The Nuclear Physics Institute joined the Science week at FNSPE CTU

19. 06. 2026

What does science look like outside the classroom? This year, the traditional educational event Science week at FNSPE, organized by the Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering of the Czech Technical University in Prague (FNSPE CTU), also welcomed participation from the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (NPI CAS). Researchers from the NPI Department of Radiation Dosimetry prepared two specialized student projects focused on cosmic radiation and its detection.

One of the projects was led by David John. The project titled “Detection of cosmic radiation in an aircraft” introduced students to the measurement of ionizing radiation during a real flight. Continuous measurements of cosmic radiation were carried out using radiation detectors during the flight, with students and scientists jointly collecting data for subsequent analysis. The participants monitored changes in cosmic radiation intensity with altitude and discussed how the obtained results relate to radiation protection, aviation, and future space missions.

The second group was led by Martin Kákona and Roman Dvořák. The project “Muons won’t miss you” introduced students to cosmic radiation through a self-assembled detector built from an open-source MLAB kit, which they subsequently programmed for their own measurements. The functionality of the detector was then tested in the field at an observation tower, where the influence of ground-based radiation sources, such as radon, was minimized, allowing for a clearer focus on the detection of cosmic-ray particles.

Both projects ran throughout the entire week, with our scientists guiding students from the initial measurements through data processing and interpretation. At the end of the programme, students presented their results to other participants in the form of scientific presentations, experiencing a key aspect of scientific work – the communication and discussion of results within the scientific community.

Participation in Science Week at FNSPE provided the Nuclear Physics Institute with an opportunity to present cutting-edge research to young students and demonstrate that physics is not only a set of formulas in textbooks, but primarily a process of exploring the world through experiments, measurements and collaboration.