Experts interested in a fair transition towards climate neutrality can now share their perspective in a new European survey conducted by the DLR Project Management Agency.
A fair transition towards climate neutrality is one of the interest areas of the candidate European Partnership on Social Transformations and Resilience, which is expected to launch in 2027. The survey will contribute to shaping the candidate partnership’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which is currently being developed.
The survey is open until 3 December 2025 andtakes approximately10-20 minutes to complete, depending on how much information you choose to provide. All responses are anonymous and will be used solely for research purposes in the foresight process.
The survey is addressed to all interested parties, in particular representatives of the research community, governing authorities, NGO sector, public institutions and think tanks.
This is an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution and to share your insights and expertise.
Polish researchers, in collaboration with colleagues from the United States, Ukraine and the Baltic states, will conduct two research projects under the IMPRESS-U call. Over the next two years, the National Science Centre will allocate more than PLN 1.7 million to support the Polish contribution to this research effort.
The IMPRESS-U call (International Multilateral Partnerships for Resilient Education and Science System in Ukraine), announced in August 2023, supports the advancement of research, education and innovation, with a particular emphasis on integrating Ukrainian researchers into the global scientific community. The program creates opportunities for joint research projects carried out by teams from Poland, Ukraine and the United States, with the option to include partners from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
The initiative is led by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), which is responsible for the scientific evaluation of international joint proposals. Partner agencies, including the NCN, endorse the results of this review and provide funding to research teams from their respective countries. Through participation in IMPRESS-U, Polish researchers are not only advancing innovative research in international teams but also contributing to the recovery and development of Ukraine’s research community, supporting the integration of Ukrainian researchers into the global scientific landscape.
What stands in the way of innovation?
Dr hab. Agnieszka Olechnicka, prof. UW together with a team from the University of Warsaw and the Silesian University of Technology, will carry out a comparative research project entitled “Resilient Engineering to Advance Public Value and Innovation in Research Periphery Countries.”On the US side, the project will be led by Prof. Julia Melkers of Arizona State University, while the Ukrainian research team will be headed by Dr Natalia Chukhray from the Lviv Polytechnic National University. Research teams from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will also take part in the project.
Dr hab. Agnieszka Olechnicka, prof. UW is a regional economist and Director of the interdisciplinary Centre for European Regional and Local Studies (EUROREG) at the University of Warsaw. Her research explores the role of science and higher education in regional and local development processes. More recently, she has focused on the spatial dimension of scientific collaboration, inequalities within the research sector, the impact of external shocks – such as the war in Ukraine – on the functioning of research systems and the implementation of innovation policy in the European Union.
"I met the project leader at the Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (STI 2023) conference in Leiden in September 2023, where I presented preliminary research findings on the impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine on the European research sector. Professor Melkers invited me to join the emerging consortium. I became interested in the project because it addresses research and socially significant issues related to the transformation of engineering education in times of crisis. This aligns closely with my interests in the functioning of higher education and its role in fostering innovation, especially in regions with more limited research capacity,” says Professor Olechnicka.
The project is based on a case study approach and will identify critical factors within the academic ecosystems of technical universities that either hinder or support innovation and the transformation of engineering faculties. Researchers will seek to answer the question: which political, institutional, structural and cultural factors determine – or impede – the successful implementation of innovations in academic engineering programmes during times of crisis?
The aim of the project is to develop a synthesis of ecosystem factors, as well as identify best practices and promising models related to joint research and educational initiatives. These findings are intended to serve as a guiding framework for universities in peripheral regions to strengthen their research capacities.
“The interdisciplinary and international nature of the consortium is particularly important to me, as it includes partners from the United States, Ukraine and the Baltic states. On one hand, we can draw on American experience in transforming engineering programmes, while on the other, we can support our Ukrainian partners, for whom developing models of university resilience and innovation will be crucial in the post-war reconstruction and recovery period. I expect that we will identify mechanisms through which technical universities in Central and Eastern Europe can more effectively adapt to crisis situations, strengthening education that supports the economic environment and the creation of knowledge with high social value,” emphasises the researcher.
The National Science Centre will provide nearly PLN 1.4 million to fund the Polish component of the research.
What secrets lie within the heart of matter?
