The Physics of Potential: Bety’s Journey from ISP to Atmospheric Research

Today, Bety is a PhD student at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria, analysing storm intensity and cloud convection which is important research that helps us better understand the forces shaping our planet. But her journey did not begin in a research lab. It began at ISP.

 

Bety joined ISP through the Scholarship Programme with a deep love for mathematics and science. What she found here went far beyond academics. She found teachers who were passionate about their subjects, a community that believed in her, and a school that encouraged her to aim higher than she ever thought possible.

“Even now, I can say that the teachers at ISP had a great impact on me as it was incredible to learn from people who were passionate about their subjects and excited to teach them to students. ISP showed how great its education can be through the science outreach it had, helping me deepen my love for the subject.”
Bety Pechačová, Class of 2021

Bety’s journey was defined by a willingness to step into the unknown. This was never more apparent than during her work with TEDx. Starting as a speaker in 2019, she stepped up as a lead organizer in 2020, a year when the world stood still.

When the pandemic closed schools and cancelled gatherings, Bety didn’t stop working on TEDx, she adapted. For ten months, she navigated the chaos of COVID-19, pivoting to a livestream format to ensure the voices of her peers could still be heard. It was a test of character that left a lasting impression on those who watched her work.

“I have worked as an educator in Canada and the Czech Republic for over 25 years. Bety is definitely among the most outstanding students I have taught or worked with on projects.” 
Lawrence Hrubeš, IB Theory of Knowledge teacher and TEDx organising/advisor

Bety arrived at ISP with a love for science, but the school gave her the rigour to turn that curiosity into mastery. She recalls the "thrill" of IB Higher Level Maths—not because it was hard, but because it was beautiful.

To Bety, science wasn't just about chemicals, it was a language. Her teachers recall her as a "Renaissance woman," a student who understood that the boundary between the physicist and the poet is an illusion.

“There is more in common between the scientist and the artist, more than people realise. Bety understood really understood that. In life, though she may be known more as a scientist than as a poet, it was clear during her time at ISP, that she honored that science and art are not opposites, there is a magnetism between them. It's the observational and imaginative 'empirical method' that lends to innovation in both fields.” 
Daniel Lamken, Upper School Teacher

None of this, the mentorship, the challenges, the growth, would have been possible without the ISP Scholarship Programme. For Bety, the scholarship was more than financial aid, it was the key that unlocked her future.

“I don’t think I would be where I am without the ISP Scholarship Programme as it made a big difference and was integral to my development.”
Bety Pechačová, Class of 2021

That key opened the doors to Cambridge University, where she pursued the Natural Sciences Tripos programme. It was there, amidst the historic spires, that her general love for the intersection of mathematics in physics and the natural environment was found.

Bety’s quest for knowledge has since taken her across Europe, driven by a desire to understand our changing planet.

She began by interning at Utrecht University to track how ocean currents carry plastics to the fragile ecosystems of the Galapagos. This inspired her to continue down the path of the natural currents of the world.

At the Institute of Science and Technology in Austria (ISTA), she began working on idealized simulations of clouds. She found herself captivated by the physics of the atmosphere, the complex, chaotic dance of storm intensity and convection.

The work was so compelling that she returned in September 2024 to begin her PhD. Today, Bety isn't just learning science, she is creating it. She is researching the very air we breathe and the storms that shape our world, committed to following the "most important questions" wherever they may lead.

“I want to keep doing careful, meaningful experiments, and to continue growing as a researcher while staying connected to the broader purpose of scientific work…”
Bety Pechačová

From the hallways of ISP to the forefront of atmospheric research, Bety’s story is a testament to what happens when talent meets opportunity.