Series about the People of FSS
We continue our popular column featuring individuals at FSS. In today's article, David Šmahel, Vice Dean for Strategic Development, responds to seven questions posed to members of the faculty leadership.
“Most of all, I would like us all to enjoy our work.”
David Šmahel, Vice Dean for Strategic Development
What does your ideal morning look like?
I typically wake up to my five-year-old daughter coming in with an armful of stuffed animals and starting to throw them onto the bed. Having a soft toy on my head is the perfect morning. Afterwards, however, I like to have breakfast with some coffee and preferably I can go for a run. When I wake up in the mountains, it's even better. The stuffed animals go to the mountains too.
What book have you read lately?
I recommend 'I'll Wake Up on Shibuya' by Czech author Anna Cima to those interested in Japanese culture, despite the book leaning more towards science fiction. However, I must admit that I am a rather weak reader. I read so much during the day that I often lack the energy to read in the evening.
What is your favorite place at the faculty?
My office, optimally, when I have quiet time for focused work, which is not as often as I would like.
What has surprised you the most in the last six months?
Definitely missing the snow in the mountains this winter! If I were to relate the question to my position as Vice Dean, I would say that I was surprised by the number of different meetings that a Vice Dean has to attend.
What do you think is the most important thing for FSS in the coming year?
We need to succeed in the project competition within Johannes Amos Comenius Programme for social sciences and the humanities, where we have most of our departments in different projects and consortia. It would be good to have as many different departments or projects as possible to succeed, which would bring relatively stable funding for the scientific research at the faculty until the end of 2028. On the other hand, I also have concerns about the level of the administrative burden of these projects.
Which point in the strategic plan are you most looking forward to implementing?
I am pleased to see that our faculty is already demonstrating its capacity for high-quality research across various disciplines. The new rules established for allocating funds for the long-term conceptual development of research organizations, which we are continuously striving to enhance, have played a significant role in this progress. I am optimistic about our ability to further improve and elevate our social sciences to a level comparable to those in the EU15. This is not at all a given in the Czech Republic.
