As the Institute of Physical Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Brno University of Technology, we have been systematically educating physical engineers for thirty-five years; graduates who are able to succeed in electron microscopy both in research and in industry. Today, our alumni work in companies and institutions thanks to which every third electron microscope in the world is produced in Brno.
The study programme has evolved continuously since 1991. It was first established as Engineering Optics, later developed into Physical Engineering, and in 2009 acquired its current form as Physical Engineering and Nanotechnology. From the very beginning, the programme was designed as a practically oriented field combining solid foundations in physics with an engineering mindset. “Our students are not just theorists. They understand physical principles, but at the same time have hands-on experience with real instruments and are able to think like engineers. Every student works with an electron microscope during their studies—there is simply no other way,” says Tomáš Šikola, Head of the Institute of Physical Engineering.
This approach has long been shaping professionals who find employment in one of today’s most technologically demanding fields. Electron microscopy is essential for the development of new materials, the semiconductor industry, medicine, and fundamental research—and Brno ranks among its global centres. Our graduates work in leading companies such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, TESCAN, and Delong Instruments, as well as at research institutions, universities, and technology start-ups in the Czech Republic and abroad.
The strong connection between education, research, and industry is further demonstrated by successful spin-off companies originating directly from the institute. One of the most prominent examples is NenoVision, founded by graduates of Physical Engineering. Its founder and Česká Hlava Award laureate Jan Neuman captured this experience succinctly: “Everything I do in my life originates here – from physical engineering.”
Our goal is to create an environment in which students acquire, already during their studies, the competencies needed for top-level research and highly specialised industry. Thanks to this philosophy, physical engineers from BUT have become a natural part of the Brno microscopy ecosystem—and actively contribute to its further development.
