High school students from across the region — as well as from more distant parts of Poland, including Rzeszów and Słupsk — visited our Faculty of Information and Communication Technology during its Open Day. We are happy to note that the event proved very popular. Prospective students were attracted to our Faculty by such topics and areas as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, computer game development, and emotion recognition using biometric signals.

In building C-1, visitors were welcomed by members of our Faculty’s Student Self-Government. Student volunteers guided their younger colleagues to stands dedicated to various fields of study and student research clubs. They also gave tours of the campus and answered questions about the Faculty. – Students mainly ask about what the programmes are about and how they differ from one another. We have specialists around who explain everything to them. There's a lot to do, there are many high school graduates – says Monika Świgost from the Student Government.

Students from the Algo Research Club demonstrated a system they call Sound Control. They had a keyboard instrument on their stand. Each of its keys can be mapped to corresponding computer keyboard functions or mouse actions. In effect, you can use a microphone to control the computer. – We sit in front of the instrument, press the keys, there are sounds, and the computer sees it as a keyboard. The frequencies are converted into computer signals. We have also prepared a game that demonstrates how you can use it in practice – explains Igor Olewicz from the Algo club.

Solvro, one of the two strategic student research clubs at our Faculty, also wanted to engage future students. Its members specialise in developing software in the form of web and mobile applications, as well as in artificial intelligence. – We're showcasing our applications. There's PromoCHATor, Testownik, the Juwenalia app, ToPWR and all the projects that Solvro has successfully developed over the years. They can be used, making students' daily lives easier. We have plenty of sections, so everyone will find something for themselves – emphasises Basia Cząstkiewicz from Solvro.

The Neuroinformatics ‘Neuron’ Research Club – the second of our strategic clubs – demonstrated that neuroscience is not science fiction, but something happening now. Its members showed the Neurorun project, which has been demonstrated at various events multiple times and enjoyed great popularity. – This is a game where you can move various types of platforms or hatches using a band equipped with electrodes. The character is controlled with a gamepad, while interactive elements are managed with the mind. In practice, the platform moves closer when we focus. And it moves away when we are distracted – explains Oliwia Borkowska from Neuron.

The field of Algorithmic Informatics was also presented in building C-1. It is aimed at gaining a good understanding of the fundamental issues in computer science. – In addition to programming and technology, we teach how to understand algorithms and modify them in such a way that they can solve a problem in the best possible way. We show high school graduates that we have a good balance between practice and theory, and a lot of elective courses – says Dawid Dworzański, a doctoral student.

At the stand of the Artificial Intelligence field, visitors could learn about the wide-ranging applications of this field of computer science. – In our field, we promote opportunities to conduct scientific and implementation projects, which may result in a publication. These can also be added to your portfolio – notes Prof. Urszula Markowska-Kaczmar from the Department of Artificial Intelligence. Some of the prospective students asked questions about salaries. – It seems to me that the salaries are high. However, it is hard to predict what happens in the future – adds the professor.

– Artificial intelligence is increasingly present in our lives. More and more people are interested in it. I'm considering a study programme like that, it seems very interesting –says Martyna, a high school student from Wałbrzych.

– A programme such as artificial intelligence offers many opportunities when it comes to finding a job. Just like all IT-related ones. I will definitely consider it – amits Iga, another high school student from Wałbrzych.

– At school, we are in a class with the mathematics and computer science profile. We learn advanced computer science. For us, this is the preferred university. The Open Day is an opportunity to get answers to the questions we have – adds Alicja, a student from the Wałbrzych high school.

The lectures during the Open Day were held in lecture hall 205 of building C-1. You can find their list here.

In Technopolis...

On the other hand, the laboratories were held in the Technopolis building. Those interested in studying at our Faculty could look at several stands of student research clubs and study fields on the ground floor. One of them was the Technical Computer Science stand. – We are not afraid of hardware. We teach students how to develop software, use various types of programming and environments, or process for example medical data. But also how computers are built. We investigate the architecture of the devices – notes Dr. Jacek Mazurkiewicz from the Department of Technical Computer Science.

