The Ministry of Science and Higher Education has settled the first competition in the 'Pearls of Science' competition for student-led grant projects. Nearly 100 projects received funding as part of the program's first edition aimed at exceptionally talented graduates of first-cycle studies and students after completing their third or fourth year of unified master's studies.

The competition attracted 335 applications (the call lasted from January 4 to February 18, 2022). Of these, 98 winning projects were selected. Among the winners were four students from the University of Gdańsk:

- Patrycja Bielańska received funding for her project entitled 'Newly isolated compounds from cave bacteria with antibiotic and anticancer properties';

- Aleksander Kazak gained funding for the project 'Political image of Poland in the assessment of Belarusian society after the crisis in Belarus 2020- 2023';

- Kacper Pobłocki gained funding for the project 'New green post-metallocene catalysts in olefin polymerisation and biodiesel synthesis';

- Michał Prusiński received funding for the project 'Application of plant extracts and metal nanoparticles against quarantine phytopathogens'.

The 'Pearls of Science' competition aims to support exceptionally talented first-degree graduates or students after their third or fourth year of unified master's studies.

A prerequisite for participation in the programme is, among other things, submission of a project whose cost does not exceed PLN 240 000 for a project in the field of science and life sciences, engineering and technical sciences, medical and health sciences or agricultural sciences, or PLN 200 000 for a project in the field of humanities, social sciences, theological sciences or arts. Project managers in the competition also receive remuneration at most PLN 3,000 per month.

For more information, visit gov.pl