Nitra became the new home for a young Iranian scientist Fatemeh Adelisardou for more than a year. She acclimatized to our city quite quickly and greatly liked life under Zobor. She completed two study stays in Slovakia - both at the University of Constantine the Philosopher in Nitra. Her workplace became the Department of Ecology and Environmental Science at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Informatics of the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, where she is doing research under the supervision of Prof. RNDr. Peter Mederly, PhD.

She wants to help the sustainable development of her country
Thirty-two-year-old Fatemeh Adelisardou is from southern Iran, the city of Kerman. In her hometown, she graduated from Fatemiyeh High School of Education, which focuses on experimental science.

"For my university studies, I chose Tehran University in the country's capital city - specialising in environmental planning. The reason for this choice was that I wanted to positively impact the environment by helping to create sustainable development plans for cities and regions that could mitigate the effects of current adverse environmental trends. In addition, I also wanted to contribute to local community development by creating plans that provide long-term solutions," Fatemeh explained why she chose this specialisation.

In addition to wanting to help her country, region or community, scientific publications motivated her. Her professional and scientific focus includes sustainable development, environmental policy, ecosystem services, landscape and ecological planning, environmental impact assessment and land management.

"Following Prof. Mederly's publications has helped me gain insight into ecosystem services and land use, an issue that I am very interested in. I contacted him and applied for a fellowship using the SAIA grant. I also had a friend who had lived in Slovakia for a while, so I decided to visit that part of Europe as well," says Fatemeh, who arrived in Nitra in September 2021 for three months and will come to our city again in September 2022. Her current research stay has been approved for ten months - until the end of June 2023.

   

More and more Iranian women are taking up science
Fatemeh returned to UKF in Nitra because her experience from her previous stay in 2021 was excellent. "I am currently working in the department with Prof. Mederly on tasks related to the assessment of ecosystem services of agricultural landscapes and their links to climate change and land use change," explains the Iranian researcher.

In Iranian society today, a woman scientist is not a rare phenomenon, although the representation of women in this sphere is still much lower than that of men. However, according to Fatemeh, Iranian women have made great strides in education and are increasingly pursuing fields related to science and technology. "This has been proven by their impressive scientific achievements, including medicine, physics and engineering. They are also actively encouraging other women to build their careers in scientific fields, which has led to an overall higher percentage of women in science," the researcher concluded.

Praises the approach of teachers and students
Fatemeh is delighted with the results of her research stay at our university. "Working at UKF has been an amazing experience, unprecedented for me so far. I have done several study stays abroad, but I like it the most here. It is not so much the facilities of the university, which are standard, but rather the great attitude of the lecturers and students towards me," the Iranian scientist does not hide her satisfaction.

   

She also likes Nitra and life there very much. It is, she says, a very diverse and welcoming city, very different from her native Kerman in terms of culture and food, for example, but she says it has adapted quite well to our lifestyle. "The people of Nitra are very friendly and open - like people in Iran, which I greatly appreciate. The nightlife here is also lively, and there are many activities to do. I'm happy I had the opportunity to spend some time here."

For Fatemeh, Slovakia is just one of several countries where she has found herself. She has lived and worked in Switzerland, Denmark, Germany and South Korea, to name a few. Still, she says living here has been an excellent experience for her because she has had the chance to experience a different culture and make friends from our community. "Slovaks are very hospitable, and nice; they like to meet new people. I had the opportunity to participate in various activities and events, which allowed me to learn more about life in Slovakia and the mentality of the local people," the young researcher is looking forward to her new life experiences and adventures.

She loves “halušky”
Fatemeh enjoys visiting friends, historical and cultural sites, hiking and cooking in her free time. For example, she has visited Nitra Castle, St. Emeram Cathedral, St. Ladislav Church, Bojnice Castle, Devín Castle, Krásna Hôrka Castle, and the High Tatras.

"In Nitra and Slovakia, I was most surprised by the landscape's beautiful architecture and natural beauty. The old centre of Nitra, with its cobbled streets and traditional buildings, is imposing. The food in Slovakia is also surprisingly good, emphasising fresh ingredients and traditional flavours; I love halušky, for example," reveals Fatemeh, who also enjoys cooking "home-made" Iranian food from local ingredients. "It's called ghormeh sabzi, a classic meat with dried limes, beans and various herbs and spices," the researcher explains. The national dish of Iran is also a meat dish - chelo kabab, which is spiced and grilled ground beef served with steamed rice.

   

Proud of the history and culture of her homeland
Even far away from her birthplace, already more or less familiar with the lifestyle and culture of Slovakia, and at the same time rich in life experiences from other countries around the world, Fatemeh is a proud Iranian. She is proud of the rich culture and history of her homeland, whose territory is the cradle of ancient civilisations, but also of the resilience and determination of the Iranian people.

Although Iran is not one of the traditional holiday destinations common to Slovaks, Fatemeh believes it is worth a visit. The picturesque mountainous country combines a rich history with a modern present. "I would highly recommend, for example, the historical sites of Persepolis, Pasargadae and the historic cities of Isfahan and Shiraz. Iran is a spectacular country with remarkable geographical and climatic extremes and natural beauty that is worth seeing," Fatemeh Adelisardou added.

 

Text: Jana Černáková, R – Media Department
Photo: Lubo Balko, R – Media Department, Fatemeh Adelisardou's archive

 

Posted: June 27, 2023