Poland has become a full participant in the Wiki Science Competition for the first time in 2019, with its own national jury. In 2015 Wikimedia Commons Polish users submitted 62 images, and the number rose to 410 in 2017. With the more structured effort this year, this edition is expected to be a record-breaker.
The presence of Poland is a sign of the vitality of science popularization in the country, and an opportunity to showcase the dynamics of its research centers to the whole world. For example Wikimedia Polska Association has conducted a successful wiki project with the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, and has good relationships with other groups and individuals devoted to effective science communication in Poland as well.
Aleksandra Sulikowska, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Department of the History of Art Theories (Art History Institute, University of Warsaw), is the first Polish juror to join the international jury.
The Polish national jury will also include people who are very active in the fields of science popularization and outreach:
Aleksandra Janusz-Kamińska, PhD
A biologist, she is a specialist in neuroscience, currently working on brain mechanisms at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw. She is also a science-fiction & fantasy writer.
Paulina Łopatniuk, M.D.
A physician, blogger, and one of the winners of the 2018 Popularizer of Science competition (Media category). Also, the author of the blog „Patolodzy na klatce” (“Pathologists in the Stairway”).
Sebastian Soberski
Head of the Nicolaus Copernicus Planetarium and Astronomical Observatory in Grudziadz and a radio observer in the Department of Radioastronomy at the Astronomy Center of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Co-creator of the scientific and artistic project “Voices of the Cosmos” and the popular science television program “Observatory“.
Wojciech Sternak, PhD
Photographer and cultural expert, Assistant Professor at the Department of Photography at the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies, University of Warsaw. Author of texts on photography as well as individual and collective exhibitions, conducting photography workshops, sometimes a curator. He’s also the Director of Photography at the Association of Polish Art Photographers (ZPAF).
Karolina Sulich
Illustrator, painter, and post-artist who mixes biology, humanities, and new technologies in her works and thus creates bio-art works. She cooperates with the biological laboratory at the Copernicus Science Centre and is the co-creator of the 2019 Festival of Change program at the Copernicus Science Centre. She’s given talks (along with Stanisław Łoboziak, PhD) e.g. at the Innovative Genomics Institute in Berkley and presented her work at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub.