Dr. Petra Sedova is one of the Early Career Investigators that are to profit from IRENE´s Workshops and Training Schools. The Science Communication Workshop (18 Feb 2021) was our first ever Training School organised under the umbrella of IRENE COST Action. Our network will be eager to continue offering quality workshops as well as involving young researchers as much as possible.
On this occasion, Petra told us that these events might have a beneficial effect on a career pathway of a young scientist: "Science is all about people and everything starts with a meeting. These events might be a platform, an opportunity to share your ideas with others and to inspire. Moreover, communicating science to the broader public becomes more important than ever when we are facing global crises like the climate change and COVID-19 pandemic. I agree with UK chief scientist Sir Mark Walport that ‘Science is not finished until it’s communicated’. Scientists are responsible for helping non-scientists understand the complexities of science problems."
The Stroke Team Brno, hailing from IRENE´s Grant Holder Institution in Czech Republic, is proud that Petra has been part of its personnel since 2011.
Petra has developed a stroke epidemiology program in the Czech Republic and helped us to understand how the patient's data is being collected on the national level. Her work on neuroepidemiology and her studies are essential to setting up stroke care planning in Czech Republic.
Owing to Petra, Stroke Team is linked with the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, USA on a day-to-day basis working with the leading expert on neuroepidemiology Prof. Robert D. Brown. Recently, she submitted a paper on the impact of COVID-19 on stroke management and the first stroke population-based study assessing stroke incidence and risk factors in Brno.
As a skilled and by now already experienced researcher, Petra continues supervising, mentoring and passing her knowledge to young students and clinicians at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno.
"In my professional career, the Mayo Clinic spirit influenced me the most; their logo with three shields representing the patient care, education and research reflects my three areas of professional endeavor."
Petra Sedova managed to combine the tough task of being a mother of three and having a top-level scientific career. In 2019, her positive message of not giving up on our family while pursuing research was featured in the most popular nationwide Czech daily newspaper Mlada Fronta.
IRENE COST Action would like to make meaningful contributions to help flourish the careers of young researchers involved in our Action and to shine a light on their accomplishments.