Seeing the Unseen: The Story of a Czech Scientist at CERN

An Interview with Petr Burian, Ph.D., Scientist at FEL UWB and UTEF CTU

We bring you the story of a man who started on an old Didaktik-M computer and today develops technologies used at CERN – the world’s most renowned physics research center. What does working on particle detectors entail? How did he get from Pilsen to Geneva? And why should you choose electrical engineering for your future career? We discussed all this with Petr Burian from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (FEL UWB) and the Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics at the Czech Technical University (UTEF CTU).

Petr, what does it mean to you when a new detector is being tested at CERN?

„Imagine the control room of the SPS accelerator at CERN. It’s November 2024, and I’m sitting there with my colleagues. After months of development, the key moment arrives when we activate the particle beam—beam… boom, the first data!“
At that moment, you feel relief, you see the results of all that hard work, and you know you’re part of something significant. It’s a mix of lingering nervousness and pure joy.

What exactly were you testing back then?

We were working on a new detector, Timepix4, which can “see” radiation. It records not only the position and energy of particles but also the timing of their interaction. And it does all this at incredible speeds—we can observe millions of such events per second.

Let’s go back to the beginning. How did you go from a Didaktik-M to CERN?

(Laughs) That was back in 1991 when my father bought me a Didaktik-M, a socialist copy of the ZX Spectrum. From that moment, I was hooked on computers. After primary school, I attended the Vocational School of Communications in Tábor, and then came the choice of university. I was deciding between Prague and Pilsen, and ultimately, I chose Pilsen – the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at University of West Bohemia. I enjoyed not only programming but also developing devices that process data.

What role did the University of West Bohemia play in your career direction?

A huge one. At FEL, I encountered excellent teachers like Professor Pinker and Associate Professor Poupa, who guided me toward the design of digital and embedded systems. After completing my master’s degree, I continued with a Ph.D. and stayed at the faculty as a developer at RICE (Research and Innovation Centre for Electrical Engineering) and an assistant at the Department of Electronics and Information Technology.

What was the turning point that led you to particle detectors?

I met Dr. Pospíšil from CTU, who asked me two questions: if I knew anything about pixel detectors and if I spoke English. At that time, I only knew the basics about detectors, but that didn’t deter him 😊. From that point, we started collaborating on the development of pixel detectors. I became a member of his team at CTU, and we deepened our collaboration between CTU and UWB in developing electronics for physics instrumentation.

What is the most exciting aspect of your work?

The fact that we develop technologies used worldwide. Our detectors are not only at CERN but also in other scientific centers like DESY in Germany, CEA in France, and the University of Glasgow. My colleagues and I always prepare measurement chains and instrumentation tailored to the user’s needs. It’s not about a single final device; every experiment is unique and requires specific modifications.

You spent some time at CERN. What was that like?

Through the Mobility 3.0 program, I spent eight months there with my family. During that time, I tested the Timepix2 chip and prepared an acquisition system for it. I worked in the MEDIPIX team (a collaboration of universities developing detectors), and everyone was extremely kind to me. It was a great professional leap forward, and I made valuable connections for my future career. I look back on that time fondly.

What are your plans for Timepix4 in the future?

Timepix4 offers a data rate of 160 Gbps and a time resolution of about 200 picoseconds. We aim to continue its development and soon deploy it in a major experiment at CERN or elsewhere. However, the work is just beginning, and we still face tasks like adapting our systems for large-area detectors and optimizing them for X-ray systems.

Is it true that your team names devices after women?

Not entirely; many devices are nameless or have unremarkable names. However, our acquisition systems for pixel detectors – our main products – are named Katherine. We have versions like Katherine for Timepix2, Katherine GEN2, and so on. And why? Guess the name of my wife 😊.

What advice would you give to high school students considering their future?

Two pieces of advice: First, be ambitious – the world belongs to the brave, as Charles Bukowski put it more colorfully 😉. Don’t fear failure or mistakes; they’re part of life. You have your whole life and many more attempts ahead. Second, focus on building your expertise while you’re young and free of obligations. Emphasize theory and fundamental knowledge; that’s what will lead you to new ideas and solutions.
When choosing a school, consider its scientific and research achievements. I’d be delighted to meet some of you in a few years at CERN during an experiment.
Ultimately, any education will pay off in the future if students invest their energy into it.

Thank you for the inspiring interview, and we wish you great success with Timepix4 and your future projects.

Ing. Petr Burian, Ph.D. – Scientist and Researcher

Petr Burian works at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (FEL UWB) and the Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics at the Czech Technical University in Prague (UTEF CTU). He specializes in developing digital and embedded systems. His work revolves around physics instrumentation – primarily for pixel particle detectors that finds applications in numerous research centers.

He has completed a work stay at CERN, where he tested new generations of Timepix-class pixel detectors. These devices can “see” radiation and process vast amounts of data in real time. Beyond CERN, his technology can also be found at other leading research centers across Europe.

🚀 Do you love technology and new challenges? Visit the FEL UWB Open Day on January 28, 2025, in Pilsen, and find out how you can be part of global projects! We look forward to seeing you.