QoHealth

Transkrypt

QoHealth

Publisher:
Foundation for the Development
of the Education System
SCIEX Scholarship Fund
Mokotowska 43, 00-551 Warsaw
tel.: +48 22 46 31 470, fax: +48 22 46 31 028
www.sciex.pl
Texts by: SCIEX fellows and Anna Pavlovych,
Magdalena Gessel, Sylwia Iżyniec and Katarzyna
Aleksandrowicz
Managing Editor: Anna Pavlovych
Editors: Anna Pavlovych, Magdalena Gessel
Proof reading: Dr John Fells
Graphic design and typesetting: Justyna Marciniak
Photos by: SCIEX fellows, Wojciech Wójtowicz
Printing: Oﬁcyna drukarska – Jacek Chmielewski
ISBN: ISBN 978-83-62634-88-0
© Fundacja Rozwoju Systemu Edukacji, 2012
Supported by a grant from Switzerland through the
Swiss Contribution to the enlarged European Union
Spis treści
CONTENTS
PREFACE
3
GENERAL INFORMATION
11
DESCRIPTION OF THE SCIEX
SCHOLARSHIP FUND
15
DESCRIPTIONS OF RESEARCH PROJECTS
IMPLEMENTED BY SCIEX FELLOWS
19
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
78
Innowacje to jedna z mocnych stron Szwajcarii.
Szwajcarskie instytuty badań naukowych są jednymi
z najlepszych na świecie.
FOREIGN SCIENTIFIC POLICY
IS AN ESSENTIAL
PILLAR OF SWISS
FOREIGN
POLICY
Sukces i przyszły rozwój Szwajcarii w dużej mierze opierają się na wiedzy i innowacji. Zdajemy sobie sprawę ze strategicznego znaczenia edukacji, nauki, badań i rozwoju dla
naszego kraju i przykładamy stosowną wagę do tych zagadnień, które mają również duże znaczenie we współpracy i
stosunkach międzynarodowych.
Szwajcaria, po raz kolejny, stoi na czele rankingu Global
Competitiveness Report opublikowanego przez World Economic Forum, w którym wymienionych jest 144 gospodarek
światowych. Zgodnie z informacjami podanymi w raporcie,
innowacje to jedna z mocnych stron Szwajcarii; instytuty
badań naukowych są jednymi z najlepszych na świecie i, co
więcej, intensywnie współpracują z sektorem biznesu, który
ponosi największe nakłady na badania i rozwój, ma najwyższy poziom innowacyjności i jest znany ze skutecznego stosowania wyników badań do celów komercyjnych. Wyniki te
potwierdzają niezwykłą odporność gospodarki szwajcarskiej
na skutki kryzysu w strefie euro oraz to, że nasza długoterminowa orientacja na gospodarkę i społeczeństwo oparte
na wiedzy i innowacjach stanowi właściwy kierunek rozwoju.
Jednak w dzisiejszym świecie realizacja odpowiedniej polityki i właściwe podejście na poziomie krajowym nie są wystarczające. Dlatego w interesie Szwajcarii jest podnoszenie, na
poziomie międzynarodowym, świadomości znaczenia kraju
jako niezwykle konkurencyjnej lokalizacji dla prowadzenia
badań naukowych, rozwoju technologicznego i innowacji
oraz promowanie międzynarodowej współpracy w tych
dziedzinach na poziomie indywidualnym i instytucjonalnym.
Dlatego też współpraca zagraniczna w zakresie badań naukowych stanowi podstawę polityki zagranicznej Szwajcarii.
Podczas, gdy uniwersytety i instytuty naukowe w Szwajcarii
realizują niezależne strategie współpracy międzynarodowej,
rząd federalny promuje działania w zakresie współpracy
międzynarodowej prowadzonej za pomocą wielu kanałów,
np. poprzez uczestnictwo Szwajcarii w europejskich organizacjach i programach badawczych (takich jak programy
badawcze UE: CERN, ESA i inne) oraz za pomocą współpracy
dwustronnej z ważnymi krajami partnerskimi.
Polska jest ważnym partnerem dla naszego kraju i Szwajcarsko-Polski Program Współpracy finansowany przez Szwajcarię zapewnia wyjątkową możliwość zwiększenia i zacieśnienia
współpracy i partnerstwa pomiędzy naszymi społecznościami naukowymi. Od Mikołaja Kopernika po Marię Curie-Skłodowską, Polska ma wspaniałe tradycje naukowe. Po 20 latach
od przyjęcia modelu gospodarki rynkowej, priorytety Polski
skłaniają się ku badaniom i innowacjom. Dzięki dużym zasobom wysoko wykwalifikowanych i zmotywowanych pracowników, Polska zapewnia obiecujące możliwości zacieśnienia
współpracy dwustronnej w dziedzinie nauki, badań i innowacji. Jestem przekonany, że Program wymiany naukowej
między Szwajcarią a nowymi państwami członkowskimi Unii
Europejskiej SCIEX-NMSch będzie mieć znaczący wkład w
tym zakresie i będzie promować bliskie stosunki pomiędzy
osobami prywatnymi i instytucjami w naszych krajach, które będą kontynuowane jeszcze po zakończeniu programu.
Program wymiany naukowej powinien również promować
dwustronną wymianę i współpracę w zakresie efektywnego
transferu i upowszechniania wiedzy na rzecz gospodarki i
rozwoju innowacyjnych sektorów, takich jak odnawialne źródła energii, nowe technologie oraz w wielu innych dziedzinach, w których Szwajcaria ma wiele do zaoferowania.
JE LUKAS BEGLINGER
Ambasador Szwajcarii w Polsce
„Projekty badawcze realizowane w ramach Funduszu
Stypendialnego SCIEX–NMSch – cele i osiągnięcia”
Podsumowanie projektów 2009–2012
Innovation counts among Switzerland’s main
strengths. Swiss scientific research institutions are
among the world’s best
research programmes, CERN, ESA, etc.), and through bilateral
cooperation with important partner countries.
Switzerland’s success and future development are based and
depend to a large extent on its knowledge and innovation
capacities. Hence, we recognize the strategic importance of
education, science, research and development for our country and act accordingly. And we attach equal importance to
this field in our international relations and cooperation.
In the latest Global Competitiveness Report published by the
World Economic Forum, Switzerland is again ranked first
among 144 economies. According to the report, innovation
counts among Switzerland’s main strengths; its scientific research institutions are not only among the world’s best, but
they also cooperate strongly with the business sector which
in turn excels in terms of R&D spending, innovative capacities and their successful application for commercial purposes. These findings confirm – as much as the Swiss economy’s
remarkable resilience to the consequences of the Eurozone
crisis – that our longstanding orientation towards a knowledge and innovation-based economy and society is the right
way forward.
In today’s world, however, it is not enough to pursue adequate policies and to do things right at the domestic level.
It is in Switzerland’s interest to increase international awareness of its strengths as a highly competitive location for scientific research, technological development and innovation
and to promote its worldwide cooperation in these fields at
personal and institutional levels. That is why foreign scientific policy is an essential pillar of Swiss foreign policy. While
Swiss universities and research institutions pursue their own
international strategies and cooperation activities, the federal government promotes international cooperation through
multilateral channels, e.g. Switzerland’s participation in European research organisations and programmes (such as EU
Poland clearly is an important partner, and the Swiss-Polish
Scientific Exchange Programme financed by the Swiss Contribution offers a unique opportunity to enhance and strengthen cooperation and partnership between our scientific
communities. From Copernicus to Maria Curie-Skłodowska,
Poland looks back on a great tradition of scientific excellence. After 20 years of successful transition to a free market
economy, it is now in the process of shifting its priorities towards research and innovation. In conjunction with its large
pool of well qualified and motivated human resources, this
offers a promising base for a closer and intensified bilateral
relationship in the fields of science, research and innovation.
I trust that the Swiss-Polish Scientific Exchange Programme
will make a major contribution to that end and help foster
solid personal and institutional ties between our countries
that will outlive the Programme’s duration. The Programme
should equally be conducive to fostering bilateral exchange
and cooperation with regard to the effective transfer and diffusion of knowledge to the economy and the development
of innovative sectors such as renewable energy, high tech industries and many other fields where Switzerland has plenty
to offer.
JE LUKAS BEGLINGER
AMBASSADOR OF SWITZERLAND TO POLAND
Research Projects Implemented as Part of the Scientific
Exchange Programme NMSch – Objectives and Achievements
Summary of Projects 2009–2012
3
Scientific Exchange Programme between
Switzerland and Poland (Sciex-NMSch) is a very
attractive instrument that aims at promoting
young talented scientists
The Swiss Contribution to the reduction of the economic and
social disparities in the enlarged European Union, which is
addressed to 12 EU Member States that joined the European
Union starting from 2004, amounts to 1.26 billion Swiss francs.
Nearly 40% of this total sum is dedicated to Poland in order to
support 60 projects and programmes in different thematic areas, like for instance environment and infrastructure, regional
development, health, private sector and NGO support.
Additionally, the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme puts
a lot of emphasis in supporting Research and Development
initiatives in Poland. In this field, the Scientific Exchange Programme between Switzerland and Poland (Sciex-NMSch) is a
very attractive instrument that aims at promoting young talented scientists who intend to pursue their research in cooperation with Swiss researchers and institutions. It allows Polish fellows to benefit namely from high standards in research
and experimental development, a highly innovative and
competitive environment, strong linkages between higher
education and industries as well as private business, etc.
4
Up to now, several calls took place within this programme
and around 100 Doctoral Candidates or PostDocs received
financing for stays in Swiss research teams for periods of 6
to 24 months.
The project selection is done by a high level competition. In
each call, around 25% of the applicants could be selected.
These figures show the attractiveness of the Programme and
its success among both, the Polish and the Swiss research
communities. But more important than that, the selected
proposals are all of extremely high quality. And they will
bring people of both our countries together and enhance
sustainable partnerships.
DOMINIQUE FAVRE
HEAD OF THE SWISS CONTRIBUTION OFFICE IN POLAND
The SCIEX Scholarship Fund places emphasis on
quality and sustainability of relations and contacts,
quick processing of applications and boosting
professional development of researchers
Poland’s entry to the European Union has resulted in the
need to actively participate in the shaping of European
policy which aims to introduce a competitive and dynamic
economy, which is based on knowledge, is capable of sustainable development, and provides more and better jobs.
Therefore, large emphasis has been placed on research and
development as it plays a major role in the development of
Poland, and in increase of innovativeness and competitiveness of the Polish economy.
In Poland, research and development is conducted mainly
by universities, institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences
and R&D units. Since 2009, Polish scientists have been able to
apply for grants to work at research institutes in Switzerland
as part of the Scholarship Fund under the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme. It is worth emphasising that the Scholarship Fund places emphasis on quality and sustainability of
relations and contacts, quick processing of applications and
boosting the professional development of researchers.
The participation of Polish scientists in international programmes has brought many benefits. It has allowed them to
obtain access to the latest technology and to participation in
major scientific initiatives. It is thanks to such programmes
as the Scholarship Fund that Polish science is getting closer
to the international scientific scene, especially that in Europe. Also Switzerland benefits from such cooperation as it
acquires excellent and gifted Polish scientists. The Fund also
provides evidence that Polish scientists are among the best
and that their work is appreciated at HEIs abroad, something
confirmed by numerous scientific contacts. As a result, Polish
scientists are ready to participate in competitions prepared
by foreign experts.
We have confidence that Poland will continue fruitful cooperation with Switzerland within the scope of support for academic mobility.
MAŁGORZATA WIERZBICKA
DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL COORDINATION UNIT
SWISS-POLISH COOPERATION PROGRAMME
The Fund, which realises the priorities for social and economic development of our country, is open to all scientific
disciplines. It has provided funding to nearly 100 scientific
mobilities to Switzerland worth in total more than CHF 8 million. However, this is not a final number as we have two more
competitions ahead of us and more projects waiting for cofinancing.
5
SUPPORT FOR THE MOBILITY OF
DOCTORAL CANDIDATES AND
SCIENTISTS IS ONE OF SINE
QUA NON PRECONDITIONS
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF AN INNOVATIVE
AND MORE COMPETITIVE ECONOMY
WITH STABLE
GROWTH IN
EMPLOYMENT
NUMBERS
It is of no doubt that exchange of experiences,
which can and should be promoted by doctoral
candidates and scientists, is pivotal to the
Europe of knowledge
Principles of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund have become an inherent part of the “Europe 2020” strategy for social and economic development in the of area academic and scientific
cooperation, raising education standards at HEIs by boosting the number of scientific mobilities, the development of
innovativeness, and creating sustainable links between the
worlds of science, business and research. Support for, and
modernisation of, higher education, including the mobility
of doctoral candidates and scientists are sine qua non preconditions for the development of an innovative and more
competitive economy with stable growth in employment
numbers.
It is of no doubt that exchange of experiences, which can and
should be promoted by doctoral candidates and scientists, is
pivotal to the Europe of knowledge. Aiming at the proposed
R&D to GDP expenditure ratio of 1.7%, which our country
should achieve in 2020, we should learn from the best. At present, Switzerland spends 2.9% of its GDP for R&D, whereas
the EU’s goal is 3% of GDP allocated for that purpose. The
majority of Swiss scientists who work at HEIs publish the results of their work in periodicals included in the Philadelphia
List at least once a year. A statistical Polish scientist does it
once in three years. However, the estimates show that an increase in outlays for Polish science by only 10% will result in
the growth of scientific effectiveness by 40% (data according to the report entitled Produktywność naukowa wyższych
szkół publicznych w Polsce (Scientific Productivity of Public HEIs
in Poland)).
Foundation for the Development of the Education System
has acted as a Contact Point in Poland since 2009. PolishSwiss cooperation established as part of the implementation of projects by fellows of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund has
paved the way for the transfer of good practices and innovations and resulted in improved quality at HEIs who are members of research consortia.
Some discoveries and successes of Polish scientists conducting research and working in Switzerland have become
known all over the world. Over the past few years, more than
100 Poles have participated in the research resulting in the
launch of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, thanks to which
the discovery of a new elementary particle, which may be the
long sought after Higgs boson, has been announced. I believe that thanks to the projects implemented by Polish fellows of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund, the results of their work,
which so far have been known only in scientific circles, will
become known to the general public.
I am convinced that thanks to research projects implemented as part of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund, cooperation established by Polish and Swiss scientific consortia will strengthen
links between the world of science, business and research,
and will boost the attractiveness and prestige of Polish scientific circles in the international arena. Have an interesting
read.
MIROSŁAW MARCZEWSKI
GENERAL DIRECTOR
FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
Higher expenditure on research and intensified cooperation
between Polish and Swiss scientists has been possible thanks
to the launch of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund, for whom the
7
The Scientific Exchange Programme: a successful and
promising instrument to strengthen the scientific
collaboration between Poland and Switzerland
land will participate in 2 more calls for tenders until the end
of the Programme).
As part of the Swiss Contribution to the New Member
States (NMS) of the European Union, the Scientific Exchange Programme (Sciex-NMS ch) aims at contributing
to the reduction of economic and social disparities in the
enlarged European Union through fostering the scientific capacities of researchers in the NMS and promoting
sustainable research partnerships between the NMS and
Switzerland.
The Scientific Exchange Programme provides generous funding and a unique opportunity for Junior Researchers from
the New Member States first to boost their scientific career,
second to develop new capacities and search in a new scientific environment liberated from any further academic obligations and with optimal research and working conditions,
and, finally, to gain international experience and extend their
scientific networks. Furthermore, through these research
placements, institutional partnerships are enhanced and
sustainably established.
A total amount of approx. 45 million Swiss Francs has been
earmarked for the Scientific Exchange Programme for the
duration 2009 to 2016. Since its beginning, around 300 Fellowships were granted, which means that a part of the innovative projects of 300 highly qualified Junior Researchers
will be conducted in Switzerland under the supervision of
Senior Researchers, located both in Switzerland and in the
New Member States. At the end, around 460 twelve-months
Fellowships are expected.
Poland is the largest partner within the Scientific Exchange
Programme – with the highest budget of 12 million Swiss
Francs and, consequently, the highest number of granted
projects (89 in 4 different calls for tenders – knowing that Po-
8
The granted projects are gender-balanced and are mainly
conducted by PostDocs (53 vs. 36 by Doctoral Candidates).
The granted projects are developed in all scientific fields but
the most represented fields are Chemistry (15 projects), Engineering Sciences (11 projects) and Legal and Social Sciences
& Economics (11 projects). More than 60% of the granted projects have a duration of 12 months.
Mandated by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities
(CRUS) is in charge of the implementation and management
of the Scientific Exchange Programme. CRUS is proud of being part of this success story, of the culture of excellence
which has merged within the Scientific Exchange Programme
and of the diversity of the projects conducted.
The Scientific Exchange Programme generates namely an
impressive amount of new discoveries, knowledge, ideas and
scientific networks.
This publication realized by our Polish partners from FRSE allows us to have an insight in some of the Polish-Swiss granted
projects. CRUS wishes you to enjoy the reading!
AUDE PACTON
SCIEX PROGRAMME MANAGER
RECTORS’ CONFERENCE OF THE SWISS UNIVERSITIES (CRUS)
From among new member states of the European Union,
Poland is the country which sends the largest number of
scientists with support of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund. So
far, 96 projects have obtained co-financing
Switzerland stands not only for watches, Lindt chocolate,
fondue, skiing in the Alps and its four official languages. It is
also famous for highly valued scientists, among them 25 Nobel prize laureates such as, to mention only two: Jean Henri
Dunant – laureate of the first peace prize, and Werner Arber
and Kurt Wüthrich – prize winners in the field of medicine
and chemistry, who may be followed by Polish scientists participating in scientific exchanges as part of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund.
The founding of scientific partnerships that develop the capacities of individual scientists and lead to establishment and
strengthening of cooperation between scientists from Switzerland and Poland is the main goal of projects implemented
as part of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund.
From among the new member states of the European Union,
Poland is the country which sends the largest number of scientists with support of the Fund. Since 2009, 333 applications
have been filed and 96 projects have obtained co-financing.
And their number is bound to grow, because as of the date
of this publication the data for the 2012 selection are not yet
known. We will also have the last selection round in 2013,
and it is worth mentioning that CHF 12 million has been earmarked for the Scholarships programme.
tists as it offers opportunities for the development of professional careers at the world’s best research centres, which
indeed is a very attractive offer. Scholarships in Switzerland
pave the way for the international careers of Polish scientists.
Many young scientists have conducted research in, and benefited from being immersed in the international and intercultural environment of, Swiss HEIs, from consultations with foreign experts and from access to advanced scientific facilities.
This publication presents the experiences of the SCIEX
Scholarship Fund fellows and quotes their opinions on implemented projects. It also describes the added value of
their stays in Switzerland for their professional and scientific
careers. We hope that contacts established and friendships
made during implementation of projects will last after their
completion and bring mutual benefits in the future.
I hope you will enjoy reading this publication and have many
ideas for inspiring projects submitted as part of the last call
for proposals under the fund, which will be staged in autumn
2013!
KATARZYNA ALEKSANDROWICZ
DIRECTOR OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMMES
FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
From the beginning of its operations, the SCIEX Scholarship
Fund has enjoyed considerable interest on the part of scien-
9
THE MAIN GOAL OF THE FRSE
IS SUPPORT OF ACTIVITIES
AIMED AT THE REFORM
AND DEVELOPMENT OF
THE SYSTEM
OF EDUCATION
IN POLAND
GENERAL
INFORMATION
THE FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM ADMINISTERS
THE LARGEST PROGRAMMES IN THE FIELD OF
EDUCATION IMPLEMENTED IN POLAND
(FRSE) – Contact Point of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund
The main goal of the Foundation for the Development of the
Education System is support of activities aimed at the reform
and development of the system of education in Poland. In order to achieve this goal, the Foundation:
• administers foreign cooperation programmes in the field of
education;
• supports analytical and case studies implemented as part
of the programmes, which support the reform of the education system;
• programmes the cooperation of Polish educational institutions with their counterparts abroad;
• initiates cooperation with Polish and foreign educational institutions and organisations.
Operations of the Foundation, which facilitate the participation
of school and university staff in assistance programmes aimed
at improving the quality of education, support the reform and
the development of the education system in Poland. The programmes put into practice a number of initiatives of the European Union, whose priorities include:
• increasing the number of investments in human resources;
• getting rid of social divisions and inequality;
• supporting educational aspirations;
• promoting cooperation aimed at improving the quality of
educational services;
• promoting lifelong learning.
The Foundation for the Development of the Education System (FRSE) administers the largest programmes of the European Union in the field of education implemented in Poland. FRSE was the sole operator of the Tempus programme,
which supported the modernisation of higher education in
Central and Eastern European countries. Thanks to the experience acquired during the administration of the Tempus
programme, following the European Commission’s decision
to include Poland in the group of countries participating in
the Socrates programme, the Foundation became the National Agency of the Socrates and Socrates II programmes,
and for many years was responsible for managing all its subprogrammes; Erasmus, Grundtvig and Comenius. FRSE has
also administered the Youth programme in the field of infor-
mal education, which since 2007 has been called the Youth
in Action programme.
