Post-conference publication ESOF 2024 Katowice

ESOF2024 Champions:

Prof. Ryszard Koziołek, Rector of the University of Silesia, leader of the Academic Consortium Katowice City of Science 2024

Anna Budzanowska, PhD, plenipotentiary of the Mayor of Katowice for the European City of Science Katowice 2024

ESOF2024 Programme Committee:

Prof. Michał Daszykowski, University of Silesia in Katowice – chair

Prof. Eng. Marek Pawełczyk, Silesian University of Technology – vice-chair

Prof. Wanda Palacz, The Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice

Justyna Kucharczyk, PhD, DLitt, Assoc. Prof. of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice

Bogdan Bacik, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. of the Academy of Physical Education in Katowice

Prof. Katarzyna Mizia-Stec, MD, PhD, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice

Prof. Maciej Nowak, University of Economics in Katowice

Prof. Zbigniew Błocki, Jagiellonian University in Kraków

Edited by:

Prof. Michał Daszykowski; Dawid Matuszek, PhD; Agnieszka Lniak, PhD; Patrycja Kierlik

ISBN: 978-83-226-4501-7

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Organizers:

ESOF2024: Life Changes Science

Edited by:

Michał Daszykowski, Dawid Matuszek, Agnieszka Lniak, Patrycja Kierlik

Nowak-Brzezińska, Michał Baczyński, Michał Kłosiński,

Have you ever thought about the environmental impact of the pills you take? Juan José Sáenz de la Torre, Fernando Gomollón-Bel, Leyre Flamarique Pérez

Air quality in selected locations of Silesian Voivodeship.

Anna Mainka, Ewa Puszczało, Pawel Wargocki

Improving Air Quality: Assessing Risks in the Training Rooms of a Technical University’s Sports Facilities. Edyta Melaniuk-Wolny, Kamila Widziewicz-Rzońca, Magdalena Żak, Dmytro Chyzhykov 94

Reduce low emissions by eliminating solid biofuels contaminated with plastics through the implementation of the Py-GC-MS technique.

Marcin Sajdak, Roksana Muzyka

Cancer risk associated with exposure to PM10-bound PAHs in Polish Agglomerations. Barbara Kozielska, Dorota Kaleta 112

Microbiological air quality after the ozonation process carried out under different air change rate.

Ewa Zabłocka-Godlewska, Walter Mucha

Notes from the Laboratory of the Future Society. Anna Maj

Exploring the Future of Post-Mining Infrastructure for Energy Storage: Insights from a Panel Debate. Marcin Lutyński, Łukasz Bartela, Adam Smoliński, Lukáš Adámek, Sebastian Waniczek 133

The European Green Hydrogen Tour. Juan José Sáenz de la Torre, Fernando Gomollón-Bel, Leyre Flamarique Pérez 144 Science as a greenhouse for bright minds 150

European Talent Fair. Science as a development path for young bright minds. Katarzyna Więcek-Jakubek, Barbara Smorczewska, Małgorzata Chrupała-Pniak 151

Looking for a job as a researcher? How to write your own (and get support along the way). Dominik Baumgarten 160

Promoting attractive careers for researchers: the role of ResearchComp. Dario Capezzuto

166

Unlocking Effective Scientific Communication: The Essential Role of Team Collaboration. Aleksandra Lewandowska 174

Various transformations – agile skills.

Monika Bezak, Łukasz Górecki 179

Introduction

The time has come for life to change science so that it works not just for the benefit of one species but for the benefit of all living beings on Earth.

Life on Earth has been around for some 3 billion 700 million years. Sapient human beings appeared on our planet 300,000 years ago. Most of what we call science began to be developed by humans only 500 years ago. Owing to science, we have learned to understand and control life on Earth, which has evolved for millions of years without the presence of humans or, when they appeared, without their conscious participation. Science has changed and is changing life on Earth irreversibly. Its discoveries have become a part of everyone’s lives when we learn to create technologies that apply the discovered phenomena and laws of science. From the Industrial Revolution to today’s work on artificial intelligence, there has been a continuous process of changing our lives through science.

