Student Scientific Expedition EUROTRIP 2011
In May 2011, a scientific expedition was once again held, whose participants were students of the Energy Engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the Cracow University of Technology. The expedition was organised by the Science Club of Energy and Environmental Protection and with the help of the employees of the Department of Thermal Power Engineering.
During this edition of the expedition, first of all, the participants had the opportunity to visit the Nuclear Power Plant in Jaslovské Bohunice. There, during a short seminar, the students were presented with the history of the plant and then guided through it. They had the opportunity to learn about the methods of ensuring safety and handling radioactive waste.
At Herz in Vienna, students participated in a training course on heating and control technology and were guided through the production plant, where they could learn about the various stages of manufacturing the valve components. Also, in Vienna, Spittelau, the students visited the Thermal Waste Treatment Plant. The facility is located in the city centre, and the facade of the building was designed by Friedensreich Hunddertwasser. This famous architect transformed an unattractive industrial building into a fairy-tale building reminiscent of a mosque, making it an example not only of a symbiosis of technology and ecology but also of art.
In Italy, in Genoa, the students visited the Ansaldo Energia factory, which manufactures steam and gas turbines and generators. During their stay in Germany, the participants went to the Energy Institute of the Technische Universität München. Prof. Dr-Ing. Hartmut Spliethoff presented the activities of the Institute’s staff and briefly discussed the projects they are currently working on.
The Scientific Expedition allowed the participants to broaden their practical knowledge and to compare research centres in Poland with those in Western Europe. In addition to the information gained, the students returned from the expedition with a lot of unforgettable experiences, which certainly include a visit to the beautiful gardens of the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, swimming in the Adriatic Sea, watching the sbandieratori tournament and their wonderful art of dancing with flags in Ferrara, crossing the Grande Canal in a water taxi in Venice, or entering the Allianz Arena stadium in Munich.
The expedition was made possible thanks to the kindness and financial support:
– Vice-Rector for Students’ Affairs ‒ Prof. Leszek Mikulski,
– Vice-Rector for Education and Cooperation with Foreign Countries ‒ Prof. Dariusz Bogdał,
– Head of the Department of Thermal Power Engineering ‒ Prof. Jan Taler,
– Plenipotentiary of the Rector for Scientific Clubs ‒ Prof. Barbara Tal-Figiel,
– Rector’s plenipotentiary for disabled persons ‒ Jan Ortyl, M.Sc,
– Director of the Training Centre and Organization of Quality Systems ‒ Adam Tabor, PhD,
and the generosity of the sponsors:
– “Kozienice” Power Plant S.A,
– Herz Sp. z o.o.,
– Sefako S.A.
