On February 19, in recognition of the achievements of Polish scientists, we celebrate Polish Science Day! It is a day intended to inspire individuals to follow in the footsteps of notable Polish researchers and to foster a deeper interest in the field of science.
This year we are celebrating Polish Science Day for the fifth time. The establishment of the date of the annual celebrations- as stated in the justification to the Act of January 9, 2020 – was “an expression of the highest recognition for the achievements of Polish scientists in the over 1000-year history of our nation and state.” For centuries science was a key impulse for intellectual, social and economic development.
The chosen date for this celebration, February 19, coincides with the birthday of Nicolaus Copernicus, a pioneering astronomer who created and argued the theory that stopped the Sun and moved the Earth. He was also a mathematician, economist, lawyer, and physician.
On this day, we also remember other Polish scientists and their discoveries that had a significant impact on the course of human history. Among the most prominent Polish scientists, in addition to Nicolaus Copernicus, are Jan Heweliusz, Wilhelmina Iwanowska, Stanisław Ulam, Mieczysław Bekker, Henryk Arctowski, Maria Skłodowska-Curie, Ignacy Łukasiewicz, Ludwik Hirszfeld, Jan Czochralski, Stefan Banach and many others. The world’s first oral vaccine against the polio virus, the world’s first personal computer, the discovery of a method to measure the speed of metal crystallisation, now used to obtain single crystals, which are the basis for the production of microprocessors, or the discovery of adrenaline are just a few of the achievements of Polish scientists, without whom today’s world would look completely different.
The research achievements of Polish scientists, their discoveries and inventions have influenced and continue to shape the reality in which we function. Thats why we encourage you to read the research descriptions of Polish scientists from recent years.
On the occasion of the Polish Science Day, we would like to wish all scientists and university staff professional success, groundbreaking discoveries and inspiring projects!
