On Polish Science Day - February 19, 2025 - the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń hosted the Polish Science Gala, during which the Minister of Science and Higher Education Awards were presented. Prof. dr hab. Małgorzata Lipowska received the award for significant achievements in the field of scientific activity.
‘I congratulate prof. Małgorzata Lipowska on the award of the Minister of Science and Higher Education for her scientific achievements,’ said prof. dr hab. Piotr Stepnowski, Rector of the University of Gdańsk, who took part in the ceremony. ‘Recently, the professor became a laureate of the 1st edition of the Joanna Schopenhauer Rector's Award, which aims to support researchers who have obtained the title of professor and include a gender perspective in their research. It is all the more pleasing that the professor's scientific work has also been recognised by the minister.’
The awards of the Minister of Science and Higher Education are given in five categories: scientific, didactic, implementation, and organisational activities, as well as lifetime achievement. Prof. Małgorzata Lipowska has previously been recognised in other categories. In 2022, she was awarded the individual prize of the Minister of Education and Science for her achievements in the field of organisational activity. She was also part of the team of authors of the textbook Clinical Psychology of Children and Adolescents (2020 edition), who received a team award for teaching activities.
‘This is my third minister's award, but in a way my first,’ jokes prof. Małgorzata Lipowska. ‘The previous awards were given to me during the pandemic. This year was the first time I had the pleasure of attending the gala.’
Prof. Małgorzata Lipowska has been associated with the University of Gdańsk for over 20 years. She is currently the director of the Institute of Psychology and heads three postgraduate studies. She is also a regional consultant for clinical psychology. Her goal is to combine science with practice, in accordance with the principles of evidence-based psychological practice (EBPP). Prof. Lipowska's achievements include over 70 scientific articles, as well as monographs and recognised diagnostic methods.
Prof. Lipowska is, among others, the co-author of the Polish adaptation of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (SB5), which are recognised worldwide as the ‘gold standard’ in intellect diagnosis (the Polish adaptation of the method is currently recommended by the national consultant and regional consultants for clinical psychology and is included in the list of diagnostic tools of the Minister of Health). Due to her achievements in combining psychology as a scientific discipline with psychological practice, she was appointed (in 2022-2023) to the Team for the Development of Systemic Solutions Regarding the Role of Clinical Psychologists in Psychiatric Care. She is also the co-author of the Specialisation Programme in Clinical Psychology, responsible for the sub-specialisation of Clinical Psychology of Children and Adolescents. She was the leader of the Child Psychology Team in the NeuroSmog: The impact of air pollution on the developing brain (2019-2023), funded by the Foundation for Polish Science, in which world-unique psychological research was conducted (involving 744 pupils aged 10-13 with and without ADHD).
These are just some of prof. Lipowska's achievements, mentioned in the application for the award granted by the Minister of Science and Higher Education. ‘Prof. Małgorzata Lipowska successfully combines scientific, organisational and professional activities at the highest level: diagnostic and therapeutic,’ we read in the justification of the application.
We congratulate prof. Małgorzata Lipowska on her well-deserved success and wish her satisfaction in her future activities, not only for the benefit of science but also the society as a whole!
