Matija Stupar - PhD in Physics at the Graduate School, BSc and MSc graduate of the School of Science
Matija, you have obtained degrees at all three levels of studies of physics at the University of Nova Gorica. Why did you decide to study physics?
When deciding which school to study at, I wanted to choose something that would open any doors for me into the area of science. I decided to study physics at the University of Nova Gorica after I had visited the Elettra-Sincrotrone accelerator in Trieste, Italy. This visit gave me an insight into various, unique opportunities offered by the internationally-oriented laboratories of the University of Nova Gorica. This turned out to be the right decision, as throughout my study period at UNG I could take part in various research projects that were going on both at the university and at the Elettra-Sincrotrone.
What is special about studying at the School of Science, what did you like about it?
What I liked most about my studies was the fact that we were a small group of students, so we could have a more direct and personal contact with the professors and the researchers. In this way I was able to find out which branch od science znanosti gave me the greatest possibilities to exploit my potentials. And when I needed to take a decision, I got a lot of support from my mentors and tutors, who gave me various opportunities to take part in scientific studies. I could take advantage of the university’s connections with the research centres in Trieste, where I also spent a couple of months to do my Erasmus+ practical training.
Your study programme offers a wide array of selective courses. Why is it good for students to be able to choose from so many courses?
Such a large selection of courses helps you decide which area of research to focus on, as you can learn first-hand which field of physics suits you best and, what is most important, which field you like most.
Besides studying you were also leading a very successful sports carreer. Was it hard to study and at the same time also train and compete, was your school supportive of your dual carreer as an athlete?
Thanks to the individual approach of the professors towards us, students, combining sports and studies was in fact very easy. Speaking of the specific nature of my sports discipline, mountain biking, the study location itself was also a significant factor, as the Vipava Valley offers great conditions for trainings all year round.
Whom would you recommend to study at the School of Science and take a profession in this field of physics?
I am currently working as an experimental physicist in the field of material s research. I would recommend this profession to all those who are interested in nature and wish to take new challenges. And I would advise to anybody interested in physics to take every opportunity to engage in actual scientific experiments yet during their studies and take advantage of all the ties between the studies and science.
Matija Stupar, PhD in Physics at the Graduate School, BSc and MSc graduate of the School of Science, University of Nova Gorica
