Professor at Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Faculty of Applied Informatics, Zlín, Czech
Republic
Professor Kolomaznik, 82, was born in Kroměříž, Czech Republic, a beautiful historical town
in the eastern part of the country. Its garden and Castle are listed as one of the World Heritage
Sites of UNESCO (since 1998). He attended the University of Chemistry and Technology
Prague, Faculty of Organic Technology, where he obtained an Engineer Degree in 1962 and
Doctorate in 1967. In 1969, he joined Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Technology in
Zlín as a Research Assistant, and later an Assistant Professor, Senior Lecturer and Professor.
He was granted the degree of Doctor of Science in 1988 at Brno Technical University, Faculty
of Civil Engineering, and Professorship in 1991. In 2001, the Faculty of Technology of Brno
University of Technology was changed to the Faculty of Technology of Tomas Bata University
in Zlín. In the same year, the Institute of Information Technologies (IIT) was founded at the
Faculty of Technology, with Prof. Kolomazník as one of the leading researchers. In 2006, Prof.
Kolomaznik joined the newly established Faculty of Applied Informatics, where he currently
holds the position of Professor of Engineering. In addition to his extensive educational
activities, he is the head of a research group dealing with optimization of technological
processes particularly in the field of valorization of waste generated by the tanning, leather and
food processing industries. His rich research career has been devoted mainly to the following
areas:
- Indirect modeling of manufacturing processes for natural and synthetic polymers in view
of their rationalization and optimization.
- Development and implementation of recycling technologies for potentially hazardous
waste of the meat, food and leather industries.
- Control algorithms of chemical reactors in the production of regenerated tanning salts
through oxidation-reduction reactions.
- Transport phenomena in polymer systems.
- Optimization of manufacturing processes in the leather and textile industries.
- Development of modified aminoplasts from protein hydrolyzates.
- Production of biodiesel from waste fats and oils generated by the tanning, food and textile
industries.
He is an active member of the American Leather Chemists Association (ALCA), the American
Chemical Society (ACS), international consultant of the Leather Panel of UNIDO and long-time
member of the International Union of Environment (IUE) Commission of International Union of
Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS).
Prof. Kolomazník has led and participated in many successful projects funded e.g. by the
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, Ministry of Industry and Trade
or the Ministry of Agriculture, the Czech Science Foundation, the US-Asia Environmental
Partnership programme, European Commission (EU Framework Programmes), etc. (see the
list of selected projects below).
In addition, he has put many of his results into industrial practice in cooperation with
commercial partners from both the Czech Republic and abroad. He has had a long-term
cooperation with the Eastern Regional Research Center (ERRC) of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Wyndmoor, PA where he successfully applied the ammonia-free deliming of white
hide. He has been an international expert in the ERRC since 1984, and an international
consultant in US-AEP (US – Asia Environmental Partnership) and UNIDO in Vienna. In NIKE
Inc. (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) he implemented a patented technology for the processing of
manipulation waste from leather industry including the application of the products. In
cooperation with the ECCO Tannery in Dongen (Netherlands) and a Mexican tannery in León
he successfully tested the recycling technology of potentially hazardous chrome-tanned waste.
He has been also active in industrial applications within the Czech Republic, e.g.
implementation of a patented technology of a protein hydrolyzate production from animalbased organic waste in the Kortan, s.r.o. in Hrádek nad Nisou (for details see the list of selected
industrial applications below).
Prof. Kolomazník is a holder of many national and international awards and appreciations. In
1998 he was awarded the Rolex Award for Enterprise and so far remains the only Czech holder
of said award. In 1977 he and his colleagues received the EUREKA Golden Medal in the 32nd
World Exhibition in Brussels, and in the same year the Prize of the Minister of Agriculture of
Belgium. In 2009 he was awarded the prestigious Alsop Award of the American Leather
Chemists Association for outstanding contribution for the American Leather Chemists
Association. On the national level, he is a holder of the City of Zlín Award (in 2000), for his
globally recognized contribution to the solution of contemporary ecological problems,
particularly for the invention of progressive technologies of processing of leather waste, and
for excellent representation of the city of Zlín in the world scientific community. He has also
ranked three times among the top ten most distinguished personalities of the Zlín Region
(2008, 2009 and 2014).
In 2014, he was awarded the "Ceska hlava" (Czech Brain) Award for 2014, in the category:
Invention Award – Natural Sciences. "Ceska hlava" is the most prestigious award in the field
of science and innovation in the Czech Republic.
In October 28, 2018 he was awarded the Medal of Merit by the President of the Czech Republic
in the field of Science and Education.
Prof. Karel Kolomaznik, Receiving the Fray International Award from Dr. Florian Kongoli at FLOGEN SIPS 2022
Dr. Florian Kongoli congratulating Prof. Karel Kolomaznik on his award at FLOGEN SIPS 2022
Prof. Karel Kolomaznik, Delivering his acceptance speech to Dr. Florian Kongoli during the FLOGEN SIPS 2022 ceremony
FLOGEN SIPS 2022 Awards: Dr. Karel Kolomaznik, Professor, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, Czechia
