Dr Wojciech Glac from the Faculty of Biology of the University of Gdańsk won the Science Popularizers 2019 competition in ‘Scientist’ category, organized by PAP – Science in Poland portal and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The researcher is an esteemed academic and popularizer of knowledge concerning brain. He is also a driving force behind the Tricity Brain Days held at the University of Gdańsk.
The 15th edition of Science Popularizers competition saw 109 applicants. The competition’s jury selected 22 finalists in 5 categories, who were nominated for this year award.
Dr Wojciech Glac from the Neurobiology Laboratory of the Department of Animal and Human Physiology gives several neurobiology popular science lectures a year. He originated and established Brain Days at the University of Gdańsk, which have been attracted thousands of teenage and adult visitors interested in the topic of brain for a decade now.
Finalists and winners of each category:
‘Animator’:
• Dawid Myśliwiec (winner)
• Jerzy Rafalski
• Karol Sieńkowski
• Aleksandra Stefaniak
‘Institution’:
• Hydropolis
• Klub Astronomiczny Almukantarat (Almukantarat Astronomy Association)
• Stowarzyszenie Rzecznicy Nauki (Science Spokespersons Association - winner)
‘Media’:
• Crazy Nauka - Aleksandra and Piotr Stanisławscy (winner)
• Czasopismo "Filozofuj!" (Philosophize! Journal)
• Marzenna Nowakowska
• "Pytania z kosmosu" – Program 3 PR - Dr Tomasz Rożek and Marcin Łukawski (Cosmos questions – Polish Radio 3)
‘Scientist’:
• dr Wojciech Glac (winner)
• dr Mikołaj Małecki
• dr hab. Piotr Rzymski
• dr Joanna Stojer-Polańska
• dr Andrew (Zbyszek) Szydło
• dr hab. Marta Wrzosek
• dr Witold Zawadzki
‘Team’:
• Dolnośląski Festiwal Nauki (The Lower Silesian Science Festival)
• Dział Marketingu Uniwersytetu SWPS (SWPS University Marketing Department)
• Heweliusze Nauki (Heveliuses of Science - winner)
• Zespół MGS „Multimedialny Gwiezdny Spektakl”: prof. dr hab. Adam Maj, dr hab. Jerzy Grębosz, Józef Skrzek (MGS Team, Multimedia Star Spectacle)
The main prize was awarded to the Lower Silesian Science Festival, nominated in ‘Team’ category, whereas dr hab. Marta Wrzosek, nominated in ‘Scientist’ category, and Jerzy Rafalski, nominated in ‘Animator’ category, received distinctions.
The editors of PAP Science in Poland portal awarded one additional, non-statutory award, named after the editor Tomasz Trzciński, to the University of Łódź Spokesperson Office, for the exemplary information policy.
The Science Popularizers competition was created in 2005 by PAP Science in Poland portal and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. It is the oldest and the most prestigious Polish competition that awards scientist, members of the media, institutions and community activists for their passion of sharing knowledge and revealing modern science mysteries to the general public, unassociated with the academic world.
Among the previous award winners are: environmental philosopher - reverend professor Michał Heller; neurobiologist - professor Jerzy Vetulani; author of popular science TV shows – Wiktor Niedzicki,; physician – professor Tadeusz Wibig; and institutions like Copernicus Science Center, Polish Children Academy, M. Nenicki Experimental Biology Institute.
The official award ceremony took place on 28 February 2020 in Warsaw. The Minister of Science and Higher Education - Jarosław Gowin, the President of the Polish Press Association - Wojciech Surmacz and the Head of the Competition Jury - professor Michał Kleiber presented the awards during the ceremony.
For more information about the competition and the winners visit the PAP Science in Poland website.
For more information about the UG Brain Days visit the project’s website.
The University of Gdańsk Spokesperson’s Office
