Istvan Grigorszky

Expertise: Biology
Expedition Role: Taxonomy
Affiliation: Kossuth Lajos Univ. (Hungary)

Who I Am and What I Do?

I am Istvan Grigorszky, associate professor of Botanical Department of Debrecen University (Hungary). My professions are hydrobiology, phycology (algological investigation of rivers, canals and small lakes), especially the Dinophyta group.

Career Journey

From 1991-93 I worked at the Environmental Protect Agency as an Algologist where I studied algae. From 1997-2000, I worked at Debrcen University as a lecturer about taxonomy and ecology of freshwater Dinophyta species and Cyanoprocaryote toxicity. Finaly, from the year 2000, I have been working at Debrecen University as an associate professor.

What made you study science?

When I was 16 years old I met in a phycoligst from my home town. He is excellent algologist and teacher. When I started to work at the Laboratory of an Environmental Agency in Hungary my first project was to check the water quality of different kinds of water-type in that area using the algae as monitoring organism. Later on I continued my work on algae at the University of Debrecen.

Personal

I love the algae so my work with algae is not a job to me. I have a wonderful life filled with great moments. I enjoy going to my work place and to my home. These are the fundaments of my life and these have allowed me to enjoy the nice things and accept the worst ones. I have two talented children and super wife. They are the sunshine of my life. Now I have 5 graduate students and one PhD student. Now I have two grants for scientific investigations (phytoplankton investigations of small lakes and rivers).

Family, hobbies, interests, etc.

I have a wonderful wife. She is a chemist and works at the Tisanian Environmental Agency. She is a member of the Water-Quality-Check group. I have two children (Petra is 2 years old and Peter is 4 years old). Both of them are great. Of course they are able to destroy a 100 year-old Oak in a minute. My hobbies I had lots of, but after my children were born I have no time to do them. I like different kinds of music and to make jokes with my family and friends. I also learned to play piano and piston.

Advice

Everybody learns from their mistakes. Realize that it is a mistake! This is the way to full understanding! It is very important to know different languages. Read a lot and more! Work hard because practice can solve any problems! Always dream more than others and never give up if others try to stop you! Never forget the world is wonderful and the humankind is a marvelous creature of the world, but one among billions.