FNP Prize 2016 Recipients Chosen

"The Foundation for Polish Science has for the 25th time granted its FNP Prizes, considered to be Poland?s most important scientific awards. The winners are three leading Polish researchers: Prof. Jan Kozłowski, Prof. Marek Samoć, Prof. Józef Spałek and prof. Bogdan Wojciszke. 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. Jan Kozłowski of the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Jagiellonian University has received the Foundation for Polish Science Prize 2016 in the life and earth sciences for formulation and experimental verification of a theory explaining the diversity of life strategies of organisms resulting from optimal allocation of resources.
• Prof. Marek Samoć from the Faulty of Chemistry at the Wrocław University of Science and Technology has received the Foundation for Polish Science Prize 2016 in the chemical and material sciences for research on nanostructural materials for nonlinear optics.
• Prof. Józef Spałek of the Institute of Physics at Jagiellonian University has received the Foundation for Polish Science Prize 2016 in the mathematical, physical and engineering sciences for research on strongly correlated electron systems, in particular derivation of the t-J model.
• Prof. Bogdan Wojciszke of SWPS University of Science and Humanities, Sopot campus, has received the Foundation for Polish Science Prize 2016 in the humanities and social sciences for developing a model of agency and communion as basic  dimensions of social cognition.

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: Leon Gradoń (Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering at the Warsaw University of Technology) ? chair, Wojciech Tygielski (Institute of Art History, Faculty of History at the University of Warsaw) ? vice chair, Jan Kotwica (Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of PAS in Olsztyn), Włodzimierz Krzyżosiak (Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry PAS in Poznań), Aleksandra Łuszczyńska (SWPS University), Maria Nowakowska (Faculty of Chemistry of the Jagiellonian University), Karol I. Wysokiński (Condensed Phase Theory Department at the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin). The Foundation for Polish Science Prize has been awarded since 1992 to a total of 91 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 8 December 2016 at the Royal Castle in Warsaw.