{"id":21195,"date":"2023-02-16T15:22:44","date_gmt":"2023-02-16T14:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/2023\/02\/rozhovor-s-jaroslavem-pollertem-profesorem-fakulty-stavebni-cvut-a-uspesnym-ceskoslovenskym-reprezentantem-v-kanoistice\/"},"modified":"2024-08-19T17:15:04","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T16:15:04","slug":"rozhovor-s-jaroslavem-pollertem-profesorem-fakulty-stavebni-cvut-a-uspesnym-ceskoslovenskym-reprezentantem-v-kanoistice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/2023\/02\/rozhovor-s-jaroslavem-pollertem-profesorem-fakulty-stavebni-cvut-a-uspesnym-ceskoslovenskym-reprezentantem-v-kanoistice\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Jaroslav Pollert, professor at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU and a successful Czechoslovak representative in canoeing"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>Jaroslav Pollert senior, Olympic Games Barcelona 1992, leader of the canoeist expedition<\/h6>\n

Do you remember the\u00a0first time that water appealed to\u00a0you so much that you decided to\u00a0dedicate your professional and private life to\u00a0it?<\/span><\/h3>\n

It is quite a difficult question. to say that the motive was building \u201cdams\u201d in the streams after the rain would probably be untrue. My interest in the field arose roughly at the moment when my brother, who was five years older, took me to the shipyard at the confluence of the Vltava and \u010certovka rivers in Prague in 1957. The view from the shipyard over the river all the way to Vy\u0161ehrad was breath-taking. Just like the first descent of the Lower S\u00e1zava in the summer of 1957 with my brother on a double canoe during a minor flood, when the Vran\u00e9 reservoir was also flowing, so we managed to reach the Mal\u00e1 Strana shipyard from Krhanice in one day. I made quite rapid progress in technical and competitive skills in water slalom, and so in 1959 I won the youth championship of Czechoslovakia both in single canoe and in kayak. Practical knowledge of the flow of water probably helped me to the fact that, after graduating from a secondary school, I agreed with my parents to go to an extension course at a technical school in Du\u0161n\u00ed street, majoring in water management. My parents didn\u2018t have an easy time with me. When I graduated from technical school, I\u00a0resisted and didn\u2018t want to\u00a0go to\u00a0university. At\u00a0that time, being a\u00a0TV repairman was financially better than being an engineer. However, the\u00a0fear of\u00a0compulsory two-year military service and also my friends, almost all university students, changed my view of\u00a0life, and I applied to\u00a0CTU \u2013 water engineering and water management. In\u00a0retrospect, I can say that I barely passed through secondary school, but finishing university on\u00a0time was not a\u00a0big problem, even though it\u00a0was already connected with top-level sport.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>All beginnings are difficult \u2013 wild water was stronger, Starom\u011bstsk\u00fd jez, Prague 1959<\/h6>\n

You have gained a\u00a0lot of\u00a0success in\u00a0sport. Which do you value the\u00a0most?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Sport taught me to\u00a0understand one important thing: to\u00a0be able to\u00a0accept victories, but also defeats, and there are many more of\u00a0them in\u00a0life. This truth has also been transferred into professional life, as\u00a0not every application for\u00a0a\u00a0new project or grant, for example, comes through. Those \u201cunnecessary\u201d pages of\u00a0writing are a\u00a0loss. But then comes the\u00a0acceptance of\u00a0a project \u2013 and that is\u00a0victory. But\u00a0the\u00a0question is: sporting achievements. of\u00a0course, these would be all three gold medals from the\u00a0World Water Slalom Championships \u2013 1961 (Dresden, Germany), 1965 (Spittal, Austria), and 1973 (Muotathal, Switzerland). My\u00a0active sports career ended in\u00a01974, when my partner from double canoe immigrated to\u00a0Switzerland, and indirectly started my professional career. That\u00a0last world victory was probably the\u00a0biggest sporting success for me. After 1989, I was invited by our sporting public and elected chairman of\u00a0the\u00a0Czechoslovak and later Czech canoeing. At\u00a0the\u00a0same time, I was drawn into the\u00a0Olympic movement, where I have been a\u00a0member of\u00a0the\u00a0executive of\u00a0the\u00a0National Olympic Committee since 1990.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>First gold from the World Championships, Dresden 1961<\/h6>\n

