Oldřich Jirsák

* 1947

Scientist, University professor, A cultural celebrity

21. 8. 1968 - Invasion of the Warsaw Pact troops, 17. 11. - 29. 12. 1989 - The Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia

1

Přehrát

Pozastavit

Invention and expansion of Struto technology
(video)

duration: 01:45

Download file

Info

“In the 1980s, Professor Krčma came up with the idea that we should make the nonwoven fabric so that the fibers do not lie flat in it, but are aligned perpendicularly there. We developed this kind of technology and found that such textiles have completely different properties, and then for several years we developed machines that could work here in factories. Then we succeeded, it was nothing that was producing particularly efficiently, but we installed here about a dozen machines in various textile companies in the Czech Republic. But then it was clear that if we wanted to go abroad, the machines had to work much faster. So, we managed to succeed with these machines abroad. I certainly spent more than a year alone in the United States, where I installed our machines that developed here. But not only in the United States, it was in about ten different countries where we could exhibit, sell, install, develop, and develop a variety of specific products. And that, of course, will bring you to the highest level, because that is something that must fall out and what someone in the world is willing to accept, buy, pay for and use.”
2

Přehrát

Pozastavit

Working conditions in the state-owned company Chemlon
(video)

duration: 01:44

Download file

Info

“When I was in Chemlon, it was an interesting event. It was a company that was built on a green field in the context of the so-called industrialization of Slovakia, or for the money provided by the government, relatively modern machines were bought, you can say the most modern state-of-the-art machines in the world. Those people had to learn to work with it. They learned it very well. And then those people should also be responsible for developing those technologies and products. But it wasn't like that. I have developed a number of potentially interesting and even realized things. But I was not supported in that Chemlon, because those bosses who were there were still driving around the world and still had enough money to buy more and more technology. There were built Russian, but also Dutch, German, Italian and Japanese technologies. And those bosses were going around the world and that was something - getting into the world and still having enough resources to live there. And then, they were esteemed customers of those potential suppliers of new technologies, so they were pampered there. And to support the strange activities of a researcher at home, it was not only distant, it was absolutely against their line of thinking.”
Full recordings
1

Liberec, 20.09.2019
(audio)

duration: 01:29:31

Download file

Info

Full recordings are available only for logged users.

We wanted our discoveries to be usable

Graduation photo of Oldřich Jirsák

photo: archiv pamětníka

Oldřich Jirsák was born on 22 July 1947 in Hradec Králové. In 1965 - 1970 he studied mathematics and chemistry at Palacký University in Olomouc. He perceived the transformation of the faculty at the beginning of normalization. After one year of military service, he joined the Chemlon state enterprise in Humenné, Slovakia as a researcher. He focused mainly on research of nylon fibers in order to improve their properties in clothing production. Later he joined the Technical University of Liberec, where he became a member of the team of prominent professor Radko Krčma. He participated in the development of Struto technology. Although he had limited resources for scientific work under socialism, he achieved academic recognition at this time. After the Velvet Revolution, he was awarded the title of professor and became the head of the Department of Nonwovens in Liberec. Together with his team he started to research nanofibers and nanofibrous materials. In 2003, he succeeded in discovering a unique technology for the industrial production of nanofiber woven textiles, the so-called Nanospider. He has won many awards for his success. Among the more well-known, for example, the title Czech Head. In 2008 he was awarded the Medal of Merit of the State in the field of science by the President of the Republic. Many of the discoveries of Oldřich Jirsák and his team are of worldwide importance.

Show witness full story (Česky)

Photos (14)

Graduation photo of Oldřich Jirsák

Graduation photo of Oldřich Jirsák

photo: archiv pamětníka
Download image
From the time of grammar school studies

From the time of grammar school studies

photo: archiv pamětníka
Download image
At the fiber conference in Marianske Lazne (second from right)

At the fiber conference in Marianske Lazne (second from right)

photo: archiv pamětníka
Download image
In the childhood

In the childhood

photo: archiv pamětníka
Download image
Oldřich Jirsák in 2019

Oldřich Jirsák in 2019

photo: sbírka Post Bellum
Download image
Oldřich Jirsák in the laboratory of the University of Liberec

Oldřich Jirsák in the laboratory of the University of Liberec

photo: archiv Technické univerzity v Liberci
Download image
Oldřich Jirsák in the laboratory of the University of Liberec

Oldřich Jirsák in the laboratory of the University of Liberec

photo: archiv Technické univerzity v Liberci
Download image
Receiving the Medal of Merit from the hands of the President of the Republic

Receiving the Medal of Merit from the hands of the President of the Republic

photo: archiv Technické univerzity v Liberci
Download image
Receiving Gold Medal of Technical University of Liberec

Receiving Gold Medal of Technical University of Liberec

photo: archiv Technické univerzity v Liberci
Download image
Speech on the occasion of receiving the Gold Medal of the Technical University of Liberec

Speech on the occasion of receiving the Gold Medal of the Technical University of Liberec

photo: archiv Technické univerzity v Liberci
Download image
Presenting the machine for the production of nanofiber fabrics

Presenting the machine for the production of nanofiber fabrics

photo: archiv Technické univerzity v Liberci
Download image
With the parents

With the parents

photo: archiv pamětníka
Download image
At the nanotechnology conference (sitting in the middle)

At the nanotechnology conference (sitting in the middle)

photo: archiv pamětníka
Download image
At the beginning of 1960s

At the beginning of 1960s

photo: archiv pamětníka
Download image

Show all photos (14)

Links (3)

Prof. Oldřich Jirsák, CSC.

date:

31.10.2019
medium type:

Internet
medium name:

ceskahlava.cz
author:

Česká hlava