In 2007, according to the decision of the Polish educational
authorities, FRSE was appointed as the central institution responsible for the implementation of the Lifelong Learning
Programme and all its sub-programmes: Comenius, Erasmus,
Grundtvig and Leonardo da Vinci.
The Foundation also acts as the National Contact Point for
Erasmus Mundus and Tempus programmes, as the National
Office of Eurodesk Poland and as a Resource Centre of SALTO
EECA which is an EU initiative promoting cooperation with
the countries of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. FRSE also
manages the European Language Label competition and
the eTwinning action. Last but not least, the Polish EURYDICE Unit operates at the Foundation (Eurydice is a European
educational information network).
Programmes administered by FRSE:
• The Lifelong Learning Programme and its sub-programmes:
– Comenius – preschool and school education,
– Erasmus – higher education,
– Leonardo da Vinci – vocational education and training,
– Grundtvig – adult education,
– Study Visits,
– LLP Preparatory Visits;
• Youth in Action;
• Erasmus Mundus;
• Tempus;
• EURODESK;
• SALTO EECA;
• European Language Label;
• eTwinning;
• EURYDICE;
• Polish-Lithuanian Youth Exchange Fund;
• Scholarship and Training Fund (STF);
• SCIEX Scholarship Fund;
• Human Capital Operational Programme – three projects
implemented as part of Priority III: High Quality of the Education System.
13
SINCE 2009, THE FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM HAS
OPERATED AS A CONTACT POINT FOR THE SCIEX
SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN POLAND
Description of the SCIEX
Scholarship Fund
The Scientific Exchange Programme, as part of which the
SCIEX Scholarship Fund is implemented, aims at contributing to the reduction of economic and social disparities in the
enlarged European Union through fostering the scientific
capacities of researchers in new member states and promoting sustainable research partnerships between the ten new
member states and Switzerland.
The Fund was launched in 2009 as part of the Scientific Exchange Programme between Switzerland and new member states of the European Union SCIEX–NMSch for the years
2009–2016. As part of the Programme, it is possible to apply
for grants for the implementation of research programmes in
all academic disciplines, as part of which two scientists or two
units (one from Switzerland and one from a new member
state) wish to cooperate, provided that they avail of indispensable specialist knowledge and qualified human resources.
Scientists working at prestigious research and educational
institutions in 10 new member states, including Poland, are
immediate beneficiaries of the programme.
From the very beginning, the programme has enjoyed large
interest on the part of scientists, and each year the applications outnumber the available posts. So far, 96 Polish scientists have been to work in Switzerland under the programme.
From among the new member states of the European Union,
Poland is the country which sends the largest number of
scientists for SCIEX Scholarships. In 2011, Polish scientists
obtained CHF 1.7 million for staging scientific research in
Switzerland. Polish research projects constitute nearly 44% of
all the applications financed under the programme. Thanks
to the exchanges, doctoral students, scientists and their
mentors have many opportunities to share their experiences
and raise their professional qualifications. The SCIEX Scholarship Fund is addressed to representatives of all fields of
science with no age limitation. Doctoral candidates and
PostDocs can leave for research stays in Switzerland lasting
from 6 to 24 months. An annual scholarship amounts to from
CHF 50,000 to 80,000 CHF.
Poland is the country which sends
the largest number of scientists for
SCIEX Scholarships
Goals of the Fund
The main goal of projects implemented as part of the SCIEX
Scholarship Fund is to establish scientific partnerships which
will:
• develop individual researchers’ capacities (human capital);
• foster scientific progress and innovation (scientific prospects);
• establish or enhance networks between researchers (networking).
The Fund’s Budget
The total Fund allocation for Poland amounts to CHF 12 million.
Who can apply?
Consortia composed of scientific and research institutes from
Switzerland and Poland can apply for grants under the Scholarship Fund. The main applicant is a Swiss host institution,
which acting in cooperation with a sending institution from
Poland, coordinates the application process and within the
deadline stipulated for each Call sends the application to the
intermediary institution, i.e. the Swiss Conference of University Rectors (CRUS).
The list of eligible Polish institutions is published on the
following website: www.programszwajcarski.gov.pl and
includes: HEIs, units of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and
national research institutes.
The list of eligible Swiss institutions is published on the
following website: www.sciex.ch and includes: HEIs, research institutions of the federal institutes of technology
domain, universities of applied sciences and research institutions subsidised by the Swiss Confederation.
15
Prior to filing an application under the Scientific Exchange
Programme between Switzerland and New Member States of
the European Union (SCIEX–NMSch), a host institution from
Switzerland must sign a framework cooperation agreement
with CRUS, which includes an obligation to observe the provisions of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of
Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.
Eligible project costs
Table 1. Eligible costs of scholarships for Doctoral Candidates
and Junior Researchers from Poland
Category
Eligible costs
Scholarship
Scholarship:
Doctoral Candidates – CHF 50,000 over
the first 12 months of the stay
Doctoral Candidates – CHF 55,000 over
the next 12 months of the stay
Junior Researchers – CHF 80,000 over the
12 months of the stay (max. length of the
stay – 18 months)
Transport
Costs of travel between Poland and Switzerland (max. CHF 1,000)
Transport in Switzerland
(max. CHF 1,000)
Other
Participation in conferences (including
external catering and hotel accommodation costs)
Publication costs (max. CHF 500)
What projects can be funded?
As part of the SCIEX Scholarship Fund, a consortium composed of a Polish sending institution and Swiss host institution may apply for co-financing of the following projects:
Scholarships for Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (PostDocs) from Poland, in order to conduct
research at research institutes in Switzerland. Scholarships
are awarded for a period lasting from 6 to 24 months. The
contribution for a six-month stay of a Doctoral Candidate
amounts to CHF 25,000 in the first year and CHF 27,500 in
the second year. Grants awarded to Junior Researchers
amount to CHF 40,000. Additional funds are earmarked for
the reimbursement of e.g. travel costs (up to a given limit).
Stays of individual scientists from Poland or Switzerland in order to prepare research projects or stays related
to their implementation, i.e. 5-day stays in Switzerland or
Poland, the co-financing of which amounts to CHF 2,500.
The supported projects should contribute to raising professional qualifications and the development of scientific
and research cooperation.
Calls for proposals
Calls for proposals are staged annually. The last Call for proposals by Polish-Swiss scientific consortia is planned for
autumn 2013.
16
Table 2. . Eligible costs of short research visits by scientists from
Switzerland and Poland
Category
Eligible costs
(max. CHF 2,500)
Transport
Costs of travel between Poland and
Switzerland. Transport within the country.
Accommodation and
board
Hotel accommodation costs
Expenses
The SCIEX Scholarship Fund is addressed
to representatives of all fields of science
with no age limitation
Contact
Open Calls for proposals
SCIEX Contact Point in Poland
ul. Mokotowska 43
00-551 Warsaw
tel.: +48 22 46 31 000
email: [email protected]
www.sciex.pl
1st Call for proposals 2009
As part of the 1st call for proposals 2009 (deadline for submitting applications: 1 November 2009), 77 applications were
submitted to CRUS. Co-financing was awarded to 26 projects
(more than 33%), out of which 13 projects were implemented by Poland and the total grant exceeded CHF 1,000,000.
Among the co-financed projects was one from Estonia and
12 from the Czech Republic.
Intermediary Institution for the Scholarship Fund
Rektorenkonferenz der Schweizer Universitäten
(Conference of Swiss University Rectors (CRUS))
International Relations of CRUS
Post box 607
CH - 3000 Bern 9
tel.: +41 31 306 60 36
e-mail: [email protected]
www.sciex.ch
Swiss Contribution Office in Poland
Address for correspondence:
Swiss Embassy in Poland
Swiss Contribution Office in Poland
Aleje Ujazdowskie 27
00-540 Warsaw
tel.: +48 22 553 89 20
www.swiss-contribution.admin.ch/poland/
National Coordination Unit
Ministry of Regional Development
Department for Aid Programmes and Technical Assistance
ul. Wspólna 2/4
00-926 Warsaw
tel.: +48 22 273 78 00
www.programszwajcarski.gov.pl
In the 1st Call for proposals the total contribution exceeded
CHF 1,900,000, including:
CHF 1,021,500
awarded to Poland
CHF 78,500
awarded to Estonia
CHF 800,000
awarded to the
Czech Republic
Research projects were implemented by: cantonal universities (16); the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (7); research institutes (3). 12 researchers were women, and 14 researchers were men.
2nd Call for proposals 2010
As part of the 2nd Call for proposals closed on 1 April 2010,
106 applications were filed, including:
6 from Estonia
7 from Slovenia
58 from Poland
15 from Lithuania
20 from Hungary
On 26 August 2010, the Steering Committee made a decision
to co-finance 26 research projects from Poland out of 58
17
From the very beginning, the programme has enjoyed
large interest on the part of scientists, and each year the
applications outnumber the available posts
applications submitted (45% of the total number of submitted applications). The total contribution to Polish projects in
the second Call for proposals exceeded CHF 2,000,000.
3rd Call for proposals 2010
As part of the 3rd Call for proposals closed on 1 November
2010, 166 applications were submitted, including:
4th call for proposals 2011
As part of the 4th Call for proposals closed on 1 November
2011, co-financing was awarded to 58 applications, including:
2 from Latvia
21 from Poland
3 from Estonia
4 from Bulgaria
5 from Latvia
9 from Estonia
18 from Slovakia
19 from Hungary
7 from Romania
84 from
Poland
31 from the
Czech Republic
Out of 84 applications submitted by Polish researchers, 79
were subject to quality assessment. On 24 March 2011, the
Steering Committee made a decision to co-finance 29 research projects from Poland (37% of the total number of
projects subject to assessment). In total, the contribution to
Polish projects in the third Call for proposals amounted to
CHF 2,597,600. Research projects from Poland (29) formed
44% of the total number of applications under this selection
round (66).
18
21 from the
Czech Republic
Out of 84 applications submitted, 81 were subject to quality
assessment. On 29 March 2012, the Steering Committee made
a decision to co-finance 21 research projects from Poland
(26% of the total number of projects subject to evaluation).
In total, the contribution to Polish projects in the fourth Call
for proposals amounted to CHF 1,762,662.50. Research projects from Poland (21) formed 36% of the total number of applications co-financed under this selection round (58).
5th call for proposals 2012
Until the moment of printout of this publication (December
2012), quality assessment of applications submitted as part of
the Call for research stays of Polish scientists in Switzerland
is still being conducted. As part of the Call closed on 1 November 2012, 67 applications were submitted from Poland.
As a result of formal assessment, 61 projects from Poland
were sent for quality assessment. The Steering Committee
will make a decision concerning co-financing of projects during
a meeting that will be held in March 2013.
List of featured
projects
Bottom-up model of strategy selection (Uwagowy model wyboru strategii decyzyjnych) – Szymon Wichary;
University of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Interdisciplinary Centre for Applied Cognitive Studies (p. 22)
The ‘Russian Bear’ Metaphor in 19th Century Swiss
Press Discourse (Metafora „rosyjskiego niedźwiedzia”
w szwajcarskim dyskursie prasowym w XIX w.) – Magdalena Żakowska; University of Łódź (p. 24)
Spatial planning and development of bicycle tourism in
Polish-Swiss comparative analysis (Planowanie przestrzenne i rozwój turystyki rowerowej – polsko-szwajcarska analiza porównawcza) – Anna Kurkowska; University of Warsaw (p. 28)
The UE Presidency after the Lisbon Treaty – towards the
Supranationalisation of the EU Council (Prezydencja w
Unii Europejskiej po Traktacie Lizbońskim – w stronę supranacjonalizacji Rady UE) – Rafał Riedel; University of
Opole (p. 29)
Swiss Light Source Performance Improvement Project –
Piotr Tracz; Jagiellonian University (p. 31)
QoHealth: QoE Optimalisation for Health Tele-monitoring and Tele-treatment Systems with Constrained
QoS (QoHealth: Optymalizacja QoE dla systemów telemedycznych z ograniczeniami parametrów QoS) – Lucjan Janowski; AGH University of Science and Technology (p. 34)
on Carbon Containing Fuels (NANO-SOFC) (Preparatyka
i charakterystyka nanostrukturalnych alternatywnych
anod dla stałotlenkowych ogniw paliwowych, z uwzględnieniem paliw węglowych NANO-SOFC) – Dariusz Burnat; AGH University of Science and Technology (p. 38)
Short- and long-lived unconscious information processing investigated with two types of EEG analysis: waveforms and microstates (Badanie przetwarzania krótkoi długotrwałych informacji nieświadomych za pomocą
dwóch rodzajów analiz EEG: falowej i mikrostanów) –
Izabela Szumska; University of Finance and Management in Warsaw (p. 41)
Time and Modality, A Formal Perspective (Czas i Modalność, Perspektywa Formalna) – Jacek Wawer; Jagiellonian University (p. 44)
Preparation of carbon modified TiO2 photocatalysts
for environmental applications (Otrzymywanie fotokatalizatorów na bazie ditlenku tytanu modyfikowanych
węglem z zastosowaniem w środowisku) – Ewelina Kusiak-Nejman; West Pomeranian University of Technology
in Szczecin (p. 48)
Influence of processing on bioactive compounds in pomegranates (Wpływ procesów przetwórczych na związki
bioaktywne owocu granatu) – Anna Horszwald; Institute
of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish
Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn (p. 49)
The intellectual on the borderlines. Carl Albert Loosli as
a columnist in the beginning of the 20th century in the
medial and cross-cultural context of Switzerland – Dariusz Komorowski; University of Wrocław (p. 35)
Validation of HTS-solubility measurements method for
drug-nanoparticle-solvent systems (Walidacja wysokosprawnej metody badania rozpuszczalności leków
w układach lek–nanocząstka–rozpuszczalnik) – Aleksandra Pelczarska; Warsaw University of Technology (p. 51)
Preparation and Characterisation of Nanostructured, Alternative Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Anodes with Focus
SedTrace – Organic micropollutant-based Fingerprinting and Tracing of Sediment emissions from urban areas
19
Polish research projects constitute nearly 44%
of all the applications financed under the
Programme each year
(SedTrace – Oznaczanie źródeł i śledzenie emisji osadów
z obszarów miejskich na podstawie mikrozanieczyszczeń organicznych) – Anna Elżbieta Sikorska; Szkoła
Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego (p. 52)
Human Milk Fat Substitutes (Zamienniki tłuszczu mleka
kobiecego) – Joanna Bryś; University of Life Sciences in
Warsaw (p. 56)
Multifunctional saccharide derivatives in gelcasting
of high tech ceramics (MULTIGEL) (Wielofunkcyjne pochodne sacharydów w formowaniu zaawansowanych
tworzyw ceramicznych metodą gelcasting) – Paulina
Wiecińska (Bednarek); Warsaw University of Technology (p. 58)
Investigation of absorption and metabolism of hydrolysable and condensed tannins with an in vitro Caco2
transwell model (Badanie wchłaniania i metabolizmu
tanin hydrolizujących i skondensowanych w modelu
in vitro z zastosowaniem linii komórkowej Caco-2) –
Agnieszka Kosińska; Institute of Animal Reproduction
and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in
Olsztyn (p. 60)
20
Determination of the size-dependent phase diagram
and thermodynamical behaviour of nanostructured
brazing filler metals (Wyznaczenie wpływu wielkości
cząstki na termodynamikę oraz diagram fazowy nanowymiarowego spoiwa lutowniczego) – Grzegorz Garzeł; Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering of
the Polish Academy of Sciences (p. 66)
Investigation of the effects of electrospinning conditions on the structure and selected properties of polymeric blended nanofibers for tissue engineering, ESNANOTIS (Badania wpływu warunków elektroprzędzenia
na strukturę i wybrane właściwości włókien dwuskładnikowych do zastosowania w inżynierii tkankowej) –
Dorota Kołbuk; Institute of Fundamental Technology
Problems, Polish Academy of Sciences (p. 68)
Simultaneous PIV/LIF for local flame front characterization (Symultaniczne badania PIV/LIF dla określenia własności płomieni kinetycznych) – Rafał Ślefarski; Poznań
University of Technology (p. 70)
Structure and interactions of U7 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (Struktura i interakcje małej, jądrowej rybonukleoproteiny U7 snRNP) – Katarzyna Dorota Raczyńska; Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (p. 62)
Optimisation and upscaling of the synthesis of ferromagnetic nanoparticles and their integration in
a polymeric matrix. NANOMAGN) (Optymalizacja
i zwiększenie skali syntezy ferromagnetycznych nanocząstek i ich integracja do polimerowej matrycy.
NANOMAGN) – Izabela Bobowska; Łódź University of
Technology (p. 73)
eTourism Reputation Index (eTourRep) (E-turystyczny
Indeks Reputacji) – Łukasz Stokłosa; University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów (p. 64)
Metaphysics of Mental Life (Metafizyczne podstawy
funkcjonowania umysłu) – Sebastian Tomasz Kołodziejczyk; Jagiellonian University (p. 75)
DESCRIPTIONS
OF RESEARCH
PROJECTS
IMPLEMENTED BY
SCIEX FELLOWS
The research provided a precise answer to the question
how people process information before making a decision
when they are under the influence of stress, and which
decision strategy they use on such occasions
Beginning of cooperation
I began working with Prof. Rieskamp, my Swiss mentor,
in 2000. At the time I had a doctoral placement at the Max
Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin where the
professor studied for his PhD.
Fellow: Szymon Wichary, PhD
Project: Bottom–up model of strategy selection
Subject area: psychology
Project duration: from 01.10.2010 to 30.09.2011
Sending institution / Home mentor: University of Social Sciences and Humanities / Prof. Grzegorz Sędek
Host institution / Host mentor: University of Basel / Prof.
Jörg Rieskamp
Dr. Szymon Wichary is an Assistant Professor at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Applied Cognitive Studies at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities. His main interests
include the role of personality, emotions and stress in decision making and the biological sources of individual differences (temperament, personality, readiness to take risks).
In his research he uses computer-based cognitive tasks,
psychophysiological methods (hormone concentration and
electrodermal activity measuring) and computational modelling of decision processes. In his interdisciplinary projects
he willingly cooperates with researchers specialising in various areas. He has studied psychology and biology at the Jagiellonian University, where he was awarded his PhD degree
in 2004. When studying for this title he had a placement at
the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin.
His SCIEX Post-Doctoral placement was at the Centre for Economic Psychology at the University of Basel.
22
Project description
The purpose of my SCIEX fellowship project was to conduct
empirical research, create a computer model of decision
making strategy selection as well as analyse data gathered
in connection with the model. The focus of my research
was slightly modified in the course of the project – one
part of my empirical research could not be done because
of time limitations, however, relevant research procedures
were created, so the intended creation of the computer
model was achieved.
The main outcome of the project was a description of relations between emotional stress and decision making.
The research provided a precise answer to the question
how people process information before making a decision
when they are under the influence of stress, and which decision strategy they use on such occasions. In the course
of this research I used a computer-based decision task and
emotional arousal physiological measurement for the task
duration. A data analysis showed that emotional arousal
was directly linked to the quantity of pre-decisional information processing – the higher the arousal, the less information was processed. Also strategy selection, that is the
strategy of integrating acquired information, is different in
people under high emotional arousal – as their information
processing capacity is limited, they use a simple decision
heuristic that integrates no information, but allows them
to make a choice on the basis of one crucial decision instruction. The computer model of decision making takes
into consideration these high emotional arousal information processing characteristics and answers the question of
how stress influences strategy selection.
Project outcomes
I ran this project at the Centre for Economic Psychology
at the University of Basel where that kind of research had
not been done before. The host institution benefited from
the innovativeness of the research: these physiological
methods of emotional arousal measurement had never
been applied there. Assistants running the research were
trained during this project and the project outcomes were
presented at an internal seminar at the Centre for Economic
Psychology.
Benefits for the sending institution: as its worker I have
gained advanced knowledge of decision making computational modelling and of advanced methods of data analysis.
I have presented the outcomes of the project at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Applied Cognitive Studies.
The Centre for Economic Psychology and the Interdisciplinary Centre for Applied Cognitive Studies continue to cooperate in the scope of three co-implemented projects:
1. Influence of ageing on sequential decision making (co-ordinator: Prof. Grzegorz Sędek)
2. SCIEX project continuation – influence of emotional stress
on decision making in a changing environment (co-ordinator: Szymon Wichary, PhD)
3. Psychological and biological sources of individual differences in risky decision-making (co-ordinator: Szymon Wichary,
PhD)
The added value of the project
The added value of my Swiss research project was an opportunity for undisturbed and continuous work on the chosen problem, conducted in good conditions (well-organised administration) and in a stimulating environment (a good team of very
competent researchers familiar with the latest data processing
methods). I am sure I would not have had such opportunities
anywhere in Poland. These conditions allowed me to develop
my research competences, e.g. gaining basic knowledge of
advanced data processing techniques, which I have been extending for example through annual participation in modelling
workshops organised at the University of Amsterdam. If not for
the SCIEX Fellowship I would have had no opportunity to run
my favourite research project and no opportunity for gaining
the aforementioned advanced knowledge of data analysis.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Swimming in beautiful, clean rivers in the centre of a city, for
example in the River Aare in Bern or in the Rhine in Basel,
is one of the biggest pleasures that you can experience in
Switzerland?
