Tomáš Boukal
PhD Candidate in Economics
corporate taxation | profit shifting | public finance
Sports
As you have probably noticed from the photos, I am a big sports enthusiast. On a very amateur level, I am having fun while doing mountain biking and triathlon — especially off-road formats that combine scenic trails (when the weather cooperates), fun, and suffering in just the right proportions.
If you ever find yourself in the Czech Republic (or nearby), I highly recommend:
→ Král Šumavy (classic long-distance mountain biking race with beautiful and “hilly” trails)
→ Ž3 Sport Triathlon (a proudly unpolished, low-cost off-road triathlon that’s as fun as its mileage is unpredictable)
→ XTERRA Slovakia (an off-road triathlon that is far more forgiving than XTERRA Prachatice, whose difficulty has always (twice) turned my race into a disaster)
Visits to the Australian National University
Throughout my study years, I had a chance to visit the Australian National University twice. Back in 2018, I joined a political science program at the ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences for six months (as I also hold a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations).
In 2025, I had the opportunity to return to ANU, this time visiting the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the Crawford School of Public Policy. I enjoy Canberra and ANU itself. Beyond the excellent research environment you can find here, Australia offers additional benefits.
Wood and everything connected to it
I actually own about one hectare of forest. From an economic standpoint, it is possibly the least rational asset imaginable: too many exogenous shocks of occasional droughts, random storms, hungry insects, and an endless need for manual work. If you do the cutting and replanting yourself, you will quickly spend more hours than any rational cost–benefit model would tolerate. At some point, you stop pretending it’s an asset and start to treat it as leisure.
The forest also provides endless opportunities for amateur woodworking — including the bed I built, which I am proud to report has not collapsed yet. So I am effectively hedging against job-market instability by preparing for a backup career in low-tech forestry and handcrafted furniture.
