WIZ-ek

Story

WIZ-ek sits at a tiny desk outside the Faculty of Computer Science and Management building B-4 at ul. Lukasiewicza 5, tapping away on not one but two laptops with the focus of a true tech enthusiast. A mobile phone rests by his side, ready for the next urgent notification. Some say he never sleeps, forever coding through the night while students hurry past on their way to morning lectures. If you kneel down beside him, you can almost hear the soft click-clack of miniature keys and see the glow of tiny screens reflected in his bronze beard.

History & Significance

WIZ-ek was installed on 4 December 2018 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Computer Science and Management (Wydzial Informatyki i Zarzadzania, abbreviated WIZ) at Wroclaw University of Science and Technology. The figurine was sculpted by Beata Zwolanska-Holod. He was the seventh dwarf to join the Politechnika campus family, following Chemik, Lappek, BEAnk, Wyksztalciuch, the rowing eight, and Poliglotek. The rector and the faculty dean officially welcomed him during a ceremony marking the jubilee.

Inspiration

WIZ-ek is a tribute to the Faculty of Computer Science and Management at Wroclaw University of Science and Technology (Politechnika Wroclawska), one of Poland's leading centres for IT and management education. The faculty was established in 1969 and has trained generations of software engineers, data scientists, and business managers. The dwarf's name is a playful diminutive of 'WIZ,' the faculty's abbreviation. One of his laptops displays the faculty logo, while the other bears an inscription commemorating five decades of academic achievement.

Fun Facts

• He works on two laptops simultaneously - one showing the faculty logo and the other commemorating 50 years of the department.
• A student named Hubert Blocki won a naming contest for another campus dwarf, Poliglotek, showing how much students love their campus krasnale.
• The campus of Politechnika Wroclawska is home to at least seven bronze dwarfs, making it one of the most dwarf-rich academic campuses in the city.
• His sculptor, Beata Zwolanska-Holod, is one of the most prolific creators of Wroclaw dwarfs alongside Tomasz Moczek and Marcin Luczkowski.
• A mobile phone sits beside him on the desk, keeping him connected to the latest tech news around the clock.

How to Find This Dwarf

From the Wroclaw Glowny railway station, take tram line 1, 2, or 4 towards pl. Grunwaldzki. Get off at the 'Wrzeszcz' or 'Politechnika' stop and walk towards building B-4 at ul. Lukasiewicza 5. WIZ-ek sits right at the entrance to the building - look for the dwarf hunched over two miniature laptops.

Nearby Dwarfs

Frequently Asked Questions

Accessibility

Wheelchair AccessibleGround LevelOutdoor

Located on flat pavement directly in front of the entrance to building B-4. Easily accessible from the main campus walkways. No barriers for wheelchairs or pushchairs.