Nearly PLN 3.2 million to promote the passion for science among young people

The new government initiative has been launched to encourage the youngest generation to pursue science interests and to show local communities how scientific discoveries influence our everyday life.

– Among pupils who are today closing their school year there are future discoverers, inventors and scientists who will go beyond the limits of what we already know and who might one day become as famous as Nicolaus Copernicus– stressed Professor Barbara Kudrycka. – Guided by the idea of encouraging their the passion for science and of promoting science among public at large we have closed the competition for attractive science promotion activities under the new project entitled “Paths of Copernicus” – added the Minister.

Every award-winning project under the competition will be granted up to PLN 200 thousand. The consortia which carry out individual projects consist of research institutions and other science promotion centres. Under 16 award-winning projects academics and science promoters from outside the academic community will carry out innovative programmes of activities of their own authorship, using research facilities of scientific institutions, research laboratories, library collections and scientific exhibits. Young people will be involved in data collecting, observation and developing some parts of research projects. 

Among award-winning projects one was to encourage residents of the Opole region to the use of robotic telescope and young people from the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship to conduct archaeological and historical research using modern technologies. School students from the Śłąskie Voivodeship will have the opportunity to carry out experiments at the Guido Historic Coal Mine in Zabrze, whilst junior secondary school students from the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship will help to isolate strains of lactic bacteria which occur in natural environments. 

The budget of the “Paths of Copernicus” programme totals PLN 3.2 million. One science promotion project in each voivodeship will obtain the funding. The projects will be implemented throughout the year 2014.
– I am sure that as a result of ”Copernicus Paths” more young people become attracted to science, as the programme opens for them opportunities to acquire knowledge in an unconventional way and to develop their interests and talents outside the system of formal education – added Professor Barbara Kudrycka.