23
The West is perceived as rational, creative, imperious
and masculine, the East – as ‘thinking through the
heart’, non-creative, submissive, feminine
Fellow: Magdalena Żakowska, PhD
Project: The ‘Russian Bear’ metaphor in the 19th Century
Swiss Press Discourse
Subject area: history
Sending institution / Home mentor: University of Łódź /
Prof. Andrzej de Lazari
Host institution / Host mentor: University of St. Gallen / Prof.
Ulrich Schmid
Dr. Magdalena Żakowska is an Assistant Professor at the
Chair of Central and Eastern Europe at the Faculty of International and Political Studies (WSMiP) at the University of Łódź.
She graduated from WSMiP and from the School of Humanities at the same university. She is the author of a monograph
entitled Russland and Polendeutsche. Cultural conditioning of
late German migrants from Russia and Poland (Łódź 2011) and
together with A. de Lazari and O. Nadskakuła she wrote Cultural conditioning of European nations (Łódź 2007), she also
translated the work by A. de Lazari and O. Riabov entitled
Poles and Russians in mutual caricature (Warsaw 2008). She
was the secretary of two projects implemented within the
Committee for Scientific Research (KBN): Mutual prejudice
between Poles and Russians and Ideas in Russia. Russian-PolishEnglish Lexicon, v. 6-7. She took part in organising a project
financed by the Stefan Batory Fund Should we be afraid of Russia? with the participation of students of the Universities of
Łódź, Latvia and Ivanovo.
Her main interests focus on the problems of perceiving Russia in European cultures.
24
Prof. Andrzej de Lazari, head of the Chair of Central and Eastern Europe at the Faculty of International and Political Studies of the University of Łódź, which is my workplace, encouraged me to get in contact with Prof. Ulrich Schmid who is an
eminent expert on Russia’s culture and history. My scientific
mentors had known each other for years, being actively involved in the International Dostoevsky Society.
Project description
My project focused on analysing the specificity of the ‘Russian bear’ metaphor in the German-language Swiss press
between the Congress of Vienna and the end of the 19th century (1815-1900). Basing on this example I tried to see a possible relationship between the then image of Russia in Switzerland and the ‘colonial discourse’ described by Edward Said,
the American literary scholar, through which Europeans are
said to perceive the Orient. His theory is mainly based on the
assertion that, consciously or not, Westerners use a discourse
in which the West is the main reference in deliberations on
universal civilisation patterns and so-called universal values,
whereas the East embodies all that is traditionally associated
with backwardness and the absence of culture. The West is
perceived as rational, creative, imperious and masculine, the
East – as ‘thinking through the heart’, non-creative, submissive, feminine. The European discourse concerning the East
reflects the logic of thinking in the categories of East-West,
culture-nature, civilisation-barbarism, progress-backwardness, democracy-despotism. This way of perceiving the
world, originating from the West, was to be internalised also
in Eastern mentality.
In my research I intended to rely on source materials coming
both from satirical German-language magazines, such as the
Nebelspalter (published since 1875) and from the everyday
German-language press: from the oldest and most opinionforming Swiss daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung (published since
1780), from the Tagesanzeiger Zürich (published since 1893)
and from the St. Galler Tagblatt (published since 1841).
In the course of the project I found two Swiss satirical periodicals that were unknown to me and which were published in the 19th century – Der Gukkasten (from 1840 to
1850) and the Postheiri (1845 to 1875), so I included them in
my preliminary research. Owing to access to an electronic
viewer with archived issues of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung I researched this newspaper more thoroughly and extended
the scope of the search to include the period from 1790 to
1900.
Analysing the Russian bear metaphor in the 19th century
Swiss press I noticed some regularities. First of all, I noticed
that the aforesaid metaphor had not appeared there until
the middle of the 19th century. The oldest relevant note that
I found dates back to 1849 and appeared in the periodical
Der Gukkasten. The Russian bear metaphor kept appearing
sporadically over the next decades to intensify in the 1880s
and 1890s. In total I found 37 ‘Russian bear’ metaphors, 10 of
them were in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 24 in the Nebelspalter, 2 in the Postheiri and one in Der Gukkasten. In the Neue
Zürcher Zeitung, which was the mainstream press of that period, the term ‘Russian bear’ appeared relatively rarely as a
synonym of Russia or things Russian. However, the satirical
press of the last thirty years of the 19th century, represented
mainly by the Nebelspalter, made relatively frequent references to the subject.
The ‘bear’ motif mainly appeared as a comment to armed interventions involving Russia, predominantly against Turkey.
The Crimean War (1853-1856) waged by Russia in order to obtain access to the Black Sea straits, and lost by that country,
was the first confrontation with the Ottoman Empire in the
period I researched. Not only were the Western powers on
Turkey’s side in this conflict, but it also received military assistance from Great Britain, France and Sardinia. The then teething satirical press in Switzerland used the bear metaphor
twice in the Postheiri to comment on what was happening
on the ‘Eastern’ front.
Then the ‘Russian bear’ appeared in connection with the socalled Bulgarian war (1876-1877) waged for ‘the liberation of
the Balkan nations from the Turkish yoke’. The Western powers limited their part in this conflict to the status of observers,
but after Russia’s victory they forced the calling of a peace
conference in Berlin at which a ‘fairer’ division of influence in
the region was decided. Commenting on the war the Swiss
press portrayed the tsarist state as a cynical friend of south
Slavs.
The third time that the ‘Russian bear’ entered the Turkish
zone of influence was in the 1880s in connection with the socalled Bulgarian question. After the death of Alexander II the
relations between Alexander von Battenberg, the new Prince
of Bulgaria appointed by the former, and Russia’s new ruler
Alexander III were not exemplary. In 1883 the Neue Zürcher
Zeitung reported that “Prince Alexander […] sees the necessity to free himself from the friendly hug of the Russian bear
and opt for a German-Austrian alliance”. However, in 1886 the
prince was dethroned as a result of a palace coup led by a
‘Russian party’, which caused a media storm in Europe and
also in Switzerland, very much like the one caused by the
Crimean war.
Research findings
This discourse in question shows a gradual barbarisation and
demonization of the ‘bear metaphor’. Its neutral overtones
in the middle of the 19th century (the Russian bear as one
of many animals in the international herd) rapidly changed
into a distinctly negative ‘bear’ image at the end of the cenResearch Projects Implemented as Part of the Scientific
25
tury (the Russian bear as the only predator endangering European peace). I compared the Swiss press discourse with
the corresponding discourse in other European countries
to see that the Swiss discourse was unique through its specific moralising tendency. The Helvetian nation, the most
democratic country of the world in the 19th century, simply
seemed to aspire to play the part of Europe’s conscience.
It is worth stressing that there were also false tones in the
Swiss moralising discourse. For example, when presenting
the paternalistic stance of the Triple Alliance countries on
the Balkan victims of Russia’s policy, the latter were shown
as ‘Russia-like’. Both the tsarist state and the Balkans were
seen as Asia’s outskirts – an ‘inferior’, ‘backward’ and ‘exotic’
part of the world whose stereotype functioned just like that
of the Orient. The only difference was that Russia was ‘masculinised’ in the Swiss (and European) press discourse and the
Balkans were ‘infantilised’ and ‘objectified’. This can be seen
when looking at the most frequent metaphors of that period:
dwarves, playful children, farm animals and even inanimate
matter. One of the leading motifs in presenting the Balkans
was depicting them as a melting pot stirred by devil or murky
mud pulling its victims in.
In the course of my research I noted further analogies between the Swiss press discourse appertaining to Russia and
the ‘colonial discourse’. The image of the tsarist state represented an antithesis of states representing (Western) Eu-
26
ropean culture. Confronting the image of the ‘Russian bear’
with those representing civilised Europe, the satirists made it
play the part of a barbarian aspiring to Europe’s salons. This
was particularly visible when the bear metaphor was used in
the discourse on Otto Bismarck’s policy meant to bring law
and order in Europe and on the civilising potential of German
culture. By opposing things German (European) to what was
Russian, the Swiss press constructed clear networks of binary
oppositions: order – chaos, creation – destruction, intellect –
irrationality, self-control – short-temper, brutalisation.
In the period of the fin de siècle the image of the ‘Russian bear’
gained some characteristics turning it into an icon of decadence. The revolution in the alliances, such as the RussianFrench alliance of 1891-1893, triggered an avalanche of comments on the absurdity of an alliance between a European
republic and a despotic monarchy – the noble Marianne
with the polar bear. On the one hand, the image of the ‘Russian bear’ as an object of desire seemed a by-product of the
Swiss press trying to show France as a ‘political whore’. On
the other hand, the ‘Russian bear’ accompanying Marianne
can be seen as a metaphor of Russian ‘crudeness’, being both
the complement and antithesis of refinement, supposed to
be characteristic of French culture.
This metaphor was also present in the context of RussianSwiss relations. Actually, this was in two contexts: that of
I did not have to show my tenancy agreement or appear at the Housing Office
with my landlord to become officially registered as a resident (but I had to accept regulations prohibiting tenants from taking a shower between 10.00PM and
8.00AM or from washing clothes in their flats).
Switzerland’s asylum policy and in certain comparisons
made by the Swiss concerning social order abroad as opposed to their own. The ‘bear’ metaphor was used by the
Swiss to build an opposition between Helvetia – free, affluent and democratically ruled – and Russia, construed as an
‘Eastern despotic country’, prison of nations and the kingdom of anarchy. Sometimes the Russian nation was presented as a bear. In such cases it was present in just one context
- that of the running dog of subsequent tsars. So depicted,
the ‘Russian bear’ was perceived as putty in the hands that
rule Russia and as a victim of ‘great politics’.
Project outcomes
In the course of the project I shared my experience with
students, PhD students and academic staff at the University
of St. Gallen, for example by delivering an open lecture on
the history and contemporary connotations of the ‘Russian
bear’ image in the West. I also participated in a seminar entitled Polish Politics, Economy and Society, held jointly by
Prof. Ulrich Schmid and Dr. Rafał Riedel. For this purpose
I prepared a speech on the influence of Polish Catholicism
on our country’s social and political life.
Owing to my fellowship, students and PhD students of Russian studies at the University of St. Gallen had an opportunity to participate in two interesting lectures held by Prof.
Andrzej de Lazari during his study visits at that university
in the capacity of my Polish mentor. The lectures were on
mutual prejudices between Poles and Russians and on the
categories of nation and identity in Polish and Russian political thought.
SCIEX fellowship benefits
I gained a lot by participating in sessions on relations between culture and the specificity of creating biographical
narratives, in a seminar on theories of culture and in lectures on the life and works of Anton Chekhov, delivered
by Prof. Ulrich Schmid and Prof. Dieter Thomä. I decided to
incorporate certain issues of Swiss political and cultural life
as well as some issues of satirical discourse into my classes
at the University of Łódź. My faculty students were thrilled
to hear Prof. Schmid’s lecture (delivered in Polish!) entitled
Constitution and Narrative. European Traditions and Their
Russian Modifications in Key Legal Acts of the USSR and the
Russian Federation, during his study visit in the capacity of
my host mentor.
The Universities of Łódź and St. Gallen are planning to continue their cooperation – at the moment some formalities
are being settled before a cooperation agreement can be
concluded, on the strength of which the academic staff of
both universities will be able to deliver guest lectures.
27
Fellow: Anna Kurkowska, PhD student
Project: Spatial planning and development of bicycle
tourism in Polish-Swiss comparative analysis
Subject area: geography
Sending institution / Home mentor: University of Warsaw /
Prof. Stefan Kałuski
Host institution / Host mentor: University of Bern / Prof. Heike Mayer
Anna Kurkowska holds a Master’s degree in tourism and recreation (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, 2007), a Master’s degree in spatial planning (Adam Mickiewicz University,
2009) and since 01.10.2009 she has been a PhD student at
the Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies (University of
Warsaw). SCIEX Fellow at the University of Bern and holder
of a KAAD scholarship at the University of Trier, she is currently at the University of Canberra within the framework of
the Australian Award, Socrates-Erasmus landscaping studies
at the University of Dresden. She has also cooperated with
the Leibnitz-Institut für Őkologische Raumentwicklung in
Dresden.
28
I contacted my Swiss mentor just before making an application for the research that I had planned. The purpose of my
project was to analyse Swiss model solutions in spatial planning and bicycle tourism development and to gather extensive practical experience. The subject of my research is not
popular in Poland, there is not enough subject literature, too
few model case studies and not enough examples of analysis
of good practice. It would have been difficult to do my research on spatial planning and bicycle tourism development
in my sending institution whose research funds are rather
limited.
If not for the SCIEX fellowship…
I would have not met many specialists and experts directly
or indirectly involved in the subject of my research. I would
have had no opportunity to run so-called best practice analysis. My fellowship in Switzerland was an ideal opportunity to
familiarise myself with current research trends and with the
world literature on this subject, which greatly contributed to
my further academic development. After the SCIEX fellowship I was able to undergo a short research fellowship programme in Germany and some months later I was the winner
of the Australian Award, so at the moment I am at the University of Canberra.
DID YOU KNOW THAT...
There are half-day bank holidays in the
canton of Zurich, which are days off
from noon onwards?
of Oslo and at the Centre for Comparative and International
Studies/ETH in Zurich.
Fellow: Rafał Riedel, PhD
Project: The UE Presidency after the Lisbon Treaty – towards the supranationalisation of the EU Council
Subject area: political science
Sending institution / Home mentor: University of Opole /
Prof. Krzysztof Zuba
Host institution / Host mentor: Federal Institute of Technology / Prof. Frank Schimmelfennig
Dr. Rafał Riedel graduated from the University of Silesia
and the University of Economics in Katowice. He presented his PhD thesis at the Institute of Political Science and
Journalism. He is an Assistant Professor at the Chair of International Relations at the University of Opole. He has delivered lectures in Rotterdam, Valencia, Bratislava, St. Gallen and Berlin. Grant holder of the Open Society Institute,
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, Marie Curie Fellowship Programme and Grant and Training Fund. Participant and organiser of a number of research and educational
projects in Europe and the USA, he is the author of several
dozen socio-political-economic publications (monographs,
collective works, scientific papers and current affairs articles) in: Anthenaeum, Przegląd Politologiczny, Studia Europejskie, Przegląd Europejski, Wspólnota Europejska, Politea,
Polish Foreign Affairs Digest, Studia Medioznawcze, Zeszyty
Prasoznawcze, Wrocławskie Studia Politologiczne, Przegląd
Zachodni, Stosunki Międzynarodowe and many more. Rafał
Riedel conducted his research during his visits to the following institutions: Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne and Max Planck Institute for the Study of
Collective Goods in Bonn, European University Institute in
Florence, ARENA – Centre for European Studies/University
I contacted the host mentor well in advance, specifically for
the purposes of my planned project. We met at a ECPR (European Consortium for Political Research) conference in Porto
in June 2010. I deliberately chose this mentor and the host
institution for the reputation of the European Union Politics
Research Group led by Prof. Frank Schimmelfennig.
Project description
The purpose of my project was to analyse the political roles of
EU member states exercising their presidency of the Council
of the European Union after the Lisbon Treaty. Consequently,
I had to review literature from the viewpoint of already existing roles and their evolution, starting from the establishment
of a rotational presidency. Following that, I conducted my
research by way of questionnaires and in-depth interviews
concerning such variables as a country’s length of membership and its size. The results of this empirical investigation
were confronted with selected excerpts from the theory
of international regional integration, partly relating to the
presidency of the Council, multilateral negotiations and the
theory of leadership. As the project time was curtailed from
18 to 12 months I had to exclude the permanent president of
the European Council from my analysis.
As a result of in-depth empirical investigation (data gathered
in the aforementioned questionnaires and in-depth interviews) I identified the most important roles and functions
of the presidency in the post-Lisbon period, and evaluated
them on the scale of importance for my particular variables
(length of membership and country size). Then, for the purpose of their interpretation, I compared the results of my
empirical investigation with available subject literature. This
comparison with the selected excerpts from the theory of international regional integration allowed positive verification
29
The main and basic added value – which I would not have been able to get
staying in the home institution – was my contact with one of the most recognised
European studies researchers in the world. The works of Prof. Frank Schimmelfennig
on the EU’s enlargement policy, conditionality or the methodological basis of
European research are the canon of world literature on the subject
of the hypothesis concerning the progressive supranationalisation of the institution of the presidency and – consequently and potentially – of the Council itself. An analysis of the
political roles of the EU member states exercising UE presidency after the Lisbon Treaty allowed me to produce several
scientific texts for publication and gave me an opportunity to
deliver numerous conference speeches.
Project outcomes
The EU Politics Research Group from ETH/Zurich had not
played host to a Central European researcher before. Taking
into consideration the interests of some of its members, for
example EU enlargement, decision making at the Council of
the European Union, multilateral negotiations etc., my fellowship and research on the issues of EU presidency has contributed to an expansion of the scope of their research and
to more detailed research in the important area of European
studies. It is also worth mentioning that the visit of my project mentor from the University of Opole coincided with an
event called The Polish Day at ETH in Zurich which captured
the attention of the Zurich academic circles.
The most important benefits resulting from the project
The Polish sending institution has benefited from its participation in the SCIEX Scholarship Fund mainly through the
participation of its workers (mine, as a fellow, and that of my
home mentor) in its academic exchange with ETH – one of
the best European HEIs.
What’s more – on the occasion of my Swiss mentor’s visit to
Poland, Opole University organised an open lecture delivered by Prof. Frank Schimmelfennig entitled European Union
Institutions in the Times of Crisis. This lecture was an interesting contribution to the discussion of the current crisis in the
Euro zone and attracted a more than 100-strong audience.
The research issues I dealt with in Switzerland have a future.
Therefore I intend to continue further analytical research on
this and related subjects. My research was an essential element of my post-doctoral thesis and it will be continued as a
concise monograph. The forms and scope of our future cooperation are currently being discussed with the Swiss partner
– both as to the Polish and the Swiss offer.
The main and basic added value – which I would not have been
able to get staying in the home institution – was my contact
with one of the most recognised European studies researchers
in the world. The works of Prof. Frank Schimmelfennig on the
EU’s enlargement policy, conditionality or the methodological
basis of European research are the canon of world literature
on the subject
The significant added value of the project consists in frequent
consultations at individual research stages, having access to
extensive libraries and being able to discuss the results with
my Swiss colleagues. The research work of the EU Politics Re-
30
search Group is one of the most advanced in its use of quantitative methods in political sciences, so my participation in
Research Colloquiums and discussion of research projects and
methodological dilemmas constituted an essential element of
my fellowship, developing my workshop competence. If not
for the fellowship, I would never have transferred the ‘Swiss
quality’ and culture of work to my academic environment in
Poland.
But the main inspiration, which may reverberate in my future
professional life is my fascination with the quantitative methods that are applied by Prof. Schimmerfennig’s group, which
are almost completely absent from Poland. There are only a
few research centres in Europe which can apply quantitative
methods so effectively in their research – Zurich is undoubtedly one such leading centre.
Consequently, my Swiss research visit – apart from the achievement of my SCIEX research project purposes – also brought a
by-product in the shape of a plan to organise an educational
programme for political scientists/European researchers developing their workshop competence in quantitative methods
and their application in social science.
Fellow: Piotr Tracz, PhD
Project: Swiss Light Source Performance Improvement
Project
Subject area: engineering science
Sending institution / Home mentor: Jagiellonian University
/ Prof. Krzysztof Królas
Host institution / Host mentor: Paul Scherrer Institut /Terence Garvey, PhD
Dr. Piotr Tracz was brought up in Niedomice near Tarnów. He
was interested in science already at a young age. In 1999 he
completed a technical secondary school specialising in radio
engineering and television at the Complex of Mechanical and
Electrical Schools in Tarnów. He then continued his education
at the University of Science and Technology (AGH) in Cracow,
being awarded a Master’s degree in solid-state physics at the
Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science in 2004.
In 2009 he was awarded a PhD degree in physical science at
the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Cracow. In his PhD thesis
Dr. Tracz discussed investigation of the magnetic properties of
a new group of magnetic materials, so-called molecular magnetic materials. Since autumn 2009 Dr. Tracz has been working
in a group implementing the project of the first Polish synchrotron, built at the Jagiellonian University in Cracow.
The project of the first Polish synchrotron radiation source
is being implemented in Cracow. The first idea of building
a synchrotron in Poland dates back to 1998. That was when
the Swiss Light Source (SLS) was being built in Switzerland.
A group of Cracow scientists started cooperating with the
31
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), the Swiss centre where the SLS
was built. The Cracow synchrotron was to be similar to the
one currently working at PSI. Soon it transpired that the
budget of the Polish synchrotron project was too small to
ensure the success of this undertaking. However, that period resulted in establishment of contacts with the Swiss
centre, which facilitated the choice of my host mentor and
the host institution. In the end the Cracow group obtained
funds enabling the construction of a smaller, but just as
modern, synchrotron.
