The Foundation has concluded the 22nd competition in the START programme and selected this year?s 136 beneficiaries ? outstanding young scholars at the beginning of their scientific careers. Each of them will receive a Foundation scholarship worth 28,000 PLN. What this money is spent on is at the discretion of the recipient.
As part of the START scholarship, the Foundation also awards special distinctions to the highest-ranked candidates. The main criterion for award of distinctions is an exceptionally high quality of academic output, evaluated by the competition reviewers. This year, distinctions went to the following scholars:
- Dr Agata Cygan, Faculty of Physics, Astronomy and Informatics, Nicolaus Copernicus University
- Mgr Tomasz Kamiński, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences
- Dr inż. Joanna Olesiak-Bańska, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Technology
- Dr inż. Weronika Wituszyńska, Faculty of Horticulture, Biotechnology and Landscape Architecture, Warsaw University of Life Sciences ? SGGW
The scholarships for the recipients awarded a distinction will be increased to 36,000 PLN from funds which the FNP receives from the 1% income tax pledge to a public benefit organisation.
This year, for the first time the Barbara Skarga Scholarship was awarded. This is given to a person whose scientific output and research plans, presented in the START scholarship competition, were evaluated very highly, and whose research also displays courageous breaking of interdisciplinary boundaries, opening new research perspectives and creating new values in science.
The Barbara Skarga Scholarship was awarded to Dr inż. Piotr Hańczyc from the Faculty of Chemistry of Wrocław University of Technology, whose stipend will also be increased to 36,000 PLN.
This year?s scholarship-recipients were chosen from 1250 candidates. The competition success ratio was 10.9%, and candidates included both those applying for a scholarship for the first time and last year?s recipients requesting extension of their scholarship. All participants will receive written confirmation of their results.
The diploma award ceremony for this year?s START programme beneficiaries is to take place on 31 May (Saturday) at 11.00 at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Beneficiaries will receive an invitation to the ceremony this week.
Congratulations to all beneficiaries!