English Language and Literature

M.A., University of Westminster, UK
B.A., Richmond, The American International University in London, UK

Shaana Aljoe teaches English Composition at UNYP. She also teaches business English and works with the Czech Press Agency and has had professional management experience in the education, wine, and clothing industries. Ms Aljoe has taught English language courses at a number of institutions in England and Czech Republic including Huron University and Nottingham University in the UK, and here in Prague at Charles University and local language schools. Although originally from the US, Ms Aljoe’s undergraduate and postgraduate degrees were completed in London, England at Richmond International University and at the University of Westminster respectively. Ms Aljoe is currently engaged in researching for her doctorate in Education at the University of Nottingham. Her research focuses on improving the efficacy of content-based language learning at tertiary level. It is hoped that this research will benefit writing teachers who teach multilingual students attending English-medium universities such as UNYP. She is also currently developing international music programs for young musical scholars with the European Composer in Residence, Jaz Coleman.

M.F.A, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA
B.A., James Madison University, USA

George Allen is a Photographer and Educator currently living in the Czech Republic. Originally from the United States he studied European History and Studio Art at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia for his Bachelor of Arts. After graduating he worked for a few years before volunteering for a brief stint with the Americorps National Civilian Community Corps. Upon completion of the program, he entered the Graduate School at Virginia Commonwealth University in order to continue his studies and received his Masters of Fine Arts degree in Photography in 2004. Before moving to the Czech Republic, he spent six years in Richmond, Virginia teaching at multiple colleges and working extensively in both the photography and film industries. He teaches digital photography at UNYP.

M.A., Kansas State University, USA
B.A., Cedarville College, USA

Mark Andrew Brandon has taught at UNYP since 2004. Originally from the United States, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in European History at Cedarville College and a Master’s Degree at Kansas State University in Early Modern European History in 1994. Since then, he has lived in both the United States and the Czech Republic. From 1996 to 2000, he taught History at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. He is currently a doctoral student at Univerzita Jana Evangelisty Purkyně in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic. The main theme of his research is the Czech nobility and the Counter Reformation in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. This topic involves issues such as supernatural and magical beliefs, conflict in towns and villages over ritual and “sacred space,” and the place of religious belief in the Czech social and political context.

M.A., University of Glasgow, UK

Colin teaches English Composition courses at UNYP since 2004. A Scot living in Prague, he took his M.A. with joint Honours in English and Politics at the University of Glasgow before continuing his studies in Journalism in Darlington, England. He is enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Charles University’s Department of English and American Studies where he is also a lecturer on British Cultural Studies, Academic Writing and British History. His specialization is Scottish Literature and Culture. He is presently preparing a course on Scottish Studies, and has previously lectured on courses as diverse as Scottish Literature, Scottish Fantasy Literature, Literary Theory, Literary History, Scottish Film and Identity, Victorian Literature, Children’s Literature and British Science Fiction. He has lived in the Czech Republic since 2001.

Ph.D., Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
M.A., Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
B.A., George Mason University, USA

Dr. Tracy Dove is editor of The Russia News Service and writes a column called The Naked Historian that focuses on the history behind the headlines. After completing a Bachelor's Degree in European History at George Mason University in 1986, he went to Germany to pursue graduate studies in Russian history at the Freie Universität in West Berlin. Tracy Dove witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War first hand; he worked as a translator for CBS News in Berlin in 1989 and as a producer for NBC News at the Moscow bureau in 1992. He completed his Ph.D. in 1998 and began teaching history in various cities around the world, including Buenos Aires, Prague and Moscow.

B.A., Pennsylvania State University, USA

Juwana Jenkins began teaching as a Fulbright Scholar in South Korea where she was also an instructor at the Seoul National Language Research Institute. With a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Honors in Media Studies, she is a former News Director for the National Public Radio (USA) who also trains executives in international companies in communications and presentation skills. In addition to her teaching and training, she speaks internationally at conferences, delivering keynote addresses and workshops based on her international management experience in both commercial and non-profit organizations.