Project description
The principal purpose of my being at the Swiss centre
consisted in gaining practical experience of working with
a modern source of synchrotron radiation. Being familiar
with particle accelerator issues is of paramount importance
for independent work with the future Cracow synchrotron.
As no scientists or engineers had experience in accelerator
physics and large particle accelerators, this visit to the modern centre in Switzerland was more than justified.
Knowledge of various engineering and physics domains,
such as microwave technology, magnets, electron beam diagnostics, ultrahigh vacuum, cooling systems and control
systems, is needed to operate a synchrotron light source. In
the course of my project I intended to become familiar with
all these areas and to participate in work on the improvement of storage ring optics in order to reduce the adverse
effects of optical lattice non-linearity to improve electron
beam quality, and also with measurement techniques determining electron beam parameters in storage rings and their
control. I also wanted to participate in research on optimising
the process of injecting an electron beam into a storage ring.
The direction of my research was partly modified in relation to that initially intended because of the needs of the
Cracow synchrotron, which made it necessary for me to become familiar with power RF microwave technology, both
at the storage ring and in a linear accelerator forming the
pre-injector of the Swiss synchrotron.
In the course of my research I took a series of measurements
of the electron beam life span in the SLS storage ring. Having
32
been processed, these measurements contributed to a better
understanding of particle loss as well as to the investigation
of electron beam quality. I took a number of electron beam
parameter measurements, such as: emittance, energy spread
and a cross-section of an electron beam in the storage ring.
The same measurements were taken at the linear accelerator of the synchrotron in Switzerland. The results obtained
were confronted with simulations made with the use of ASTRA code software. The results obtained and the comparison
with the simulations helped me optimise the parameters of
synchrotron work. I performed the conditioning of the optical cavity of the storage ring and I optimised the parameters
of the cooling system at a high power RF station. I also conditioned new impulse modulators and klystron amplifiers.
Moreover, I took measurements of the current characteristics
of the new klystron amplifiers. I also conditioned a new cathode of the electron gun at the linear accelerator.
My research findings were up-to-date and important for the
host institution as at the time work was being carried out on
the Swiss synchrotron to improve its capacity, electron beam
and emitted synchrotron radiation quality for research purposes in a number of scientific domains. I was at PSI when
new components were installed at the Swiss synchrotron. It
necessitated carrying out a number of tests and measurements. I participated personally in all the aforementioned
work, actively cooperating with a group of experienced experts from the Swiss centre.
Project outcomes
Thanks to my research in Switzerland the Polish institution
has gained a worker ready for independent work with the
modern source of synchrotron radiation which is being built
in Cracow. Both centres continue their cooperation. The Swiss
centre is testing the Polish experimental end station, which
will be transported to Cracow to work at the Polish synchrotron. Moreover, for the purposes of the Polish synchrotron
project, a bilateral cooperation agreement has been signed.
On the strength of this agreement the Polish party is obliged
to cooperate in designing a free electron laser, whose construction is foreseen for 2013 in Switzerland.
The added value of the SCIEX fellowship
Doing research at the Swiss centre is immensely prestigious.
Working with a real-life, modern appliance was the added
value of my fellowship. In my home institution only theoretical work would have been possible and by that I mean studying particle accelerator theory issues, with no possibilities
of gaining practical experience. My fellowship at the Swiss
centre has significantly raised my professional qualifications
and made it possible for me to visit that picturesque country
– Switzerland.
I am currently the coordinator of the linear accelerator at
the Polish synchrotron project. My Swiss fellowship allowed
me to define my own professional interests and to gain experience in working with a particle accelerator. At present,
changes are being made to the original design of the linear
accelerator of the Polish synchrotron to improve its capacity.
No such changes could have been made without the knowledge I gained at the Swiss centre.
• There are four official languages in Switzerland: German, French, Italian
and Romansh, often called Rhaeto-Romance, spoken by 0.5% of the population. Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons.
• The Toblerone chocolate bar, famous for its triangular shapes, is meant to
be reminiscent of the Matterhorn – one of alpine peaks.
• Only electrically driven vehicles may circulate in the picturesque town of
Zermatt.
• The famous Ice Express train runs along the Alps. It takes 7.5 hours to go
from Zermatt to St. Moritz.
33
Fellow: Lucjan Janowski, PhD
Project: QoHealth: QoE optimisation for Health Tele-monitoring and Tele-treatment Systems with
constrained QoS
Subject area: computer science
Sending institution / Home mentor: AGH University of Science and Technology / Prof. Zdzisław Papir
Host institution / Host mentor: University of Geneva / Prof.
Dimitri Konstantas
Dr Lucjan Janowski works at the Telecommunications Faculty at the AGH University of Science and Technology. He was
awarded his Master’s degree in 2002 and in 2006 – a PhD in
telecommunications (both theses were written and presented at the University of Science and Technology). In 2007, he
worked at CNRS-LAAS in France where he prepared anomaly
detecting algorithms and an intelligent analysis of road traffic. In the academic year 2010/2011, he spent 6 months working at the University of Geneva, working on applications of
quality of experience (QoE) to be used in medicine. His main
interests include statistics and probable events modelling
with subjective assumptions with the help of QoE evaluation.
He has taken part in a number of industrial and scientific projects. He is the author of a number of scientific studies.
34
Project description
The first contact between the HEIs was made at a COST project meeting (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). When planning my SCIEX project, I decided to establish
cooperation in order to investigate the quality of transmission (a speciality of the home institution) from the perspective of medicine (a speciality of the University of Geneva).
My research concentrated on identifying the possibility of
transmitting an ultrasound signal through the Internet in real
time. The problem of that kind of network is that there is no
support for traffic prioritisation. This means that it is impossible to foresee reasonably which resources could be used.
In the course of my research I used the x264 codec with the
help of which I compressed some demonstration sequences.
The results I obtained were consulted with medical profes-
• If your child has a temperature
of 39.9 degrees, first you have to
prove to a Swiss hospital that the
child is insured otherwise you
have to pay before the child gets a
medicine to bring the fever down?
• If you live in Geneva, visit the webpage www.glocals.com
• Switzerland is the country where
the Ski World Cup takes place. You
must watch it live!
sionals and I was able to confirm the hypothesis that this
kind of transmission was possible. The subsequent steps of
this analysis and the creation of suitable software were postponed until my return to Poland.
Project outcomes
Thanks to my participation in the project the University of
Geneva has gained knowledge of QoE research and an opportunity for extending medical examination by adding an
ultrasound examination. The Polish institution has gained
a new research subject related to quality in medicine. The
cooperation between the two institutions will be continued
on the condition that there are funds available for further
research. The subject of quality of experience is extremely
interesting and vital for my habilitation.
The experience and knowledge of Prof. Antoine Geissbuhler
were instrumental in the success of my research. Without
his support, I would not have been able to do my research.
Owing to the SCIEX project I have a new research idea, probably the most interesting one that I am implementing. If not
for the fellowship, I would not have got to know Prof. Geissbuhler’s extremely inspiring style of work or just as fascinating research areas which claim that it is the solution that is
most important and not its complexity.
Fellow: Dariusz Komorowski, PhD
Project: The Intellectual on the Borderlines. Carl Albert
Loosli as a Columnist at the Beginning of the 20th Century
in the Media and Cross-cultural context of Switzerland
Subject area: Literature
Sending institution / Home mentor: University of Wrocław
/ Prof. Marek Hałub
Host institution / Host mentor: University of Lausanne /
Prof. Peter Utz
Dr Dariusz Komorowski was born in Starachowice. He is a
graduate of German and Dutch studies at the University of
Wrocław. In 2000, he presented his PhD thesis entitled The
aesthetics of movement in Jürg Laederach’s prose, written
under the supervision of Prof. Norbert Honsza. Currently
he is Assistant Professor at the German Speaking Countries
and Silesian Culture Unit, whose head is Prof. Marek Hałub.
Since 2005, he has been running the Laboratory of the German Language Literature of Switzerland and in 2007 with its
participation he organised the first international conference
at the University of Wrocław, focusing exclusively on Swiss
literature. He is the author and co-editor of a Polish-German
publication entitled This Switzerland is not Switzerland, Jenseits von Frisch und Dürenmatt, a collection presenting the
contemporary German language literature of Switzerland as
well as a textbook for German studies students Ausgewählte
Quellen im Diskursfeld <Identitäten>. Die Schweiz, describing
the forming of the Swiss state and its citizens’ cultural identity. He has already had two Swiss grants – one from the government, the other from the Landis & Gyr Cultural foundation
in the canton of Zug. His area of main interest concerns issues
in literature and Swiss culture over the centuries, cross-culResearch Projects Implemented as Part of the Scientific
35
tural processes in the Swiss Confederation and the cultural
identity of Switzerland’s inhabitants.
tions I had with local research workers I had the added benefit of confronting the assumptions, methods and progress
of my research work.
Project description
The choice of my host mentor was, so to speak, natural.
Swiss literature has been the main interest of Prof. Utz working at the University of Lausanne, which is reflected both in
his extensive research and his didactic work. As we had mutual interests we were already familiar with our publications
and we had met at conferences, for example at the World
Congress of Germanists in Warsaw or at the Literature Days
in Solura.
The restriction of the fellowship’s duration did not allow me
to complete my project, but my evaluation of task completion and of what I achieved there is very positive. Access to
the source material of the Archive of Literature and the National Library of Switzerland enabled me to do research on
texts essential for my project. It is owing to them that I was
able to become familiar with, and understand the historical
and cultural context of, David Looslie’s writing as a columnist,
his intellectual and literary connection network and I man-
The purpose of my project was to do research on David
Looslie’s source texts which had not been published before
and which were preserved at the Swiss Archive of Literature (feature articles, short stories, critical texts and letters)
which may show the Swiss cultural processes of that period
in a new light. In my opinion the categories of an ‘intellectual’ and ‘feature article’ as a modern means of expression
in literature will allow demonstration of Switzerland’s specificity in the European context. Consultations with Prof. Utz
and other workers of Lausanne’s German studies, and my
work at the Archive of Literature and the National Library
in Bern, fully confirmed my choice of research area and the
theses I had put forward. Moreover, thanks to the conversa-
36
The canton of Valais is home to Europe’s highest vineyards. The tradition
of producing a variety of white wine
called Heida (Savagnin grapes) is alive
near the village of Visperterminen at
an altitude of about 1100 m.
For a researcher of literature and culture, a stay of several-months in Switzerland
is extremely valuable not only because it enables familiarity with new research
methods, access to sources and contacts with colleagues, but also because it
allows direct contact with the culture and everyday life of Swiss citizens. When
experience is gained in this way, it directly translates into teaching work, its variety
and fascination which can be passed onto students
aged to define and investigate the literary strategies that he
applied in the process of forming public opinion. Certain additional themes that appeared in the course of my research,
but which could not be elaborated on for lack of time, open
up new prospects for future projects which will be, at least
partly, implemented in cooperation with the Swiss host mentor and his co-workers.
Project outcomes
My research focused on an author whose works had never
been subjected to philological and cultural analyses. My
work at the Archive and the publication of my research resulting from it has a significant cognitive value for Swiss researchers not only as to the person of David Looslie, but also
as to the period of those of his works that were widely assimilated in his lifetime.
The knowledge and experience I gained in Switzerland have
a direct influence on the quality of my work at my home HEI
– the University first of all consists of its academic staff and
students. Also, when being in Switzerland, I had multiple opportunities for presenting, also in an international milieu, the
research achievements of the Wrocław German studies workers, their research and teaching profile, all of which won wide
recognition.
There will be future cooperation of the HEIs participating in
my SCIEX project not only in research through implementing
more projects, but also in teaching – based on the cooperation of students in higher years.
If not for the SCIEX project…
The implementation of my project would not have been possible in Poland as there was no access to source materials. My
work at the University of Lausanne enabled me to become familiar with a very interesting form of cooperation between West
Switzerland’s universities as part of the project Master Network
Littératures suisses/ Literaturen der Schweiz, coordinated by
Prof. Utz. I hope that the experience I gained there enables me
to improve the organisation of work at the Centre of German
Language Literature of Switzerland which I run at Wrocław
University. Apart from the fact that the project brought confirmation of the purposefulness of my work to date, my cooperation with my colleagues and my own research at the Archive of
Literature and the National Library have opened up new prospects which, I hope, will result in more projects implemented in
cooperation with Swiss university colleagues.
For a researcher of literature and culture, a stay of severalmonths in Switzerland is extremely valuable not only because it enables familiarity with new research methods,
access to sources and contacts with colleagues, but also because it allows direct contact with the culture and everyday
life of Swiss citizens. When experience is gained in this way, it
directly translates into teaching work, its variety and fascination which can be passed onto students.
37
thesis. In April 2012, he presented his PhD thesis, completed
his doctoral studies with distinction, and was awarded his
PhD title.
Fellow: Dariusz Burnat, PhD
Project: Preparation and Characterisation of Nanostructured Alternative Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) Anodes with
Focus on Carbon Containing Fuels (NANO-SOFC)
Subject area: chemistry
Sending institution / Home mentor: University of Science
and Technology in Cracow / Dr. Dariusz Kata
Host institution / Host mentor: EMPA – Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Science and Technology, Laboratory for
High Performance Ceramics / Prof. Thomas Graule
In 2002 Dr. Dariusz Burnat started studying materials engineering at the Higher Vocational State School in Tarnów,
from which he graduated as a high achiever in 2006, obtaining a Bachelor’s degree. He continued his studies at the University of Science and Technology (AGH), Faculty of Materials
Engineering and Ceramics, where he participated in several
research projects as a student. In 2007/2008 during his placement at the Swiss research institute known as EMPA he did
research for his Master’s thesis which was subsequently
awarded an honourable mention in the competition entitled
“AGH diamonds”. In his thesis, he focused on the rheology of
nanostructured colloids and their application in cathodes for
SOFC applications. In 2008, he completed his studies with
distinction and was awarded a Master’s degree in chemical
engineering. Also in 2008, he started studying for his PhD at
the Faculty of Materials Engineering and Ceramics at the University of Science and Technology. A year later a project of his
was successful in the Małopolski grant competition for PhD
students (MFD 2009) and then he obtained a SCIEX grant.
From the end of 2009 to mid-2011, Dariusz Burnat stayed at
the EMPA institute where he was doing research for his PhD
38
The cooperation between AGH and the host mentor (EMPA)
was initiated several years earlier, but the NANO-SOFC project itself is another mutual undertaking in the history of
cooperation between AGH’s Faculty of Materials Engineering and Ceramics and the Swiss institute EMPA. I had met the
Swiss mentor before when doing research for my Master’s
thesis in Switzerland. This Master’s thesis was well received
both in Switzerland and in my home HEI and it was awarded
an honourable mention in the competition “AGH diamonds”.
I also managed to publish my research results in a very respectable periodical entitled “Fuel Cells”. This formed the
basis for the Swiss mentor’s interest in cooperating with me,
and it was he who told me about applying for a SCIEX grant.
Project description
The project contained several baselines and some secondary
threads. The main purpose of the project consisted in creating ceramic electronic conductors enabling stable cell work.
My next purpose in the project was to obtain relatively effective electrode functioning with low manufacturing costs and
absence of metallic catalysts. My third purpose consisted in
improving anode resistance to red-ox cycles which occur in
cell exploitation. But the most important goal of my research
was to create a kind of material that would form the basis for
my PhD thesis. I can say that I have achieved this goal in full.
I modified the research direction because of some unforeseen difficulties. Circumstances in favour of the modification
were justified by the challenges I had met at the beginning of
writing the project:, those related to the purity and quantity
of materials produced. Taking the above into consideration,
obtaining phase-wise pure materials (sine qua non condition)
had proved to be a task requiring more attention and time.
The results of my research were published in an extensive
eleven-page article in a respectable periodical. In the end
I did not test the capacity of cells in carbon dioxide, as the
host institution had no appropriate ready-to-use and safe research infrastructure.
Project outcomes
As a result of my research I worked out two techniques for
obtaining nano- and submicron powders of strontium titanate additive on a semi-mass scale. I used both techniques in
my pilot manufacturing of powders on which I did further
research. The aerosol pyrolysis that I worked out is particularly interesting as I used a colloidal precursor there. Owing
to this simple solution low manufacturing costs were maintained and materials with the desired crystal structure were
obtained. My research included an extensive study on the
reactivity on the basis of nanopowders. It is owing to the
application of nanoparticles that I managed to detect the
reactivity of the materials in question and to work out strategies for avoiding this problem. The complete results of my
research are presented in an extensive publication which is
now being reviewed.
The electrical properties of the materials obtained allow their
application in solid oxide fuel cell anodes. In the course of my
project I also did research on composite electrodes made on
the basis of whole working cells (real life conditions) that is
in ceteris paribus conditions. As a result I detected three processes limiting the capacity of the electrodes, the most important of them being the diffusion/absorption of hydrogen
on the electrode surface. To sum up, having compared my
results with the existing literature on the subject, I can say
that my research results are competitive. I have managed to
implement all the project baselines and three more publications are still being prepared.
The NANO-SOFC project would not have been implemented without the participation of EMPA – Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Science and Technology. This fellowship was my chance for an additional research project and
also an opportunity to share knowledge and experience.
Additional benefits are a deepening of the already flourishing cooperation between the Polish and Swiss HEIs and
increased publishing capability which is extremely important in Switzerland. For home institutions sending grant
holders abroad is tantamount to promoting themselves on
foreign soil. I am sure that my home institution (AGH) will
continue its cooperation with the EMPA institute in Switzerland. My personal plans also include cooperation with
this institution.
39
I am unable to imagine the implementation of half the tasks
at my home HEI that I managed to implement as part of my
SCIEX project. The added value of my Swiss project translates into the amount of work done, and more particularly
its effectiveness, ensuring the success of the project. Switzerland is a rich country where salaries are high which raises
standards set for scientists in that country. Also, part of the
research could not have been done in Poland because of differences in the research infrastructure itself or access thereto.
The Swiss centre where the research was done, has extensive
technical resources and it is adapted to carrying out projects
beyond the boundaries of the laboratory.
The most important benefits (scientific/professional/personal)
The implementation of this project was an inspiration for
making a number of changes, for example changes to ways
of thinking (thinking outside the box) which mean a kind
of different perception of certain aspects of work and everyday life. A change of environment makes us abandon our
well-known and stuck-in-the rut ways, working out so well
in the familiar environment. Through it we are forced to look
for and work out new standards. I value so much the experience that I have gained. As I was awarded my PhD only a
short while ago, my research prospects and career are not
fully defined, but I intend to go deeper into alternative energy sources as I truly believe that there are useful things
to be done in this field. My personal life has changed the
most. For several months now I have lived in Dresden with
my better (looking) half (smile) whom I met unexpectedly
in Switzerland. So to sum up the changes – I know “what”
and “with whom”, but right now I am doing intensive work
on “where”.
40
I would not have been able to obtain my PhD within two
and a half years, although the research project itself took 20
months (the host mentor sponsored two months of my research in October and November 2011). This was, of course,
paid with hard work, just like the proverb has it: no pain, no
gain. If not for the fellowship I would have looked for work in
Poland. SCIEX fellowships are enviable entries in your CV and
they allow you to enter foreign labour markets. It is thanks
to this fellowship that I am able to boast several job offers.
Unfortunately, they are at odds with my personal plans and
as such they are of no interest to me.
• Some time ago it was illegal in
Switzerland to slam a car door within
certain hours.
• There are over 1200 fountains in Zurich.
• 60% of current consumed in Switzerland comes from hydroelectric
power stations.
• In 1471 a hen was accused of a crime
against nature. That hen had laid
eggs that were too brightly coloured,
and was sentenced to burning as it
was thought she had consorted with
the devil.
Fellow: Izabela Szumska, PhD student
Project: Short- and long-lived unconscious information
processing investigated with two types of EEG analysis:
waveforms and microstates
Subject area: psychology
Sending Institution / Home mentor: University of Finance
and Management in Warsaw / Dr. Rob van der Lubbe
Host institution / Host mentor: Ėcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne / Prof. Michael Herzog
Izabela Szumska was awarded a Master’s degree in 2009 at
the Faculty of Psychology at the University of Finance and
Management in Warsaw, where since 2007 she had been
working at the Laboratory of Psychophysiology supervised
by Prof. Piotr Jaśkowski. She is mainly interested in visual
perception and consciousness. She is currently working on
her PhD thesis, supervised by Dr. Rob van der Lubbe. Her PhD
thesis focuses on the conscious and unconscious processing
of visual stimuli. In her research she uses an analysis of evoked
potentials recorded in brain bioelectrical activity testing.
Project description
The late Prof. Piotr Jaśkowski (the first Polish mentor of my
project) and Prof. Michael Herzog shared similar scientific interests for a number of years and they repeatedly discussed
their results at various conferences where these discussions
always prove very fruitful. My SCIEX fellowship made it possible for them to start the first joint project combining Prof.