The second IMPRESS-U grant recipient to receive funding from the National Science Centre is Dr hab. Jakub Wagner of the National Centre for Nuclear Research. He will lead a Polish research team conducting a project entitled “EAGER IMPRESS-U: Study of 3D nucleon structure through deep-exclusive processes at the Electron-Ion Collider.” The project is led by an US team under the direction of Andrei Afanasev from George Washington University, while the Ukrainian research will be coordinated by Mykola Merenkov from the National Science Center: Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology. The budget for the Polish component of the research amounts to nearly PLN 400,000.
“On a daily basis, I work on quantum chromodynamics, the theory describing strong interactions – one of the four fundamental forces of nature. I am particularly interested in the structure of the proton: I study how its properties emerge from the complex interactions of quarks and gluons, and what its three-dimensional structure looks like. You could think of it as a kind of ‘proton tomography,’ where we try to peer inside and reconstruct the processes occurring at the subatomic scale,” says Dr hab. Jakub Wagner.
Researchers from Ukraine, Poland and the United States will jointly conduct studies on phenomena that will be crucial for the new US particle accelerator – the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The aim of the project is to achieve a better understanding and description of exclusive particle production, processes in which an electron colliding with a proton produces a specific particle, such as a photon or a meson.
“The planned construction of the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) in the United States is directly related to my research on the proton’s structure and exclusive processes, which allow its tomography. However, a precise analysis of future results requires accounting for quantum corrections in electromagnetic interactions. The IMPRESS-U programme makes it possible to combine the expertise of the NCBJ group in describing exclusive processes with the achievements of our American and Ukrainian partners in calculating these corrections,” explains Dr hab. Wagner. We have been following each other’s research results for years and have met repeatedly at international workshops and conferences dedicated to hadron physics and EIC studies. However, it was the IMPRESS-U program that provided the proper framework to transform this acquaintance and exchange of experience into a close research collaboration,” he adds.
Over the course of two years, the researchers will carry out calculations, computer simulations and develop new theoretical tools to analyse data from the EIC. The project also has a strong educational component – it engages young researchers from the US, Poland, and Ukraine and includes the organisation of international scientific workshops. This collaboration will lay the foundation for further joint research and the advancement of science in the field of particle physics.
“I expect the project to establish a solid theoretical foundation and develop tools for analysing exclusive processes at the EIC, including electromagnetic corrections. This will lead to greater precision in future measurements and a better understanding of the proton’s structure. Equally important, the project will strengthen long-term collaboration between teams from Poland, the United States and Ukraine, and prepare young researchers to actively participate in the EIC scientific program,” emphasises Dr. hab. Wagner.
Further initiatives supporting Ukrainian researchers
The National Science Centre is participating in additional initiatives in support of Ukraine. In 2024, it joined the LUKE – Linking Ukraine to the European Research Area consortium. The project, led by the DLR Project Management Agency (Germany), brings together 25 institutions from 15 countries. The initiative aims to organise a joint call to fund international research projects with Ukraine, strengthen Ukraine’s research capacity and facilitate the transfer of knowledge and best practices. The announcement of the first call for proposals is planned for late 2025 or early 2026.
Europe’s quantum technologies network has launched a new call for international research projects and expanded its consortium to include South Korea
In the 1980s, John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis detected quantum phenomena, which had long remained purely theoretical, in large, stable circuits composed of billions of particles, as well as in single atoms.In 2025, they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for this experiment. Over the past five years, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has honoured nine researchers expanding the frontiers of quantum technologies (QT): in 2023 Anne L’Huillier, Pierre Agostini and Ferenc Krausz for attosecond physics, and in 2022 Alain Aspect, John Clauser and Anton Zeilinger for work on entangled photons.
Quantum technologies are now seen as key to future innovation. They may soon transform the way we measure matter, process data and transmit information. They will enable more precise diagnostics, more secure communication, new materials design and advanced modelling. QuantERA – a transnational network supporting quantum research - is a driving force in this transformation.
Well-established network
QuantERA Strategic Conference 2025 in Gdańsk, PolandThe QuantERA network is one of Europe’s largest and longest-running initiatives in quantum technologies, bringing together over 40 research-funding agencies from over 30 countries. The programme’s direction is guided by a strategic advisory board featuring Nobel laureate Alain Aspect. Since its launch in 2017, QuantERA has grown through three editions – I, II and now III – launched in June 2025. With more than €117 million in provided funding, the programme has supported over 100 projects uniting nearly 550 research groups and more than 2,000 individual scientists. “We invest in quantum research that connects people, strengthens excellence and promotes responsibility, both internationally and across sectors”, says Elżbieta Hryniewicka, the network’s coordinator from the National Science Centre Poland.
