VR work puts David in the top 30 under 30

Applied research 

David is currently working as a Senior Specialist for Surgical Planning in Virtual Reality at the Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Prague in the Czech Republic. It’s for this virtual-reality/augmented-reality surgical planning work – and his continuing PhD in Medical Visualisation – that he has been included in the Forbes Česko list. 

He says: “My future is my current VR project focusing on surgical planning as well as finishing my PhD. I see myself being the bridge between the academic (research) side and practice at a medical institution.” 

Making the right choice 

David’s career began when he decided to study abroad. And he chose to study at the University of Derby. He had heard about our great reputation and thriving population of international students. This was important to David as it was the first time moving abroad by himself and helped make him comfortable with his decision. 

David graduated with a First-class degree and won the David Evans Memorial Prize for Innovation for his dissertation project. He is now in the third year of his PhD at Durham University after completing an MSc in Computational Medicine at Sheffield. 

He says: “The undergraduate course at Derby gave me a solid foundation in presenting and teaching other people, which has helped in my career. Guest lectures were the most inspiring as they motivated me to try and do more.”  

He also liked that the classes and tutorials were held in smaller groups, and that the lecturers were always helpful. And he says a key aspect of his studies was that he was encouraged to stay open minded, and not be discouraged from discussing difficult subjects. 

Studying and work experience  

During his Computer Games Modelling and Animation degree, David wanted to ensure he gained as much industry experience as possible so he could put the skills he learned on his course into practice.  

He says: “Between my first and second year, I was working as a graphics designer at Medea Group in Prague, mostly working on campaigns for Hyundai. Between my second and third year, I worked as a Junior 3D generalist at Alda Games studio, where I also kept working as a contractor remotely during my third year. It provided me with insights into how the real world works and it prepared me for reality after graduating.” 

As he progressed through his studies, David discovered that we have a strong network of alumni who are always eager to help current students. He attended a careers fair and had the opportunity to speak with several alumni who worked in his field of interest. They offered valuable advice and insights into the industry and even connected him with potential job opportunities.  

Becoming research active  

The academic team at the university are very research active and encourage their students to get involved with projects – something that David took advantage of.  

He says: “In my final year, I had the chance to work on a research project with one of my lectures very closely. This experience was invaluable, as it allowed me to apply the knowledge and skills I had gained in a real-world setting. It also gave me the opportunity to build a relationship with a respected lecturer who was able to provide me with letters of recommendation when I applied for my masters.” 

David credits Derby with giving him the fundamental skills he needed to succeed with his further studies and chosen career path.

“The University of Derby has everything perfectly managed such as dedicated spaces for very specialised courses, which I really appreciated. The entire approach of the University is hands-on. I would personally recommend anyone to do their undergraduate studies at the University of Derby."