Herzog’s approach to researching consciousness with that
of Prof. Jaśkowski. My next home mentor – Dr. Rob van der
Lubbe – made just as important a contribution to that project. For years he has been interested in issues discussed in
our project and his knowledge of electroencephalography
proved invaluable. This is the first project between the host
and sending institutions.
Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of conscious and unconscious information processing is one of the
most fascinating challenges of current neuroscience. There
are many theories on how consciousness works, but none of
them has provided ultimate answers to researchers’ persistent questions.
In our project we decided to compare processing of conscious
stimuli with the processing of those which are not available to
consciousness. Research shows that not only stimuli perceived
consciously, but also those perceived unconsciously can affect
our reactions. Subliminal priming is the best known example
documenting this phenomenon. We can observe this when
after one object (for example an arrow pointing to the right) is
flashed on to a screen for a time too short for the observer to
notice anything, another object is shown (an identical arrow),
which is visible long enough to be consciously registered.
When an individual is asked to tell the direction in which the
arrow pointed, he/she will do it much sooner when the preceding arrow (invisible) pointed in the same direction as the
other, subsequent arrow (visible). This means that despite its
not being perceived consciously (our individual is unable to
tell the direction of the first one), that object is somehow processed in our brain which “knows” what it was.
41
The project implementation confirmed the high level of Polish science. Polish
scientists should look for any opportunity of cooperation with foreign institutions,
which would be beneficial to both parties. Polish students, PhD students and
young researchers should have placements abroad as often as possible as it adds
to their confidence. One can take a peek and see how people work in different
institutions, learn a lot and acquire openness
Our purpose was to see if the perception of stimuli to which
we have to react manually (by pressing a key) happens in a
different way from the perception of the same stimuli when
another kind of response is needed (for example a verbal response or eye movements).
Some research suggested that we should expect different
results (as stimuli are processed in different ways depending
on the character of the response). Other research opted for a
theory saying that there is just one way of processing which
is followed by all the information we receive. My research was
aimed at finding proof confirming one of the above completely incompatible theories.
Research findings and the added value of the project
When the project started, it turned out that the Swiss laboratory could investigate our issue in more detail. So we decided to include response modalities. Apart from the usual
manual reaction (pressing a key) at the sight of an object,
we also decided to use saccadic responses (measured with
an eye tracker) and verbal responses. Owing to this, we were
able to broaden the scope of looking deeper into information processing.
On the one hand, the brain is said to have just one centre
where all information is received, is then always processed
identically and a response is generated. Therefore, regardless
of the kind of required reaction (manual, verbal, saccadic),
the correctness of a response should remain the same. On
the other hand, there are theories saying that there are separate paths used for receiving information depending on the
kind of response we require. Information can be processed
on a given path, for example when pressing a key is necessary, but when an individual is to give a verbal response, the
same information goes along another path (probably needing more consciousness). Consequently, in this situation the
results should be differentiated depending on the kind of
response.
In our research, we used visual stimuli (a rhombus and a
square) which appeared to the right and left of the fixation
point (situated in the centre of the screen). After these stimuli
a masked stimulus was shown (priming those objects). Depending on whether the masked stimulus appeared sooner
or later after those objects, the participating individuals were
able to give quicker or slower responses as to the location
of the rhombus or the square. The individuals were asked to
point to the side where the rhombus had appeared. The correctness of their responses increased with the time elapsed
between showing the object and introducing the masked
stimulus. However, it turned out that the ratio of correct responses to the visibility of the stimulus was exactly the same
regardless of the kind of response: manual (by pressing a key),
verbal or by eye movement. This experiment was carried out
with simultaneous recording of the bioelectrical activity of
42
the brain (encephalography, EEG), but in our EEG records we
found no evidence of visual information being processed
differently depending on the character of a response. These
results negate the existence of various paths for information
processing, privileging more automatic reactions (for example manual) and confirm the thesis concerning the existence
of just one centre where all information is supplied to be processed always in the same way.
The most important benefits (scientific/professional/personal)
The mutual benefit for the two institutions is the knowledge
that has been gained and the commencement of an interesting kind of cooperation. My home mentor uses a method of
analysis different from the one used in the Swiss institution.
We taught the Swiss laboratory workers our techniques. At
the Ėcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne I became familiar with new methods of data analysis. I shared this knowledge with workers at the home institution when I visited
Poland. This is undoubtedly very important for the development of our Polish laboratory. In addition, we have started
cooperating with the Ėcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in two new projects and I will participate in their implementation. We are also planning a student exchange as a
• It was in Switzerland that the concept of the book “Frankenstein” was
born. Its author – Mary Shelley – got
the idea at a social gathering (abundant with horror stories) held at Lake
Geneva.
- Hard-boiled eggs painted like our
Easter painted eggs can be bought
in Switzerland all year round.
result of which Swiss students will be able to come to our Polish laboratory and their Polish counterparts will have placements in Switzerland.
Owing to the Swiss project, I was able to work with people
from all over the world. I was able to learn new things which
are still unknown within the Polish environment. I took part in
seminars and guest lectures organised in the host institution
which gave me more opportunities to discuss my research
with eminent experts on the subject. The Swiss institution
has better research infrastructure, so we were able to extend
the project and investigate not only manual responses to
perceived stimuli as we had proposed in our application, but
also verbal and saccadic responses.
The project implementation confirmed the high level of Polish science. Polish scientists should look for any opportunity
of cooperation with foreign institutions, which would be
beneficial to both parties. Polish students, PhD students and
young researchers should have placements abroad as often
as possible as it adds to their confidence. One can take a peek
and see how people work in different institutions, learn a lot
and acquire openness.
43
the University of Geneva owing to his SCIEX fellowship. In
2011/2012 he did research funded by the Polish – US Fulbright
Commission at the University of California in Berkeley.
Fellow: Jacek Wawer, PhD student
Project: Time and Modality. A Formal Perspective
Subject area: philosophy
/ Prof. Tomasz Placek
Host institution / Host mentor: University of Geneva / Associate Professor Dr. Fabrice Correia
Jacek Wawer comes from the Opole region. He was born
and brought up in Strzelce Opolskie and completed secondary school in Opole. He has been involved with the Institute
of Philosophy of the Jagiellonian University since the beginning of his Master’s degree studies. In the course of them,
his involvement in academic activities was outstanding: he
participated in the activities of a research-interest group, in
international summer schools, research projects and student conferences. In 2007, he studied at Charles University
in Prague for a semester within the framework of the Erasmus programme. For his achievements in the course of his
Master’s degree studies he was awarded two grants by the
Minister of Science and Higher Education. His Master’s thesis
focused on dependencies between relational and algebraic
semantics for normal modal logic.
In his PhD thesis, he investigates different aspects of interactions between time and possibilities as part of the branching
time model. His research borders on metaphysics, logic and
philosophy of language. When he was a student he delivered
speeches at a number of international conferences and workshops, participated in research projects, published his work
in reputable periodicals and taught Jagiellonian University
students. In the academic year 2009/2010 he was a guest of
44
Beginning of the project idea
I implemented the project at the Institute of Philosophy of
the University of Geneva within the framework of the EIDOS
Metaphysical Centre. I had come into contact with the Centre
a year before, having the pleasure of participating in summer
classes on the philosophy of physics in summer 2008. It is
thanks to these classes that I met some researchers from the
EIDOS Centre. When I learnt about the possibility of a SCIEX
fellowship, I became more familiar with the activity of this
group and with its members’ interests and achievements.
The Centre focuses on metaphysical research as part of the
tradition of analytical philosophy. As my PhD thesis mainly
focuses on the same, the interests of many Geneva researchers are similar to mine. The works of Prof. Fabrice Correia
attracted my attention as their subject was almost identical
with my interests and planned research. I e-mailed him information about myself and an outline of my research project.
I also asked for mentoring. Prof. Correia treated my request
very favourably and thought that my project was interesting.
He also agreed to be my mentor. He proved to be a kind and
fully involved mentor, and so greatly contributed to improvement of the quality of my work.
Project description
Generally speaking, the purpose of my project was to investigate the relations between the notions of time and possibilities, in particular to make an attempt to analyse the
intuition that the past is very different from the future in
the context of modal properties. The past seems set, determined, constant and beyond our influence, whereas the future is perceived as not fully determined, open to possibilities and prone to our influence. This intuition was already
discussed in ancient times. The purpose of my project was
both historical and systematic. My purpose was to inves-
tigate the history of discussion on how time and possibilities are interrelated, focusing on the discussion held in the
last half century. The systematic aspect of my research consisted in investigating how the tools of contemporary logic,
especially those of modal logic and its various semantics,
have been used to perform a formal analysis of time-modality interactions. I was mainly focused on the branching time
model proposed by Saul Kripke and Arthur Prior. Apart from
purely formal results (for example proof of the fullness of
some logics or the modal definability of some properties of
semantic models), I was also interested in the philosophical
and especially metaphysical implications of various models
proposed. I also wanted to investigate these issues from the
viewpoint of philosophy of language. The main problem
in this field is the question concerning the logical status
• When in Switzerland you mainly live
off cheese, chocolate and wine.
• The colour of the lines on roads tells
you if and for how long you may park
your car there.
of phrases concerning contingent future, that is asking if a
phrase like “This coin will fall tails up” is true or false already
before we toss the coin. I was to try to analyse formally the
tension that exists between the conviction that the future
may develop in many ways, but it will develop in just one
of them. I wanted to prove whether and how phrases concerning a contingent future might be true a priori. I was also
interested in creating semantics for occasional expressions
as part of branching time models and a proper semantic interpretation of name category expressions. I also wanted to
investigate the topological properties of various branching
time and space-time models. I was interested in the topological properties of time understood this way and a topological approach to investigating more global properties in
such models.
In the course of the project I was particularly preoccupied
with its parts connected with the logical and linguistic aspects of time-possibility relations. I started researching on
this, modifying the research plan (for example investigating
the logical properties of branching time models which allow
time loops). I continually cooperated with my mentor, took
part in seminars and works of research groups at the University of Geneva. These works were a constant inspiration to
broaden my interests and investigate new issues. As a result
part of the project was reduced, the part that was to deal with
the topological research. But to me the benefits of extending
45
My most recent visit to Switzerland was a milestone in work on my
PhD thesis, in my academic and personal development. Working in a
thriving, international research team, among people fully committed to
philosophy, had an immensely stimulating influence on me
the research field in the other part were much more important than the loss resulting from the reduction of this part.
The most important results of my research
During my research I significantly improved my understanding of the historical context of my PhD thesis subject.
I also became familiar with the latest techniques and tools
used in modal logic and the possibilities they offer for the
problems that I researched. I created branching time- and
circle time models, proving certain modal properties of
those kinds of models. I analysed Kripke’s influential argument concerning the possibility of existing contingent
a priori truths and I demonstrated the limitation of this thesis in temporal contexts. I devoted myself to an attempt at
creation of a model which would bring together the thesis
of undetermined future and the conviction that the future
will develop in just one way. I presented my research results in five conference speeches and papers. During one
of the presentations I established cooperation with Alex
Malpass, a Bristol University researcher, which resulted in
a jointly written article, published in a prestigious peri-
odical called Synthese. Most of the research for this article
was done when I was at the University of Geneva working on my project. Another article summing up my Geneva
research is awaiting a go-ahead from the editors of the
perio dical Erkenntnis.
I made every attempt to participate actively in the scientific
life of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of Geneva.
I took part in the process of internal evaluation of and review
of articles sent to a periodical called Dialectica, published in
Geneva. I participated in meetings and working groups for
students and Institute workers. I discussed with Geneva’s
PhD students their latest ideas and I presented mine to them.
I cooperated with my mentor in works on issues forming part
of my project and I discussed his latest works and ideas with
him. I presented some of my achievements at a seminar at
the EIDOS Centre. The supervisor of my PhD thesis, my home
mentor, presented his latest achievements when he visited
Geneva to supervise my project.
My Swiss mentor delivered a speech in the course of his Cracow research visit as part of the SCIEX Programme. In this way
workers and students from Cracow’s university were able to
become familiar with a new research trend. I had an opportunity to take a closer look at a number of issues and the latest
trends in philosophy when participating in several meetings,
seminars and workshops. I am passing this knowledge onto
my students when working with them.
I remain in touch with my Swiss mentor. I hope that in the
future a more real dimension can be given to our cooperation, for example through organisation of a joint conference
or through reciprocal research visits of students and workers
from both HEIs. I am hoping to be able to participate in future
research programmes run at the University of Geneva.
My most recent visit to Switzerland was a milestone in my
work on my PhD thesis, in my academic and personal development. Working in a thriving, international research team,
46
among people fully committed to philosophy, had an immensely stimulating influence on me.
I had the opportunity of confronting my latest ideas with
certain critical remarks coming from excellent philosophers – experts on my subject area. I met Prof. Fabrice
Correia. My conversations with him, his remarks and instructions helped me a lot in understanding a number of
problems and in broadening my mind. I was able to participate in a lot of workshops organised by the EIDOS Centre, owing to which I met ‘big names’ in world philosophy
and scholars who were in the process of making a name
for themselves and I was able to listen to their presentations. I participated in living philosophy, getting familiar
with its latest trends and methods. I had access to a fantastically rich library and to an extensive digital database
at the University of Geneva. I was offered perfect working
conditions, including my own desk and computer. I would
not have been able to have such benefits if I had stayed in
my home institution.
Working on my project gave me wings, broadened my mind,
extended the spectrum of my philosophical reflection and allowed me to become familiar with the latest philosophy. The
scientific enthusiasm of Geneva’s researchers infected me.
The research I did there helped me confirm that PhD studies
were the right choice. My motivation for work and research
curiosity, which flourished so much in Geneva, stimulated me
to continue searching and influenced my decision to spend
the academic year 2011/12 at the University of California in
Berkeley. This choice was made possible by the Polish-US
Fulbright Commission.
If not for the fellowship, instead of being a philosopher
I would now be an accountant, journalist or salesman. The
decision to award me the grant coincided with my serious
doubts about continuing on the academic path. The grant
dispelled my doubts and I hope it was not a mistake.
If not for the fellowship, I would not have spent that great
year at a perfect university. I would not have met many outstanding persons. Moreover, I would not have spent that
year in such a charming city as Geneva, I would not have
seen the (almost) highest fountain in the world, I would not
have bathed in Europe’s deepest lake, I would not have seen
Mont Blanc, I would not have had fondue and I would have
not known how to go about opening an account in a bank or
renting a flat using my broken French.
• There are no familiar supermarkets
that are well-known from home. You
do your shopping in a shop belonging to one of two national chains.
• Swiss white wines rank among the
best in the world.
• When watching German-language
Swiss films the Germans have to read
the subtitles.
• Supermarkets sell a 4.5 kg tablet of
chocolate.
• Gruyère cheese is supposedly the
tastiest cheese in the world.
47
To get registered at the place of residence the relevant Swiss office has to
be shown your birth certificate or marriage certificate translated into English,
French, German or Italian (depending
on the canton). No registration is possible without that kind of document.
Fellow: Ewelina Kusiak–Nejman, PhD student
Project: Preparation of carbon-modified TiO2 photocatalysts for environmental applications
Sending institution / Home mentor: West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin / Prof. Antoni W. Morawski
Host institution / Host mentor: Swiss Federal Institute of
Technology of Lausanne / Prof. Cesar Pulgarin
Ewelina Kusiak–Nejman, born in 1983, graduated from the
University of Technology in Szczecin in 2007 having been
awarded a Master’s degree in environmental protection. In
the same year she completed her Bachelor’s degree studies
in political science and in 2009 she obtained her Master’s
degree from the Pedagogical University of Warsaw. Since
2007 she has been a PhD student at the West Pomeranian
University of Technology in Szczecin. She has been awarded
two grants by the Mayor of the City of Szczecin and one grant
from the Provincial Job Centre in Szczecin. In 2010 she was
a SCIEX fellow with a placement at the Ėcole Polytechnique
Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland.
Project description
The project consisted in obtaining active materials with good
antibacterial properties applicable in pollutant degradation.
These materials could be applied in water purification processes and other processes aimed at environmental protection. In the course of the project the scope of my research
was extended to include new materials obtained by way of
magnetron sputtering and the investigation of their antibacterial properties in the process of E.coli inactivation.
The most important results of the project
I published the EPFL research results in scientific articles in
the following periodicals with a high IF quotient:
1. E. Kusiak-Nejman, A.W. Morawski, A.P. Ehiasarian, C. Pulgarin, O. Baghriche, E. Mielczarski, J. Mielczarski, A. Kulik, J.
Kiwi, E. coli inactivation by High Power Impulse Magnetron
Sputtered (HIPIMS) Cu-surfaces, The Journal of Physical
Chemistry C 15 (2011) 21113–21119.
2. O. Baghriche, A.P. Ehiasarian, E. Kusiak-Nejman, C. Pulgarin, R. Sanjines, A.W. Morawski, J. Kiwi, High power impulse
magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) and traditional pulsed sputtering (DCMSP) Ag-surfaces leading to E. coli inactivation,
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry
227 (2012) 11–17.
3. O. Baghriche, A. Zertal, A.P. Ehiasarian, R. Sanjines, C. Pulgarin, E. Kusiak-Nejman, A.W. Morawski, J. Kiwi, Advantages
of highly ionized pulse plasma magnetron sputtering of silver
for improved E. coli inactivation, Thin Solid Films 520 (2012)
3567–3573.
One more publication, whose co-authors are workers at the
CHUV hospital in Lausanne, is still being reviewed.
48
What after the SCIEX fellowship…
In the near future, we are planning a new Polish-Swiss project,
which would continue the cooperation started in the course
of the SCIEX fellowship. This cooperation is very valuable for
the Polish party as the Swiss institution enjoys a worldwide
reputation.
The added value of the project is that I am now familiar with
new methods of antibacterial material preparation and have
expanded my knowledge of micro-organism inactivation
processes.
The project has resulted in broadening the scope of my research by adding some issues concerning the antibacterial
properties of new materials. My fellowship in the foreign institution has raised my employability on the labour market,
especially the local one.
Fellow: Anna Horszwald, PhD
Project: Influence of processing on bioactive compounds in
pomegranates
Subject area: natural science and biology
Sending institution / Home mentor: Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn / Prof. Mariusz K. Piskuła
Host institution / Host mentor: HES-SO Valais, Institute of
Life Technologies / Prof. Wilfried Andlauer
Dr Anna Horszwald was born in Olsztyn in 1981. She studied biotechnology at the University of Warmia and Mazury.
In 2009, for research on rye bread and cereal products, she
was awarded a PhD in agricultural science (Food and Nutrition Technology) at the Institute of Animal Reproduction
and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in
Olsztyn. Her main interest focused on the Maillard reaction
which occurs in the course of thermal processes. After her
PhD thesis presentation she went to Switzerland for a postdoctoral placement as part of the SCIEX programme at the
HES-SO Valais – University of Applied Sciences in Sion where
she worked on bioactive compounds in pomegranates. She
also investigated the possibility of applying selected drying
techniques to obtain fruit products and their influence on the
quality of such products.
Having returned from Switzerland she participated in a prestigious placement-training programme entitled Top 500 Innovators, organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher
Education at Stanford University, USA. She is currently Assistant Professor at the Laboratory of Chemistry and Food Biodynamics at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food
Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn. She
49
continues her research on the Maillard reaction in selected
fruit products.
ous drying methods on the powder quality and chose the
best method for quality preservation.
Project description
In the course of the project I intended to analyse the influence of processing on the content of selected bioactive compounds in pomegranates. First I investigated the content of
these compounds present in various parts of the fruit. Then
I prepared juices from different parts of the pomegranate to
analyse their content with respect to the selected bioactive
compounds.
The most important benefits of the project
Both Polish and Swiss institutions have significantly benefited from the joint implementation of the research project and
also from expansion of methodological skills. Moreover, they
have worked out a new project which will continue the cooperation commenced during my fellowship. This close cooperation between the institutions results in more research
workers visiting them and in more research. All that means
joint publications and participation in conferences.
In the course of the project I extended it by adding the issue
of obtaining powders based on the juices – a continuation
and development of my preliminary research. I also started
working on another project to compare the profiles of polyphenol compounds in strawberries and their leaves.
As a result of this research I systemized my knowledge of
where the selected bioactive compounds are situated in
pomegranates. The results I obtained allow me to state that
the skin is the richest part in bioactive compounds. I demonstrated that juices made with whole fruits are richer in probiotic compounds than juices made in the food industry, which
are based mainly on the pulp. I dried the juices in selected
ways and powdered them. I compared the influence of vari-
50
Improving my professional qualifications by enriching my
skills with methods used in Switzerland, and being able to
implement them in Poland is one of the most significant benefits for the home institution. The creation of an international
network of contacts and of pooling workers’ skills has resulted in a mutual research project serving the development
Over 50 peaks in the canton of Valais
rise to over 4000m above sea level.
of my career. The knowledge and experience that I gained
working with the industry allowed me to take part in a prestigious placement-training programme entitled Top 500 Innovators, organized by the Ministry of Science and Higher
Education and run at Stanford University.