In 1992, I was elected to\u00a0the\u00a0Executive Committee of\u00a0the\u00a0International Canoe Federation (ICF) and, in\u00a0autumn 1996, I was elected the\u00a0chairman of\u00a0the\u00a0whole world water slalom. During the\u00a01996 ICF Electoral Congress, the\u00a0news came that water slalom would be removed from the\u00a0programme of\u00a0the\u00a0Olympic Games in\u00a0Sydney in\u00a02000. As\u00a0chairman, I could not allow this dark scenario. Together with friends, we have prepared a\u00a0worldwide campaign to\u00a0save and also to\u00a0change the\u00a0slalom course project. The\u00a0removal occurred for financial reasons. The\u00a0original project was 13.5 million Australian dollars (AUD), but, probably due to\u00a0my contribution as\u00a0an expert on\u00a0water structures, the\u00a0price came to\u00a06.5\u00a0million AUD, and we reduced the\u00a0price for Australia by the\u00a0contributions from the\u00a0national canoeing federations to\u00a03 million AUD. As\u00a0part of\u00a0the\u00a0campaign, I got to\u00a0know the\u00a0Internet and e-mail for the\u00a0first time. It was in\u00a01996 that CTU got its first connection from Linz via CESNET, and I quickly convinced the\u00a0head of\u00a0the\u00a0computer centre that I needed it. It was the\u00a0first connection outside the\u00a0computer centre. From there I sent manuscripts of\u00a0letters to\u00a0various friends for statesmen \u2013 Jacques Chirac, Al Gore, but also for President V\u00e1clav Havel. I like to\u00a0remember it. It\u2019s still like winning an Olympic gold medal for me. Nowadays, not having an\u00a0Olympic credit unfortunately means \u201cbarely surviving\u201d in\u00a0sports.<\/p>\n

Do you still go canoeing?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Another tough question. Sometimes I use a\u00a0tourist canoe, but only on\u00a0calm or slow-flowing water. Last year at\u00a0the\u00a0end of\u00a0August I decided that at\u00a0the\u00a0age
\nof\u00a079 I needed to\u00a0feel real wild water at\u00a0least one more time. After finishing my duties as\u00a0Vice-President of\u00a0the\u00a0European Canoeing Association in\u00a0Slovenia, I\u00a0decided to\u00a0experience the\u00a0descent of\u00a0the\u00a0beautiful mountain river So\u010da. The\u00a0water level was quite high after several days of\u00a0rain, so the\u00a0waves and holes had their power. Even on\u00a0the\u00a0raft, I discovered that the\u00a0habits from my youth remained in\u00a0me \u2013 where to\u00a0lean out, how to\u00a0catch and read the\u00a0water. It made me very happy inside.<\/p>\n

At the faculty, among other things, you deal with designing new channels for water slalom. How many channels have you designed? Which one are you most proud of\u00a0and which was the\u00a0most interesting?<\/span><\/h3>\n

My main professional focus is\u00a0on\u00a0topics related to\u00a0hydraulics in\u00a0sanitary engineering, especially the\u00a0flow of\u00a0dispersion systems, for which I was nominated for a\u00a0state award for meritorious service to\u00a0the\u00a0state in\u00a0the\u00a0field of\u00a0science in\u00a02017. As\u00a0for water slalom, the\u00a0first physical model for slalom course design was Prague\u2019s Troja in\u00a01978. This was followed by designs of\u00a0Czech slalom course s (Trn\u00e1vka, Roudnice, Brand\u00fds nad Labem) and expert opinions and recommendations for foreign countries \u2013 Nottingham (England), Tres Coroas (Brazil), Idaho Falls (USA), and others.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Olympic Games 2000 in Sydney, Jaroslav Pollert st. \u2013 design and implementation of an artificial runway for water slalom, stadium layout<\/h6>\n