Here, in Silesia, whose economic success and modernisation of life grew directly out of the Industrial Revolution, we are both the beneficiaries and the victims of the uncontrolled development of applied sciences. Success has come to us at the cost of environmental degradation, depopulation, depletion of fossil fuels, and industrial diseases. Today, the region must carry out its own energy, environmental, economic and social transformation. It can only achieve this with the help of science. This time, more conscious of its far-reaching consequences and, above all, more attentive and humble before the laws of life that science has discovered and allowed humankind to use to exploit nature. The time has come for life to change science so that it works not just for the benefit of one species but for the benefit of all living beings on Earth.

Ryszard Koziołek

Rector of the University of Silesia, professor at the Institute of Literary Studies, leader of the Academic Consortium

Katowice City of Science 2024, ESOF 2024

Champion, and Chair of the Committee

Life changes science: Perspectives of EuroScience Open Forum 2024

It Is Life That Changes Science!

Interview with Michał Daszykowski by Agnieszka Kliks-Pudlik1

The middle of June was a busy time for Katowice as the city hosted the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF). To sum up the event, we have asked Prof. Michał Daszykowski, the Vice-Rector for Finance at the University of Silesia in Katowice and the Chair of the ESOF2024 Programme Committee.

Led by the University of Silesia, ESOF 2024 is one of three pillars that support the one-year-long celebrations of the European City of Science Katowice 2024.

‘Life changes science’ was the theme of last month’s ESOF 2024. What message do these words send?

Our motto has been turned upside down a little bit because people usually say that science changes our lives. However, the latest events, such as the coronavirus pandemic or war in Ukraine, clearly show that it is, in fact, life that has an actual impact on what happens in science. And science, regardless of the discipline, may produce ground-breaking solutions.

Could you remind us what ESOF actually is?

The EuroScience Open Forum is a large scientific conference with a nod to the popular science approach, using plain language to bring the world’s biggest challenges to a broad audience. Naturally, the participants were dominated by scientists and representatives of the academic world, but the debate was addressed to the society’s benefit and carried out with the society’s participation. This biennial event concerns the relationship between science and society, the conditions for carrying out scientific research and its impact on society. The programme included lectures, seminars, debates, workshops, poster presentations and exhibitions.

1. Interview from “Forum Akademickie” journal, available online: https://miesiecznik. forumakademickie.pl/czasopisma/fa-7-8-2024/to-zycie-zmienia-nauke-%E2%80%A9/.

500 speakers, 90 poster presentations and 150 speeches, including 10 keynotes, almost 80 panel discussions, over 60 individual speeches and 7 seminars attended by 3,500 participants from nearly 40 countries. Those are not some rookie numbers for a scientific conference. Have you expected such an attendance?

I must admit that in over 50 years of its history, the University of Silesia had yet to have the chance to organise or co-organise a scientific conference of such a reach. But yes, we’ve expected a massive response. ESOF already has its history and reputation, so a large audience attends it frequently. Besides, the event was addressed to a vast audience, and the entry was free of charge and open to everyone interested. We’ve hosted remarkable scientists from Poland, Europe, and the world, politicians, entrepreneurs, and businesspeople, as well as representatives of the European Commission and scientific and funding organisations from various countries. It’s worth underscoring that you could see them walking along the streets of Katowice, and many of them admired the changes occurring in the city and the region.

What were the subjects of the debates?

We focused on six major thematic areas corresponding to the thematic paths of the European City of Science Katowice 2024. These were energy transition, sustainable environment, cultural identities and societal transformations, scientific excellence, healthy societies, and digital transformation.

We focused on six major thematic areas corresponding to the thematic paths of the European City of Science Katowice 2024. These were energy transition, sustainable environment, cultural identities and societal transformations, scientific excellence, healthy societies, and digital transformation.