This inter-institutional cooperation is continuing. Both parties’ mutual interests have resulted in more visits to Switzerland in order to do research on the process of drying selected
fruits. At the moment, we are investigating the analysis of the
powders obtained in Switzerland on the basis of other fruits.
A joint international project has been proposed which is now
awaiting review.
Changing my working environment was the added value of
the fellowship. Meeting new people and watching their work
made me change my way of thinking and my approach to
problem solving. Thanks to the opportunity to work in an
international team in a different environment I now have essential experience needed when working in a laboratory.
The experience I gained when working on the project allowed me to expand my research tasks. At the moment the
purpose of my research consists in applying in practice the
results obtained. It is worth stressing that the fellowship in
Switzerland has a bearing on my personal plans and on discovering new interests.
Fellow: Aleksandra Pelczarska, PhD student
Project: Validation of HTS-solubility measurements method
for drug–nanoparticle–solvent systems
Sending institution / Home mentor: Warsaw University of
Technology / Prof. Urszula Domańska-Żelazna
Host institution / Host mentor: University of Geneva/Prof.
Pierre-Alain Carrupt
Aleksandra Pelczarska, born in 1982, is a PhD student at
the Faculty of Chemistry of Warsaw University of Technology. In 2001-2008, she studied at the same faculty and at the
Pharmaceutical Faculty of the Medical University of Warsaw.
When studying for her PhD, she also had a placement in the
Republic of South Africa in addition to her Swiss fellowship. A
grant holder of the Centre for Advanced Studies at the Warsaw University of Technology and of the Office of the Marshall of the Mazovia Province, she works on investigating and
predicting physical and chemical properties of drugs as well
as on improving their bioavailability in systemic circulation.
When she is not working she frequently travels and describes
it in a “Cocktail of Cultures” (http://tratatatabec.blogspot.
com).
Holidaying on a farm and sleeping on
hay is very popular in Switzerland.
51
The choice of my host mentor and host institution was a
matter of accident, however, it was a winning ticket! Having
prepared an initial outline of the project I sent it, together
with my CV, to a number of Swiss professors. Prof. Carrupt
decided to take up the challenge after a short conversation.
The main purpose of the project consisted in the validation
of an innovative method which measures drug solubility
in drug-nanoparticle-solvent systems. However, I then extended my research by a detailed definition of the method
parameters which appeared in the course of the project.
I presented my research results at a scientific conference
and an article summing up the results is being prepared.
The research method is the main project-related benefit for
both institutions. In addition the home institution has had
some benefits as a result of technology transfer. In the case
of this project the whole research work is its added value as
technically it was impossible to do that kind of research in
Poland for a number of reasons.
When my project came to an end, the Swiss party visited the
Warsaw University of Technology. There is a real chance that
this joint research will be continued.
Each visit abroad broadens your mind and opens it up to
new ideas. Apart from the obvious benefits resulting from
acquiring new skills, the project has boosted my self-confi dence, thus allowing me to start a job in the medical industry a short while ago. If not for the fellowship I would never
have believed that one e-mail could start several-months’
international cooperation.
.
52
Fellow: Anna Elżbieta Sikorska, PhD student
Project: SedTrace – Organic Micropollutant-based Fingerprinting and Tracing of Sediment Emissions from Urban
Areas
Subject area: Environment and forestry
Life Sciences / Prof. Kazimierz Banasik
Host institution / Host mentor: Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology / Dr. Jörg Rieckerman
Anna Elżbieta Sikorska, born in 1984, studied at Warsaw
University of Life Sciences (SGGW) in 2003-2008 and was
awarded first a bachelor’s degree (2007) and then a Master’s
degree (2008) in environmental protection. She completed
her Master’s degree studies with distinction and received the
Prof. Kazimierz Dębski award (runner-up) from the Association of Polish Hydrologists for her Master’s thesis written under the supervision of Prof. Kazimierz Banasik. In the autumn
of 2008 she started working on her PhD thesis at the Faculty
of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Warsaw University
of Life Sciences.
She is a holder of a number of grants, for example those of
the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, 2009),
and the SCIEX (Scientific Exchange Programme NMSch, 2010).
When working on her PhD thesis she had several placements
abroad, in Germany; at the Technical University of Hamburg
(spring of 2009), at Kassel University (autumn of 2009), and in
Switzerland; at Eawag – the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic
Science and Technology (2010-2011). She has participated in
numerous conferences, both in Poland and abroad. She is,
Being able to work in a Swiss institute leading in my subject area –
water resources management research – helped me shape my own
personality as a mature scientist, aware of my skills and prospects.
The Swiss fellowship helped me to define my own passion for
aquatic research and strengthened me in the conviction that I had
chosen the right career path
since 2008, a member of the Association of Polish Hydrologists and, since 2010, a member of the European Geosciences
Union.
Supervised by Prof. Kazimierz Banasik and in cooperation
with the ETTHZ Eawag, where Prof. Jörg Rieckermann is an
additional mentor, she is currently working on her PhD thesis concerning the hydrology of urban drainage basins. Her
main interests focus on the hydrology of urban drainage
basins, analysis of uncertainty in hydrological predictions,
urban sediment analysis and transport and, finally, on the
chemistry of sediments.
Project description
The main purpose of my project was to conduct a pilot
study in order to fingerprint pollutant emissions from diffuse sources (mainly sediments) in urban areas. Sediments
in drainage systems can be of various origins (rural areas,
urban sewage, rainwater) and that is why it is difficult to
determine directly their emission sources. There are, however, a number of other substances (heavy metals or phar-
maceuticals) entering the environment in different places,
making identification of sources much easier. Moreover,
when substances diffuse in a water environment, they are
adsorbed on the sediment surface. Therefore, determining
the unique composition of such pollutants on the sediment
surface (so-called organic micropollutants) by way of advanced chemical analyses would enable sediment tracing
and the identification of the sources from which pollutants
entered an urban sewage system.
The intended goal was to be achieved through proposing
and testing a methodology of tracing sediment emissions
in urban sewage systems on the basis of other pollutants,
whose direct identification is easier. This would enable
better management of urban pollutants and would consequently lead to reduced emissions.
While my initial intention remained unchanged, in the
course of the project I extended the research scope by introducing additional analyses dismissed at the beginning.
This was mainly due to my eagerness to widen the scope
of my PhD research. As a result, apart from the field and
desk trials that I had already planned, I also ran a number
of study analyses, that is computer modelling and statistical
analyses, aimed at determining the precision of hydrological forecasts (for example of occurrence of floods) for urban
areas.
The most important project results
The outcome of my research is that together with my mentors I have worked out an innovative methodology for
fingerprinting emission sources and tracking emissions of
diffuse pollutants (mainly sediments) in urban areas using other, more easily identifiable pollutants (for example
heavy metals). The methodology that I proposed was tested
in an experimental facility, giving promising results. The fi Research Projects Implemented as Part of the Scientific
53
nal result of that part of the project was a conference article
and the presentation of that methodology at a conference
in Belgrade on modelling pollutants in urban sewage systems (Serbia, autumn of 2012).
I have also worked out a methodology of uncertainty estimation in flood forecasting for rainfall – runoff models
(transforming rain into river flow). My analysis was published in a leading international periodical describing water
research and presented at a conference in Bratislava (Slovakia, autumn of 2011).
The most important project benefits for the host and home
institutions
The host institution derived measurable benefits from the
joint publications in international periodicals and from
the participation in the scientific conferences mentioned
before. What is more, the project implementation meant
that the methods and technologies worked out in Switzerland were able to be tested in a foreign facility. At the same
time knowledge and experience transfer from the Swiss
institution to its Polish counterpart helped strengthen the
former’s position. Our joint and successful SCIEX project implementation is a basis for long-term cooperation between
the two institutions in joint international projects, and in
student and worker exchanges (students, grant holders,
young researchers).
54
After the SCIEX project officially ended and I returned to Poland, the two institutions have continued their cooperation.
My host mentor and I have prepared another publication featuring new research conducted in Poland and we are planning to extend our Swiss research by including new issues.
And the cooperation between the two Polish and Swiss mentors was crowned by my PhD thesis, supervised by both of
them, something previously not even considered.
Applying certain innovative techniques that are only sporadically used in Poland is the added value of this project.
During this Swiss fellowship in a leading aquatic research
institute I gained experience which I can now use in my
country, especially as regards advanced chemical analyses
of urban sewage system sediments and analyses of flood
forecast uncertainty estimation. I think that conducting
such analyses in the home institution would hardly have
been practicable for a number of reasons. First of all – the
analyses I conducted in Switzerland are only sporadically
used in my country and – consequently – there are not
enough people experienced in this area. Secondly, there
are neither specialists nor sufficient funds to conduct that
kind of costly and advanced chemical analysis. Therefore
my Swiss research supervised by experts and internationally recognised scientists dealing with water engineering
helped me gain that valuable experience.
Switzerland is a country of contrasts? Although its area is relatively small (1/7
of Poland’s area), there are four official languages with German as the most
widespread one. However, the German language spoken here is a variation of
German, it is called Schweizerdeutsch and has not got much in common with
German as such (Hochdeutsch), much to the disadvantage of those who boast
being able to speak German. Switzerland is a neutral country, never involved
in armed conflicts, but few people know that it has one of the largest armies
per capita. This is also the first country in Europe where women were allowed
to study at HEIs (since about 1840 at the University of Zurich), but also the
country whose women were the last in Europe to obtain voting rights (in the
canton of Appenzell as late as in 1990).
The opportunity to have a foreign placement and the SCIEX
project implementation have greatly influenced my professional prospects and initiated some events. Thanks to the
fellowship I was able to do much of my PhD research in the
Swiss institution, which brought about the continuation of
this joint research (jointly supervised PhD thesis) and allowed me to publish the research findings in a leading international periodical. Moreover, being in Switzerland I established numerous professional contacts and I also paved
the way for cooperation with other scientific institutes, not
to mention the fact that I was able to improve my English,
develop my German skills and start studying Italian.
Being able to work in a Swiss institute leading in my
subject area – water resources management research –
helped me shape my own personality as a mature scientist, aware of my skills and prospects. The Swiss fellowship
helped me to define my own passion for aquatic research
and strengthened me in the conviction that I had chosen
the right career path.
I would probably not have had the chance of research
work in a Swiss institution nor of establishing numerous
professional contacts abroad. Without this SCIEX fellowship conducting advanced research for my PhD would
have been difficult for every reason - time, cost or methodology - and publishing the findings in an international
periodical, almost impossible. Without being in Switzerland I would not have met so many kind persons, both
professionally and privately, such as my mentor Dr. Jörg
Rieckermann and Andreas Scheidegger of Eawag, whose
help and support have been invaluable in implementing
my intended objectives.
55
• Switzerland’s national anthem is a
sublime psalm whose melody was
borrowed from a religious hymn
entitled Diligam, te Domine
• Switzerland is one of the world’s
leading countries as to expenditure
on research and development.
Fellow: Joanna Bryś, PhD
Project: Human Milk Fat Substitutes (HMFS)
Sending institution / Home mentor: University of Life Sciences in Warsaw / Dr. Piotr Koczoń
Host institution / Host mentor: ETH Zürich (Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology Zurich) / Prof. Laura Nyström
Dr Joanna Bryś, born in 1977, is a food technologist and Assistant Professor at the Chair of Chemistry, Faculty of Food
Science (University of Life Sciences) in Warsaw. In 2005 she
presented her PhD thesis on Investigation of the properties
of milk fat and vegetable oil interesterificated mixtures to
the Council of the Faculty of Food Technology (University
of Life Sciences) and was awarded her PhD. She currently
focuses on optimising the conditions of obtaining human
milk fat substitutes by enzymatic interesterification and on
the characteristics of the structured lipids obtained. She is
the author or co-author of 77 press releases and scientific
publications and the manager of a MNiSW grant. She was
the mentor and supervisor of several Master’s degree theses. When studying for her Master’s degree she had a threemonth placement at ENSIA, a French HEI, ENSIA within the
framework of the Socrates and Erasmus programmes, implementing a research project entitled Diacetyl production
by Lactococcus Lactis Lactis Diacetylactis bacteria. Between
November 2010 and October 2011 she was a grant holder
under the SCIEX-NMSch Programme between Switzerland
and the new EU member states. She is married and has two
daughters: Anna and Lilianna.
56
Project description
The purpose of this project was to obtain human milk fat
substitutes by way of enzymatic acidolisation of such fats as
lard and cow’s milk fat with essential fatty acids. As a result
structured lipids were obtained which were then chemically
analysed. My research assumptions were as follows:
• Human milk is the most valuable and best food for babies
• Fat is of utmost importance for the correct physiological development of infants, babies and children (fat is particularly
instrumental in building the human nervous system and in
supplying energy)
In the course of my project implementation I made slight
modifications to the preliminary research plan, namely other raw materials were used than those planned. Instead of
goat’s milk fat I used palm oil. Also, instead of using readymade essential fatty acids preparations I decided to obtain
these acids from various vegetable oils, such as evening primrose oil, argan oil, linseed oil and borage oil. The decision to
make this change resulted from my preliminary investigation
of the analysis of fatty acid composition as well as of oil and
fat triacyloglycerol structure. This analysis was needed to select suitable compounds for the starting mixture.
The most important outcome of the project
The project findings were consistent with my assumptions:
the experiments allowed me to obtain structured lipids similar to human milk. To get the substitutes I acidolysed a mixture of fats, such as lard, cow’s milk fat, palm oil and rapeseed
oil with fatty acids from argan, linseed, borage and evening
primrose oils.
I think that the persons I had the pleasure of cooperating with
have a better knowledge of Poland now: our history, culture
and the natural environment. From the viewpoint of science
I think that my project allowed the Swiss team to become familiar with fat modification and some methods of its analysis.
My home institution considers it very important to have had
this opportunity to cooperate during this project with one
of the best universities of technology in Europe and even
in the world. Access to an immense library and splendidly
equipped laboratories, getting to know new instrumental
analytical methods and their transfer to Poland were just as
important for me. And the cooperation that was established
between the institutions for the benefit of my project will be
continued. Apart from human milk fat substitutes we intend
to do research on fats in grains.
The comfort of research work in Switzerland is immense.
When implementing my project I had access to a very well
equipped laboratory. All necessary reagents and laboratory
equipment were ready at all times. I was able to focus solely
on my work, do lots of repetitions and simply experiment in
peace and quiet. In Poland a lot of time and energy is lost to
red tape, teaching work, paying constant attention to costs
and sometimes you have to wait for reagents for half a year.
The project has broadened my mind, given me more courage
and boosted my confidence. I have now regained my faith in
science and a willingness to continue research work. The visit
to Switzerland allowed me to reflect on my life and to build
a new system of values. If not for the fellowship, I would not
have lived through one of best moments in my life. I would
have had no possibility for such extensive development as
a scientist. I would not have met such kind and outgoing people. And I would not have done so much sightseeing in this
magnificent country of Switzerland.
57
The Trift Bridge, suspended over an
alpine glacier in Switzerland, is the
highest and longest pedestrian bridge
in Europe.
Fellow: Paulina Wiecińska (Bednarek), PhD
Project: Multifunctional saccharide derivatives in gelcasting of high-tech. ceramics (MULTIGEL)
Technology / Prof. Mikołaj Szafran
Host institution / Host mentor: Swiss Federal Laboratories
for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for High
Performance Ceramics (EMPA) / Prof. Thomas Graule
Paulina Wiecińska has a PhD degree in engineering science,
is an engineer and currently Assistant Professor at the Laboratory of Inorganic Technology and Ceramics at the Faculty of
Chemistry of Warsaw University of Technology. In 2006, she
graduated with an excellent grade from the Faculty of Chemistry at the same university. In 2008–2009, she had a threemonth placement at the NIMS (National Institute for Materials Science) in Tsukuba, Japan. In 2010, she was awarded her
PhD with distinction after presenting her thesis entitled Investigation of selected saccharide derivatives application in the
process of ceramic powders gelcasting and she started work as
an Assistant Professor. In 2011, she had an eight-month-long
Post-Doctoral fellowship at the EMPA – Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology in Switzerland.
She won the award for the best poster at the E-MRS Fall
Meeting 2008 conference. A member of the Polish Ceramic
Society, her research focuses on modern ceramic materials
forming methods and characterisation.
58
Project description
The cooperation between Prof. Thomas Graule of EMPA,
Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology and Prof. Mikołaj Szafran, head of the Laboratory of
Inorganic Technology and Ceramics at the Faculty of Chemistry of Warsaw University of Technology was established
several years ago. Both research groups have similar interests in ceramics technology, but different conceptions in
scientific problem solving. Therefore both parties decided
to start cooperating to combine the knowledge and experience of both groups in order to develop research on obtaining ceramics with the use of colloidal methods, as these
methods have been enjoying popularity for some years. As
part of this cooperation in 2009-2011 three employees of
the Laboratory of Inorganic Technology and Ceramics were
awarded fellowships at Prof. Graule’s laboratory. The main
purpose of my project was to do research on the application of saccharide derivatives, whose synthesis had been
worked out at the Faculty of Chemistry (Warsaw University
of Technology), as environment-friendly substances in ceramic powders gelcasting. In the course of my project I extended my research by the application of new substances
and formation methods.
The most important outcome of the project
In the course of my work I conducted preliminary research
on obtaining ceramics from zirconium dioxide with the use
of colloidal methods, among other things by gel tape casting with a new non-toxic system based on glucose derivatives. Gel tape casting allows production of thin and flexible
ceramic sheets. The search for new, cheap and non-toxic
organic additives results in improvement of the method of
ceramics formation, and thus complies with so-called green
chemistry, and widens the range of its possible applications.
A patent application lodged at the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland is a documented result of our joint research.
If not for the SCIEX fellowship I would not have the
opportunity to admire the biggest waterfall on the Rhine,
get to the top of the Pilatus mountain in the world’s
steepest cable car, visit the Frey chocolate factory, follow
alpine routes and indulge my professional interests at one
of the world’s best institutes
Two scientific publications are underway, written by workers of both institutions involved in the implementation of
the project. This cooperation is and will be continued. At the
moment it includes joint research projects and Prof. Thomas
Graule’s lectures at Warsaw University of Technology.
In the course of my work in Switzerland I met new people
and started research cooperation with junior researchers.
The results of my EMPA research may constitute an important chapter of my habilitation work that I am already
planning.
My research work in Switzerland allowed me to expand my
knowledge of ceramics technology through cooperation
with persons involved in various research projects in ceramic nanopowder synthesis and obtaining ceramics and
their characterisation. This work will help me determine new,
significant research directions related to chemical synthesis
owing to which it will be possible to obtain new organic substances to be applied in ceramics technology.
If not for the SCIEX fellowship I would not have the opportunity to admire the biggest waterfall on the Rhine, get to
the top of the Pilatus mountain in the world’s steepest cable
car, visit the Frey chocolate factory, follow alpine routes and
indulge my professional interests at one of the world’s best
institutes.
59
• Every fifth inhabitant of Switzerland
is a foreigner.
• Switzerland is a particularly varied
country: your experience, impression
and memories of the Suisse Romande
may be completely different from
those of Zurich.
Fellow: Agnieszka Kosińska, PhD
Project: Investigation of absorption and metabolism of
hydrolysable and condensed tannins with an in vitro Caco
2 transwell model
Sending institution / Home mentor: Institute of Animal
Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of
Sciences in Olsztyn / Prof. Ryszard Amarowicz
Host institution / Host mentor: Institute of Life Technologies, University of Applied Sciences (HES-SO Valais) / Prof.
Wilfried Andlauer
Dr. Agnieszka Kosińska, born in 1980, graduated from the
University of Warmia and Mazury in 2004. In 2010 she was
awarded her PhD in technology of food and nutrition at the
Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the
Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn where she is currently
employed as Assistant Professor. Her main interests focus on
issues of bioactive compounds in food, their identification
and determining their biological activity and bioavailability. In 2011 she won a stipend of the “Start” programme run
by the Foundation for Polish Science. She has had severalmonth-long placements at the Department of Food Science
and Technology, University of Georgia, USA and was awarded
a year-long Post-Doctoral SCIEX fellowship at the University
of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland. Co-author of 22
publications in so-called Philadelphia List periodicals.
In her leisure time she travels, fascinated by the local people
she meets and the local delicacies she tastes.
60
The choice of my host mentor and host institution was very
simple in my case. It was influenced by the similarity of interests in, and by the already existing cooperation between,
the two institutions. My host mentor, Prof. Wilfried Andlauer,
is a well-known specialist in bioactive food compounds.
The cooperation between the Institute of Life Technologies, University of Applied Sciences (HES-SO Valais) and the
Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the
Polish Academy of Sciences had already been developing
for some years as part of the implementation of EU-funded
projects. Lately it has become particularly intensive as part
of the project REFRESH – Unlocking the potential of the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research serving the
purpose of strengthening integration with the European
Research Area and of regional development (financed in the
area of Research Potential 7 of the Framework Programme).
What is more, our institutions had previously implemented
a SCIEX research project. Using the experience acquired
and given the fact that Prof. Andlauer’s research profile
coincided with my experience and the direction in which
I wanted to develop my research, we started preparing an
application.
