FNP Prize 2015 Recipients Chosen

"The Foundation for Polish Science has for the 24th time granted its FNP Prizes, considered to be Poland?s most important scientific awards. The winners are three leading Polish researchers: Prof. Stanisław Penczek, Prof. Kazimierz Rzążewski and Prof. Jerzy Jedlicki. The FNP Prizes are awarded for special scientific achievements and discoveries that shift the boundaries of cognition, open up new research perspectives, contribute significantly to the advancement of civilization and culture in Poland, and ensure our country a prominent position in dealing with the most ambitious challenges of the modern world. The prize money is 200,000 zlotys.

• Prof. Stanisław Penczek from the Centre for Molecular and Macromolecular Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Łódź received the FNP Prize 2015 in the field of chemical and material sciences for elaboration of the theory of ring-opening polymerization and its use for synthesis of biodegradable polymers.
• Prof. Kazimierz Rzążewski from the Centre for Theoretical Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences received the FNP Prize 2015 in the field of mathematical, physical and engineering sciences for discovery of the phenomenon of magnetostriction in ultra-cold gases with dipole forces.
• Prof. Jerzy Jedlicki from the Tadeusz Manteuffel Institute of History of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw received the FNP Prize 2015 in the field of the humanities and social sciences for fundamental studies on the phenomenon of the intelligentsia as a social stratum and its role in modernization processes in Central & Eastern Europe.

Prize was not awarded in the field of life and earth sciences. Candidates for the FNP Prize, in accordance with the regulations, may be proposed by leading scientists invited personally by the Foundation?s Board and Council. The role of the competition committee is fulfilled by the Foundation Council which chooses the winners on the basis of opinions from independent reviewers and experts evaluating the candidates? achievements. In the current term the Council comprises professors Andrzej Jerzmanowski (Faculty of Biology at the University of Warsaw, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences) ? chair, Irena E. Kotowska (Institute of Statistics and Demography at the Warsaw School of Economics) ? vice chair, Leon Gradoń (Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering at the Warsaw University of Technology), Henryk Koroniak (Faculty of Chemistry at Adam Mickiewicz University), Marek Świtoński (Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding at the Poznań University of Life Sciences), Wojciech Tygielski (Institute of Art History, Faculty of History at the University of Warsaw), Karol I. Wysokiński (Condensed Phase Theory Department at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University). The Foundation for Polish Science Prize has been awarded since 1992 to a total of 87 winners, including this year?s recipients. The prizes are awarded in four fields: life and earth sciences, chemical and materials sciences, mathematical, physical and engineering sciences, and the humanities and social sciences. The presentation ceremony will be held on 2 December 2015 at the Royal Castle in Warsaw.