Diamond Grants awarded to outstanding students-researchers

This is the fourth edition of the Ministry of Science’s competition "Diamond Grant". In 2015, 78 projects will receive funding of research carried out by outstanding students in Polish universities and institutes of the PAS. Awarded young researchers represent three areas of science: humanities and social sciences, and medical and natural sciences, science and technical sciences. Students will receive more than 14 million zlotys for their projects. A new rule in the fourth edition of the competition was to allow Diamond Grant applications of Polish students who had completed undergraduate studies abroad.

"Our programs give young people a chance for a good start in their academic adventures. We support researchers, students, innovators. Diamond Grant is a unique program that helps researchers to develop their own research projects at an early stage. It provides a unique opportunity for discovery research talent, find the real diamonds of Polish science - said Minister of Science and Higher Education Prof. Lena Kolarska-Bobińska. - Award in the competition has double value for young scientists. It gives them financial independence and the opportunity to gain experience in managing a research project under the supervision of experienced tutors. It is also an excellent way to accelerate scientific career paths and start working on a doctorate shortly after obtaining a BA degree or after the third year of studies."

Winners of the competition receive up to 200 thousand zlotys for expenses related to research in various fields of science, as well as monthly salary of at least 2.5 thousand zlotys.

The ranking leader in the fourth edition, with a maximum score for her project, is Żaneta Matuszek from the Faculty of Biology of the University of Warsaw. Young scientist will study the effects of free radicals on cells of yeast.

Other awarded projects include the use of thalidomide in photodynamic anti-tumour therapy, climate change in the Arctic, research into optical and transport properties of graphene, diagnosis of the state of protection of personal data on the Internet.

The research topics were evaluated by experts primarily in terms of their scientific value. The jury also took into account the achievements of each student. The legitimacy of the planned costs and the project viability also affected the evaluation.

Among the winners of the previous editions of Diamond Grant, who used the opportunities offered by the competition, is Mateusz Sobolewski from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. "Diamond Grant was a milestone in my development as a person and young scientist, it crowned my previous work and allowed me to pursue my dreams. If not for this award, my career would have taken an entirely different path. Obtaining it became a reason to take next steps, believe in my own abilities, devote myself to science" - said Mateusz Sobolewski. Young scientist added that thanks to the grant he was able to travel to many research centres, including Harvard and Yale, establish contacts and get the inspiration for his work in Poland.

Another example of success of the competition is Maciej Grzelczyck, who created an almost complete photographic database of priceless rock art in a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the area of Kondoa in Tanzania, and discovered previously unknown paintings.

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland

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