This year, QuantERA launched a new callfor international research projects and expanded its consortium to include South Korea.
The QuantERA Call 2025, open until 5 December, invites international consortia comprising at least three countries participating in the programme. “This is the time to act – to put forward new ideas, consult them and build teams. The call offers a real opportunity to turn new ideas into projects at the international level”, says Professor Konrad Banaszek, the network’s scientific coordinator.
The call covers the full spectrum of quantum research. Projects can be submitted in one of two topics: quantum phenomena and resources (QPR) and applied quantum science (AQS). “In our calls, the network casts a very wide net to capture new ideas and concepts in the field of quantum technologies. Previous editions have shown that this model works – project results are published in leading scientific journals and presented at major international conferences”, adds Prof. Banaszek.\
Professor Adam Wojciechowski from the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, a QuantERA Call 2023 grantee, speaks about the benefits of bringing together teams from different countries. “PhD students from individual groups can work within partner teams, gaining access to unique equipment and direct contact with world experts in quantum physics. The programme fosters the exchange of knowledge and experience, as well as the planning of future research”, he emphasises. Wojciechowski also points out the relatively high success rates in QuantERA calls compared to other initiatives. In the first editions of the QuantERA calls, the success rate was about a dozen percent, while in recent years it has reached nearly 24% and 30%.
In the AQuSeND project, Prof. Wojciechowski, together with researchers from University of Ulm and University of Murcia, are investigating how to transfer the measurement capabilities known from large diamond crystals to the nanoscale level and develop new detection methods that will enable exceptionally precise measurements of magnetic fields and temperature at the nanoscale. “Just a few years ago, it seemed that nanodiamonds had poorer parameters than macroscopic diamond plates; today, we know that many of these limitations can be effectively overcome. I believe that in the coming years this will lead to increased interest in the commercial production of nanodiamonds for use in quantum sensing”, explains Prof. Wojciechowski. Those methods may find applications in materials and biological research, where exceptionally precise measurements at the nanometre scale are required.
Global reach
QuantERA, coordinated by the National Science Centre Poland, brings together research-funding agencies from EU member states and associated countries, including Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Israel and Turkey. For the first time, teams funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea will take part in the QuantERA call.
Handover of the Letter of Intent by the NRF delegation to the QuantERA CoordinatorOver the past few years, South Korea has been steadily building its capacity in the field of quantum technologies. In 2021, the government announced the National Strategic Plan for Quantum Science and Technology, setting out four priorities: supporting fundamental research, developing human resources, building infrastructure – including test laboratories and facilities for producing quantum components – and fostering collaboration with industry. Subsequently, a new national strategy and a dedicated law supporting the sector were adopted, and the Quantum Strategy Committee was established to coordinate funding and activities in this field. “We are consistently strengthening international cooperation to advance the national quantum sector. Participation in the QuantERA network allows us to fund projects carried out jointly with Europe’s most advanced countries”, says Kim Seok-Ho, programme officer at the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF). Korea brings to the network a strong technological foundation and a fresh research perspective that can accelerate the development of joint projects.
In line with its active international engagement, QuantERA will participate in the European Quantum Technologies Conference (EQTC) in Copenhagen on 10–12 November. In collaboration with the Quantum Flagship, the network will join a roundtable on transnational collaboration and national strategies, and showcase its ongoing research projects during the poster session.
150 researchers will pursue research activities owing to NCN grants. They will receive a total of over PLN 6 million for preliminary/ pilot studies, research visits, and library and archive searchers. Here are the results for MINIATURA 9 proposals submitted in June.
MINIATURA 9 was open to proposals submitted by researchers with a PhD degree awarded after 1 January 2013. PLN 5,000 – 50,000 was up for grabs for research activities carried out by researchers working at Polish research institutions. NCN funds could be used for preliminary/ pilot studies, library and archive searchers or research visits, and – for the first time –mentor’s guidance on developing future research project that could be submitted by the call winners in upcoming major NCN calls.
MINIATURA 9 was open between February and July. The proposal evaluation procedure was simplified to a single stage, with the results published within five months of the submission date.
286 researchers have been awarded MINIATURA grants so far. Today, the list of winners will expand to include another 150 researchers, who will pursue their research activities with a total value of over PLN 6 million. The funded research activities include 129 including preliminary/ pilot studies, 15 research visits and 12 library and archive searchers. 25 research activities will involve mixed forms.
