The Polish Science Day celebrations coincide with the anniversary of the birth of a renowned Polish astronomer Mikołaj Kopernik. The Polish Science Day was established in 2020 by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. The Academic Consortium Katowice City of Science joins in on the celebrations for the second time as a sign of recognition for the efforts and achievements of our scientists and all employees who contribute to the development of knowledge in Poland.
As part of the preparations for the European City of Science 2024, the universities developed six thematic routes constituting an answer to the most significant challenges and problems of the modern world. These routes constitute an element of the overall concept serving as the basis of the ECSK 2024 programme. The programme is being created with the potential of the seven universities in mind. On the occasion of Polish Science Day, we would like to present the above-mentioned routes by providing you a short description of selected activities undertaken by the University of Silesia, the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice, the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, the Medical University of Silesia, and the University of Economics in Katowice that have the largest social impact.
Climate and Environment
Nowadays, the anthropogenic climate change observed worldwide is the biggest challenge for humanity. Its consequences include population migrations, armed conflicts (e.g. over access to drinking water sources), devastating droughts, sudden weather phenomena and new diseases. This is why it is so important for us to already start introducing actions intended to slow down such changes and adapt to the changing reality.
The universities associated in the consortium are focusing on research related e.g. to a low-carbon economy and its effective implementation, energy transition and green power industry, closed-circuit economy, water and air quality as well as sustainable cities and communities.
The economy of climate change is the topic of the ‘ECOnomics4Climate’ project implemented by the University of Economics in Katowice. The initiative involves a number of scientific and educational activities, including lectures delivered by renowned foreign researchers.
The University of Silesia is home to the Silesian Water Centre. In July 2022, right before the Oder river ecologic disaster, our scientists conducted research on the second-largest river in Poland as part of the ‘Clean Oder? Why Not?’. The aim of the field work was to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the river’s condition. Physico-chemical measurements of the river water were made using multi-parameter immersion probes, water samples were taken for laboratory analysis and material was collected to study diatoms (algae). Large quantities of sodium ions and potassium, as well as chlorides and sulfates, were discovered in the Oder river, which indicates pollution.
Since 2021, we have been paying close attention to the Rawa ‘river/non-river’ — the watercourse flowing through the centre of Katowice is, in our assumptions, the future backbone of the Green Science Zone. The ‘Temat: rzeka’ [Topic: river] initiated by the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice began with a series of lectures allowing us to take a different approach to the Rawa river flowing through Katowice, look at it from different perspectives and thorough the lens of various fields — literature, art, culture, and hydrology. Those interdisciplinary activities were concluded with an accompanying exhibition to the World Urban Forum entitled ‘Temat: rzeka’. The results of lecturers’ and students’ work were presented in the Silesian Museum in the symbolic vicinity of the Rawa river. A watercourse newspaper was also a complementary element to the event. In turn, the publication ‘Crossing Rawa. An Interview with the River’ had its premiere as part of the 6th edition of the Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE. It is a unique collection of poetry, prose, and photography concerning Rawa.
For many years, scientists from the University of Silesia have been conducting research at the Spitsbergen (Svalbard) in cooperation with the Centre for Polar Studies. Further expeditions to this part of the world were organised in 2022. Their aim was to, among other things, monitor and observe the changes in glaciers at the southern Spitsbergen. The research concerned the changes in the Arctic environment due to the accelerating global warming. One expedition found an unusually intense reduction in the advance of the Hans Glacier (Hansbreen), which has been continuously monitored by USil scientists since 1982. The melting of ice masses, combined with increased ice loss, is leading to a dramatic transformation of the polar environment. Lesser glacial advance entails sunlight heating rocks and waters quicker and, consequently, additional warming of the local climate intensifying the global changes.
The Silesian University of Technology implements the EuReComp project based on circular economy. The aim is to ensure sustainable recycling methods and re-using of composite materials obtained from various industry branches such as aeronautics and wind energy. The Silesian University of Technology, together with 20 partner institutions, is working on implementing a comprehensive plan for the management, processing, and re-entering into the circulation of materials from recycled waste. The novel achievements of environmental engineering, chemical engineering, materials engineering and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analyses are used for this purpose. The methodologies developed under the EuReComp project will be further tested and verified through the development of five mock-ups made from recovered materials, proving the feasibility of producing new and environmentally sustainable composites.
