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.

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.

MINIATURA 9 Ranking list No 6(.pdf)

Funding per Panel:

• Humanities, Social Sciences and Art Sciences: 40 research activities with a total budget of PLN 1,201,140
• Physical Sciences and Engineering: 53 research activities with a total budget of PLN 2,105,650
• Life Sciences: 57 research activities with a total budget of PLN 2,776,605

Total funding: 150 research activities with a budget of PLN 6,083,395.

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.

In June, the first ranking list for LAP proposals submitted to OPUS 28+LAP/Weave was published, for projects carried out by research teams from Poland and Luxembourg. In July, we published the results for projects carried out in bilateral cooperation with research teams from Austria, Belgium-Flanders, Czechia and Switzerland. Today, we have published the last results of the call, as approved by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARIS).

LAP Cooperation with Germany and Slovenia 

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.

• OPUS 28+LAP/Weave Ranking List for bilateral projects carried out by research teams from Poland and Germany (pdf)
• OPUS 28+LAP/Weave Ranking List for bilateral projects carried out by research teams from Poland and Slovenia (pdf)
• OPUS 28+LAP/Weave Ranking List for trilateral projects carried out by research teams from Poland, Germany and Czechia (pdf)
• OPUS 28+LAP/Weave Ranking List for trilateral projects carried out by research teams from Poland, Germany and Switzerland (pdf)
• OPUS 28+LAP/Weave Ranking List for trilateral projects carried out by research teams from Poland, Austria and Slovenia (pdf)

OPUS 28+LAP/Weave Statistics – Summary

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. 

Full OPUS 28+LAP/ Weave Ranking Lists

Service of Decisions

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.

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:

1. Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and integration of RES in sustainable energy scenarios;
2. End-of-life and second‐life management and environmental impact of RE components;
3. Smart stand‐alone systems;
4. Smart grid (different scales) for off grid application;
5. Processes and appliances for productive uses (agriculture, mobility and industry);
6. Innovative solutions for priority domestic uses (clean cooking and cold chain);
7. 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.

Media patronage

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
• 36 researchers awarded so far. NCN Award Winners
• Each winner receives an award of PLN 50 000  
• 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
• Presented at the Award ceremony 

 

Media patronage

“The public debate lacks what could be called intergender empathy. If we focus exclusively on one group, ignoring the other, we only reinforce antagonism instead of building community. Equality is not about talking about women against men; it is about including different perspectives. This approach should be mutually beneficial,” says Professor Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka in an interview held as part of the #rozmowaNCN series. 

Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka, photo: private archive Professor Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka, Ph.D., is an intercultural psychologist and equality and diversity expert, working at the University of Gdańsk. She conducts international research on the perceptions of men and women in different social roles. She was the manager of the Towards Gender Harmony project in which, together with more than 100 male and female researchers from six continents, she explored the attitudes of male and female students from 60 countries towards contemporary understanding of femininity and masculinity and gender equality. Currently, she leads the Masculinity Navigator project, dedicated to masculinity norms and male well-being, carried out among teenagers and adults from Poland and Norway. Together with her team, she has conducted analyses of the so-called hidden profiles of attitudes towards equality, involving more than 600 boys in Poland and more than 200 in Norway.

Anna Korzekwa-Józefowicz: Recently I’ve listened – again in a similar format – to a panel on women in science which featured only female researchers. In the open part of the discussion, I even pointed out that, with such a line-up, it was easy to reduce the topic to a “women's issue” instead of seeing it as a management issue for the institution and the scientific community. Was I right?

Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka: If I had been a participant in that meeting, I would probably have supported you. It is also likely that those organising the conference made an effort to include men on the panel, but I know from experience that it is difficult to persuade men to do so. Unfortunately, the assumption persists here that gender equality issues are only a women’s issue.

However, since we are talking about gender, it is difficult to have a real dialogue when one gender is predominant. Yes, unisex panels are sometimes needed because each group wants a space where they feel safe. But when it comes to discussions about women in science, when it is only the women concerned themselves who talk about gender gaps, glass ceilings and barriers to promotion, while all this is true, the problem cannot be effectively and permanently solved.