Funded Research Activities
40 research activities will be funded in Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences. The winning applicants include Dr Wojciech Bis from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences. He will carry out a non-invasive survey of relics of a late medieval and early modern castle foundation in Wilczyska, Lubelskie Voivodeship. Dr Michalina Kowala from the Adam Mickiewicz University will pursue the project entitled ‘Guaranteeing access to information or protecting freedom to conduct a business? The legislator's difficult choices based on the example of attempts to resolve the conflict between press publishers and online platforms’. Dr Sylwia Zawadzka from the University of Wrocław will carry out pilot comparative studies in the Euroregion Pro Europa Viadrina and the Euroregion Baltic on youth participation in cross-border structures.
52 researchers were awarded in Physical Sciences and Engineering, including Dr inż. Wojciech Stopyra from the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, who will carry out preliminary studies on the application of thermodynamic simulations to determine Powder Bed Fusion - Laser Beam process parameters for AA7075 aluminium alloy to minimize hot cracking. Dr Tymoteusz Chojecki from the Marii Curie-Skłodowska University of Lublin will perform a research activity on expanding graphs of large girth and new families of message authentication codes. Another MINIATURA grant will support Dr inż. Ludwin Molina Arias, who will study the impact of voluntary breathing modulation on locomotor–respiratory coupling during walking and running.
Funding will also support 57 research activities in Life Sciences. Dr Lidia Łapińska from the Medical University of Białystok will analyse the proteomic profile and cardiometabolic parameters in people with depressive symptoms to assessment the risk of development of early neurodegenerative changes in the brain white matter. Dr inż. Marta Pokora-Carzyńska from the Jan Długosz University in Częstochowa will go on a research visit to study enzymatic hydrolysis as a method for modifying the functional properties of Lathyrus sativus protein and inducing biological activity by releasing biologically active peptides, while Dr Kamila Laskoś from the Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Science will analyse oilseed press cake extracts in regulating photosynthesis, water management, and the antioxidant system in winter wheat and winter rye under soil drought conditions.
The ranking lists include all topics of research activities recommended for funding under MINIATURA 9.
Twenty five international research projects involving researchers from Poland, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland and Czechia have been awarded funding under OPUS 28+LAP/Weave. Polish research teams will receive an overall of nearly PLN 42.9 million zloty from the National Science Centre.
The winning projects were funded owing to NCN’s collaboration with the European research-funding agencies under the Weave Programme, according to which international research projects involving researchers from two or three countries undergo a single evaluation procedure only once, in one country, performed by an agency selected by the consortium.
Each autumn, the National Science Centre acting as the lead agency, launches a call for proposals under its largest grant programme OPUS. When evaluating OPUS LAP proposals together with other OPUS proposals, the expert teams focus on the balanced and complementary contribution of all research teams in the project, academic and research career of principal investigators in foreign research teams and their experience in completing other research projects. The results are published as soon as they are approved by the partner agencies.
Polish research teams will carry out 18 bilateral projects in cooperation with researchers from Germany, with a budget of over PLN 30 million, 4 bilateral projects with researchers from Slovenia, with a budget of over PLN 7.8 million, and 3 trilateral projects with researchers from Austria and Slovenia, Germany and Switzerland, and researchers from Germany and Czechia, with an overall budget of nearly PLN 5 million.
Researchers specialising in Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences, will pursue their projects concerning, inter alia, the reflection principles and their epistemic warrant, sustainable and optimised modular construction value chain, or asset pricing with graphical and alternative data. Researchers in Life Sciences will investigate, inter alia, the performance of coexisting native and non-native tree species, transient physiological biomarkers of progressive myopia, benefits of exposure reduction to coal combustion products and resulting improvements in air quality and respiratory and mental health. In terms of Physical Sciences and Engineering, international research teams will explore, among other things, the natural deep eutectic solvents (DES) for innovative biopolymer extraction and sustainable biomass valorisation, seek to understand the physical fundamentals of photon Bose-Einstein condensates in semiconductor optical microcavities, and analyse a design and customisation of borate bioactive glasses.
25 projects were funded in the last round of OPUS 28+LAP/Weave results, with an overall budget of PLN 42,893,334.
The National Science Centre received 2,039 proposals with an overall value of over PLN 3.2 billion, including 1,823 domestic (NCN) proposals for a total of nearly PLN 3 billion and 216 LAP proposals for over PLN 320 million. Funding went to 234 domestic proposals with a value of PLN 448.1 million and 58 LAP proposals with a value of nearly PLN 106.5 million.
