Student FAST, Lukáš Novák, under the guidance of the AdMaS Center’s scientific director, prof. Ing. Drahomír Novák, DrSc., won the Ph.D. talent 2018 competition with work on the topic “Highly Efficient Reliability Analysis (HERA)”.

The project focuses on the development of reliable methods that can be used in practical applications. In recent years, a non-linear Finite Element method has been used more often to design new constructions and validate existing structures in combination with reliability analysis. However, existing reliability methods are highly computationally challenging and their correct use is often not possible, so the development of new efficient methods is an important part of the research focusing on the reliability and safety of structures.

Ph.D. talent competition is intended for outstanding students of the first year of doctoral programs of Brno universities. Both Czech and foreign students can apply for a scholarship. The competition is open and its rules do not set any quotas for recipients of partner universities, faculties, or institutions for which students are intended. The financial contribution should have a positive effect on the scholarship, in order to eliminate the worries about daily living, so that the student can fully devote himself to doctoral studies, scientific work, as well as building his/her professional future.

The reason for the support for talented doctoral students is a proven low financial evaluation compared to PhD students in advanced EU countries.