Barbora Kocánová

Barbora Kocánová is a researcher at the Centre for Classical Studies (KKS) under the Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague. Her work bridges Medieval Latin studies and historical meteorology, focusing on the reception of classical scientific knowledge in Bohemian contexts. Since 2004, she has contributed to projects like Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum, a monumental medieval Latin lexicon of Czech lands.

• Education: Ph.D. in Latin Medieval and Neo-Latin Studies (2006-2014, Charles University, Prague; thesis on medieval weather forecasting), MA in Latin and Auxiliary Historical Sciences (1999-2005, Charles University), Gymnázium Jana Keplera (1995-1999)

Her research centers on medieval weather forecasting traditions, analyzing texts like De mutacionibus aeris and Collecta notabiliora de libro Methorum. She examines astrological meteorology, optical atmospheric phenomena, and the linguistic evolution of meteorological terms. Her work also explores the pedagogical role of Latin in medieval science.

Key article trends include codicological analysis of Bohemian manuscripts, comparative studies of European weather prediction methods, and interdisciplinary links between meteorology and cultural history. She has contributed to meteorological lexicography through collaborative glossaries and dictionaries.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Stipendium Vzdělávací nadace Jana Husa (2014-2015)

Professional Activities: Co-editor of the Knihovna středověké tradice series. Active in international conferences (e.g., Medieval Academy of America, SIEPM) and popularization through lectures at Summer Schools. Collaborates with institutions like the University of Iceland and Pontifical Gregorian University.