Our PhD student was granted a scholarship at a Taiwan university
The PhD student of our department Michal Kuruc is presently on a 4-month visit at the Department of Civil Engineering, National Ilan University, Yilan, Taiwanu with Prof. Wei-Ting Lin. The topic of his research there are multifunctional materials and 3D printing.
International seminar PHYSICAL AND MATERIAL ENGINEERING 2024
From September 4th to 6th, the regular annual international seminar on Physical and Material Engineering took place, organized this year by the Department of Physics at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague. In addition to our department, the Department of Physics at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of Brno University of Technology also participated. Next year, the seminar will be held in South Moravia.
Internship from IMT Nord Europe – Université de Lille
Between July 1 and September 27, 2024 the department hosted Floriane de Boisset as an intern. She is a student at Ecole nationale supérieure Mines-Télécom Lille Douai (a member of the alliance EULiST). She conducted research in modeling of the influence of a phase change material incorporated in concrete walls to the temperature in a room of 3 x 3 m² located in Bratislava. In her report she wrote:
“My internship in Slovakia significantly enhanced my understanding of thermal building science and the application of phase change materials in construction. Through the development of various thermal models, I learned how to optimize indoor temperature regulation using different PCM configurations. This experience not only deepened my technical expertise but also strengthened my ability to work autonomously, solve complex problems, and communicate in a professional setting. The intercultural and professional experiences further enriched my internship, allowing me to adapt to new work environments and understand different professional approaches. Overall, this internship has been a crucial step in my development as an engineer, equipping me with valuable skills for future work in energy-efficient building technologies.”
We co-organized the following conference:
The first international trainings managed with the support of KMiF in the frame of The Bridge project supported by Erasmus programme
From the 1 to 5 of July 2024 in the frame of The Bridge project supported by Erasmus + programme https://thebridgeproject.org.ua/en there was organized education for Ukrainian professors in the context of BIM technologies to be integrated in educational programmes of Civil Engineering. Besides main programme of the week dedicated to intensive spread of knowledge about innovative technology for building and design, there were organized administrative meeting with the faculty management to develop the cooperation not only in the frame of education but as well in research and scientific projects.
Fresh Bachelors from around the world under KMiF coordination with innovation in mycelium based materials
International presentations at the department
On June 17, 2024, we had international guests from Croatia and Algeria at the department. The Croatia guests represented the University North and the company Metal Center Čakovec - dr. sc. Kristina Moskalová and dr.sc. Mario Šercer. Colleagues had the presentation of their activities specializes in research and development within the metal industry.
The other presentation was from Algerian colleague Mgr. Ammar Khelaifa from the University of Eloued, who is at our department in the frame of Erasmus ICM project. His research is dedicated to sand concrete from oil wells reinforced by polypropylene fibers.
The further educational and research cooperation has been discussed and has promising perspective for development.
Visit from Sweden
On February 22 and 23, our department was visited by Dr. Janka Kovačíková from Linnaeus University (Växjö, Sweden). As part of the mutual presentation of the activities of the departments, Dr. Janka Kováčiková presented her research on "Utilisation of Wood-Based Biocomposites in Robotic Additive Manufacturing". This was followed by a discussion about our further joint scientific cooperation as well as research and teaching opportunities at the workplace in Sweden. This information caught the attention of our doctoral students, who are considering such an option as part of Erasmus stays.
Scientific school of the international project ActaReBuild
From September 19 to 22, 2023, a science school was held at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, organized thanks to the European project HORIZON – MSCA – 2021 – DN, No. 101072598 – Acoustic and Thermal Retrofit of Office Building Stock in EU ActaReBuild. The science school for (not only) PhD students focused on circular materials, sustainable building structures, traditional and innovative building conversion solutions, as well as legislation and technical standards.
The event was opened by the main coordinator of the project, prof. Monika Rychtáriková and during four days provided by colleagues and doctoral students under the guidance of doc. Vojtech Chmelík. Many internationally recognized experts have accepted the invitation to lecture, such as Rachel Armstrong (KU Leuven), Carl Maywald (Vector Foiltec), Herbert Muellner (TGM Wien), Dirk Jaspaert (BAS bvba), Bruno Depre (IRS Studiebureau BV), Carol Monticelli (Politecnico di Milano), María Machimbarrena (University of Valladolid), Irene Poza (University of Valladolid) a Edoardo Piana (University of Brescia).
Despite the intensive program of lectures and exercises, the whole week was spent in a pleasant and creative spirit, and each lecture was followed by a discussion between the teacher and the students. The next scientific school of the ActaReBuild project will be organized at the Czech Technical University in Prague in January 2024 and its topic will be standard and alternative measurement methods and prediction methods in building physics.
You can find more information about the project on the project website and also on social networks – Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and the X platform (Twitter).
Excursion in the construction company Porfix - porous concrete, a.s., Zemianske Kostoľany - Nováky
On 04.11.2022, students of the second year of engineering studies of the Construction Technology study program from the compulsory subject Lightweight concrete with the subject guarantor Dr. Struhárová took part in an excursion in the construction company Porfix - porous concrete, a.s., Zemianske Kostoľany - Nováky. The students became familiar with the individual raw materials used in production, with the entire production process of aerated concrete based on silica sand, and, of course, with the complete range of products currently produced in the given plant.
CESBP 2022
From September 5 to 7, 2022, the Department of Materials Engineering and Physics, together with the Institute of Construction and Architecture of the SAS, organized the international symposium "5th Central European Symposium on Building Physics - CESBP 2022" at the Faculty of Architecture of STU.