NCN decisions are served to the applicants only, and are not communicated to the principal investigator if the applicant is specified in Article 27 (1) – (7) and (9) of the Act on the National Science Centre. If an individual applies, the decision is not communicated to the participating entity specified in the proposal. More on service of decisions .
In November 2025, the European Partnership One Health Antimicrobial Resistance (EUP OHAMR) will announce its first call for international research projects entitled Treatments and Adherence to Treatment protocols.
The call involves 36 funding organisations from 28 different countries, with an estimated total call budget of over 28 million Euro, with additional EC contribution.
The aim of this first EUP OHAMR Call is to improve the treatment success rates of the patients, animals and plants affected by bacterial or fungal infections by providing new treatment options while reducing the risk of resistance in the different One Health settings.
The call will cover three research subtopics:
• Topic 1: Identify and develop new combination treatments using existing or innovative antimicrobials or antimicrobial with adjunctive treatments to extend drug efficacy and combat resistance;
• Topic 2: Develop tools and methods to improve adherence to treatment protocols;
• Topic 3: Assess the impact of antimicrobials for veterinary and agricultural use on the risk of AMR transmission to humans and the environment to inform policies on the restriction of some antimicrobials for human use.
The Call will be announced on 18 November 2025, in a two-stage procedure (joint pre-proposals/joint full proposals:
18 November 2025 (11.00 CET): Call announcement
26 November 2025 (14.00 CET): Webinar for applicants
2 February 2026 (13.00 CET): Deadline pre-proposals
17 June 2026 (13.00 CEST): Deadline full proposals
24 June 2026: deadline national NCN proposals
December 2026 - April 2027: Projects start
Webinar for applicants
We invite researchers to a live webinar on 26 November 2025, presenting the OHAMR Call 2026. Registration.
Additional information including topic descriptions and a list of countries interested in participating in the call are available on the EUP OHAMR website.
This is not an official announcement. Detailed call conditions will be specified in the official announcement of the call.
We explore research, social impact and career paths.
Science changes our lives. It helps us understand the world better and make it a better place. In our latest podcast, we talk about early-career researchers: their research, significance of their work, and advice for those at the beginning of their careers.
Agata Starosta, Aneta Pieczka and Maciej Stolarski are joining our podcast host, Anna Korzekwa-Józefowicz.
Dr hab. Agata Starosta, a molecular biologist, is a professor at the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences. She studies bacteria and antibiotic resistance. She is actively involved in efforts to change science policy and increase NCN funding (#NCNtotlen).
Dr Aneta Pieczka works at the Kozminski University in Warsaw, where she studies digital workplaces and impact on digital technologies on the working conditions. She is engaged in the CHANSE project HuLog: Humans in Digital Logistics, and has participated in the Europe and Mobilities conference, with the NCN as one of its partners.
Professor Maciej Stolarski from the University of Warsaw studies the psychology of time. He is a winner of this year’s NCN Award for mental time travel, an ability that shapes our emotions, relations and ability to plan the future.
Science that changes the world
Research helps us understand the world around us and impact our everyday lives
‘We are now at a stage where technological progress has somewhat outpaced social progress. We observe a range of tools we use at work, algorithms, artificial intelligence, which we hear so much about today, and we implement it enthusiastically. Therefore, I think it is worth asking the question – and we as social researchers do ask this question – what impact does it have on employees, on people, on the whole of society?’
Aneta Pieczka
‘I study bacteria, i.e. microorganisms that cause diseases. Currently, there is antibiotic resistance. It is actually at a pandemic scale now. Our research helps to find loopholes in the functioning of bacteria, which later serve as a source for designing new antibiotics.’
Agata Starosta
‘I am dealing with a psychological phenomenon which, according to many researchers comparing humans to other species of living beings, is something that is the last bastion of what is uniquely human: an ability to perform mental time travel. Thanks to this, we can plan, predict, delay gratification and engage in self-reflection. In a world driven by quick impulses and fleeting emotions, this ability is crucial. It helps to develop a more reflective, mature society that acts purposefully. This is the most important topic for me, also as a psychologist who studies phenomena such as hope, gratitude, and psychological resilience.’
Maciej Stolarski
How do researchers work
Experiences and tips for younger researchers
‘The role of a mentor is extremely important to me, because it somewhat depends on my mentor, or boss, or supervisor, where I will go next. Of course, it also largely depends on me, but here the guidance is also extremely important, so my way of learning is through the experience of being with others, observing others.’
