| SVU |
CZECHOSLOVAK SOCIETY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES |
JOSEF
MACHAC
Josef Machac, the third-term Vice President
was born in Prerov, Czechoslovakia. His family lived in Olomouc, where Josef and his
sister Millee grew up through elementary school. His father is an electrical engineer, and
his mother was a physician. The family defected in 1964 during a trip through Austria, and
after a brief, anxiety-laden stay in Vienna, immigrated to the United States. Schooling
was resumed in Queens, New York City, where Josef completed Junior High School. The family
then moved to the town of Bohemia, on Long Island, New York. They cleared a forest and
built themselves a house (with the help of scores of Czech and Slovak expatriates).
Josef finished high school with high honors
and went to study at Brown University, in Rhode Island, where he received a Bachelor of
Science degree in Biophysics, magna cum laude. Josef also studied Russian language and
literature, in which context he met the notable linguists and SVU members Professors
Kucera, Winner, and Dostal. He also helped found the Brown Fencing Club, which has since
become a successful Varsity team. Josef stayed at Brown University to study
medicine, and received his M.D. degree in 1978. He came to the Mount Sinai Hospital , in
New York, for internship and residency in internal medicine. He continued at Mount Sinai
for a residency in nuclear medicine, and then a fellowship in cardiology. In 1988, he
became director of nuclear cardiology, and in 1992, director of nuclear medicine at
Mount Sinai. Presently an associate professor, his work combines diagnostic imaging,
research, teaching, administration, and clinical medicine, in the Department of
Radiology and the Cardiovascular Institute. He has authored or co-authored numerous
scientific papers and abstracts and several book chapters and monographs. He has studied
French, Russian, German, and most recently, Spanish, all of which he uses
frequently. The Mount Sinai School of Medicine had on staff a number of Czech and Slovak
expatriate professionals, and since 1990, is a frequent and welcome stopover for visiting
Czech and Slovak physicians and medical students.
Josef's wife, Annette, was born in Sighet,
Romania, trained in sociology, worked in marketing research, and today is a member
of the Board of Education of the local school district. They and their two
daughters, Tamara(14) and Nicole (10) live in Haworth, New Jersey. They are active members
of the Unitarian-Universalist Church in Paramus, New Jersey. Josef is an avid
life-long beekeeper, thanks to the late Rev. Frank Svoboda, and enjoys beer- and
honey wine-making, and reading history.
Josef has been a member of SVU since 1978,
has been active in the New York chapter, has attended all SVU world
congresses since 1988, and helped organize the medical sections for the last three. Josef
served as vice-president of SVU in 1994-1996 and was elected again in 1998.
He and Eva have two children, Jack and Karen,
and five grandchildren.
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