Invited lectures from world experts in the field of construction physics were presented during the symposium:
Prof. Jan Carmeliet from ETH Zurich with the lecture "Changing urban climate and impact on building physics"
Prof. Ardeshir Mahdavi from TU Wien with the lecture "The Human Dimension of Building Science"
About 70 participants from different countries of the world took part in the symposium. Two sections ran in parallel, where oral presentations were given, followed by discussions on research results and exchange of experience in individual areas of construction physics. As part of the symposium, social events were organized for the participants, such as a boat trip to Devín and a festive dinner on the Danube. At the end of the symposium, a "scepter" was sold to colleagues from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics to organize the next symposium in 2025.
The new H2020 project at the Faculty of Civil Engineering STU
STU - Faculty of Civil Engineering won the prestigious EU project HORIZON-MSCA-2021-DN (Doctoral Networks) entitled Acoustic and Thermal Retrofit of Office Building Stock in EU - "ActaReBuild" (actarebuild.eu). An important part of the project is a team of skilled trainers from the Department of Materials Engineering and Physics (KMIF) SvF.
The issue of converting administrative buildings into residential buildings is currently one of the "hot topics" in the EU. Even new projects must demonstrate a method of conversion in architectural competitions, the so-called "reuse" for another purpose in the future and, in addition to the project documentation, provide information about the sustainability of the structures that are proposed in the project.
Our project covers exactly these topics and we currently have 10 positions open for EU PhD students in building physics, daylighting, building acoustics, building ventilation, sustainable building materials and building components, life cycle assessment, bio-, meta- and recycled materials and especially modern facades and bio-facades.
For anyone who would like to embark on a PhD. study in this field, for a very nice salary and with the possibility to work in an international team, do not hesitate to contact doc. Vojtech Chmelik from KMIF (vojtech.chmelik@stuba.sk), project representative for STU Bratislava, or the main coordinator of the project, prof. Monika Rychtarikova from KU Leuven (monika.rychtarikova@kuleuven.be).
Visit of colleagues from Poland
On June 21, colleagues from the Polish Lublin Polytechnic visited us. In addition to the discussion about our further joint scientific cooperation, doc. Grzegorz Lagod gave a seminar about his scientific activities as well as research and teaching opportunities at his workplace in Poland.
At the same time, at the Department of Mathematics and Descriptive Geometry doc. Ewa Lazuka offer a lecture "Chromaticity of graphs and hypergraphs and their selected applications".
Prefabricated Buildings
Students of the 3rd year of the study program Technology and Construction Management take part in the compulsory elective course Prefabricated Buildings with Dr. Alena Struhárová during the summer semester, they took part in two excursions, in the company Prefa Sučany, which deals with the production of various types of prefabricated products, and in the Czech Republic in the company, which deals with the implementation of low-energy and passive wooden buildings.
Ecological building with the application of hemp concrete technology. Construction site visit.
At the end of the May the members of Department of Materials Engineering and Physics have visited the construction site of the first in Bratislava individual hemp building. As the environmentally friendly technologies are in the focus of research activity of the department the close cooperation is foreseen with the producers of hemp-based building materials. The possible large horizons of joint cooperation and scientific-technical studies to be realized on the site have been discussed during the visit.
Academic Center for Ukrainian Refugees – ACURE:
Members of the Department of Materials Engineering and Physics has claimed the initiative to set up the Academic Center for Ukrainian Refugees. The project dedicated to ensuring the realization of this center and initial activities in its frame has been supported by the Dean`s office and by Visegrad Fund - Project ID #/Title: V4UA1211, Academic Center for Ukrainian Refugees – ACURE.
Within the project, we expect to create a contact point for students and professors coming to the faculty from Ukraine.
One of the first actions is a summer school for the new arrivals. The planned activities - intensive language, professional and psychological master-class, and work-shops. The action will take place from 10.07.2022 to 15.07.2022 in the faculty training base in Kocovce.
This event will invest in the fast adaptation for the students applied to continue their education at the faculty and assist to the professors to integrate in Slovak research community.
Feel free to join Facebook group of the project.
Contact persons at the deratment regarding the project :
Mgr. Maryna Babenko, Phd.
Ing. Jakub Čurpek, PhD. 
Participation in a public videoconference Building and room acoustics:
Four members of the Department of Materials Engineering and Physics (doc. Chmelík, ing. Urbán, ing. Zelem and doctoral student ing. Biskupičová), took part in a popular public videoconference focused on building and room acoustics. The aim of the event was to present new trends in the field of building materials and construction systems, as well as new technology on the construction market and to point out the most common mistakes in the design and implementation of buildings in terms of acoustics. The conference was moderated by prof. M. Rychtáriková, who gradually discussed with the guests mainly topics related to the influence of current energy requirements on acoustic comfort and materials with special acoustic properties. The conference ended with a panel discussion on practical issues. You can watch the whole conference from the recording here.
PHYSICAL AND MATERIAL ENGINEERING 2021
On days 7-9. September, a regular annual international seminar on Physical and Material Engineering was held, which this year was organized by the Department of Physics in Prague (
The first place of our student at the international student scientific conference 2021 in Ostrava:
On Thursday, May 20, 2021, our student Bc. Tomáš Dilik placed first in the category "05 MI - Materials Engineering" at the international student scientific conference at the Faculty of Civil Engineering VŠB-TU in Ostrava, where he presented "Methods of improving hygroscopic and thermal-technical properties of clay plasters" under the leadership of Ing. Valérie Gregorová, PhD.. He thus successfully represented not only our department but also the entire faculty, which contributed to the fact that our university reached the first place in the ranking of university success. Congratulations!
You can find more information here.
