Abstract
This book is based on an oral history research project, which was undertaken during 2015-2016. It consists of Introduction, explaining the theory and methodology employed here and also describing the collection of interviews and historical context of development of Czech sciences, since the merge of sciences and state ideology during 1950s, up to establishment of modern research institutions after the 1989.
The second introductory study of rather "biographical" character presents the characteristics, typical for careers of involved scientists, including choice of their respective research fields, their school years, scientific achievements, family life (including some still enduring gender stereotypes, typical for sciences and research), as far as their reflection of the current state of affairs not only in their research field, but also in professional and personal life. There is also a third study included, dealing in greater detail with conditions of development of science, reflecting the problem of central state planning in the pre-1989 period, problem of finances after the 1989 and also transformation of PhD. studies after 1989 (including the legislative context and the crucial condition of the Czech Academy of Sciences being unable to bring up its own doctoral students).
Studies are supplemented by ten edited oral history interviews with chosen narrators, i. e. scientists, who have been active in technical or natural sciences in said period.