All the more so as research shows that the very phrase “gender equality” provokes strong reactions in some men, including physiological ones, such as raised blood pressure. There is a sense of threat: that the world is changing, that women are “gaining the upper hand” and men are losing something. As a result, resistance to equality measures is growing and some men are less willing to support them. They also increasingly feel that they themselves experience discrimination, while that against women is decreasing. This is why it is so important to seek dialogue instead of locking ourselves in separate spaces – otherwise the gap between men and women will widen.

Why the raised pressure and the anxiety that something is being lost?

This feeling arises primarily in men who strongly identify with their own gender. Gender is a category that is heavily dichotomised and encased in social expectations. Masculinity is usually associated with efficiency, dominance and power. Thus, if gender strongly defines one’s identity, equality measures may be perceived as a threat. A “zero-sum game” mechanism is then activated – the belief that women’s gains automatically mean men’s losses – those men who feel that it is men who are more entitled to power, dominance and prestige will be particularly inclined to see equality measures as a threat to their own status.

Research, including cross-cultural research, shows that masculinity is a construct that needs to be constantly reaffirmed in every culture. So, as equality grows and women become more visible, some men perceive this as a kind of identity shock. The need then arises to compensate for this sense of threat – in various forms.

How is it manifested?

The vast majority of men are indifferent towards equality issues. There are also those who call themselves feminists and actively work for equality at work and at home. But there are also those who, in a moment of danger, will rely even more readily on traditional role models – they will be more willing to take risks because it is masculine, they will be more reluctant to share domestic responsibilities with a partner or support equality measures. It is a kind of defensive reaction.

Similar mechanisms can also be seen at a group level. In the narratives of the European Union or the United Nations, equality measures are presented as a way of levelling the playing field – women start at a disadvantage, so programmes and mechanisms need to be put in place to reduce the gap. Thus, men are put in the position of having to “make room” for women in the space of power and influence. There is a lack of information on the mutual benefits of equality measures for both women and men.

Men are increasingly declaring that they notice the strong presence of women in science, the media and politics, and some of them are beginning to perceive these solutions as unfair. They feel that since women are doing better and better, additional institutional support no longer means levelling the playing field, but favouring women. They say: “they keep talking about women, and we have our problems too”. They indicate that they want a greater share in childcare, the right to work-home balance or equal treatment in the event of divorce.

Including different perspectives

It is still relatively rarely pointed out that inequalities also have consequences for men, and when it is, it is often from positions that disfavour women.

The public debate lacks what could be called intergender empathy. If we focus exclusively on one group, ignoring the other, we only reinforce antagonism instead of building community. And yet, the point is that rather than on competition, the efforts to promote equality should focus on mutual support and a shared pursuit of the goal of a safe and comfortable life and the opportunity to realise one’s plans and dreams.

Equality is not about talking about women against men; it is about including different perspectives. This approach should benefit both parties.

Where the prevailing belief is that a “real man” must constantly prove his strength and control, men are more likely to fall ill and live shorter lives. In contrast, in environments where equality is implemented wisely and in an atmosphere of cooperation and dialogue, people feel safer, have a greater sense of belonging and are more willing to get involved. Diverse research teams, comprising both women and men, and ideally also people of different ages, demonstrate greater innovation, more patents and better publications. In organisations, this translates into greater loyalty and job satisfaction.

On the other hand, the pervasive presence of gender stereotypes translates into a lower level of economic development, lower productivity and a greater risk of social conflict at the national level.

The Masculinity Navigator project focuses on men’s well-being.

Project team, photo: private archive The project grew out of our earlier research on male and female students’ attitudes, which showed that inequality at the national level is associated with lower physical and mental well-being among men, yet this is not accompanied by a full and committed willingness on the part of men to support equality measures. On the contrary, there are – albeit few – voices expressing anti-feminist tendencies among young men around the world.