Project description
The health-promoting properties of biologically active food
compounds depend not only on their content in individual
diet components, but also on their bioavailability. The purpose of this project consisted in determining the intestinal
absorption of hydrolysable and condensed tannins extracted from selected foodstuffs. I combined an in vitro model
of simulated digestion with investigation of the transport of
digestion products through the intestine epithelium. This in-
Apart from the obvious benefits of gaining experience, new skills and
qualifications, working in a different environment makes you see different
perspectives of a new idea for research organisation and implementation.
This is a hotbed of new research projects
vestigation was conducted in a monolayer culture of epithelial Caco-2 cells. Strawberries, cocoa and green tea served as
my source of variously structured tannins. We assumed that
the knowledge gained in the course of the project would allow us to obtain information which could be useful in raw
material selection and in choosing a functional method of
food processing that would make it possible to include the
maximum content of absorbable bioactive compounds in
the final product.
In the course of the project, we managed to make some interesting observations enabling the determination of more
areas for future cooperation. At the moment the research
findings have been published in respectable scientific periodicals. One of the manuscripts that we prepared, entitled
Cocoa polyphenols are absorbed in Caco-2 cell model of intestinal epithelium has been accepted for publication in the
periodical Food Chemistry.
ing and proving myself in that new and demanding group of
co-workers constitute the unquestioned added value of my
research work in Switzerland. Smooth administration, ease of
getting new reagents and materials needed in my research
and the ISO system of document management were not devoid of importance.
The implementation of this project encourages me to continue upgrading my qualifications. Moreover, work in an international environment stimulates enthusiasm for academic
work and offers good possibilities of extending one’s cooperation network. My fellowship has determined the direction
of my research for years to come, helped me to see my strong
points as well as fields where I should gain more knowledge
and experience.
My habilitation period would have been some years longer
and my skiing skills would have remained at beginners’ level.
My knowledge and experience have enriched the host institution which, in turn, made it possible to broaden the scope
of our research. The implementation of this project in a wider
milieu has resulted in improved publishing prospects, expanding network of cooperation and the possibility of further implementation of our joint research with finance from
European sources. The home institution, apart from some
solid prospects of continued cooperation, derives benefits
from the return of a grant holder/experienced worker open
to new challenges.
Apart from the obvious benefits of gaining experience, new
skills and qualifications, working in a different environment
makes you see different perspectives of a new idea for research organisation and implementation. This is a hotbed of
new research projects
Access to high-quality research equipment, the necessity/opportunity to adapt to an existing working system, and fulfillResearch Projects Implemented as Part of the Scientific
61
Fellow: Katarzyna Dorota Raczyńska, PhD
Project: Structure and interactions of U7 small nuclear
ribonucleoprotein
Sending institution / Home mentor: Adam Mickiewicz
University in Poznań / Prof. Artur Jarmołowski
Host institution / Host mentor: Institute of Biology at the
University of Bern / Prof. Daniel Schümperli
Dr Katarzyna Dorota Raczyńska was born and bred in Płock
where she completed her primary and secondary schooling. She chose to study at the Adam Mickiewicz University
in Poznań. In 2001, she graduated in biotechnology from the
Faculty of Biology of that university. Then she started her PhD
studies at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at her alma mater. A FEBS and EMBO grant holder, she
has had three-month placements at the Institut de Biologie
Moléculaire des Plantes du CNRS in Strasbourg, France. In
2006, she was awarded her PhD in biology. In October 2006,
she began working as an Assistant Professor at the Laboratory of Gene Expression of the Institute of Molecular Biology at
the Adam Mickiewicz University. In October 2010, she started
her Post-Doctoral fellowship in Switzerland, where she remained until June 2012. Her fellowship was partly financed
by Bern University and the Canton of Bern as well as under
the SCIEX–NMSch Programme, under which she was awarded a year-long grant. In Bern she worked at the Institute of
Cell Biology in the laboratory of Prof. Daniel Schümperli, University of Bern.
62
Project description
The cooperation established with the University of Bern was
intended to expand research at my home institution, Adam
Mickiewicz University, by looking at issues of maturing 3’end
histone transcripts and of experimental work on human cell
lines. The project consisted in the identification of new proteins reacting with the U7 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein
molecule. To achieve this we combined the affinity chromatography procedure, based on a marked U7 snRNA, with
mass spectrometry. We also attempted to detect some new
functions of this molecule by using the CLIP procedure together with deep sequencing. As the research subject matter
was so extensive the project was not finished within the time
specified, but it will be continued.
My main project purpose – looking for new chemical agents
reacting with U7 snRNA – was achieved. The affinity chromatography procedure combined with mass spectrometry
protein sequencing allowed me to identify some interesting
proteins, potentially reacting with U7 snRNA and involved
in regulating histone gene expressions. My initial experiments confirmed the interaction of part of these proteins
with U7 snRNP and further research will go toward a better determination of their functions. The part of the project
concerning my search for new functions of U7 sn RNP was
partly completed – I prepared cell lines permanently transformed by appropriate vectors to be used at subsequent
research stages.
Among the benefits derived from this project by the host institution the following are worth stressing:
• continuation of the host institution’s promising research;
• interesting preliminary results, which open up new research areas to future students, PhD students and the host
institution’s workers;
• future scientific publications of results obtained;
• establishment of academic cooperation with the Polish institution.
Among the benefits derived from this project by the Polish
institution the following are worth stressing:
• knowledge of, and experience gained in working with, human cell lines;
• future scientific publications of results obtained;
• continuation of RNA maturing research, essential for my
future habilitation work;
• possibility of project continuation as a cornerstone for creating a new research group;
• establishment of academic cooperation with the Swiss institution.
The research tasks that were described in the projects have
not been fully completed. We have therefore decided to continue the project in the Polish institution. This continuation
necessitates our bilateral cooperation in order to exchange
information and for the purposes of scientific consultation.
Short visits paid by those who will implement the project on
both sides are envisaged in the future. We intend to look for
financial support from Polish foundations for continuation of
the research. The first funding application has already been
• The Alps cover 3/5 of Switzerland,
making this country, after Austria, the
second most alpine country of Europe.
• The Eiger’s north face (3970m above
the sea level) in the Bernese Alps is
called the Mordwand (murderous
wall), earning this name after many
fatal climbing attempts.
lodged at the National Science Centre. Apart from involving
the two institutions working together, the project continuation will be really significant for me – in the near future I am
planning to create a new research group in Poland. The group
will focus on the maturation of 3’end histone transcripts in
animal cells – my Swiss subject area.
What was the added value of the project
Experiencing work in the research group that I joined
was undoubtedly the biggest added value of my Swiss research work. Prof. Daniel Schumperli’s laboratory is one of
the world’s leading centres dealing with the project’s subject area. I saw from the inside the very issues that I want
to continue in my home institution. I also gained immense
theoretical and practical knowledge of working on human
cell lines, something I would have never achieved to the
same extent in my home institution. What I have achieved
in science is linked to the Laboratory involved mainly with
the molecular biology of plant cells, working on vegetable material and only recently branching into animal cell
research groups. I will be able to pass the knowledge and
experience that I gained in Switzerland onto other university staff.
The project implementation was linked to a significant professional change – my transition from the experimental research on plants that I had been conducting before leaving
for Switzerland to human cell line experimental research.
This necessitated the gain of new skills and new experience
and I had to acquire new knowledge of biology and animal
cell molecular processes. I wish to continue this research in
Poland. Moreover, the research that I started in Switzerland
is so interesting that I wish to devote my further professional
career to this subject.
Seen from the personal perspective – my going to Switzerland allowed me to discover the beauty of the Swiss natural
environment, especially the beauty of its mountains, the
charm of alpine meadows, the length of the skiing routes.
63
I also rediscovered the taste for mountain treks (hiking). This
is a country to which I will be returning.
Fellow: Łukasz Stokłosa, PhD
I would not have met so many magnificent people coming
from different countries. I would not have formed so many
friendships and I would not have discovered the beauty of
the Swiss natural environment.
And the most important thing – if not for my fellowship in
Switzerland, I would not have became familiar with the fascinating issues of 3’ end histone transcript maturing and
I would not have learnt about working on human cell lines.
Project: eTourism Reputation Index (eTourRep)
Subject area: journalism, mass media and communication
technologies
Sending institution / Home mentor: University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów / Dr. Maciej
Piotrowski
Host institution / Host mentor: University of Lugano / Prof.
Lorenzo Cantoni
Dr. Łukasz Stokłosa is one of the academic staff at the Chair
of Tourism and Recreation of the Higher School of IT and Management in Rzeszów. His interests focus on new media applications in tourism, eTourRep and online presence research,
promotion of tourist destinations and cultural tourism.
Project description
The starting point of the cooperation between the University
of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów and
the University of Lugano (Universita della Svizzera Italiana)
was the PREDIL project (Promoting Equality in Digital Literacy) with the participation of both institutions. Dr. Maciej Piotrowski – a Polish project team member – and Dr. Chiara
Bramani from the Swiss team found areas of mutual research
interest and decided to develop this promising cooperation
as part of SCIEX. The parties agreed to choose as host mentor
Prof. Lorenzo Cantoni, Dean of the Faculty of Communication
Sciences and Chief Scientific Officer at Webatelier.net, NewMinE Lab (New Media in Education Lab) and eLab (eLearning
Lab).
64
My research work in the course of the fellowship broadened my mind and allowed
me to look at the research from a different perspective. Thanks to this opportunity
I am now familiar with new research methodology and organisation of work. I also
had the opportunity to work in an international team and to make numerous
professional and private contacts. The fellowship shed some new light on my
research interests and helped identify a career path that I would like to follow
The main purpose of the project was to follow the online reputation of the Podkarpacie Province as a tourist destination
using a system worked out by the Webatelier.net laboratory.
To achieve this aim my attention focused on user generated
contents (UGC) in social media.
We then chose three goals:
1. evaluation of the region’s current online reputation;
2. identification of the main problems and defects linked to
this reputation and its online presentation;
3. suggestion of possible solutions and improvements to eliminate these difficulties.
To analyse online comments and opinions of this kind I defined three questions linked to the Podkarpacie Province as
a tourist destination:
1. what kind of websites do people find in search engines?
2. what feeling is conveyed in the contents?
3. do the topics and opinions change depending on which key
words are used in searching?
The findings of the project show that so-called electronic word
of mouth (eWOM), otherwise known as electronic whisper
marketing, relating to the Podkarpacie Province plays a vital
role. Out of 850 web pages found by the following three most
popular search engines google.com, yahooSE and bing.com,
almost 20% were classified as UGC. Most of the categories analysed had a positive response. However, I also identified some
indications of defects and faults in the regional tourism product, which should be addressed. The research results and their
implications as well as recommendations for regional and local tourist organisations and companies were then described
in a specially prepared report and in a scientific article. This
report can be downloaded from http://www.webatelier.net/
reports. The article is currently under review.
The Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI) specialises in scientific research carried out in international teams. For the Swiss
partner this project was an excellent opportunity to establish
cooperation with the Polish partner – the University of Information Technology and Management in Rzeszów, and also
to ascertaining the degree of development of Polish tourism.
They had an opportunity to get to know our country better
and to find areas of mutual research interest, which may result in future projects. Just as in the case of the Swiss institution, the Polish institution in Rzeszów has also now gained
a potential partner for future projects. Apart from that, the
experience that I gained during the fellowship in Switzerland
is invaluable. It is bound to bear fruit now and in the future
in the shape of a number of research projects conducted by
this HEI.
Ideas for further joint research
Both institutions intend to continue their cooperation, especially in projects linked to etourism, new media and communication technology. We have recently finished joint research
65
on online marketing application conducted in Polish tourist
institutions. I see my future and fulfilment in this area, especially in the development and promotion of tourist destinations. My research work in the course of the fellowship broadened my mind and allowed me to look at the research from
a different perspective. Thanks to this opportunity I am now
familiar with new research methodology and organisation of
work. I also had the opportunity to work in an international
team and to make numerous professional and private contacts. The fellowship shed some new light on my research
interests and helped identify a career path that I would like
to follow.
I feel fulfilled thanks to the opportunity to work with a number of like-minded persons. I intend to continue dealing with
etourism, cooperating with the people I met in the course of
my fellowship.
If not for the fellowship I would not have had the opportunity to meet so many fantastic people, who were first my coworkers, then my friends. The fellowship gave me an opportunity for self-development, proving myself and discovering
new research interests.
66
Fellow: Grzegorz Garzeł, PhD
Project: Determination of the size-dependent phase diagram and thermodynamical behaviour of nanostructured
brazing filler metals
Sending institution / Home mentor: Institute of Metallurgy
and Materials Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences
/ Prof. Leszek Zabdyr
Host institution / Host mentor: EMPA – Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology / Dr. Jolanta
Janczak-Rusch
Dr Grzegorz Garzeł was awarded a Master’s degree at
the Faculty of Metallurgy and Material Engineering of the
AGH University of Science and Technology. In 2007 he was
awarded his PhD at the Institute of Metallurgy and Materials
Engineering of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Cracow. He
completed postgraduate studies in Software Engineering
and Business Tools at the Jagiellonian University. Since
2007, he has been employed as an Assistant Professor at the
Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering of the Polish
Academy of Sciences in Cracow, where he has worked since
2000 (in 2002 he became an Assistant). His main scientific
interests focus on the experimental determination of the
thermodynamic properties of alloy and ceramic systems with
the use of electrochemical and thermal analysis methods
(DSC, DTA). He is also interested in critical equilibrium
systems: Calphad method optimisation.
A placement abroad is an important element of an academic career. It allows
you to gain experience in a new environment, establish international contacts,
familiarise yourself with new techniques and research equipment and analyse
your findings, as well as identify potential sources of error
Project description
This project was a continuation of the cooperation that had
already been established as part of the European COST project. Its main goal was to determine the influence of size- and
shape-dependent nano-scale particles on the temperature
of phase transformations in Ag–Cu systems.
As a result of my research I worked out a thermodynamic
model describing the transformation of Gibbs free energy
depending on the particle temperature, composition, size
and shape. I used this model to create a thermodynamic
description of an Ag–Cu system. Using the database that
I obtained I ran a number of simulations of how changes
of the size and shape of a particle influence the phase diagram shape. The particulars of the model, values of its parameters and results of the simulations are published in G.
Garzel, J. Janczak-Rusch L. Zabdyr Reassessment of the Ag–
Cu phase diagram for nanosystems including particle size
and shape effect, Calphad, Volume 36, March 2012, pages
52-56. ISSN 0364-5916. The project itself and the research
findings were presented at European Cost Action MP0903
international meetings held in Barcelona (14-16.04.2011)
and Bern (02-03.04.2012) and at a conference of the Polish Phase Diagram Committee members in Katowice on
21.04.2012.
The most important benefits of the SCIEX project
The research that I conducted helped the Swiss partner interpret the results of experimental work and supported the
preparation and implementation of other projects.
The Polish home institution derives benefits from the transfer of techniques and research methods and the cooperation
with the Swiss partner is now formalised. Both institutions
complement each other in their technical equipment which
will result in the implementation of another joint project.
The added value of the project consisted in my becoming
a member of a group involved in broad research and in my experiencing its aspects, such as brainstorming, seminars, going
deeper into problems from other areas, getting familiar with new
research methods and problem solving. Being able to improve
my language skills and having an opportunity to meet scientists
– members of this multicultural team are also worth stressing.
A placement abroad is an important element of an academic
career. It allows you to gain experience in a new environment,
establish international contacts, familiarise yourself with new
techniques and research equipment and analyse your findings, as well as identify potential sources of error.
67
“A journey, after all, neither begins in the instant we
set out, nor ends when we have reached our door
step once again. It starts much earlier and is really
never over, because the film of memory continues
running on inside of us long after we have come to
a physical standstill. Indeed, there exists something
like a contagion of travel, and the disease is essentially
incurable” Ryszard Kapuściński
Fellow: Dorota Kołbuk, PhD student
Project: Investigation of the effects of electrospinning
conditions on the structure and selected properties of
polymeric blended nanofibres for tissue engineering, ESNANOTIS
Sending institution / Home mentor: Institute of Fundamental Technology Problems, Polish Academy of Sciences / Prof.
Paweł Sajkiewicz
Host institution / Host mentor: Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research – EMPA, St. Gallen / Dr. Giuseppino Fortunato
Dorota Kołbuk, born in 1983, graduated from the Faculty
of Materials Engineering at Warsaw University of Technology, where in 2007 she was awarded her Master’s degree.
Within the framework of the Erasmus programme she had
a six-month-placement at the Institute of Air Handling and
Refrigeration in Dresden, Germany. After her Master’s degree
studies she started studying for her PhD at the Institute of
Fundamental Technology Problems of the Polish Academy
of Sciences. She has participated in several training sessions,
international and domestic conferences. Every year as part of
the Science Festival she conducts activities for young people
at the Institute of Fundamental Technology Problems of the
Polish Academy of Sciences. She was a SCIEX grant holder
between 01.10.10–30.07.11. She focuses on the investigation
of the molecular structure of biomaterials, biopolymers as
well as on tissue engineering and clinical research. Since June
2012, she has been an activist of the Biotechnology Innovations Platform programme.
68
When not working she is interested in art history and interior
design. She likes active leisure activities – skiing in winter and
trekking.
Project description
The host institution was chosen from the list of Swiss participants of the programme. Before this SCIEX project the two
institutes had never cooperated with each other. I only had
some information obtained by word of mouth concerning
the positive experiences of my home institution PhD students working with the EMPA as part of the Polish–Swiss
School Programme.
In my research I was supposed to determine the effect of
the morphology, molecular and nanomolecular structure
of electrospinning-blended fibres on tissue response. There
were some additional aims, too – that of learning about research work and gaining knowledge in an institute boasting long experience in working on electrospinning and, of
course, that of in vitro research on fibres produced with the
use of selected cell types. I see the gaining of experience and
the running of biological tests as a very important and exciting thing. I had had no opportunity of doing such research
before. At the moment, as part of the cooperation between
my home institution, the Ochota Biocentre and the CePT programme, an in vitro research laboratory has been opened at
the Institute of Fundamental Technology Problems, where
I am able to draw on my Swiss experience.
The most important results of my project
In the course of my research I determined the effects of process parameters on fibre morphology and structure. I created
surfaces on which the degree of cell proliferation after 14
days is three times as high as in the control sample. I deter-
mined the optimum amount of biopolymer to improve the
adhesion, activity and proliferation of selected cell types.
My research findings can serve the host institution as a base
for future projects. I think that my work at the biological laboratory was not only educational for me as a fellow, but also for
my mentor. We exchanged our knowledge of polymers and
biology. Additionally, owing to the long experience that the
home institution can boast, there was a flow of information
concerning the interpretation of research on fibre hyper-molecular structure (crystallisation and hyper-orientation).
My research allowed me to finish my PhD thesis, to which the
project was directly linked. The experience I gained in Switzerland helps me to train other PhD students to work in this
field and I am hoping to be able to use my biological laboratory work experience directly in the in vitro laboratory. My
knowledge and experience in working with different equip-
ment allows me to optimise the selection of research equipment purchased by the home institution. My personal plans
are linked to biomaterials and clinical research. This fellowship was an invaluable source of experience and it gave me
motivation for research work and for taking up new challenges.
Working in an international group enables not only expansion of knowledge in a selected subject area. It also increases
academic and personal independence. It teaches openness
and gives confidence. In the host institution I used equipment of kinds that are non-existent in the home institution
(at the moment some of it is being purchased). Working under the supervision of specialists in biology allowed me to
run my independent in vitro research on engineered materials, which would have been impossible in my home institution due to my education and previous lack of pre-clinical
testing laboratory skills.
• You can see a part of Switzerland by watching a James Bond movie. In the movie On Her Majesty’s Secret Service among other things you will the Swiss Alps in
winter and the Schilthorn revolving restaurant near Interlaken.
• When going to the famous thermal springs in Vals you should visit the Hobbit’s
underground hut and you can enjoy a short stay there. The prices are exorbitant, but for true Tolkien fans and for interior design experts it is a fantastic
experience.
• Basel – one of the oldest Swiss cities – charms with beautiful houses and narrow paved streets. It is possible to visit the oldest state-owned painting museum or have a coffee and cake at a café in… Basel cathedral.
69
The fellowship inspired me to take up challenges, develop
my skills and look at reality in a better perspective. The PhD
thesis project was an attempt to systemise and complete
data in the literature on the effect of the parameters of tissue engineering on hyper molecular structure. I am strongly
convinced that such detailed knowledge of the process and
interactions of engineered tissue with selected cell types will
allow further research on innovative materials for commercialisation purposes in accordance with the demand of the
pharmaceutical and/or cosmetic industry.
My PhD thesis, knowledge and skills would have been significantly poorer. Being at EMPA allowed me to meet many
interesting people with whom I remain in touch, and I also
had an opportunity to see a number of breath-taking places
in Switzerland and South Germany. It gave me a chance to
implement some changes and acquire faith in the possibility
of dream fulfilment.