Aneta Pieczka
‘I generally try to help younger colleagues with writing grants, discuss ideas and structure of their applications. I must admit that so far, all the people I have helped have received a grant. What I also try to do is to ensure that members of my team have some visibility in the community. For example, when I receive an invitation to give a lecture, I often ask the person who was the first author to replace me. When it comes a failure, it is just part of this job. Sometimes your grant proposal does not get approved or the review is tough, but there is no point in dwelling on it. I feel bad for a day or two and then move forward. There was a time when our paper was rejected, so we wrote to the editor and explained our arguments. Ultimately, the decision was reversed. It pays to fight for what you believe is right.’
Agata Starosta
‘None of my grant proposals have ever been accepted on the first try. I explain to my PhD students that rejected grant proposals do not define their value as researchers. It not a failure bur a message that it’s just not the right moment yet. In psychology, there is a term ‘developmental mindset’, where difficulties are regarded as part of a longer process, not the end of it. If you learn a lesson from your review, it will truly make a difference for you.’
Maciej Stolarski
Listen to our podcast
The podcast ‘NexGen Science. The Future is Now,’ is now available on our You Tube channel, Spotify and Apple Podcast
In November 2025, the LEAP-SE (Long-Term Joint EU-AU Research and Innovation Partnership on Sustainable Energy) network consortium will announce a call for international research projects aimed at developing cooperation between researchers from Europe and Africa in the area of energy transition, covering seven topics:
Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and integration of RES in sustainable energy scenarios;
End-of-life and second‐life management and environmental impact of RE components;
Smart stand‐alone systems;
Smart grid (different scales) for off grid application;
Processes and appliances for productive uses (agriculture, mobility and industry);
Innovative solutions for priority domestic uses (clean cooking and cold chain);
Production and utilization of Green Hydrogen.
Project consortia must consist of project partners from a minimum of four countries from the two continents. At least two independent legal entities from two different Member States from the European Union or Horizon Europe associated countries participating to the Cofund Call should ask and be eligible to receive support from the relevant participating funder and at least two independent legal entities from two countries from the African Union.
The consortium must include at least one partner from the institutional research sector (academic, public research center, non-profit organisation, etc.) coming from participating countries and one partner from the private sector (commercial company) coming from participating countries must be part of the consortium.
Additional information including topic descriptions, a preliminary schedule and a list of countries interested in participating in the call are available on the LEAP-RE network website.
This is not an official announcement. Detailed call conditions will be specified in the official announcement of the call.
This year, the NCN awards for early-career researchers, who have made a significant contribution to research development, go to Łucja Kowalewska, Maciej Stolarski and Bartosz Szyszko. The Award ceremony was held on 15 October, at the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology, in Kraków.
The winning researchers conduct their work in Warsaw and Wrocław. Łucja Kowalewska, who studies plant cell biology, and Maciej Stolarski, who explores the psychology of time, both work at the University of Warsaw, while Bartosz Szyszko, who specialises in supramolecular chemistry, conducts his research at the University of Wrocław.
The Award of the National Science Centre was established in 2013 and has since been granted to researchers whose work pushes the boundaries of knowledge and makes a significant contribution to the world of science, in recognition of their outstanding basic research projects conducted at Polish research institutions. The Award is granted in three categories: Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences (HS), Physical Sciences and Engineering (ST) and Life Sciences (NZ). It is the most prestigious award in Poland recognising early-career researchers working at Polish research institutions.
2025 NCN Award winners: Bartosz Szyszko, Łucja Kowalewska, Maciej Stolarski
At the Award ceremony, Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak, NCN Director addressed the social purpose of science and the need to have it consistently funded. “In the 21st century, science is advancing faster than ever before, producing discoveries and providing solutions that only a few decades ago were considered science fiction”, he said. “Research and research-based innovation can significantly mitigate the effects of global threats”. Prof. Jóźwiak noted that financial uncertainty undermines the potential of the system. “We need to create an environment in which researchers would be motivated to develop their careers in Poland. This cannot be achieved if we have to fight for every penny each year just to ensure survival of the system till the next budget”, he said. “Decent funding for research and innovation is a strategic necessity. If Poland aspires to become a modern and innovation-driven economy, it must invest in knowledge, talent and local innovation with global impact”.