The basic assumed objective of the BOLSTER project (Bridging Organizations and marginalized communities for Local Sustainability Transitions in EuRope), implemented by the University of Economics in Katowice together with 11 consortium members, is to get involved in activities ensuring sustainable transformation, being carried out in EU member states and their regions. The researchers’ task is to identify communities which — due to different economic or social exclusion patterns — cannot or do not want to tackle the challenges of a green economy and Europe’s energy transformation.
Health and Quality of Life
Both physical and mental health are among the basic values that we strive for. Good health and well-being is also the name of the third out of 17 UN sustainable development goals. We are interested in how to take care of the quality of life, especially in times of crises — the pandemic, war, and growing economic tensions. Increased access to health services and health education are the grounds for sustainable development of the region and one of the goals of the European City of Science 2024.
Our research focuses on e.g. on revitalising post-industrial areas so that they serve the local community in the best possible way. Good public space planning and greening areas will allow people to spend free time in the open air. Work also has an impact on health and quality of life. The establishment of new attractive workplaces will not only keep young people in the region and contribute to the inflow of individuals from other regions of Poland of from abroad. It will also have a positive influence on the quality of their lives. Our consortium is also working on the joint project ‘Supporting universities consolidation processes’ project, as part of which we are planning the future Green Science Zone as a place dedicated to providing a way to stay in contact with knowledge but also a place to spend free time.
Artists from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice prepared an exhibition on the unique and difficult experience that was the pandemic. The pandemic that separated us from each other in the literal sense — forcing us to maintain distance and limiting forms of contact. The main theme of the exhibition was the issue of empathy and compassion for each other. According to the authors, they are the attitudes allowing us not only to find our place in today’s reality but also to build a better post-pandemic future. The exhibition was available at the Rondo Sztuki Art Gallery until 30 March 2022.
We are slowly coming out of the pandemic, but it does not mean that it is fully over. This is why we are preparing ourselves to better handle the possible dangers in the future. Researchers from the Silesian University of Technology are the authors of a method allowing testing of the filtering ability of protective mask materials without having to use viruses to carry out the tests. The solution is protected by patents.
The Silesian University of Technology also implements the Silesian Centre for Engineering Support in Medicine and Sport project. The aim is to create a building for biomedical engineering research laboratories. The infrastructure will be used for high-end work and will also be made available to companies, which will contribute to the development of innovative research and production techniques. The implementation of the initiative will positively impact the competitiveness of the companies in the region and will allow them to participate, among other things, in Polish and European technology platforms.
A Centre for Research and Implementation of Strategies to Support Healthy Ageing (RIDage) has been established at the AWF in Katowice. It is a space created with to work towards ensuring we live longer and healthier lives, and that we remain independent and fit in old age. Whereas the Medical University of Silesia undertakes activities to create the Paediatric and Oncology Physiotherapy Centre. It will include, among other things, specially designed occupational and individual therapy rooms.
Researchers from the University of Silesia are the authors and co-authors of a large number of patents that not only improve people’s health and quality of life but often save them. One example is a series of inventions created in cooperation with scientists from the Medical University of Silesia and the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice. In life-threatening situations, when the patient’s lungs are beginning to give out, the well-known ECMO technique (ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) allows oxygen to be artificially supplied and carbon dioxide to be removed when the body is unable to do this on its own. The problem is, however, that the use of the device made of special pumps and an oxygenator is highly invasive and risky. The use of the membrane in the devices often leads to inflammation. Our scientists proposed a solution involving modification of the membrane structure. The inspiration was the materials commonly used in sportswear and outdoor equipment.
In turn, the scientists from the Medical University of Silesia invented a way to produce prophylactic dressing materials as a means to prevent diabetic foot syndrome. The solution is protected by patents.
The Medical University of Silesia also implements the Joint Action on implementation of validated best practices (in Nutrition). The main aim is to adapt, replicate, and implement effective health interventions based on practices which proved to be effective (with regards to changing food composition, food labelling, marketing and public procurement), contributing to an increase in the possible healthy consumer choices (among other things, by decreasing the amount of salt, sugar, and concentrated fats in processed foods).
Industries of the Future
In recent years we have seen progress in modern technologies, including those related to artificial intelligence and robotics. The 21st century is a period of distinct technological changes, which may significantly improve the quality of life for many people.
Consortium universities conduct research within this area. We focus, among other things, on issues such as the digital economy, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of the future. We are also interested in the ways to create transformative solutions and new economic practices, as well as the development of creative sectors, such as e-sport and gamedev.
