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26. Nov. 2024
Our colleague Martina Pokorná left us after a long and difficult illness. Her passing is very premature and painful for her immediate family as well as for the "family" of CEITEC Masaryk University, where she served as Deputy Director for Administration since 2012 and then briefly as Deputy Director for Human Resources.
Martina held a PhD from the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University (MUNI) where she studied biochemistry and biomolecular chemistry. During her career as a scientist, she researched lectins of the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes complications for patients with cystic fibrosis. After returning from her internships abroad, she anchored at CEITEC MUNI, where she headed the administrative section. Martina was given a challenging task by the then director of CEITEC MUNI, Prof. Jaroslav Koča, to build a professional and modern administration from scratch, which would support not only the management of the institute, but also individual scientific teams, following the example of Western institutions, in order to take the maximum possible administrative burden off their shoulders and allow them to maximize their time for science.
After many years of effort and cooperation with her team, CEITEC MUNI has become a model for many institutions not only in the Czech Republic but also in the CEE region. Thus, Martina is remembered not only as an important member of our institute, but also as a driving force behind many key initiatives, including, for example, the standardization of administrative services provided to individual research groups. For her exemplary work and her longstanding support for the development of science at CEITEC MUNI, she was awarded the Bronze Medal of Masaryk University this year.
"Martina worked for CEITEC MUNI with 100% dedication and commitment. Establishing and maintaining high quality administrative services, as well as ensuring the success of CEITEC's research projects, were a matter of heart for Martina," says Pavel Plevka, the Institute's Director.
She did not regret not continuing her scientific career. At CEITEC MUNI, she was always surrounded by science and understood that her strength lay in connecting the scientific environment with the administration. She knew how much administrative demands are placed on scientists nowadays, and was committed to ensuring that research at CEITEC MUNI could be supported by a quality team in areas such as finance, grants, HR processes and operations. Additionally, she was involved in other initiatives for which CEITEC MUNI has been recognised as an example of good practice, including creating a friendly working environment and promoting work-life balance.
Martina led a large team which, when she was ill, reciprocated the support she provided to her colleagues whenever needed. "Anyone who has been fortunate enough to know Martina personally knows that when God dealt out humanity, He gave Martina more than anyone else. Martina created a safe environment, a family and a home for us, administration heads. She knew our stories, our partners, our children, and she never refused to help anyone. She was always there and her voice and laughter will be sorely missed. It wasn’t just a boss who left us, but a wonderful person and a dear friend," is the unanimous sentiment across the administrative team leaders.
Martina Pokorná remains a role model because of her friendly nature and her unflagging interest in the development of the scientific environment. Her memories will remain a lasting part of the CEITEC MUNI story.
The last farewell to the dearly deceased will take place on Friday, 29 November 2024 at 1:15 p.m. in the Large Ceremonial Hall of the Crematorium in Brno.
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