Prestigious FPS scholarships for researchers from Gdańsk Tech | Gdańsk University of Technology

Beata Zima, PhD, Eng. is an assistant professor at the Department of Structural Mechanics (FC&EE). Her greatest achievements so far include the development of a number of algorithms for detecting, locating and estimating the size of damage in elements of engineering structures. This solution enables effective detection of subsurface damage without interfering with the structure of the construction and without the need to carry out reference measurements, so in a shorter time and at a lower cost than with the currently available methods. Moreover, it can be used not only in construction, but also for diagnostics of machine elements, ships, rail joints, welds and in biomechanics. For the series of ten publications entitled "Analysis and use of wave propagation to identify mechanical damage" she was awarded the 2020 Gdańsk Scientific Society and the President of the City of Gdańsk awards for young scientists. In 2021, she also received the Gdańsk Branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences award for the best creative work published in 2020. in the field of technical sciences. Currently, she continues her work on the improvement and development of new diagnostic processes as part of a project financed by the National Science Center.

The subject of research conducted by Paulina Parcheta-Szwindowska, PhD, Eng. from the Department of Polymer Technology (FCh) is associated with the synthesis of linear polyester bio-polyols dedicated to the preparation of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers. She is the co-author of the patent entitled "Method for obtaining linear polyester bio-polyols" and four patent applications. Currently, she is implementing a project financed by the National Science Center, thus developing the subject of her research. She also collaborates with the research team from the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague. Her scientific achievements include 16 published scientific articles, of which 13 in journals from the so-called Philadelphia List. She is the laureate of the main prize of the Gdańsk Division of the Polish Chemical Society and the Deans of the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Gdańsk, the Faculty of Chemistry of Gdańsk Tech and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the MUG for the best doctoral thesis defended in 2019, as well as a scholarship from the Minister of Science and Higher Education for outstanding achievements for the best doctoral students (2018). She carried out tasks commissioned by external industrial companies related to the synthesis and testing of polyurethane materials. She was also a member of the organizing committee of the international conference held in Gdańsk in 2018.

Karolina Górnicka, MSc. works at the Department of Strongly Correlated Electron Systems at the Institute of Nanotechnology and Materials Science (FAP&M) and studies compounds that exhibit superconductivity. The scientific supervisor and promoter of her doctoral dissertation is prof. Tomasz Klimczuk. Currently, she is implementing a project financed by the National Science Center, in cooperation with scientists from Princeton University and the University of Osaka. She manages the PRELUDIUM (NSC) project and is a contractor in the HARMONIA and OPUS (NSC) projects. The results of her scientific work were published in 26 publications from the JRC list with a total IF of over 100. She is also a co-author of the discovery of two new inorganic compounds showing unconventional superconductivity (the discovery was made by an international research team, and Karolina Górnicka, MSc., was the originator of the project, author of the method of synthesis and measurement of physical properties). The PhD student is also a laureate of the Diamond Grant program).

The START program

The START program of the Foundation for Polish Science is the country's oldest scholarship program for the best young scientists representing all fields of science. The program aims to support outstanding young scientists and encourage them to further scientific development. Scholarship recipients are selected through a multi-stage competition, in which the quality of their current scientific achievements is assessed. Out of 1,034 this year's candidates, 100 people will receive scholarships. The winners receive an annual scholarship of PLN 28,000, which they can spend as they want.