“A journey, after all, neither begins in the instant we set out,
nor ends when we have reached our door step once again. It
starts much earlier and is really never over, because the film
of memory continues running on inside of us long after we
have come to a physical standstill. Indeed, there exists something like a contagion of travel, and the disease is essentially
incurable” Ryszard Kapuściński
70
Fellow: Rafał Ślefarski
Project: Simultaneous PIV/LIF determination of local flame
front characterisation
Sending institution / Home mentor: Poznań University of
Technology / Prof. Tomasz Dobski
Host institution / Host mentor: Paul Scherrer Institut / Dr.
Peter Janhson
Dr Rafał Ślefarski born in 1978, is a research staff member
and gas appliances designer. He was brought up in the Kujawy region where he started his adventure with technology, completing a mechanical secondary school in 1998. He
then started studying at Poznań University of Technology
from which he graduated with distinction in 2003, presenting his final thesis “Investigation of the process of waste gas
afterburning in gas afterburners” (under the supervision of
Prof. Tomasz Dobski at the Laboratory of Gas Technologies,
Poznań University of Technology). In 2004, he had a fourmonth placement at the Royal Institute of Technology in
Stockholm. When he returned, he developed his passion for
the process of gas fuel burning in the course of preparing
his PhD thesis entitled Investigation of the process of gas fuel
combustion with high-temperature heat regeneration, which
he presented in 2008. In the course of preparing the thesis,
he won a competition entitled Grants for the Wielkopolska region’s best PhD students in sciences contributing to the region’s
development (2006). In 2010, he became a SCIEX fellow, which
resulted in a fourteen-month-long stay in Switzerland and
research work at the Paul Scherrer Institute. He is the author
and co-author of over a dozen scientific articles and of three
international patents. Since the completion of his studies,
Working at the Swiss institute helped me discover a new face of
science and directions of my further academic development. It also
showed me how to use the existing equipment in research
different from that conducted so far
he has cooperated with an engineering company, designing
combustion systems running on gas fuels.
He is married and has two daughters – five-year old Marta
and several-month old Julia. In his leisure time, he travels and
cycles.
high frequency cameras needed to collect enough data for
statistical analysis. During the SCIEX project implementation the LDG team had high frequency equipment, but only
for PIV. At the moment high frequency equipment for LIF
is being purchased.
The main purpose of the project consisted in determining
the so-called local turbulent combustion speed and working out correlations between that speed and the turbulent
combustion speed determined on the basis of the global fuel
consumption definition for methane gas fuels. To collect relevant data I proposed the simultaneous combination of two
laser and optical measurement techniques: Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF).
In the course of project implementation, I managed to
collect a very large amount of experimental data concerning the kinetic flames of poor mixtures of methane gases.
The data was collected for a large group of performance
parameters, such as discharge velocity, air excess factor
and substrate temperature. The test bench operational
parameters were as close as possible to those in real gas
turbine burners with the only exception that the laboratory
tests were conducted under sealed pressure. In the course
of this research, I obtained measurements for various burner geometries: two axisymmetric burners and one turbulent burner. I determined the degree of turbulence, particle
image velocity, integral length scale, flame thickness and
position for the aforementioned burners. On the basis of
the experimental data I determined the turbulent combustion velocity basing on two theoretical models: global fuel
consumption ST,g and local displacement ST,l. The values
of the turbulent combustion velocity based on the experimental data coming from the LIF and PIV methods tied in
with those obtained with the help of the global fuel consumption method. At the moment the data is being processed further to find any correlation between the separate
flame parameters and the ST,g and ST,l velocities.
Were there any changes in the course of project implementation?
After doing preliminary research I modified the research
programme I had planned, namely the PIV investigation of
the flames that I analysed was conducted separately from
the investigation aimed at finding the flame zone (LIF). Both
investigations were, however, conducted for the same test
bench operational parameters. This change was dictated by
the available equipment, as there were not the laser and
The professional/scientific/personal benefits of the project
In my opinion, the gain of my home institution (Poznań University of Technology) consists not only in the fact that its
worker has higher professional qualifications which should
result in higher quality education but also that he possesses
knowledge of how a well-managed research team should
function. Closer personal and professional contacts have
been established between workers from both institutions,
which means that it will be possible to prepare joint research
Project description
Previous cooperation between Prof. Tomasz Dobski’s team
and Prof. Peter Janhson’s research group determined the
choice of the Swiss host institution. That cooperation consisted in joint meetings and presentation of work done in both
laboratories, as well as in preparation of a joint application
for research funding. The Laboratory of Gas Technologies
(LTG) of the Poznań University of Technology and the Laser
Diagnostic Group (LDG) became more closely linked when
the LTG team was conducting research for the Swiss energy
engineering concern Alstrom. Moreover, before that a PhD
student of Prof. Dobski had completed PhD studies at ETH in
Zurich, conducting his research at the Paul Scherrer Institute.
71
projects and maybe exchange students and PhD students as
part of various grant programmes.
72
• When I was in Switzerland, I was
accompanied by my wife and
five-year old daughter for some
months. My daughter was most
impressed with being able to drink
water directly from fountains and
roadside springs.
• It is possible to cross Switzerland
by bike following specially designated and marked bicycle lanes.
Apart from the obvious advantage of doing research in
Switzerland, that is in its research laboratories with the latest
state-of-the-art measuring equipment, research staff have
much more time for research and scientific work. Poland’s
red tape, its Public Procurement Law, internal regulations at
HEIs (stamps, forms) makes the research preparatory period
several or a dozen or so times longer. Before research workers are able to start real research work, they have to be clerks,
couriers and salespersons. The institute where I had the
pleasure of working had immense support from finance and
purchasing departments which negotiated with suppliers.
Therefore, I was able to do strictly scientific work. Moreover,
at a different level - there was the institute’s IT support, where
software problems were solved almost while you waited and
when the equipment was out of order, its defective elements
were exchanged as soon as possible. I am impressed by their
management of research projects run individually by workers
and PhD students under the supervision of the team leader.
Progress made on each project was presented at fortnightly
meetings where the whole group consulted their results and
suggested other possible solutions.
research was to find an answer to a given question put by
energy engineering or gas companies. When I finished the
project and returned to Poland, I took some steps aimed at
preparing research similar to that conducted in Switzerland
and by that I mean basic research. We have now submitted
applications for financing the purchase of essential research
equipment. At the same time, we are doing research aimed at
identifying the possibilities of applying other measurement
techniques where one can obtain results similar to those
I had when I was in Switzerland. If not for the fellowship,
I would probably have given up my scientific work and gone
to the industrial sector.
Before the commencement of the SCIEX project research
work at LTG was aimed mainly at applied research resulting from cooperation with industrial partners. Most of the
Working at the Swiss institute helped me discover a new face
of science and directions of my further academic development. It also showed me how to use the existing equipment
in research different from that conducted so far.
Fellow: Izabela Bobowska, PhD
Project: Optimisation and upscaling of the synthesis of
ferromagnetic nanoparticles and their integration in a
polymeric matrix. NANOMAGN
Sending institution / Home mentor: Łódź University of
Technology / Prof. Piotr Wojciechowski
Host institution / Host mentor: University of Applied Science – Fribourg (HES-SO Fribourg) / Dr. Stefan Hengsberger
Dr Izabela Bobowska was born in Łódź in 1981. In 2005, she
completed her Master’s degree studies in chemistry at the
Faculty of Physics and Chemistry, University of Łódź. In the
same year, she started studying for her PhD at the Faculty
of Chemistry of Łódź University of Technology. In 2010, she
presented her PhD thesis entitled Organic – inorganic nanocomposites (2-hydroxypropylo) cellulose. Production, properties
and applications after which she was awarded her PhD title.
In March 2010, she started working at the Chair of Molecular
Physics, Łódź University of Technology. Between November
2010 and October 2011 she had a post-doctoral placement
in Fribourg, Switzerland, as part of the SCIEX–NMSch Programme. In November 2011, having returned from that yearlong visit, she recommenced her work at the Chair of Molecular Physics of Łódź University of Technology.
Fribourg is home to the foundation
“Archivum Helveto – Polonicum” which
gathers and makes available any documentation of the Polish presence in
Switzerland. Among other things, the
foundation has a collection concerning
Polish soldiers detained in Switzerland
during World War II. For more information about the collections of the
Foundation go to http://www.founcationahp.ch
Project description
My participation in the programme was possible thanks to
Prof. Jacques Bersier and Prof. Jacek Ulański, who met in the
course of preparations for a European project called CLUSTERPLAST. This meeting brought an offer of cooperation as
part of the SCIEX programme. My experience in working with
nanomaterials and organic-inorganic nanocomposites tied in
with the research of Dr. Stefan Hegsberger who agreed to be
my host mentor.
The project was intended to carry out the synthesis of iron
oxide ferromagnetic nanoparticles with shape anisotropy,
their modification and incorporation into a polymer matrix.
The implementation of the project necessitated the cooperation of two host institutions, that is the HES-SO Fribourg and
the Adolphe Merkle Institute (University of Fribourg), with
Dr. Herve Dietsch’s research group. The research direction
was slightly modified as I started focusing mainly on basic
research whose findings proved most interesting.
The final result of my project was the creation of a method
for controlled reduction of hematite (Fe2O3) particles to
magnetite (Fe3O4) in a heightened temperature (300°C) and
under hydrogen pressure (11b). I managed to obtain hematite/magnetite hybrid nanoparticles with different phase perResearch Projects Implemented as Part of the Scientific
73
nanoparticles obtained by coating them in a thin silica layer.
The nanoparticle modification allowed their incorporation
into a polymer matrix (poly(methyl methacrylate) and production of organic-inorganic nanocomposites with magnetic
nanoparticles.
These findings were very interesting and promising. Further
cooperation is planned to continue research and implement
joint scientific projects. One of them has already been entered in a competition organised by the National Science
Centre.
centages. The higher the magnetite percentage, the stronger
the material’s magnetic response (magnetisation value). At
the same time the soft conditions of the reduction allowed
me to preserve the original, fusiform shape of my hematite
nanoparticles. That kind of nanoparticle not only displays
shape anisotropy, but also magnetic properties anisotropy
and they orient in an external magnetic field. I modified the
74
The perfect organisation and equipment of the Swiss laboratories was the added value of the project. Free access to
research equipment, such as an electron microscope or vibration magnetometer, was of paramount importance to my
research. Having access to that kind of advanced apparatus is
impossible in my home institution in Poland. Another particularly valuable thing was the fact that I got in touch with persons specialising in various fields related to the project which
enables further cooperation and research development.
To me, the implementation of my research project at the
foreign institution was not only an important professional
experience, but also an important personal one. Thanks to
my work in a completely new academic environment I gained
invaluable knowledge, essential for my further professional
development. Discussions and exchange of experience with
specialists in various subject areas broadens your mind and
inspires to further work. If not for the fellowship, I would not
have had the opportunity to get to know either Switzerland
and its special charm, or its inhabitants’ exceptional kindness.
Fellow: Sebastian Tomasz Kołodziejczyk, PhD
Project: Metaphysics of Mental Life
Subject area: philosophy
/ Prof. Jan Woleński
Host institution / Host mentor: University of Geneva / Prof.
Kevin Mulligan
Dr Sebastian Tomasz Kołodziejczyk, born in 1973, is a philosopher and academic teacher at the Jagiellonian University. In 1994 – 1997, he studied philosophy at the Jagiellonian
University and the University of Bristol (UK). In the academic
year 2001/2002, he had a placement at the University of Oxford. In 2002, he was awarded his PhD for his doctoral thesis
entitled Transcendental truth issues. Since 2002 he has been
employed at the Institute of Philosophy of the Jagiellonian
University. So far, he has published several dozens of articles on metaphysics, philosophy of mind, history of philosophy and philosophy of religion. In 2006, he published his
book entitled The Cognitive Boundaries of Metaphysics (series: Monografie Fundacji na Rzecz Nauki Polskiej, Wrocław;
University of Wrocław Publishing House 2006), and in 2011 a
work edited by him and entitled The Metaphysics Guidebook
was published (Cracow: WAM Publishing House). Together
with Dr. Janusz Salamon, he is the editor of a pioneering series entitled Guidebooks to philosophy, a multi-volume series
on basic areas of philosophy and periods in the history of
philosophy.
Since 2006, he has been editor-in-chief of an English language periodical entitled Polish Journal of Philosophy and Assistant Editor-in-Chief of Forum Philisophicum (until 2012). In
2009 – 2011, he was editorial team member of the European
Journal for Philosophy of Religion. Moreover, he is a founding
member of the Central European Society for Philosophy of
Religion (President in 2007–2008 and 2011–present) and
member of the Centre for Culture and Dialogue (until 2010).
A member of the Polish Philosophical Society for many years
he is the winner of a number of awards and grant competitions, among others those of the Stanislaw Estreicher Fund
of the Jagiellonian University, the Adam Krzyżanowski Fund
of the Jagiellonian University, the Foundation for Polish Science, the foundation of the weekly Polityka, and SCIEX. In the
academic year 2008/2009, he had a placement at the Graduate Centre of the City University of New York and in 2010/2011
at the Department of Philosophy of the University of Geneva.
His book The Idea of Metaphysics is to be published soon, as
is Knowledge, Action, Pluralism: Contemporary Perspectives in
Philosophy of Religion edited together with Dr. Janusz Salamon (Peter Lang Verlag, 2012). A book ,Metaphysics of Mental
Life, is under preparation.
Project description
Prof. Kevin Mulligan has cooperated with Prof. Jan Woleński
for many years. He has taken an interest in Polish scientific
(philosophical) life and participated in it. He has also promoted Polish philosophy abroad. He was a long-standing
member of the Advisory Board to the English language
philosophical periodical published by the Jagiellonian
University and PDC (USA) of which I am the editor-in-chief.
Moreover, my junior colleague, Mr. Jacek Wawer, had already had a year-long PhD placement at the University of
Geneva. All these considerations and the fact that the Chair
of Philosophy headed by Prof. Mulligan at the University of
Geneva was so prestigious, were instrumental in the choice
of that institution. This choice guaranteed my academic
development, more contacts, participation in a strong research group as well as in frequent and cyclical scientific
events.
75
Research work concerning philosophy, and especially
metaphysics has no direct and practical application. However,
my work focuses on metaphysical issues and those relating to
philosophy of mental life. The latter subject area allows me to see
at least some issues as more easily applicable. This is especially
true for the modelling of artificial intelligent cognitive systems
The purpose of my project consisted in publishing some
articles and in the long run an English language book. The
research direction was not modified. One part of this project was complemented with research that had to be done
owing to the nature of the issues concerned. The scope of
this new research was not, however, significant and concentrated mainly on the problem of ontological dependence/
independence, strictly related to the relationship between
what is concrete and what is abstract.
My research fellowship at the University of Geneva was fully
successful. Since I started it I have published some articles
(out of which half are directly project-related, the other half
indirectly related). I have been working on the book Metaphysics of Mental Life which will be the principal result of that
visit. The book is planned for publication in 2013 or the end of
2013/the beginning of 2014. I have also made some speeches
at conferences at home and abroad. I had a short stay at the
Rutgers University and at the City University of New York
(USA), establishing cooperation with the Rutgers University
Centre for Cognitive Science.
Research work concerning philosophy, and especially metaphysics has no direct and practical application. However, my
work focuses on metaphysical issues and those relating to
philosophy of mental life. The latter subject area allows me
to see at least some issues as more easily applicable. This is
especially true for the modelling of artificial intelligent cognitive systems
The most important results and benefits of the project
In the future, the Swiss institution is bound to benefit from
my SCIEX presence. At the moment, conceptual work on
launching joint studies at the Jagiellonian University and the
University of Geneva is in progress. It is planned to submit an
application for a joint research project to funding institutions
(NCN, Ministry of Science and Higher Education). My work for
76
the periodical Dialectica and participation in the organisational and scientific life of that University’s Chair of Philosophy are direct benefits.
The benefits that the Jagiellonian University has derived
from the project are chiefly academic. By employing me the
Jagiellonian University employs a specialist in leading philosophical subject areas who is familiar with the latest research
trends and has extensive social and professional contacts.
Later, the Jagiellonian University will reap the benefits of
long-lasting institutional and academic cooperation.
The cooperation within the project consortium will be continued. The connection between the Jagiellonian University
and the University of Geneva will be maintained and it will
result in joint Master’s degree studies and – individually – in a
research project involving Swiss and Polish researchers, also
with my participation. Moreover, junior colleagues from the
Jagiellonian University are keenly interested in having PhD or
Post-Doctoral placements in Switzerland.
The added value of the SCIEX project
The added value can be categorised as:
1. Formal and organisational
The stay in Geneva allowed me to carry out regular academic
work, free from teaching, and focusing on research objectives and nothing else. That is why I was able to participate in
a number (a dozen or so) of scientific events, such as symposia, workshops, conferences and occasional lectures, in which
I would not have been able to participate if I had stayed in Poland. This allowed me to meet leading European and American young and middle generation philosophers. Moreover,
owing to my visit to Geneva I became familiar with ways of
organising research work, grant application procedures and
the functioning of large projects. The opportunity to study
the functioning of an academic unit different from that of my
home institution was also of considerable importance.
2. Substantive
The above mentioned participation in a number of academic
events and my contacts with specialists allowed me to develop
my competences, gain a creative approach to the issues that
I worked on and look for alternative, innovative solutions of
problems that seemed out of date. This stay made me appreciate the application of logical tools in analysing problems of the
philosophy of mind and the perspectives of issues bordering
on several subject areas, mainly the philosophy of language,
metaphysics, mental life philosophy and anthropology.
The project implementation has an effect on the development of my previous interests. Having finished the project
and after publishing the book Metaphysics of Mental Life,
I intend to continue research on the status of representation, extending the research scope by findings in the exact
sciences, thus entering the area of cognitive science. My personal plans are more linked to individual cooperation and its
extension in the context of contacts with junior researchers
at the University of Geneva to create a basis for further cooperation.
Switzerland was a totally new and unique experience. Although I had already had long placements in Great Britain
and the USA, my Swiss experience made me aware of the
academic potential of that country, the possibilities of implementing research projects and the magnificent spiritual
and material culture of its inhabitants. When I think about
living in Switzerland (although I mainly lived in France, two
steps away from CERN) it makes me nostalgic, especially
when I contemplate its magnificent architecture, friendly
inhabitants, extremely good coffee and Geneva’s wonderful climate. My being there contributed to my better understanding of the academic culture of that part of Europe and
to my becoming familiar with the innovativeness in academic
research displayed by representatives of young generation
philosophers in Switzerland.
77
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Acknowledgements
On behalf of the SCIEX Poland Team, we would like to thank
all those who for the past three years have supported our
work as the SCIEX Contact Point in Poland.
We would like to express our gratitude to our partners in
Switzerland. If it was not for the Swiss contribution aimed at
the reduction of economic and social disparities in the enlarged European Union, and the establishment of the Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme, our joint research adventure would not have been possible. The launching of research
partnerships by Polish-Swiss scientific consortia allowed for
the transfer of knowledge, technology and experiences between HEIs and research centres, and most of all, provided
opportunities for strengthening the scientific competences
and skills of individual doctoral candidates, junior researchers and their mentors.
We would like to thank His Excellency, the Ambassador of the
Swiss Confederation to Poland for his invaluable support and
unceasing willingness to cooperate. We could always count
on the support of the Embassy in Warsaw and the staff of the
Swiss-Polish Cooperation Programme Office operating there,
who willingly participated in the initiatives and events organised by us.
We would also like to express our thanks to the Rectors’ Conference of the Swiss Universities (CRUS) and Polish Coordination Unit, i.e. the Ministry of Regional Development, for model cooperation and substantive support of our promotional
activities.
We sincerely thank the SCIEX fellows – it is due to your interesting ideas for original projects and innovative research
that we are so proud of our work. We are very pleased that
Polish scientists and their expertise, experiences and skills
are widely recognized by their colleagues and mentors in
Switzerland.
We give our thanks to the Management Board and the teams supporting us at the Foundation for the Development
of the Education System, which is our home institution. We
are grateful for successful cooperation, which although not
visible to the outside, is very valuable to our operations. It
was thanks to joint information and promotional campaigns
that the number of submitted applications grew each year.
In autumn 2013, we are facing the last selection round. We
are looking forward to resuming cooperation with the above mentioned institutions which added to the success of the
SCIEX Scholarship Fund. Simultaneously, we are hoping that
the opportunity for cooperation between Polish and Swiss
scientists will be continued in the next financing period of
the Fund.
SCIEX POLAND TEAM
KATARZYNA ALEKSANDROWICZ
MAGDALENA GESSEL
SYLWIA IŻYNIEC
ANNA PAVLOVYCH
79
Foundation for the Development of the Education System / SCIEX Scholarship Fund
Mokotowska 43, 00-551 Warsaw / tel.: +48 22 46 31 470, fax: +48 22 46 31 028
www.sciex.pl

QoHealth

Transkrypt

Podobne dokumenty

pierogi factory - Polish American Cultural Center

Taiwan Fellowship