Zlín Researcher Radek Stoček Received a Significant Award in the United States for His Research in Rubber Technology
7. May 2024A researcher from the Centre of Polymer Systems (CPS) at Tomas Bata University in Zlín (TBU), Dr. Radek Stoček, has been awarded the “Sparks-Thomas Award” by the American Chemical Society (ACS; Rubber Division) for his research in the field of rubber technology. This esteemed award is presented annually to acknowledge the best researchers in this field.
Radek Stoček received the award at an announcement ceremony in Columbus, the capital of the US state of Ohio. He is the first award-winning scientist from the Czech Republic and is ranked alongside only a few European scientists who have won this prestigious award.
“It was an honour for me to accept this award. I have been professionally involved in the rubber industry my whole life, and becoming part of such a close community of scientists who received this award is a significant privilege for me,” said scientist Radek Stoček about the award.
“My colleague Radek Stoček has been awarded for his significant contribution in the field of rubber characterization. He received the award for his comprehensive description of fracture behaviour and for developing new methods and test equipment, which made this characterization possible for the first time,” adds Prof. Vladimír Sedlařík, director of the TBU Centre of Polymer Systems.
The award aims to commemorate the chemists, William J. Sparks and Robert M. Thomas, who developed butyl rubber. Additionally, it aims to recognize and encourage outstanding scientific contributions and innovations in the field of elastomers by junior scientists, technologists, and engineers.
After receiving the award, Radek Stoček delivered a lecture in the USA to discuss his contributions to science and industry. The audience included members of the American Chemical Society and representatives of the American rubber industry. The Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society holds its awards in Ohio, known as the birthplace of the rubber industry in America, much like Zlín is considered the birthplace of the same in the Czech Republic.
Radek Stoček leads the Rubber Technologies research team at the Centre of Polymer Systems. The group focuses on conducting systematic research on the fracture behaviour of rubber, which essentially involves descriptive analysis. “For example, we aim to understand why tire wear occurs, why rubber seals break, the reasons for a V-belt breaking, or what causes a crack in the silent block of a car engine,” explains Radek Stoček. To address these issues, Mr. Stoček and his team develop new and unique measuring methods and perform analyses of rubber materials.