The TRAF-BARAK Research Club demonstrated the principle behind mocap, a technique for recording the movements of people or objects and transferring them into digital form. – We have a special suit. It is provided with points all over the body and cameras track the position of these points. Then the data can be processed by the computer, and this is how we can develop a digital 3D model of a person. We can then overlay her movements on the model. This technique is used in computer games. Actors put on suits and characters in games replicate their movements – explains Jędrzej Boruczkowski from the TRAF-BARAK Student Research Club.

The Applied Computer Science stand was located on the ground floor of the Technopolis building. According to Katarzyna Białas, a PhD student from the Department of Applied Computer Science, this field of study provides students with a variety of tools that they can use in developing their first IT projects. – We also provide support in team building. We teach students to cooperate in teams. We have a team engineering project, which is a unique way for us to carry out an engineering diploma thesis – she notes.

Information Technology in Automation Systems showed their new Qubit Student Research Club. As noted by one of the club's supervisors, Dr. Radosław Idzikowski, this connection was not a coincidence. – Quantum computing is advancing rapidly. We will soon have our own quantum computer at Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. Information Technology in Automation Systems is the first field at our University to include elements of quantum computing. At first level studies, there will be an introductory course on this subject. The second-level study programs will be more extensive. But if someone has already been interested in quantum computing, they don't have to wait until their third or fourth year of studies. They can join the Qubit research club as early as in their first year and participate in its activities – says the researcher.

WMS_DEV Student Research Club, which focuses on developing and maintaining web applications, had its stand on the upper floor of the Technopolis building. – Today we want to encourage high school graduates primarily with a relaxed atmosphere and a quiz. The question categories include IT infrastructure and programming. One person has already won a T-shirt. We have more prizes to give away – says Rafał Włodarczyk from WMS_DEV.

The System Engineering study field also had its stand. – Students primarily ask what systems engineering is. And we tell them that it teaches a broader perspective on IT solutions. When we develop a diagnostic system based on artificial intelligence, we do not stop at datasets; we also consider where the system will source its data from, who will provide the data, and whether it is something that people truly need, whether they will use the results responsibly – explains Dr. Jarosław Drapała from the Department of Computer Science and Systems Engineering.

Representatives of the Department of Computer Systems and Networks field and its TK Games Research Club were waiting for visitors on the second floor of Technopolis. – Our focus is on artificial intelligence and computer games. We concluded that combining these two topics in the form of a lecture and demonstrating how artificial intelligence had its origins in the games business could be interesting – says Weronika Borek-Marciniec, a PhD student from the Department of Computer Systems and Networks.

– We have workshops on computer game development. We also explain how to start the game from the designer's perspective. An event as significant as the Open Day is an opportunity to reach out to people who wouldn't usually attend our courses – notes Bartłomiej Gawryszuk, president of TK Games.

From Pomerania to our Faculty

The Open Day was attended by high school students from Wrocław and other cities in the region such as Lądek-Zdrój, Wałbrzych, Bolesławiec, and Zgorzelec. But we also hosted students from Ostrów Wielkopolski, Katowice, Toruń, and even from Rzeszów and Słupsk, which are nearly 450 km away.

– I travelled here for over 6 hours. I heard that this is the best ICT faculty in Poland. I wanted to see what it looks like. I am thinking about applying for Cybersecurity or Applied Computer Science – says Nadia, a high school student from Słupsk.

– I'm considering two fields of study. Cybersecurity or Technical Computer Science. Both have a lot of advantages, but Cybersecurity is more intriguing, and I think I could have a cool job after studying it. If I hadn't come here, I wouldn't have the full perspective. Conversations with students are really helpful – observes Kacper, a high school student from Wrocław.

We are grateful to all the students who visited us during the Open Day. We would also like to thank our students and researchers for presenting the Faculty's offer and the research clubs, and for answering the questions that our potential future students had.

The photos from the event can be viewed here.