Scientists from the University of Silesia developed a stable, purely organic fluorescent material, which could find future applications in such optoelectronic devices as modern OLEDs in, among others, elastic displays. The solution is protected by patents.
The Silesian Centre for Legal Engineering, Technology and Digital Competence is a consortium established by the University of Silesia in Katowice, the Silesian University of Technology, the University of Economics in Katowice, and the Research and Academic Computer Network (NASK). Modern research and teaching require an interdisciplinary approach. The fact that technology, law, management, and new technologies often mix is apparent. Cyber Science is one of the first European units taking up research in Legal Tech and legal engineering. Postgraduate studies in tokenisation and process automation in the digital economy and cyber security management were launched in October 2022.
The ‘Azymut’ project of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice involves researching a 3D sound emission system and the software to operate it, with the aim of optimising and simplifying working with it for people without specialised knowledge and engineering training. The immersive sound system, which will run in the Moving Image and Interaction Laboratory (LORI) of the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice thanks to the cooperation with Azymut studio, is a state-of-the-art solution for the three-dimensional spatialisation of sound.
Social Innovations
Katowice and the whole Upper Silesian region have undergone an extraordinary metamorphosis in recent years: we have turned from an area unambiguously associated with heavy and extractive industry into a centre with the dominant role of culture and industry based on knowledge. The most significant symptoms of this transformation include the creation of the Culture Zone with the new seat of the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra, three top music festivals in Poland (OFF Festival, Tauron Nowa Muzyka and Fest Festiwal) as well as the success of the Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE. How come we have transformed so much? This is also one of the topics of our research.
We also ask ourselves how the City of Science should strengthen and develop cultural life around the above-mentioned institutions and initiatives, and emphasize the culture-forming role of science. We are interested e.g. in significant changes for the development of the city and region, and analysis of social needs. We also want to present activities in the field of citizen science, which provides an excellent opportunity for inhabitants of the City of Science to have an actual impact on the work of scientists. One of the pillars of the undertaken university consolidation activities is the analysis of potentials, which will offer us an answer to the question of how to improve the implementation of citizen science processes. Another important thing is to ensure a real impact of the inhabitants on the region’s development and allow them to decide what the process of change should look like.
The Observatory of Urban and Metropolitan Processes is an agreement between eight universities and research and development units from the Silesian Voivodeship, including the University of Silesia, the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice, the University of Economics in Katowice, and the Silesian University of Technology. The three main areas of activity for the unit are urban and metropolitan processes, revitalisation, and smart cities. The observatory carries out research on, among others, urban policy, social capital, metropolitan area development strategy, and NGO involvement.
In 2022, the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice organised another edition of AGRAFA – International Design Conference, which aimed to cause the participants to reflect on the state of modern design. Confidence in the possibilities of design is questioned more and more, even in leading scientific and teaching institutions. The designers feel powerless in the fight with growing unrest and social polarisation, the radicalism of beliefs trending towards dictatorship, systemic exclusion of minorities, the ageing population, the global pandemic, and climate changes. Personalised contents injected into beautiful interfaces carry the risk of manipulation on a scale previously unknown. The expectations of changing the world for the better are beyond the capacity of the designers themselves. The only way forward in this situation is to get off the commonly travelled roads and venture into the unknown. Openness to working with specialists from other disciplines and learning new skills, supporting local community building, and civic activation are the obvious things to be done. These are the challenges facing a designer in the second decade of the 21st century. Courage in pushing the boundaries in combination with respect for people and the planet should become a part of the designer’s activity.
The ExCORE project (International Centre of Research Excellence in Transition of COal Regions) is being implemented by the University of Economics in Katowice from NAWA funds. It aims to create proper conditions for networking in international research teams and conducting joint research on the green transformation of mining regions. The project will establish an International Centre of Scientific Excellence and conduct research in four areas: economic impacts, social impacts, poverty and energy exclusion, and the implementation of new technologies (Industry 4.0).
Industrial and Cultural Heritage
One of the subjects we deal with under the European City of Science is the processes of social-economic transformation in the regions where heavy industry was present. Coal still plays an important role in our region – it is worth looking at it from many perspectives, not just as the black lumps that used to be extracted in mines. However, looking into the future, we cannot forget about our past. It is important for the region’s inhabitants to find out as much as possible about its mining and industrial heritage and the specific culture created around coal mines and foundries. For the 6th Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE, we have prepared a special zone – Coal Zone. The participants could take part in lectures, discussions, and workshops, among others. The follow-up to the Coal Zone was the exhibition ‘Underground. Subterra incognita’ at the BWA Gallery of Contemporary Art in Katowice.
