The Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic has been observing the 20'" anniversary of its inception. This month we feature an interview with Professor Helena Illnerova of the Institute of Physiology of the ASCR, the first woman to be elected of the ASO? president of the ASCR. Professor Illnerova is one of the leading Czech scientists, having begun her work in the 1960s. Her main research interest is the time-keeping program of mammals, including man, and the synchronization of the circadian biological clock with the 24-hour-day and seasons of the year. In 1990, she received a DrSc. degree for a doctoral thesis entitled Regulation of Circadian Rhythms in the Rat Pineal Gland. and Marina Hužvárová.
We feature an interview in this issue with Professor Eva Semotanová, director of the Institute of History of the ASC R. As a research worker, she specializes in interdisciplinary fields of science on the intersection between geography and history, namely, historical geography, history of cartography and historical cartography. Professor Semotanová's study includes the history of Czech towns and cities in a historical-geographic context as she seeks to integrate this context into historical processes. She supervises the Institute's cartographic collection. Chair of the Committee for Historical Geography, she also lectures on historical geography. and Marina Hužvárová.
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) celebrates fifty years since the signing of its founding convention. Over the last half century, ESO has become the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory. The signing of the ESO Convention on October, 5, 1962 and the foundation of ESO was the culmination of the vision of leading astronomers from five European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. They had decided to join forces for the purpose of building a large telescope that would give them access to the magnificent and rich southern sky. Operating three unique and world-class observing sites in Chile (at La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor), ESO has become a leader in the astronomical research community. To celebrate the 50th anniversary, ESO and its partners (including the Czech Republic) are organising many events and public initiatives during 2012. and Marina Hužvárová.