M.A., Menendez Pelayo Internationa University of Santander, Spain
B.A., University of Madrid, Spain

Alisa Linarejos Jiménez is teaching Spanish language courses at the UNYP Liberal Arts department. Born in Madrid (Spain) she obtained her BA in Translation and Interpretation in the Complutense University of Madrid. After graduation she continued her studies at the Menendez Pelayo International University of Santander (Spain) where she completed her master’s degree in Teaching Spanish as a foreign language. Since then she has worked as an Spanish teacher in France and Spain. She has been working at the Cervantes Institute of Prague since 2006. She has been a member of the examination board in the DELE exams (Diplomas of Spanish as a Foreign Language) in Prague and Brno. He joined UNYP in 2008.

M.A., Charles University, Czech Republic

Kateřina Machačová studied Czech language and literature at the Philosophical Faculty of Charles University in Prague. After having been teaching Czech for foreigners for several years in various language schools in Prague she founded her own language school Step by Step in 2001. There she is not only a co-owner but also a managing director and teacher. As a tutor she gives Czech courses for foreign managers of international companies.

M.A., University of Edinburgh, UK

Simon North was born in England and received his M.A. in Fine Art from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Following post-graduate studies in painting at the Edinburgh College of Art, he worked as an independent artist, drawing teacher, freelance lecturer/guide in the education department of the National Galleries of Scotland and humanities tutor at the Edinburgh College of Art. He has taught English in France, the UK, Hungary and the Czech Republic. In Prague, he was a tutor in the Department of History and Philosophy of Art and Architecture at the Central European University, where he was also responsible for library acquisitions. He has worked in cultural tourism as a guide and lecturer (in France and the Czech Republic) and as an art history lecturer for numerous American study abroad programs in Prague. He was Academic Director of the School for International Training (SIT) program “Arts and Social Change” in 1997. Currently he is also teaching courses on Czech art and architecture at New York University (NYU) in Prague. He joined UNYP in 2000, teaching art history survey courses (Art of the Western World etc.) as well as courses on art and architecture in Prague

RNDr., PhDr., M.Sc., M.A., Charles University, Czech Republic

Dr. Petr Pelikán has been teaching since 1975 at the University of Economics and later at Charles University. He has graduated at Philosophic Faculty and Faculty of Natural Science of Charles University with a Ph.D. in Geography. Dr. Pelikán had a number of professional engagements as translator, interpreter, and consultant for ministries, bank institutions, newspapers, Czechoslovak T.V.. In 1990 he had a work stay in Japan organized by the Japanese governmental foundation, sent by the Ministry of Education representing the country for the study of educational systems and methods. He has been teaching at UNYP since 1999 the courses of World Economy, World Geography and German language. In 2003 –2004 he was appointed to the post of UNYP academic coordinator for the Czech Ministry of Education.

Associate Diploma, Canberra Institute of Technology

Toni Purdy is an ESL teacher in Prague. She was born in Australia, gained her TESOL Cert. through Teach International in Brisbane; Cert. in Hospitality Operations at the North Coast College of Technical and Further Education; Assoc.Dip. in Business and Finance and Cert. in Bus.Comms. at the Canberra Institute of Technology and Small Business Management at the Canberra College of Technical and Further Education, Australia. Prior to coming to Prague, she taught English as a Second Language in China. Before leaving Australia, she taught a communications program titled “YouthSpeak” to middle-high school students and while in China wrote and taught a communications program for adult learners of a second language titled “Advance”. She is currently teaching a writing development course at the UNYP. Through Toastmasters International she has gained the distinctions of High Performance Leadership, Leadership Excellence and Distinguished Toastmaster, 2008; District 69 Area Governor of the Year 2004-05 and Competent Leader, 2002.

Postgraduate diploma, University College in Cardiff, UK
B.A., Durham University, UK
BFA, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

Natasha Sutta is a native Czech and English speaker, and is fluent in Russian and Chinese. She earned a Postgraduate Diploma from University College in Cardiff, UK, a B.A. from Durham University UK, and a BFA from NTNU Taiwan, ROC after two years of intensive Mandarin language study at the Mandarin Training Centre in Taiwan R.O.C. NTNU (National Taiwan Normal University) is a pedagogical university, with subjects such as Principles of Instruction and Educational Psychology. Compulsory classes included Chinese history, Chinese philosophy, as well as Written and Oral Mandarin, and Chinese literature. Natasha is a professional artist, and has held several international Solo exhibitions of paintings. Attendees included government and cultural representatives from different countries. She has been teaching at UNYP since September 2000. Her courses include Understanding China, Introduction to Chinese Calligraphy, Introduction to Drawing and Design and Introduction to Painting.

Ph.D., University of Missouri, USA
CSc., Czech Technical University
M.Eng., Czech Technical University

Dr. Jaroslav Šesták was born in the village ‘Držkov’ (North Bohemian Mountains) where he still possesses a small farm. He obtained a degree M.Eng in silicate chemistry (1962) and Ph.D. in solid state physics (1968), both in Prague, the latter degree was approved while he spend a year at the University of Missouri at Rolla as an assistant professor in ceramics (UMR 1970). Jaroslav devoted his scientific proficiency in experimental and theoretical studies related to the field of material thermodynamics and after communistic persecution (when he was not permitted to teach) he was finally allowed to became a full professor in material sciences and engineering (1993) and was credited by the highest gradation of D.Sc. for his life achievements. He edited and authored 15 books and monographs, published almost 300 papers that have received almost 2500 citations. Jaroslav was a cofounding member of ICTAC (1965), Thermochimica Acta (1970) and Journal of Mining and Metallurgy (1997) and is a member of the editorial board of Journal Thermal Analysis as well as he participates in other scientific and educational boards. Beside his scientific career he was a league basketball player, mountaineer (Himalaya, Caucasus, Asian Pamir, South American Andes and the European Alps – earning needed funds as an occasional window-cleaner roping down tall buildings), ski instructor, politician (deputy and member of the Prague government 1994-1998, once a candidate for the seat in the Czech parliament) and enthusiastic globetrotter (notoriously carrying a sleeping sack in his backpack while participating at scientific conferences). Within this hobby he has also became a recognized photographer who held twenty one photo-exhibitions and as a renowned scientist, he was invited to make photo-exhibitions at a number of international conferences Jaroslav ventured a curiosity not yet common within scientific circles when he illustrated his recent book “Heat, thermal analysis and society” by 60 full-page artistic photos.

Ph.D., Cornell University, USA
Mgr., Charles Univesity, Czech Republic

Dr. Neela Winkelmann-Heyrovská was born and raised in Prague. From student years, she was active in the environmental movement. She graduated from Charles University in 1992 with a degree in Molecular Biology and Genetics (Mgr., summa cum laude). She received her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology in 1997 from Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences in New York, NY. She then lived in Germany and started working as a consultant in renewable energies. In 2004, she received the Czech Solar Prize and in 2005, the European Solar Prize for her contribution to the Czech support system for renewable energies. After moving back to Prague in 2005, she joined UNYP teaching Human Biology. She developed and has been teaching the Environmental Science course at UNYP since 2007. She worked as an assistant to Senator Martin Mejstík, former student leader of the “Velvet Revolution“, for three years. She publishes articles in the Czech press and runs a NGO called Nová energie.

CSc. (Ph.D.), Charles University, Czech Republic
RNDr., Charles University, Czech Republic

Dr. Ondřej Zindulka studied Pure Mathematical Analysis at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University in Prague, where he completed his Ph.D. in Mathematics. In 2004 he was appointed docent at University of West Bohemia. In 1993-1996 he was a Visiting Professor at University of California in Davis, since 1996 he teaches at Czech Technical University in Prague. He joined UNYP in 2001 and he teaches courses on mathematics and statistics. His main areas of research interest are Geometric and Topological Measure theory, Topology and Set Theory. He regularly participates at international mathematical conferences and publishes research papers.