The Netzsch-GEFTA Award 2014 is assigned to Jaroslav Šesták, Professor of Physics at the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague.
The prize acknowledges outstanding scientific and theoretical achievements in the fields of thermal analysis, calorimetry, and thermophysical properties of solids.
The prize is attributed on occasion of the International symposium held in Berlin commemorating the 40th anniversary of GEFTA, the
German Association for Thermal Analysis.
By attributing this scientific award to Jaroslav Šesták, we value a long-lasting scientific carreer of an university teacher, of a very active researcher,
and of a great communicator active on an international level for nearly four decades. More than 180 original papers and 13 monographies written or edited by
Jaroslav Šesták represent the sum of his scientific life and fully justify this scientific award.
Jaroslav Šesták is namely known for his work on thermophysical properties of solids, especially of the glassy state, on kinetics of the decomposition of solids,
and, in the last time, for theoretical work on the basic understanding of temperature and of heat transfer. Interestingly enough, even after more than 350 years after the work of Joseph
Black, the first who made the difference between sensible and latent heat, there are remaining serious scientific problems directed to improve the understanding of heat capacity, of heat
transfer and heat storage - and the activities of Jaroslav Šesták are right in the middle of it.
Jaroslav Šesták, born in 1938 in Northern Bohemia, obtained his academic formation from the Technical University of Prague and finished 1962 as a Master of Engineering in
Silicate chemistry. In 1968 he got his Ph. D. in Solid state physics from the Czech Academy of Sciences. Post-doctoral studies followed in Sweden and the USA, later in Japan.
Jaroslav Šesták was honored with numerous scientific awards, among them the
Mettler-NATAS Award 1974, the
Kurnakov Medal of the Soviet Academy of Sciences, the
Heyrovsky Award
of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the
Doctor honoris causa from the University of Pardubice.
Taking into account these prestigious academic decorations, it is not exaggerated to state that inversely our association GEFTA might feel honored to have Jaroslav Šesták among its awardees.
The Board of the German Association for Thermal Analysis warmly congratulates Jaroslav Šesták on this honour and wishes him and his family health and happiness as well as much success for all his personal and scientific activities.
On behalf of the GEFTA Board
Michael Feist
Chairman
nach oben
GEFTA - Gesellschaft für Thermische Analyse e. V.