We are also interested in cultural heritage. Past cultural goods are a source of information about the lives of previous generations. They also show the history of places and people who lived before us.
Our research is also future-oriented. Prototyping the future will allow us to better understand future products and services. Thanks to the foresight method, we can forecast the future in a mid- and long-time perspective. The present world requires us to keep gaining and developing new skills all the time. We focus e.g. on shaping the competencies of the future, such as critical thinking, problem analysis and solving, entrepreneurship, creativity and digital skills.
The aim of the international DUST project, which is being implemented by, among others, the University of Economics in Katowice, is to increase the involvement of citizens in activities concerning sustainable transformation in mining regions, with a particular focus on listening to the voice of uninvolved communities from structurally weak regions dependent on energy-intensive industries. The research will enable the development of recommendations to increase social integration and involvement in transforming mining regions.
In turn, the project entitled ‘Impact of long-term emission of pollution – environmental, health and social-cultural effects of non-ferrous metallurgy’ is being implemented by an international research team as part of the Research Excellence Initiative of the University of Silesia. Long-term emission of pollution in Katowice-Szopienice had a destructive impact not only on the health of its residents, including children (tragic stories of lead poisoning) but it also left its mark in the social structure of the district and the environment. The project brings together humanities, arts studies, social studies, exact studies, and nature studies experts.
The research problem addressed in the Academy of Fine Arts and Design’s project ‘Tattooed with coal’ is the revealing of Upper Silesian and mining identity through the imagery of popular culture. They include tattoos with mining and regional themes. The aim of the study is to define the concept of belonging to a community and the identity choices of people with tattoos against the background of postmodern culture. As a result, the publication entitled ‘Tattooed with Silesia’ and a series of exhibitions were created. The project was also presented during the 6th Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE.
Creation and Criticism
We all like good stories, we all like moving to other worlds where these stories happen, and we all need someone to tell us these stories in an interesting way. Although building the City of Science mainly consists in discovering and connecting what already exists, the entire process also involves creating “a new world” where a good and well-told story is to take place.
We are interested e.g. in creating and maintaining narratives, but also in critical reflection on the conducted actions. We also rely on interdisciplinarity, because a complementary and internally coherent reality can only be created by looking from many perspectives.
We also handle the latest teaching methods. Forming critical reflection and openness to other human being, not only among students but also in the whole society, is important from the point of view of the changes we observe in the modern world, which is filled with all kinds of false information. This is why critical thinking is a crucial skill.
Scientists from the University of Silesia are implementing the ‘E-learning prospects for humanities. Elephant’ project in cooperation with an international team. The initiative was launched right before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Soon after, the schools and universities were dependent on the newly adopted remote learning as the only possible form of teaching. The aim of the project was to prepare a report on e-learning. The research was conducted at universities in the Czech Republic, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, and Slovakia.
The University of Silesia implements also the international project entitled ‘Becom. Between interaction and innovation – creating a communication space in the digital world’. Its aim is to test and implement innovative practices in the field of didactics in higher education institutions. The project assumes that the created results will have a practical and universal character for the academics and students of various fields of study, as well as for secondary school students and teachers.
‘We have an influence’ is the title of an exhibition of Bachelor’s and Master’s diplomas of the Faculty of Design of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice. The dozens of works on display provide an overview of the attitudes of young designers gathered around issues that constitute contemporary challenges of everyday life. The works refer to the issues of body and health, identity and well-being, environment and technology, and propose a solution for problems encountered in each area. The exhibition also presents pieces focusing on narratives and story-telling, exploring traditions and new media, and building multi-level communication using them.
‘Pipe organs in Silesia’ is the title of the scientific conference organised by the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice in Katowice, which took place in 2022. The event concerned both historical perspectives, as well as current issues connected with the state of the research on instruments available in Silesia. The Academy of Music in Katowice ensures that public spaces sound good and that awareness of music as a universal language is widespread. That is why the flagship element of the university’s artistic offer are series of concerts by academic orchestras: symphonic, brass, and baroque. In 2022, the ensembles presented a diverse repertoire, ranging from classical works to film music and pop hits, performing under the direction of excellent conductors from Poland and abroad.
The Academic Consortium Katowice City of Science consists of: the University of Silesia (leader), Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice, Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, Silesian University of Technology, Medical University of Silesia, University of Economics in Katowice, and the City of Katowice (as strategic partner).