Of course, the\u00a0most significant slalom course designs with 100 % implementation were for the\u00a0Olympic Games in\u00a0Sydney in\u00a02000. I am personally most proud of\u00a0this project, as\u00a0it included an unconventional stadium layout where the\u00a0spectator sees the\u00a0competitor practically from the\u00a0start to\u00a0the\u00a0finish line.<\/p>\n

Other major design projects were for Auckland, New Zealand (2013), Rio\u00a0de Janeiro (2014, for the\u00a02016 Olympics), and Tokyo (2017, for the\u00a02020\/2021 Olympics) where my son was the\u00a0main person responsible, bringing a\u00a0whole range of\u00a0innovative elements to\u00a0the\u00a0designs.<\/p>\n

Now back to\u00a0your main specialization: what is\u00a0your personal view on\u00a0the\u00a0interest of\u00a0students in\u00a0the\u00a0study fields of\u00a0water management?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Recently, it seems that interest in\u00a0studying the\u00a0field has increased slightly. However, it is\u00a0not yet possible to\u00a0determine from the\u00a0statistics whether this is\u00a0really due to\u00a0interest or a\u00a0demographic curve influenced by growing up of\u00a0children of\u00a0the\u00a0strong years of\u00a01970s. Perhaps it is\u00a0also a\u00a0secondary effect of\u00a0global interest in\u00a0climate change, which may bring problems with droughts and floods.<\/p>\n

Can you compare the development of water management fields of study in the\u00a0Czech Republic and abroad?<\/span><\/h3>\n

I think that, overall, the\u00a0level of\u00a0the\u00a0individual subjects that are included in\u00a0the\u00a0basic curriculum of\u00a0the\u00a0field of\u00a0water engineering and water management is\u00a0still at\u00a0a good level. I have more experience and the\u00a0possibility of\u00a0comparison in\u00a0doctoral studies. Here, the\u00a0interest is\u00a0quite high in\u00a0studies and scientific research among students, mainly from Europe and especially from the\u00a0southern part of\u00a0Europe. I don\u2019t know why, but there are very few bachelor\u2019s or master\u2019s students, even though today it is\u00a0possible to\u00a0graduate in\u00a0English at\u00a0CTU. It\u00a0is\u00a0not financial reasons. Erasmus programmes fully ensure the\u00a0stay. Unfortunately, the\u00a0lack of\u00a0interest in\u00a0our bachelor\u2019s, master\u2019s, and sometimes doctoral students in\u00a0the\u00a0field to\u00a0go somewhere for a\u00a0longer period of\u00a0time also contributes to\u00a0this. More foreign stays and feedback from students would help to\u00a0improve the\u00a0quality of\u00a0our teaching and increase the\u00a0prestige of\u00a0the\u00a0entire field of\u00a0study in\u00a0the\u00a0Czech Republic.<\/p>\n

What would contribute to\u00a0making the\u00a0field of\u00a0water management more attractive?<\/span><\/h3>\n

That is\u00a0a\u00a0very difficult question. Those who fall for water management for the\u00a0reason of\u00a0its connection to\u00a0water element and nature do not need to\u00a0be convinced about its attractiveness. The\u00a0question concerns a\u00a0field that is\u00a0part of\u00a0studies at\u00a0the\u00a0Faculty of\u00a0Civil Engineering of\u00a0CTU. I believe that it is\u00a0perhaps unfortunate for young people leaving secondary school, as\u00a0well as\u00a0their parents, that the\u00a0field is\u00a0not specialized at\u00a0the\u00a0beginning of\u00a0the\u00a0studies and is\u00a0part of\u00a0the\u00a0Civil Engineering programme. Under this title, many applicants see pure construction work, with higher specialization only occurring in\u00a0the\u00a0third year of\u00a0study. When reading materials about the\u00a0faculty, applicants and their parents often do not get that far. This may be my personal impression, but I answered the\u00a0above questions several times during the\u00a0open days: \u201cAnd will the\u00a0students learn about water if\u00a0it\u2019s called Civil Engineering?\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0topic of\u00a0water is\u00a0widely discussed among experts and the\u00a0lay public. Does it help when more and more people talk about water? Or, what do you miss most in\u00a0this discussion?<\/span><\/h3>\n

