Renewable Energy Sources and Environmental Physics

The graduate of the bachelor's study program will be able to solve simpler physical problems of an interdisciplinary nature independently or in a team, especially in the field of renewable energy sources and environmental physics, using the acquired knowledge from various fields of physics, mathematics, chemistry, computer physics and measurement methods. Will be able to create and use computer models of physical phenomena.

The most important knowledge, abilities and skills that the graduate will acquire:  

• He will obtain a comprehensive complete first-level university education in the field of physics.
• Will be able to apply physical knowledge to common phenomena in everyday life, know how to understand them correctly, will be able to measure various physical quantities, statistically evaluate, process and interpret them.
• Will be able to build simple physical apparatus needed to study physical phenomena.
• Will be able to create simple theoretical models describing the behavior of various systems of living and non-living nature, the environmental system and its individual subsystems.
• Will be able to create computer simulation programs to simulate and optimize physical, geophysical, biophysical, environmental, but also socio-economic phenomena.
• Will be able to disseminate the latest physical knowledge in an understandable way to the general public. Will be able to communicate with experts in border areas, know how to apply physical knowledge to them, and create models applicable in various areas of human activity.
• Will be able to carry out various demanding experiments in a team under the guidance of experienced physicists, will be able to independently solve basic physical problems and apply the laws of physics to other areas of human activities.
• In cooperation with technicians will be able to develop new materials and technological processes.
• Will be able to control various physical and technological equipment. - Will be able to work with basic software in the field of statistical data processing, spreadsheets, word processing, hypertext, graphical presentation and publication of results.
• Will be able to apply a wide mathematical apparatus mainly from mathematical analysis, algebra and geometry not only to physical but to any problems.
• It will also be ready for successful master's degree studies. All previous knowledge, skills and abilities will be built and expanded with an emphasis on humanity, respect for human rights, ethics of conduct and research, and with regard to economic, legal and social contexts, which is reflected in the inclusion of relevant subjects in the common ground and choice. focusing throughout the study. 

The conversion study program is a four-year study program based in terms of content on the three-year study programme. In the first year, the students complete requirements of the conversion block, the next three years are identical to the three-year prpgramme. The program is created for high school graduates who do not have breadth and depth of knowledge required for successful start of bachelor studies in the three-year programme, especially for those who have not complete the final high school examinations in the profile subjects of the study program. In addition to the requirements of the three-year programme, students spend the introductory year by completing courses from the conversion block, which can fill the gaps in their knowledge and enable further successful study. The exact set of courses is determined by the guarantor of the study programme after evaluating existing knowledge of the student. After completing the introductory year, students continue according to the standard recommended study plan for the three-year study programme.

The content of the bachelor's study program RES consists of 5 blocks.

• Block 1 Fundamentals of Physics (corresponds to the theoretical foundations of the physics course and consists of lectures: Mechanics, Molecular Physics, Electromagnetism, Atomic and Nuclear Physics, Waves and Optics, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics, Theoretical Mechanics, Introduction to Solid State Physics, experimental the basis of the physics course correspond to: Practicum 1-3, Fundamentals of Electronics, Thermophysics).
• Block 2 Renewable energy sources and environmental physics (theoretical basis is represented by lectures: Basics of meteorology and climatology, Basics of water physics, Basics of environmental physics, Nuclear and fossil energy and their environmental aspects, Renewable energy sources, Basics of radiation physics and radiation protection, Basics of Earth physics, the experimental basis of the block corresponds to the lectures: Analytical methods in environmental physics, Experimental data processing, Geographic information systems)
• Block 3 of Computer Physics and Electronics (Fundamentals of Programming, Advanced Programming, Fundamentals of Electronics)
• Block 4 Mathematics (Fundamentals of Mathematics, Fundamentals of Probability and Statistics, Algebra and Geometry, Mathematical Methods of Physics (1-2)) 
• Block 5 of Fundamentals of Chemistry (Inorganic Chemistry, General Chemistry)

The blocks of Fundamentals of Physics and Environmental Physics are balanced courses of theoretical and experimental components of the study program. From the compulsory and optional subjects that form the core of the program, the student must obtain at least 150 credits, which represents 83% of all credits. From the category of optional subjects, the student must obtain at least 30 credits (17%) In this category, the student chooses subjects from the block of compulsory optional and elective subjects of this study program or from the offer of other study programs. Outside these blocks, students enroll in subjects in humanities, physical education and languages. The scope and accreditation of these subjects are governed by the study regulations of the faculty. The basic rules and conditions for creating student study plans are defined by the study regulations. When enrolling subjects, the student is based on the recommended study plan and respects the conditional subjects, recommended sequences (if defined) and capacity and time limits.

With the bachelor's thesis, the student has to demonstrate the ability to independently acquire theoretical and practical knowledge and use them. The final thesis will be prepared by the student under the guidance of the thesis supervisor. The supervisor of the final thesis will prepare a written report on the final thesis and propose its evaluation. The final work is assessed by the opponent. The opponent will prepare a written report on the final thesis and propose its evaluation.

Examples of successful final theses of our students:

• Peter Tóth, Generation of plasma activated water for agricultural and medical applications, supervisor: doc. RNDr. Mário Janda, PhD. 
• Peter Kaňák, Satellite measurements of solar radiation for evaluating the usability of solar devices, supervisor: Ing. Ľuboslav Okon
• Samuel Kukura, Possibilities of using pyrolysis and gasification in waste management, including exhalation cleaning , supervisor: doc. RNDr. Marcela Morvová, PhD.
• Marek Gocník, Mo-O thin films prepared by high ionization deposition techniques for optoelectric applications, supervisor: doc. Ing. Marián Mikula, PhD.
• Veronika Okruhlicová, Decontamination of respirators using surface dielectric barrier discharge, supervisor: doc. RNDr. Karol Hensel, PhD.

Environmental Physics and Meteorology is an interdisciplinary science with very wide possibilities of employment of its graduates and first degree in corresponding positions in research in institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and universities, in the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, in the Research Institute of Water Management, in the Institute of Slovak Legal Metrol and other similar institutions in our country and abroad, as well as in the field of applied research in technological companies, as well as in the bodies of ministries, the Slovak Environment Agency, etc. Apart from vocational and educational institutions, it can find application in practically all areas of the economy, namely in transport, agriculture, forestry, water management, state and public administration, as well as in the private sector at all levels of management.