Based on a funding announcement from the Research and Innovation Authority of the Slovak Republic in cooperation with the program Next Generation EU, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science of the Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia, seeks applicants for doctoral program in Physics holding Master degree in Physics or related fields awarded by non-Slovakian universities.

The two selected applicants will receive a monthly stipend of 1025.50 euro per month prior to passing their dissertation exam (typically by the end of the second year of studies) and 1194.00 euro per month after successful completion of the exam. The stipend is not subject to taxation and the selected applicants will not need to pay any study related fees. In addition, they will receive 400 euro per month for additional research related expenses.  Comenius University also provides subsidized student housing to all of its doctoral students receiving a stipend.

The duration of the funding is for four years; which is the expected time of completion of doctoral studies in Slovakia. The starting date is September 1, 2023. To be eligible, the applicants must hold a Master degree in Physics or a related field prior to September 1, 2023. Students who obtained their degree from a Slovak University are not eligible for this program.

Interested applicants are encouraged to select one of the following dissertation topics and the corresponding adviser:

Astronomy and Astrophysics

- Fragmentation and ablation of meteoroids; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Juraj Tóth, PhD.

- Physical characterization of space debris and Near-Earth Objects present within close proximity to the - Earth; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Leonard Kornoš, PhD., consulatnt: Mgr. Jiří Šilha, PhD.

- Dynamical modelling of the structural features of the Galactic disc; supervisor: RNDr. Pavol Matlovič, PhD., consultants: RNDr. Roman Nagy, PhD, Mgr. Žofia Chrobáková, PhD.

- Modelling of the Milky Way galaxy with the Jeans equations Modelovanie galaxie; supervisor: RNDr. Pavol Matlovič, PhD., consulatnts: RNDr. Roman Nagy, PhD., Mgr. Žofia Chrobáková, PhD.

- Galactic Dynamics; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Jozef Klačka, PhD.

Biophysics

- Investigation of the in vitro effect of nanoparticles based on phosphorus dendimers on rheological and hemocoagulation properties of blood; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Iveta Waczulíková, PhD. 

- A theoretical study of iron oxides nanoclusters by using quantum-chemical methods and machine learning; supervisor: Mgr. Ivan Sukuba, PhD.,consultant: prof. Ing. Pavel Mach, CSc.

- Study of the effects of cold plasma and plasma-activated liquids in infections; supervisor: prof. RNDr. Zdenko Machala, DrSc., consultant: Mgr. Barbora Konečná, PhD.

- Study of the affinity interactions at surfaces from nanomaterials functionalized by DNA aptamers; supervisor:: prof. RNDr. Tibor Hianik, DrSc., consultant: Mgr. Veronika Šubjaková, PhD.

- Study of the mechanisms of interaction of lectins and DNA aptamers with bacterial lipopolysaccharides; supervisor: prof. RNDr. Tibor Hianik, DrSc., consultant: Mgr. Marek Tatarko, PhD.

- Monitoring of tryptophan metabolites in urine and blood plasma of cancer patients; supervisor: prof. RNDr. Libuša Šikurová, CSc., consultant: RNDr. Milan Zvarík, PhD.

- Inactivation pathways induced in bacteria and biofilms by cold atmospheric plasma; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Karol Hensel, PhD., consultant: prof. RNDr. Helena Bujdáková, CSc.

Environmental Physics and Meteorology

- Development of radon diagnosis methods of buildings; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Monika Müllerová, PhD.,supervisor: doc. RNDr. Karol Holý, CSc.

- Radon in components of the environment; supervisor:: doc. RNDr. Karol Holý, CSc., consultants: doc. RNDr. Monika Müllerová, PhD., RNDr. Martin Bulko, PhD.

- Impact and control of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) reactive chemical species on liquids and biological materials; supervisor:: prof. RNDr. Zdenko Machala, DrSc., consultant: doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD.

- Upscaling cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) systems for agrifood decontamination; supervisor: prof. RNDr. Zdenko Machala, DrSc., conaultant: doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD.

- PIGE/PIXE methods and their application in environmental studies; supervisor: Ing. Jakub Kaizer, PhD, consultant: doc. RNDr. Miroslav Ješkovský, PhD.

- Determination of natural thorium and uranium using mass spectrometry; supervisor: Ing. Jakub Kaizer, PhD.)

- Study of effects of cold plasma and plasma-activated liquids in infections; supervisor: prof. RNDr. Zdenko Machala, DrSc., consultant: Mgr. Barbora Konečná, PhD.

- Study of the influence of atmospheric stability on the concentrations of radionuclides in the ground layer of the atmosphere; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Karol Holý, CSc., supervisor: RNDr. Martin Bulko, PhD., consultant: doc. RNDr. Monika Müllerová, PhD. 

- Chemical kinetic model for thermal and non-thermal plasma; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD.

- Electric discharges in combinations with catalysts and their environmental applacations; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Karol Hensel, PhD., consultant: Mgr. Richard Cimerman, PhD. 

- Honeycomb discharge for diesel exhaust cleaning, supervisor: doc. RNDr. Karol Hensel, PhD.

- Application of verification methods to improve numerical weather forecast; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Martin Gera, PhD., consultant: Mgr. Mária Derková, PhD.

- Exploitation of the satellite data and products in the numerical weather prediction; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Martin Gera, PhD., consultant: Mgr. Mária Derková, PhD.

- Development of accelerator mass spectrometry methods in the CENTA laboratory; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Miroslav Ješkovský, PhD., consultant: Ing. Jakub Kaizer, PhD.

Physics of Condensed Matter and Acoustics

- Superconducting sub-micro-wire-single-photon detectors; supervisor: Mgr. Pavol Neilinger, PhD.