The Chair of the NCN Council, Prof. Tomasz Dietl, emphasised that the winners’ successes underlined the significance of grant funding. “Your achievements clearly demonstrate the importance of grant funding, including NCN funding”, he said. “Calls for proposal are not merely sources of funding for research and salaries, but an engine for new ideas, opportunity for a feedback from expert reviewers and chance to showcase one’s achievements to them”. He added that achieving a 25% success rate in NCN-funded calls would make it possible for all ambitious researchers to be included in the grant system, regardless of their age, speciality or university. “As a result, centres of academic excellence would be expanded and academic education enhanced, contributing to social and economic development”, he said and emphasised that despite significant development over the last decades, Poland continues to face new challenges. “Poland’s development and safety will largely depend on our innovativeness, cooperation and trust”, he noted.
The event featured Dr Marcin Kulasek from the Minister of Science, who ensured that regardless of the budget deficit and difficult geopolitical situation, the Polish government continued to seek new ways to increase the budget for research. “We are doing everything we can to find funds for research. There is a mutual understanding in this regard and it is only a matter of time before funding is secured. I believe we will finally be able to increase financial support, we are seeking solutions to this end”, he promised.
AWARD WINNERS
A new paradigm in cell biology
Dr hab. Łucja Kowalewska works at the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw. Her research focuses on plant cell biology, particularly on the structure and dynamics of plastid membranes. “Shape recognition is one of the earliest cognitive skills developed by a child”, she says. “In our research group, we translate this primal curiosity into the world of cell biology by studying the geometry of complex membrane systems using a model based on plant plastids”, explains the researcher.
Her work focuses on periodic membranes, whose organisation plays a crucial role in cellular functioning – including plastid biogenesis and photosynthetic efficiency. Dr. Kowalewska’s team investigates how membrane structure influences biological function and which molecular and physicochemical mechanisms govern membrane transformations.
“We view the shapes formed by membranes – their nanomorphology – as one of the key, yet often overlooked, levels of cellular organisation”, she emphasises. The team develops and applies advanced microscopic, biophysical and computational methods, including machine learning–based tools that enable three-dimensional analyses of membrane nanomorphology.
Dr Kowalewska’s research makes a significant contribution to understanding the relationship between membrane geometry and function. The researcher has demonstrated that the spatial organisation of membranes is not merely the result of the self-assembly of their structural components, but also actively regulates cellular processes – marking a shift in the existing paradigm of cell biology.
While her studies are primarily fundamental in nature, understanding the principles of biological membrane self-organisation also holds significant application potential. It provides a foundation for the design of biomimetic nanomaterials that may be used in medicine, pharmacy and food technology – for instance, as drug carriers, materials supporting tissue regeneration or smart coatings.
The results of Dr Kowalewska’s research have been published in leading journals such as The Plant Cell, Plant Physiology, PNAS and Advanced Materials. She serves as Deputy Chair of the European research network COST European Curvature and Biology Network and is the principal investigator of three projects funded by the NCN.
Between the past, present and future
Professor Maciej Stolarski from the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Warsaw studies the phenomenon of mental time travel. He has provided empirical evidence for the crucial role of thinking beyond the present moment in shaping the quality and effectiveness of human life. His body of work – combining cognitive, personality and positive psychology – has had a significant impact on the development of research in the psychology of time.
The ability to mentally move between the past and the future is one of humanity’s most important evolutionary achievements, forming the basis for planning, decision-making, delaying gratification and reflecting on one’s life. “The ability for mental time travel, allows us not only to experience the present moment but also to relive the past and imagine the future”, says Prof. Stolarski. “Each temporal horizon offers unique possibilities: memories shape our identity, focus on the present enables mindfulness and savour life, while simulations of the future make planning possible and motivate us to act”.
The researcher studies the concept of a balanced time perspective – the ability to flexibly shift between the past, present and future depending on the situation. “A balanced time perspective means that we can, at the right moment, draw on memories, focus on the here and now, or look ahead to the future. It is precisely this flexibility that determines our well-being”, he explains.
The researcher has developed an index of deviation from a balanced time perspective, which has become a key reference point for studies conducted worldwide. He also examines how individual differences in time perception influence emotions, relationships and performance – including in sports. In recent years, he has combined his scientific work with his passion for ultramarathon running, demonstrating that future-oriented thinking supports regular training, perseverance and improved results.
“The NCN Award is, for me, a testament to the meaning and value of my work, as well as a source of motivation to keep moving forward. I am currently working on a theoretical synthesis of my research to date and on developing my own coherent theoretical framework”, emphasises Prof. Stolarski.
