chemistry as early as the primary school. He went on to study at the Secondary Chemistry School in Pardubice and later at the Faculty of Chemical Technology of the University pf Pardubice, where he was awarded the Master’s degree (Ing.) in the field of Technical Analytical and Physical Chemistry.
From 2002 to 2005, he was a researcher at the Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry where he worked on his dissertation, which was defended in 2004 at the University of Pardubice. He was awarded the Award of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports for his excellent study results in the doctoral programme. It is the doctoral research in the research team led by Dr. Blanka Wichterlová that was instrumental for Professor Čapek. The research areas included the use of catalysers in transport vehicles.
In 2009, Libor Čapek was appointed Associate Professor, only to appointed Full Professor in 2017 in the field of Physical Chemistry at the University of Pardubice. His long-term research interest lies in the heterogeneous catalysis and photocatalysis aiming, among other things, to identify the type of active centres responsible for the course of chemical reactions.
During his time at the University of Pardubice, he held a number of academic offices: he served as the Vice-Dean for Research at the Faculty of Chemical Technology, later as the Vice-Rector for Development and External Relations, and in 2020 he became the Vice-Rector for Research and Development. In November 2021, Professor Čapek was elected to become the Rector of the University of Pardubice.
Professor Čapek also publishes in prestigious international journals and is a member of a number of Scholarly or Subject Advisory Boards.
When he is out of lab, office or meeting, he goes hiking with his family, e.g. to the Giant Mountains, which he particularly likes.