- Realistic simulations of structural phase transitions in crystals; supervisor: prof. Ing. Roman Martoňák, DrSc.

- Concept of diboride superlattices with improved fracture toughness; supervisor: doc. Ing. Marián Mikula, PhD.

Plasma Physics

- Chemical kinetic model for thermal and non-thermal plasma; supervisor: prof. RNDr. Zdenko Machala, DrSc.

- Study of excitation processes in molecules induced by electron impact; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Juraj Országh, PhD.

- Upscaling cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) systems for agrifood decontamination; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD.

- Generation of HNO2 by electrical discharges; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD.

- Inelastic electron interactions with molecules studied using cross beams techniques; supervisor: Prof. Dr. Štefan Matejčík, DrSc.

- Monitoring of processes initiated by the atmospheric discharges using the methods of IMS and IMS/MS spectrometry; supervisor: Prof. Dr. Štefan Matejčík, DrSc.

- Chemical kinetic model for thermal and non-thermal plasma; supervisor: Prof. RNDr. Zdenko Machala, DrSc.

- Modeling of electron induced processes with standard quantum physical methods, supervisor: Doc. RNDr. Peter Papp, PhD.

- Microdischarges generated at supercritical fluid; supervisor: Doc. RNDr. Matej Klas, PhD.

- Precission spectroscopy of “small” molecules; supervisor: Doc. Mgr. Peter Čermák, PhD.

- Emission cross sections of compounds relevant in astrophysics; supervisor: Doc. RNDr. Juraj Országh, PhD.

- Study of excitation processes in molecules induced by electron impact; supervisor: Doc. RNDr. Juraj Országh, PhD.

- Study of interaction mechanisms of low-temperature plasma with surface of biological objects; supervisor: Doc. RNDr. Anna Zahoranová, PhD.

- Upscaling cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) systems for agrifood decontamination; supervisor: Doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD.

- Generation of HNO2 by electrical discharges; supervisor: Doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD.

- Diagnostics of corona discharge by ion mobility and mass spectrometry; supervisor: RNDr. Ladislav Moravský, PhD.

Nuclear and Subnuclear Physics

- Top quark charge asymmetry in the Run 3 data collected by the ATLAS experiment; supervisor: doc. Mgr. Pavol Bartoš, PhD.

- Study of the influence of atmospheric stability on the concentrations of radionuclides in the ground layer of the atmosphere; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Karol Holý, CSc., RNDr. Martin Bulko,P hD., consultant: doc. RNDr. Monika Müllerová, PhD.

- Development of radon diagnostics methods of buildings; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Karol Holý, CSc., doc. RNDr. Monika Müllerová, PhD.

- Radon in components of the environment; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Karol Holý, CSc., consultant: doc. RNDr. Monika Müllerová, PhD., RNDr. Martin Bulko, PhD.

- Study of top quark electroweak couplings of gauge bosons at the ATLAS experiment; supervisor: Mgr. Michal Dubovský, PhD.

- Beta-decay studies in the vicinity of Z=82; supervisor: Mgr. Boris Andel, PhD.

Quantum Electronics, Optics and Optical Spectroscopy

- Application of new laser technologies in the spectroscopic studies of “small” molecules; supervisor: doc. Dr. Peter Čermák, PhD.

- Optical diagnostics of nonthermal plasma/water interface; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD.

- Generation of HNO2 by electrical discharges; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD.

- Atmospheric aerosols as modulators of diffuse radiative field at night regime; supervisor: Mgr. Miroslav Kocifaj, DrSc.

- The spectrum of the sky-glow and its connection with the main sources of light pollution; supervisor: doc. RNDr. František Kundracik, CSc. 

- Impact and control of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) reactive chemical species on liquids and biological materials; supervisor: prof. RNDr. Zdenko Machala, DrSc.

- Analysis of thin film systems using advanced X-tray scattering methods and LIBS; supervisor: doc. RNDr. Tomáš Roch, Dr./prof. RNDr. Pavel Veis, CSc. 

- LIBS in combination with laser induced fluorescence for the elimination of spectral interference and increase of LOD; supervisor: prof. RNDr. Pavel Veis, CSc.

Theoretical and Mathematical Physics

- Effects of poroelasticity on earthquake motion; prof. RNDr. Peter Moczo, DrSc.

- Underground structure anomaly identification using seismic waves; doc. Mgr. Jozef Kristek, DrSc.

- Physically-consistent modelling of earthquake ruptures; doc. Mgr. Martin Gális, PhD.

- Effects of the free-surface topography on earthquake ground motion and site effects of earthquakes; prof. RNDr. Peter Moczo, DrSc.

- Cosmological perturbations in universe with anisotropy; doc. RNDr. Tomáš Blažek, PhD. 

- Study of Rare Processes Aimed at Signals of Beyond Standard Model Physics; doc. RNDr. Tomáš Blažek, PhD. 

Please send an application letter stating your selected topic and adviser together with the following documents:

• Certified copy of master´s degree diploma (in English) – a student who has not yet completed his/her master’s degree study shall submit Official Confirmation of Study Towards University Degree (in English) 
• Official transcript of completed courses during the master’s study 
• Structured CV in English, signed, with highlighted achievements 
• Two academic reference letters in English 
• Motivation letter in English

to the address:

ing. Katarína Matejčíková

katarina.matejcikova@fmph.uniba.sk

Fakulta matematiky, fyziky a informatiky UK

Mlynská dolina

842 48 Bratislava

Slovakia

We at the Comenius University firmly believe in equal opportunity for all and encourage all eligible applicants to apply with the knowledge that their application will be treated fairly and without any biases. The doctoral positions will be awarded on a competitive basis to the most qualified and promising applicants.