Hello, my name is Anna, and I’m currently volunteering as an IVY Project Partner at the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences. I am part of the Interreg project “Šumava Fish Jewels – Living jewels under the water surface of Šumava”, a cross-border collaboration between the Czech Republic and the Free State of Bavaria in Germany.
What are “Šumava Fish Jewels”?
The project focuses on monitoring the beautiful brown trout (Salmo trutta) in its natural habitat. Many mountain streams on both the Czech and Bavarian sides were heavily affected by acid rain in the past, which led to the disappearance of fish populations in higher altitudes.
Today, the project works on monitoring these populations and their environment. It combines field surveys with genetic analyses of brown trout and the use of environmental DNA to detect the presence of their parasites.
My experience:
As an IVY Project Partner, I am directly involved in scientific fieldwork, where I can build on my background in hydrobiology while continuing to learn new academic and practical skills. I also have the opportunity to collaborate with project partners from both the Czech Republic and Bavaria, which gives me valuable insight into how large international projects funded by the EU operate in practice.
Beyond research, I take part in organising public events aimed at raising awareness about the project and its importance. It is especially rewarding to see how scientific work can be communicated to a broader audience and contribute to the protection of these unique aquatic ecosystems.
I help review and reflect on the feedback gathered from these sessions, which I find particularly interesting to be part of. Alongside this, I engage directly with youth organisations, and other non-academic stakeholders to help build community engagement around the Nordic Bridge concept, making sure young people become active partners in shaping the platform rather than passive users.
Anna, IVY Project Partner at the Biology Centre CAS – Biologické centrum AV ČR, for the Interreg project Sumava Fish Jewels – Living jewels under the water surface of Šumava
