“Established in 1952”, that’s the first thing to remember about the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Charles University. We call it Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta Univerzity Karlovy or Matfyz for short. It stands as a beacon of knowledge in Prague.
Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta Univerzity Karlovy has a rich history. It has shaped countless minds over the decades. Since its establishment, the faculty has been a hub for students and professors. They represent the university both in the Czech Republic and internationally.
Among its achievements, Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta Univerzity Karlovy participated in developing the Solar Wind Analyser. This device is onboard the Solar Orbiter spacecraft. Matfyz also launched an educational game project. It is based on comic simulations and called Czechoslovakia 38–89. They developed a PC game Attentat 1942.
The faculty created CUBBITT. This AI translator rivals professional English human translators. Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta Univerzity Karlovy established the Malach Center for Visual History. They collaborated on DeepStack. This AI system defeated professional poker players in 2016.
The Faculty of Mathematics and Physics is the birthplace of Bird. It is an IP routing daemon. It runs mainly on Linux systems. Xelfi, a student project evolved into NetBeans, a Java development environment. Matfyz has long been part of The CERN Experimental Programme.
In 2021, a cooperative team from Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta Univerzity Karlovy, Švandovo divadlo and DAMU created the first theatre play written by AI. Its premiere was on February 26, 2021.
Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta Univerzity Karlovy produces approximately 25% of Charles University’s research outputs. Notable graduates include astronomer Jiří Grygar. Scientist Jiří Bičák received an award for his contributions to global science in 2014. Minor planet 55844 Bičák was named after him in 2007. Martin Klíma, co-founder of Warhorse Studios is also an alumnus. Their video game is Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Alice Valkárová, a former student and current professor at Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta Univerzity Karlovy, joined the European Research Council in 2021. Miloslav Feistauer teaches at Matfyz. He is a member of Learned Society of the Czech Republic.
The faculty is divided into three schools. These are the School of Physics, the School of Computer Science and the School of Mathematics. Each school comprises multiple departments and institutes. They cover a wide range of disciplines.
You’ll find the Dean’s Office in Karlov. The School of Physics is in Karlov and Troja. The School of Mathematics is in Karlín. The School of Computer Science resides in Malá Strana.
Matematicko-fyzikální fakulta Univerzity Karlovy continues to shape the future. It fosters innovation in mathematics, physics and computer science. Its contributions resonate globally.