Nanotechnology as a real adventure - student's perspective

Nanotechnology is a real adventure, which allows you to look at the world from a different perspective. Dominik Bartosik, a second-year student, talks about his studies.

I chose Lodz University of Technology because...

I live near Lodz, and it was important for me not to leave my family home. I also wanted to combine my studies with work where I live. I got to know Lodz University of Technology long before I started my studies. I have an older brother who graduated with a degree in engineering from Lodz University of Technology. He told me about excellent lecturers and many interesting projects you could get involved in. I heard similar things from my older colleagues who chose to study at other faculties at TUL. I decided to give it a try and I think that it was the best decision I ever made. I am learning things that I am very interested in and I quickly felt comfortable at the university.

Nanotechnology ...

I got interested in nanotechnology when I learned about the possibility of obtaining two diplomas after completing my master's degree - from Lodz University of Technology and from University of Twente in the Netherlands. In my engineering studies, I learn about many aspects of chemistry, and I am particularly passionate about polymers - such as human DNA. These are huge chemical compounds, a single chain of which may consist of hundreds, thousands or even tens of thousands of the same small elements. These compounds are also very natural - they occur in plants in the form of cellulose or in the shells of insects as chitin. Their use has great potential in the industry. Computer case, phone screen, keyboard, etc. - These are all products created using polymers. I will take part in a project of Lodz University of Technology, in which, together with a team of students, we will work on the implementation of chitosan (a derivative of chitin) into fibers, so that these fibers will gain antibacterial properties.

Studying nanotechnology

In the next semesters, we will study chemical and general engineering subjects such as mathematics or electrical engineering. Almost every semester of study is full of laboratory classes, which I like very much because it allows me to gain practical knowledge. Of course, learning doesn't end at classes. I encourage everyone to develop their passions in student research groups, and there is no shortage of them at TUL. I am the president of the Trotyl Student Research Group. We organize knowledge competitions on chemistry, we prepare presentations of interesting chemical experiments for young people, and we meet the current situation by working on a project on the synthesis of substances with antiviral properties.

Studying in the era of a pandemic...

I can reassure those who want to start their studies from October: studying in the time of pandemic is not as difficult as it may seem. Of course, even terabytes of films will not replace direct visits to the laboratory. However, most of the practical classes are in the second and third year of study - the first year is more lecture-based and theoretical. These forms of classes are work perfectly online.

Dominik Bartosik, Poland
Nanotechnology student