We also noticed a big research gap when it comes to teenagers. Very little research is done on how boys and girls aged 16-18 view gender equality and male roles, and it is in this group that the gap in political views is growing fastest – European surveys show that the gap between boys and girls, and latterly also between young women and men, is steadily widening. Some Norwegian studies – conducted in a country with a long history of promoting equality – suggest that boys are beginning to fear the very idea of equality.

That is why we decided to take a closer look. For three years, we conducted longitudinal research in Poland and Norway, using surveys, experiments and in-depth qualitative research such as focus groups. We were looking for an equaman – boys and men with egalitarian views, treating women with respect, recognising equal rights of both genders and not perceiving equality measures as a threat to their own masculinity; quite the opposite, declaring a desire to actively promote equality.

We checked whether boys and girls have a similar understanding of equality, how they link their gender identity to their sense of well-being and whether this influences their willingness to support equality measures.

How many equamen are there in this age group?

Among Polish participants of the study, around 14% of teenagers present an attitude most similar to that of an equaman. These are people who do not see a threat in feminism, have more egalitarian views on gender and a positive attitude towards women. Another group – around 13% – are also potential allies for whom masculinity is not a key part of identity. By contrast, the largest proportion – around 40 per cent – is made up of moderate-minded boys, in whom so-called benevolent sexism is evident: the belief that women should be protected and cared for, but at the same time that if they become “too independent” they deserve criticism or punishment. Another profile we have identified is associated with attitudes similar to those of the so-called incels – characterised by aversion to feminism and equality, and fear of women. This is approximately 8 per cent of the surveyed group.

A key conclusion from our analysis is that these attitudes are very similar in Poland and Norway, despite Poland being regarded as a more traditional country. The distribution of profiles in Norway looks very similar.

How do you create space for “equamen”?

If we add up these percentages, the conclusions are not very optimistic. How can we influence the increase in pro-equality attitudes?

Why? Among the boys surveyed, there are some who want to support equality measures and are characterised by more egalitarian than traditional attitudes towards gender.

What can realistically empower boys to build pro-equality attitudes is their relationships with girls. The more female friends they have, the more willing they are to support equality measures. This is accompanied by a decline in gender essentialism, i.e. the belief that women and men are completely different “by nature”. And the less we see this gap between us, the more similarities we see, the easier it is to build a sense of community and a willingness to work together.

We are currently working on the final stage of the project – creating educational interventions. We are looking for ways to foster empathy between the genders, to highlight similarities between men and women, and to reduce gender essentialism and sexism in boys and girls. We show that the differences between us are sometimes smaller than we think, and that there is often more variation within one gender than between the genders. Preliminary findings suggest that the mere provision of sound knowledge – in the form of a lecture or a short workshop – can prompt reflection on the value of gender equality; the benefits it brings to women and men and the willingness to support it. And this is a prerequisite for equality policies to be effective and lead to the creation of a safe environment to learn, work and live in.

You have worked with schools in Pomerania and in the Tromsø and Oslo areas. Were there any problems with the implementation of research on a topic considered sensitive? We can see what emotions the subject of health education is stirring at Polish schools.

Our team has been cooperating with many schools for a long time and has completed numerous joint projects.

We were met with great openness. The schools responded immediately: “Yes, we want to know how boys and girls perceive their gender, how this relates to their well-being and equality standards.” Parents gave their consent for their teenagers to participate in the study, and the ethics committee approved the project. Research involving minors is subject to particularly strict rules, so each stage is carefully assessed.

Pro-equality measures may stir emotions, but ultimately it is about something very simple: that everyone should feel that they can be themselves and enjoy mental well-being. And we can clearly see that restrictive gender norms – including among adolescents – generate tensions that take a toll on their health. Therefore, a healthy femininity and a healthy masculinity are the foundation of a healthier society, and supporting equality gives us all a more comfortable life at work, within the family and in social relationships.

You mentioned that even lectures can bridge the gap between young people. What actions are still worth taking?

