Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science
Albertov 6, 128 43 Praha 2, Czech Republic
Phone: (+420) 221 951 367, Fax: (+420) 221 951 367, E-mail: kfgg@natur.cuni.cz

Head of the department: Doc. RNDr. Vít Vilímek, CSc., E-mail: vit.vilimek@natur.cuni.cz
Assistant manager: Doc. RNDr. Zdeněk Lipský, CSc., E-mail: zdenek.lipsky@natur.cuni.cz
Secretary: Romana Rychlíková, E-mail: romana.rychlikova@natur.cuni.cz, RNDr. Dagmar Chalupová, Ph.D., E-mail: dagmar.chalupova@natur.cuni.cz, Helena Přibylová, E-mail: helena.pribylova@natur.cuni.cz

Introduction

Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology of the Faculty of Science guarantees lectures of Master and Ph.D. study programs of Physical Geography and Geoecology. This department also considerably participates on education of Geography and Cartography study program (bachelor study program) and Teaching Geography study program (in combination with mathematics, biology, history etc.). The basis of the research activity forms the study of theoretical aspects of physical geography and the development of basic and applied research in the main specializations of this scientific branch - geomorphology, hydrology, meteorology and climatology, pedology and landscape ecology.

History and personalities

Physical geography is lectured at the Charles University since 1784 within the scope of the Faculty of Arts. The Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology was established in 1991 as one of succession departments of the Department of Cartography and Physical Geography (established 1953). Several famous geographers have written to the history of the department - prof. PhDr. Václav Švambera (1866-1939), prof. PhDr. Václav Dědina, DrSc. (1870-1956), prof. PhDr. Jiří Viktor Daneš (1880-1928) and prof. RNDr. Josef Kunský, DrSc. (1903-1977).

Four directors have led the Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology since 1991 - doc. RNDr. Jan Votýpka, CSc. (1991-1997), prof. RNDr. Jan Kalvoda, DrSc. (1997-2003), doc. RNDr. Bohumír Janský, CSc. (2003-2009) and doc. RNDr. Vít Vilímek (2009-present).

Actual activities

• Teaching and education in bachelor, master and doctoral studies.
• Research activities in terms of basic and applied research.
• Cooperation with universities and other scientific and public institutions.
• Cooperation with international institutions and their parts such UN, NATO, UNESCO, IGU (International Geographical Union) or IAG (International Association of Geomorphologist), IALE (International Association of Landscape Ecology).
• Cooperation with partner universities connected to ERASMUS program. The most intensive communication proceeds among others with Oxford Brookes University, University of Sheffield, Université Louis Pasteur Strasbourg, Freie Universität Berlin, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Uniwersytet Wrocławski or Università degli Studi di Camerino.

Research Interests - main topics

Research in physical geography and goecology and other expert works in related branches considerably contributes by understanding the dynamics of global and regional changes of natural systems.

• Changes of natural environment and the dynamics of interactions of its physical-geographical components.
• Geographical assessment and results synthesis of recent processes observation and measurement.
• Natural hazards and physical-geographical aspects of their risks for the society.
• Development of nature and society interactions in the landscape
• Anthropogenic processes and phenomena in the complex of physical geography and geoecology of experimental areas and regions.