Ing. Karel Aim, CSc.

(born in 1947 Prague)

K. Aim graduated with honours in technical, analytical, and physical chemistry from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague in 1971. In 1977 he defended his CSc. (candidate of sciences) dissertation in the field of physical chemistry, dealing with phase equilibria, at the Institute of Chemical Process Fundamentals (ICPF) of the Academy of Sciences (the CAS). He has worked at ICPF since 1971. From 1981-1982 he spent nine months as a research fellow at the Technical University of Denmark in Lyngby and from 1989-94 he worked for several periods as a visiting researcher at the University of Trieste. From 1992 he was Deputy Head of the E. Hála Laboratory of Thermodynamics at ICPF and since 2006 he serves as the Head of the Laboratory. Since 1990 he has been a member (during 1992-2006 the Chairman) of the Scientific Council of ICPF. From 2007 he serves as Chairman of the ICPF Board. Since 1993 he has been a member of the Academy Assembly of the CAS. From 1997-2005 he was on the Academy Council of the CAS (from 2001-2005 as a member of its Presidium) and from 2005-2009 he has been a member of the Council for Sciences of the CAS.

His main research interests include experimental and applied statistical thermodynamics of fluid systems, in particular the methods for experimental determination of phase equilibria and the development of thermodynamic models of state and phase behaviour of fluids based on molecular theory. He has published over 50 original scientific papers, 5 monographs or book chapters, and over 120 international conference contributions at (mostly lectures, 10 invited). In 1984-89 he coordinated a section of an international IUPAC project. He took part in organizing a number of significant international scientific meetings (also abroad). Since 2000 he has been a member of the permanent Steering Committee of the European Symposium on Applied Thermodynamics. Since 1988 he has lectured at the doctoral study courses of the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague.

K. Aim continues to serve as a member of a number of scientific and expert bodies (Department Councils, advisory bodies to the Academy Council of the CAS, boards of R&D programs, program committees of the EU Framework Programs, working party of EFCE, working groups for the preparation of national programs, strategies, and policies in the R&D and innovation domain etc.). He has also been involved in strategic study projects of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC) and served as a representative or delegate of the Czech Republic to the JRC Board of Governors and to consultations with the European Commission on R&D and innovation issues.