Project team, photo: private archive In social psychology – and the social sciences more broadly – there is still a large gap when it comes to testing interventions, that is activities that can actively build and change attitudes. We often assume that certain actions may or may not work, but rarely have the time and resources to study their long-term effects. Most often it looks like this: measurement before, intervention, measurement after – and that’s the end of it. What is missing is the third stage, which is to see what stays with the participants for longer.

In our project, thanks to the longitudinal study in which we followed adolescents for almost two years, we can identify specific factors promoting mental health and openness to equality. This allows us to plan interventions based on data rather than intuition.

We are currently creating short sets of activities and exercises of about one and a half hours, including both a theoretical part and practical tools – aimed at teachers, educators and those working with teenagers and young adults. The idea is to create a space where teenagers learn to talk to each other about gender stereotypes, mutual expectations and relationships, which are also not free from stereotypical influence.

What do you start your conversations with during such meetings?

The first step is to show the losses that we all suffer when equality measures are lacking – both at the individual and societal level, the second is to build empathy. We try to make sure that participants really listen to each other. A simple exercise helps with this: we ask them to complete the sentences “I am a woman, I must...”, “I am a man, I must...”, “I am a woman, I must not...”, “I am a man, I must not...”. It often turns out that what is allowed for girls is often not accepted with boys – and vice versa. Everyone loses something in a sense. Third, we refer to research findings which show that the differences between women and men are much smaller than is commonly believed. We often exaggerate them ourselves, although meta-analyses of many studies clearly show that we are more alike than different.

We will cover this material in a manual, which will also give guidance on how to talk about gender equality without antagonising, but rather with an emphasis on cooperation and alliance building.

Will the manual reach a wider audience?

Absolutely. We will make it available on the website and promote it widely. We want it to be practical material, based on sound knowledge, useful not only in schools, but also for those involved in social communication or education – journalists, teachers, local leaders. It is not about a revolution, but rather about mutual respect and understanding that gender equality benefits everyone and need not be seen as a threat. It is also a men’s issue – and for men. That is why we need more panels on equality with their participation.

Between 19 and 21 November, the first National Congress “Science for Business” will be held in Warsaw. The event will bring together the scientific community, business and public administration. We will discuss mechanisms for technology transfer, innovation implementation and building a knowledge-based economy.

Innovation leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs and politicians are welcome to develop new R&D cooperation models to increase the competitiveness of Polish economy.

On 21 November, the National Science Centre, as a partner of the Congress, will organise a panel discussion “Basic research for the development of Polish economy. How to accelerate the transfer of knowledge?”. The discussion will be moderated by Prof. Krzysztof Jóźwiak, NCN Director. Guests will include researchers working at the Polish research institutions and involved in basic research in various areas of knowledge, who are familiar with commercialisation of research results and their potential impact on the society at large. Panellists will include Prof. Małgorzata Kossowska, Head of the Department of Social Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Prof. Dr hab. Jacek Jemielity, Director of the Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, President of ExploRNA Therapeutics, Dr hab. Magdalena Stobińska, University of Warsaw Professor, Head of the Quantum Information Technologies Research Group (“QCAT”), University of Warsaw, and Prof. Krzysztof Fic from the Institute of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry, Poznań University of Technology.

“During our discussions, we will emphasise the impact of science and basic research on the development of knowledge potential that can be transformed into original, domestic innovations and new technologies. We will also explain how basic research influences social and economic development and contributes to building a knowledge-based economy,” says Prof. Jóźwiak. “This is particularly important in countries like Poland, which need to seek new innovation-based economic drivers and develop future competitive advantages in the global market,” he adds.

The panel discussion organised by the National Science Centre will be held on 21 November, at 9 am, as Part B: Business – Technology – Advantage (Hall B).

The event is organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the Łukasiewicz Research Network. The Congress is held under the patronage of the Prime Minister, and the Honorary Committee and Programmew Council include representatives of the government, leading scientific institutions and business community.