Pavel Jungwirth was one of the Czech Republic’s leading chemists and one of the most prominent Czech scientists of his generation. After graduating from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University and completing his PhD at the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, he worked at several prestigious institutions abroad before returning to the Czech Republic. In 2003, he joined IOCB Prague, where he established his own research group the following year, focusing on molecular simulations and physical chemistry. His discoveries appeared on the covers of some of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals and significantly advanced our understanding of a range of physicochemical processes important to chemistry, biology, and medicine.
Alongside his research, he was also a highly respected teacher, mentor, and science communicator. He was a strong advocate for the importance of high-quality science in society and spoke out actively against pseudoscience and misinformation.
In 2015, together with colleagues and friends, he established a fellowship in memory of physical chemist Martina Roeselová, his former PhD student and long-time colleague, whose untimely death affected him deeply. Martina was known for the way she managed to combine a successful scientific career with raising a large family, while tirelessly working to improve conditions for young researchers. The Martina Roeselová Memorial Fellowship, for which Pavel, his friends, and Martina’s family raised the initial funding, was intended not only to keep her memory alive, but also to carry forward her values and legacy.
Pavel remained closely involved with the Fellowship throughout its existence. He helped raise funds during its early years, took part in evaluating hundreds of applications, and actively contributed to its further development. When our foundation took over the Fellowship in 2022, increased the number of fellowships awarded, and raised the amount of financial support, Pavel was delighted. He was just as enthusiastic about the plan to expand the Fellowship beyond the natural sciences to include the humanities and social sciences.
With Pavel’s help, the Martina Roeselová Memorial Fellowship has so far supported 70 early-career researchers who are also parents, becoming a living legacy not only of Martina Roeselová, but of Pavel himself. We are deeply grateful to him for everything he did to make this possible.
