2013 Burgen Scholars - Wroclaw#
On 17th of September 2013, during Gala Dinner, the 2013 Burgen Scholars were presented. The Burgen Scholarships were established in honour of the founding President of the Academia Europaea – Arnold Burgen. They are awarded to ten ‘young’ emerging scholars, on the recommendation of AE members in the host country of each annual conference. The awards recognise future potential and covers all disciplines. Recipients can be of any nationality, but must be working in the host country. The scholarships enable ‘young’ researchers to participate in AE annual conferences. They cover the costs of participation, book prizes, poster presentations and certificates. 2013 awards are co-sponsored by Bank Handlowy w Warszawie S.A. and Cambridge University Press.
The 25th Anniversary Burgen Scholarships were given to:
Bartłomiej Skowron (b. 1984) received his PhD in Philosophy in 2012 and his BA in Mathematics in 2011 from the University of Wroclaw. He was elected a fellow of the Academy of Young Scholars and Artists in 2012. He is interested in mathematical philosophy (in particular formal ontology), phenomenology and ethics. Homepage
Artur Krężel, head of the Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław (from 2012). Received D.Sc. degree in life sciences in 2011, Ph.D. degree in chemical sciences in 2004. Between 2004-2007 research assistant at the University of Texas Medical Branch, TX, USA. Research Achievements: King’s College London, London, United Kingdom – Professor Wolfgang Maret (2010), University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA – postdoctoral training – Professor Wolfgang Maret (2004-2007). Received various grants from National Science Centre, Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education and Foundation for Polish Science. Homepage
Marcin Nowotny, Ph. D. Head of the Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw. Field of interest – structural studies of nucleic acid processing. Education: M.S., University of Warsaw, 1997; Ph. D., Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, 2002, postdoctoral fellowship, Wei Yang laboratory, National Institutes of Health, USA. Recipient of the EMBO Installation Grant, Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship, ERC Starting Grant and Howard Hughes International Early Career Scientist Award. Homepage
Ewelina Knapska obtained her PhD degree from the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS in Warsaw in 2006. After spending 2 years of postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA she returned to the Nencki Institute, where she is now the head of the Laboratory of Emotions Neurobiology. Ewelina Knapska’s research interests include neural mechanisms of extinction of conditioned fear and impaired social behaviors. In her spare time she enjoys American novels, Italian wines, mountains (regardless of geographical location) and Polish wildlife preserves. Homepage
I’m an evolutionary biologist working in the field of quantitative genetics – one of the most fascinating and dynamic fields of evolutionary research. Currently I work in the Institute of Environmental Sciences of the Jagiellonian University, where I obtained my PhD. in 2012. In my work I focus on the interplay between genetic variability and environmental conditions. Such research would not be possible without a successful network of cooperators. Currently I work together with evolutionary biologists from Sweden and Switzerland – I hope that together we will be able to answer some of the most important questions in evolutionary biology. Homepage
Jakub Fichna, PhD was appointed Associate Professor at the Medical University of Lodz, Poland in 2012. His past appointments include doctoral and postdoctoral trainings at the University of Rouen, Catholic University of Leuven, University of California, San Francisco, University of Copenhagen and University of Calgary. Main scientific interests of Dr. Fichna include studies on the mechanisms underlying inflammatory conditions and functional diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as design and pharmacological characterization of new potential therapeutics. Recently, Dr. Fichna has put much effort into popularization of science, in particular among younger generations, as well as into advisory activity on the situation of young scientists in Poland. Dr. Fichna is a member of Young Academy of Scholars by the Polish Academy of Sciences. Homepage
Dr Filip Granek graduated with honors Electrical Engineering at Wroclaw University of Technology in 2004. Between 2004-2011 he worked for over 8 years abroad, first at the Energy Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) in Petten, the Netherlands and later at Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) in Freiburg, Germany. He completed his PhD thesis at the University of Freiburg in the field of the advanced silicon solar cell concepts in 2009. Between 2009 and 2011 he was the head of the research group at Fraunhofer ISE focusing on the novel laser processes for the manufacturing of the silicon solar cells. Since late 2011 he is leading the Printed Electronics Laboratory at Wroclaw Research Centre EIT+. He is author and inventor with over 50 scientific publications and 10 international patents or patent applications. His scientific interest include the novel solar cell concepts and the technology and characterization of the printed electronics devices. Homepage
Justyna Olko-Bajer received her Ph. D. in 2005 from the Faculty of History, University of Warsaw. Currently she is a permanent researcher and director of the Laboratory “Encounters between the Old and New Worlds” in the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies “Artes Liberales” at the University of Warsaw. From 2012: vice-dean at the Faculty of “Artes Liberales”. Received several grants: the grant and fellowship “Ideas for Poland” of the Foundation for Polish Science (2013), the Starting Grant of the European Research Council (2012, Europe and America in Contact), the grant of the National Science Centre (2011, Dialogue with Europe, Dialogue with the Past) and the subsidy of the Foundation for Polish Science (2010, Language Encounters between the Old and New Worlds). She specializes in Mesoamerican ethnohistory and anthropology, with a special focus on Nahua (Aztec) culture and cross-cultural transfers and language contact between Europe and New Spain. Homepage
Dr Agnieszka Waclawik obtained a MSc (in Biotechnology) and PhD (in Endocrinology) with honours from the University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, Poland. During her PhD studies, she conducted her research in Professor Ziecik’s group at the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn. In 2006, Dr Waclawik was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the Polish Academy of Sciences in Olsztyn. Her research has been focused on understanding the role of prostaglandin synthesis and prostaglandin receptors in the maternal-conceptus interactions. Dr Waclawik published 24 research and review papers. She has been a Visiting Research Fellow at Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Finland and in Professor Henry Jabbour’s laboratory in the Medical Research Council, Human Reproductive Sciences Unit in Edinburgh. Dr Waclawik is currently a leader of two programs of research entitled: (1) Role of conceptus signals in activation of prostaglandin metabolism enzymes and prostaglandin receptors in the endometrium and (2) Uterine receptivity markers in periimplantation period in the pig. The latter research is associated with COST-Gemini Action within European Union program. Agnieszka Waclawik has been the recipient of (a) Stipendium for Young Researchers from The Foundation for Polish Sciences, (b) Award for Young and Active Scientist from Pro Scientia et Vita Foundation and (c) PhD student Prize Award from the Society for Reproduction and Fertility. Homepage
Over the past few years Michał Nikodem was involved in a fair number of research projects in the area of applied optics and electronics. He received PhD in 2010 from Wroclaw University of Technology where he was working under the supervision of Prof. Krzysztof Abramski on development of Er doped fiber-based mode-locked lasers. These sources produce ultra-short pulse trains and find application in precise metrology, optical sensing and laser micromachining. During PhD studies he had a chance to work with Prof. Maciej Wojtkowski who is known for having significant impact on the development of spectral optical coherence tomography as diagnostic tool for ophthalmology. Dr. Nikodem also spent 6 months in Menlo Systems GmbH, that is famous for commercialization of Nobel-Prize-wining frequency comb technology. After graduating in mid-2010 Michał Nikodem joined Princeton University as Postdoctoral Research Associate in Electrical Engineering Department. In a group led by Prof. Gerard Wysocki he was responsible for development of novel laser-based sensing methods for in-situ and remote chemical detection (including greenhouse gases sensing) and for medical applications (studies on NO metabolism in human body). In late 2012 he has been appointed as Laser Spectroscopy Group leader in Nanotechnology Department EIT+ where he is conducting research directed towards development of autonomous systems for chemical sensing, with strong emphasis on real-world applications in environmental monitoring, bio-medical research, and industrial process control. Homepage
