Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences
For fifteen years, the building of the Atomik preschool has echoed with children’s laughter, songs, nursery rhymes, and endless questions of “why?”. Over that time, generations of children of employees from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IMG) and other institutes located on the Krč biomedical campus have grown up here. It is where they formed their first friendships, experienced their first trips without parents, explored nature, created art, played sports, sang, learned to cooperate, and discovered the world around them.
Atomik is a place where children grow up in a stimulating and respectful environment that fosters independence, creativity, and the joy of discovery. They regularly venture into the nearby Kunratice Forest, attend cultural and educational programs, and cheer up the elderly. In recent years, they have also had a unique opportunity to explore the world of science through visits to the laboratories and research facilities where their parents work. Microscopes, DNA, laboratory zebra fish, and laser technologies are not abstract concepts from textbooks here; they are part of a world that children experience firsthand.
Throughout the years, parents’ memories have revolved around the same themes: trust, kindness, an individual approach, and children’s happiness. “Honzík loved the preschool so much that we kept driving him across the entire city to attend, even during school holidays,” recalls one mother of the first generation of children enrolled at Atomik. Another parent wrote: “The care, love, and individual attention my children received at the preschool will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on their lives.” Others have described Atomik as “a small universe in the middle of a busy life” — a place where they can leave their child with complete confidence that they are being cared for with respect and dedication.
The significance of Atomik lies not only in what it offers children. It is equally important for their parents. Parenthood represents one of the most critical stages in a professional career. In science, this is especially true. At precisely the time when young researchers are building their professional identity, securing their first grants, publishing key papers, or striving to lead their own research groups, many are also starting families. Interrupting a career at this stage can have long-term consequences that may continue to affect academic careers for years.
International studies repeatedly show that women enter scientific careers in numbers comparable to men, yet their representation gradually declines at senior and leadership levels. Current discussions increasingly emphasize that this is not merely an individual challenge but a question of institutional support. Successful research organizations therefore strive to create environments that allow researchers to combine excellence in science with family life.
“I am pleased that for fifteen years Atomik has helped our employees return to scientific work while starting families. It is a tangible example of how an institution can support talent development in a long-term and systematic way.”
In this context, Atomik represents far more than a preschool. It enables parents to return to work sooner and with greater peace of mind, maintain continuity in their research, and continue their professional development during what is often one of the most demanding periods of their careers.
“One of the challenges facing modern science is ensuring that parenthood does not become an obstacle to professional development. I am pleased that for fifteen years Atomik has helped our employees return to scientific work while starting families. It is a tangible example of how an institution can support talent development in a long-term and systematic way,” says IMG Director Petr Dráber.
The importance of Atomik extends far beyond supporting scientists alone. The preschool is available to all IMG employees — researchers, doctoral students, staff of research service facilities, technical specialists, and administrative and operational teams. Just as world-class research is not created solely in laboratories but relies on the work of many professions, support for families is also an essential part of an environment that enables the long-term development of the entire institution.
Atomik also reflects the international character of IMG itself. The preschool is attended by children from families originating from many different countries, and for numerous international employees it forms an important part of the support system that helps them integrate into life in the Czech Republic.
“IMG is an international institution where people from many countries and cultures work together. Atomik helps create an open and welcoming environment not only for our scientists, but for all employees who contribute to the functioning of the institute,” adds Petr Dráber.
Over the past fifteen years, Atomik has become much more than a place of preschool education. It has grown into a community that connects families across the institute. It is a place where first friendships are formed, where children learn to cooperate and explore the world around them, and where parents gain confidence that their children spend their days in a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment.
“Fifteen years of Atomik is above all a story about people. I would like to thank all the directors, teachers, nurses, and other preschool staff who have created an environment that parents and children remember with gratitude and respect,” concludes Petr Dráber.
Fifteen years of Atomik demonstrate that supporting families is not a peripheral activity of a research institution. It is an integral part of creating an environment in which people can develop their potential over the long term. Just as IMG invests in cutting-edge technologies, research infrastructures, and international collaborations, it also invests in conditions that enable its employees to balance their professional and personal lives. Atomik is a wonderful example of how investment in science begins with investment in people. And ultimately, the benefits of supporting families extend beyond parents and their children — they strengthen science itself.
