Homepage for UWB Portal News

In May, she successfully passed her school-leaving exam and earned the highest grade in her graduation thesis. Michaela Krejčová appeared before a committee that also included her supervisor, Miroslav Zetek from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. The young student enjoyed working with the faculty so much that she has now applied to two study programs there. “Once again, we can see that working with secondary school students on their projects bears fruit. The time and energy we invest in this cooperation come back to us in the form of applications to study here. Our cooperation with Michaela confirms this,” said Miroslav Zetek. Michaela does not yet know whether she will enroll in the new Environmental Engineering and Technologies program or choose the Quality Assurance program. But as she said in an interview for INFO.zcu, one thing is already clear — she will spend the next few years at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Pilsen.

Míša, how did you end up at a secondary technical school of mechanical engineering? Were you interested in technology from childhood?

Not at all, actually. It was my class teacher at primary school, who was also a career counselor, who suggested it to me. She said it might be an interesting field for me. Originally, I wanted to go to a business academy, but the secondary technical school had just opened a new program called Economics and Business in Mechanical Engineering. So she told me it would include the economics I wanted, but also something extra. And at secondary school, I discovered that I actually enjoyed mechanical engineering.

How did you start working with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering?

We occasionally visited the faculty as part of our classes, so I was aware of it. But closer contact was arranged by my practical-subjects teacher, Petr Slavík. I came to him saying that I would like to do something extra, perhaps take part in a competition. Thanks to that, I met Professor Zetek from the Department of Machining Technology, and he offered me the opportunity to focus on metal 3D printing, which I liked. Gradually, we agreed that instead of entering a competition, I would work on this topic as my graduation thesis. In addition, I also completed my compulsory practical training here, which we have in the third year.

What exactly did you focus on in your thesis?

Among other things, I wrote about how metal 3D printing can be used very effectively in medicine. This technology can be used to produce various implants, such as knee joints, shoulder blades, teeth, or different types of prostheses. These are all things that are already commonly printed for medical purposes. I also described other industries where 3D printing is used, such as aviation. One chapter was also devoted to a technological and economic analysis of selected companies. The thesis also included the preparation and printing of several samples.

What did you enjoy the most?

Definitely drawing in the software programs. The first program was Inventor, and the second was software used to prepare the model for the printer and import it into the machine. I liked that, it had nice colors, and I could see exactly where I was placing things. It was possible to simulate beautifully whether the supports I was creating for the model would work, whether it could be printed successfully, and whether the whole thing would hold together as it should.

Who at the faculty worked with you the most?

Apart from Professor Zetek, who supervised my thesis, it was mainly Adam Polanský, who is now completing his bachelor’s degree. Working with both of them was great. Whenever I needed something or was unsure about anything, they immediately replied and gave me advice. With more complicated issues, they guided me on how to approach them and what might be interesting about them. Professor Zetek also offered me the opportunity to take part in a summer school in Germany, organized by the faculty as part of the KOMPA project — Competences for Additive Manufacturing. So, at the beginning of my fourth year, I went to Germany to further deepen my knowledge of the topic.

What would you say to those who think mechanical engineering is not for girls?

I think some girls have a natural feel for technology. Even though it is more often associated with boys, that need not be the case. I would say that if girls are good at mathematics, they are usually also closer to technology. They should definitely try it and not be afraid. Most importantly, you can really find yourself in it, because even when the mathematics gets more difficult, you are calculating things that make sense. It is not just empty numbers; you are solving real calculations from practice. I think that is very interesting and useful.

The Faculty of Mechanical Engineering accompanies children and young people on their journey towards mechanical engineering from an early age. It offers Children’s Technical University courses for primary school pupils and, during the school year, organizes a range of lectures, workshops, and project days for secondary school students. The faculty also participates in university events open to the public, such as A Day with the University of West Bohemia and Researchers’ Night. Some faculty student teams are also open to secondary school students — for example, UWB Robotics, which involves them in the development of a robotic space rover. Nuclear Days also offer a comprehensive annual program of lectures for secondary schools, combined with a competition.