Women in Science Profiles
Dr. Jozica Rejec
I decided to study electrical engineering already in secondary school. What interested me most were the electric motors. I graduated in 1978 at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. After that I got employed in a company which at that time was called Iskra Electric Motors. As a researcher I dealt with the development of different motor types. My goal was to upgrade my knowledge in this field and to explore the invisible world of electric motor operation. This is why I decided to continue my studies and in 1989 I successfully defended my MSc thesis on stepper motors. During this time I have given birth to three children who balanced my activities in science and in my family.
After I had obtained my MSc degree in electrical engineering, I became the head of research in the company mentioned above which was renamed Domel. At that time I still felt a desire to work as a researcher. With the support from the management which enabled me to focus on studying I in 2004 finished my PhD degree at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. In my thesis I dealt with commutations of universal electric motors. For me, this was a wonderful adventure allowing me to explore the world of the unknown and invisible which I tried to present with new and adapted methods in the form of oscilloscopic records and photographies. In industry all results of scientific and applied research need to be transferred to products as soon as possible. This is why thorough research is carried out within the scope of MSc and PhD theses and in co-operation with different faculties and institutes.
The next step in my career mostly involved project and quality management. Only a small amount of my time was dedicated to research so I cannot really consider myself to be a scientist. The beautiful world of research – taking a risk in deciding for a particular research direction when you do not know whether you will find the answer to your question or have to go back to the beginning and start all over again, being persistent and having faith in the ability to find a solution – leaves a unique mark on a person. Courage and perseverance become an inherent part of everyday activities.
At present I am the chairman of the board which enables me to support and encourage scientific activities. My time is shared between my work, my family and things I do for myself like cycling, reading books and maintaining my garden.