The researcher was the recipient of a scholarship from the Minister of Science and Higher Education for early-career researchers and a START fellowship from the Foundation for Polish Science. In 2021, he received the Polityka Science Award in the social sciences category. He currently leads, or has previously led, three research projects funded by the NCN.
A foundation for creating new materials
Dr hab. Bartosz Szyszko, Professor at the University of Wrocław, specialises in supramolecular chemistry. “Chemists usually study molecules connected through classical covalent or ionic bonds, whereas I wanted to explore chemical topology”, he says. “At the core of this field are systems that form a whole through a non-obvious interlinking of their components”.
Prof. Szyszko’s team focuses on the synthesis and investigation of rotaxanes, catenanes and molecular knots – mechanically interlocked molecules that resemble the links of a chain. Such systems exhibit entirely different properties, dynamics and reactivity compared with compounds known from classical chemistry. The achievements of his group include the development of new methods for constructing structures with nontrivial topology, including approaches that use metal ion clusters as structural templates. The researchers have also discovered a new type of molecular motion in rotaxanes, which they have termed “fluttering.” The group’s work on flexible molecular knots and links, published in Angewandte Chemie, was highlighted in Nature Synthesis.
“The NCN Award is, to me, a sign that even in a world where scientists are expected to deliver immediate results, faster processes, cheaper production and greater profits, there is still room for something different – for research driven purely by curiosity”, emphasises Prof. Szyszko. “Understanding the behaviour of individually mechanically interlocked molecules, gaining greater control over their dynamics, and explaining why they undergo specific reactions in one way rather than another brings us closer to the stage of their practical application in the design of advanced, intelligent materials and nanomachines – whose potential uses we may not yet be able to fully imagine”, he adds.
Rotaxanes are already being used for the controlled release of active substances within the body and for the production of gel-based materials capable of changing their volume in response to external stimuli – applications that are finding use, among others, in soft robotics. The researcher’s work may provide the foundation for the development of new functional materials and nanoscale devices, such as chemical sensors, substance carriers, nanomachine components or intelligent catalysts.
Professor Szyszko belongs to the so-called “NCN Generation”, a group of scientists whose academic careers have evolved in close connection with the NCN initiatives. He won a PRELUDIUM call addressed to PhD students in its very first edition. To date, he has led or continues to lead a total of five NCN-funded projects.
Among his distinctions are the Włodzimierz Kołos Award of the Polish Academy of Sciences, the Iuvenes Wratislaviae distinction, the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education scholarship for early-career researchers and the START fellowship of the Foundation for Polish Science. He publishes in leading chemistry journals such as Angewandte Chemie, Journal of the American Chemical Society and Nature Communications. He is also a member of the Polish Young Academy.
The NCN Award is the most prestigious distinction for early-career researchers in Poland. The winners will be announced on 15 October 2025, 6:30 pm during the Award ceremony which will be broadcasted online.
The Award of the National Science Centre was established in 2013 and has since been granted to early-career researchers whose work pushes the boundaries of knowledge and makes a significant contribution to the world of science, in recognition of their outstanding basic research projects conducted at Polish research institutions. The Award is granted in three categories: Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences (HS), Physical Sciences and Engineering (ST) and Life Sciences (NZ). So far, the Award has been presented to 36 researchers.
This year, 185 applications were received, covering 125 nominees, from which the Chapter selected three winners, one in each research field. Their names will be announced during the Award ceremony at the Manggha Museum of Japanese Art and Technology in Kraków. The event can be followed online, on the NCN website and our YouTube channel.
The Award ceremony will be hosted by Karolina Głowacka from Radio Naukowe, with media support from Forum Akademickie and Science in Poland, Polish Press Agency. Over the next few weeks, the winners will discuss their research in the Science at the Centre series, launched by the National Science Centre in cooperation with the Copernicus Centre Foundation.
NCN Award in a Nutshell
Established by the NCN Council in 2013 to recognise Poland-based researchers conducting top-notch basic research projects
Awarded every year in three research areas: Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences; Life Sciences; and Physical Sciences and Engineering
Nominees must be researchers who have been conferred their PhD degree within the past 12 years; this period may be extended to account for any career breaks caused by illness or childcare
Chapter: NCN Council members and NCN Director
Nominations may be submitted by former NCN Award winners, former NCN Council members, principal investigators in MAESTRO and SONATA BIS calls, experts reviewing proposals submitted to NCN calls, etc.
The most prestigious award in Poland recognising early-career researchers for their basic research projects