It is\u00a0true that water as\u00a0one of\u00a0life\u2019s essentials is\u00a0perceived by people as\u00a0something common. That is\u00a0why \u201calmost everyone\u201d understands the\u00a0problems associated with it. I would like to\u00a0supplement it with my own experience in\u00a0designing artificial slalom course s for water slalom. I often hear: \u201cAfter all, I\u00a0did canoeing, so I know how to\u00a0design a\u00a0slalom course.\u201d But these people lack technical knowledge and the\u00a0result, i.e. the\u00a0design, is\u00a0a\u00a0\u201cmess\u201d and has to\u00a0be complicatedly redone. But unfortunately, these people are often closer to\u00a0financial resources than a\u00a0real expert.<\/p>\n

It is\u00a0almost immoral to\u00a0say that people only begin to\u00a0understand the\u00a0main problems with water on\u00a0a\u00a0wider scale after certain major catastrophes, such as\u00a0floods or major ecological disasters connected with water, for example fish poisoning in\u00a0the\u00a0Be\u010dva. It is\u00a0also bad that, in\u00a0general, technical problems related not only to\u00a0water are not discussed much in\u00a0the\u00a0media. A\u00a0possible cause may also be a\u00a0very narrow group of\u00a0media workers who are able to\u00a0ask questions in\u00a0a well-founded manner and further elaborate them for the\u00a0layperson. Fortunately, there is\u00a0Daniel Stach on\u00a0Czech Television, who is\u00a0able to\u00a0translate expert explanations into a\u00a0form understandable for the\u00a0lay public.<\/p>\n

Thank you for the\u00a0time you devoted to\u00a0our interview.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ing. Josef Nistler<\/span><\/h3>\n

Prof. Ing. Jaroslav Pollert, DrSc.<\/h3>\n

Prof. Ing. Jaroslav Pollert, DrSc., born on 16 August 1943, is a professor at the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU, where he mainly focuses on experimental research related to the hydrodynamics of dispersion systems. He is the author or co-author of 112 professional publications and lectures at domestic and foreign professional confer-ences. He is also a member of international scientific committees of prestigious world conferences and a coordinator or leader of international projects and programmes of the Agency for International Development, \u201cReducing Energy Costs in District Heating Systems\u201d and \u201cAssessing Infiltration and Exfiltration on the Performance of Urban Sewer Systems\u201d within the fifth EU framework programme for the development of science and technology.<\/p>\n

Apart from his professional work at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of CTU, prof. Jaroslav Pollert is a former Czechoslovak representative in canoeing and world champion in wild water slalom. At the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships he won three gold medals \u2013 in 1961 (C-1 team), 1965 (C-2 team), and 1973 (C-2); in 1973 he added C-2 team silver with Ji\u0159\u00ed Krejza. After his career ended, he became a sports official. From 1990 to 1992 he was chairman of the Czechoslovak Canoe-ing Association, from 2006 to 2014 chairman of the Czech Canoeing Association. Since 1990, he has continuously been a member of the executive committee of the Czechoslovak and subsequently the Czech Olympic Committee. In 2015, he became vice-president of the European Canoeing Association and defended the position four years later. Together with his son Jaroslav, he participated in designing new channels for water slalom, including for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

An interview with Jaroslav Pollert, professor of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU and a successful Czechoslovak representative in canoeing, about his work as part of the Executive Committee of the International Canoeing Federation (ICF), the Czechoslovak and later the Czech Olympic Committee, about his professional career focused on the hydrodynamics of dispersion systems including, among other things, designing channels for water slalom and about his view on water management studies at Czech universities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":18030,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,86,93],"tags":[3057,3058,3055,3056,3059],"coauthors":[1742],"class_list":["post-21195","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-from-the-world-of-water-management","category-hydraulics-hydrology-and-hydrogeology","category-two-articles","tag-canoeing","tag-channel-design","tag-hydrodynamics","tag-hydrodynamics-of-dispersion-systems","tag-water-slalom"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21195"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21195\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32043,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21195\/revisions\/32043"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21195"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vtei.cz\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=21195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}