All these areas concern transformational processes in their very broad and diverse sense. After all, our region is rather peculiar, and the processes we’re going through are unique in the scale of the entire country, perhaps even in a broader one. The region has been built on heavy industry, coal and other mineral resources; now, it has to change its direction. To which one? We’re still not sure. The Rector of the University of Silesia, Prof. Ryszard Koziołek, suggested many years ago that it is science and education that may become the new ‘industry’ here; this idea was the cornerstone of our efforts to make Katowice the European

City of Science. I’m convinced that we, the Silesian scientists, are more than capable of rising to the challenge, and we’re showing it during various activities, such as the very ESOF.

Was there time for networking?

Of course! The Forum’s programme was deliberately designed so that participants have the time and chance to meet each other, talk and network. And so was the case. The spaces between conference halls were bustling with people engaging in conversations. Maybe it’s one of the effects of the pandemic, and we yearn to talk with and meet new people. The last day of ESOF 2024 went beyond the academic debate and outside the confined spaces of the International Congress Centre in Katowice. The participants were offered opportunities to make contact and discover the scientific potential of Silesian universities during—what we called—the Networking Day. Apart from that, scientists had the chance to meet representatives of a large European platform for researchers called Your Europe and a similar platform supporting PhD students, for example, with scholarship offers.

Thematic sessions, networking, what else happened during ESOF 2024?

There was the EU Talent Fair, a side event addressed to early-stage academics and people interested in taking up research work. We also had a lively debate about who a good scientist is, how to become one and what professional development paths are. Finally, there were the EU Prize for Citizen Science 2024 and the Green Growth Ahead seminar.

The question is, to what extent can these events and talks translate into specific actions? In this case, the transformation of the region.

I’m afraid I cannot give you a definite answer to that. I think that the most significant effect is sowing the seeds and raising awareness that the region’s transformation is inevitable in many ways, as well as showing in what directions we can go. We don’t get to control what soil the seeds fall on—figuratively speaking—but it is all about the organic work. I believe that actions that raise awareness in the society are far more effective than imposing commands and prohibitions. It’s better to explain something—e.g. why we should take care of the air quality and change old furnaces—than to impose orders without justifying them.

All the activities within the European City of Science 2024 are to stimulate the public debate regarding topics connected to science. What part in that task does ESOF play?

We often perceive science as something abstract and disconnected from everyday life. Events like ESOF 2024 remind people that science is not something far-fetched – it introduces changes in many aspects of our lives and produces answers and remedies to the biggest challenges thrown upon us by reality.

Besides, by our actions, we show the world that we, scientists, want to be noticed and feel needed by society, especially the local communities. We want to show that financing Polish science pays off because science is a country’s safety net and insurance for the future, so to speak. The coronavirus pandemic and war in Ukraine have explicitly shown what it means to be independent in terms of energy, science and technology. I believe that our nearly 40-million country can afford its own technological thought and scientific achievements at the Nobel Prize level. The question of why that’s not the case is open-ended. Thus, all our activities promote and communicate science among society and engage the very society in discussing the place of science in our everyday lives.

Translated by Radosław Hojka

Michał Daszykowski

Professor of chemical sciences and Vice-Rector for Finance at the University of Silesia in Katowice. He develops and applies chemometric approaches that facilitate the analysis of complex instrumental signals. He is the author and co-author of 78 scientific articles and 10 chapters in monographs.

Driving Innovation and Collaboration: The Impact of ESOF 2024 in Katowice

Marek Pawełczyk

The decision to host the EuroScience Open Forum conference 2024 (ESOF 2024) in Katowice and designate the city as the European City of Science was made after thorough consideration. Reflecting on why this location was chosen, it is important to acknowledge the remarkable transformation the region experienced over the past three decades. Approximately 30 years ago, Silesia began its shift from a traditional heavy-industry economy to a centre of modern technology and innovation.

This transformation was not an isolated effort. The region observed and learned from neighbouring countries that had advanced their industrial evolution. These insights helped guide Upper Silesia’s own strategy in reshaping its industry and culture. However, while it may seem straightforward to outline such a transformation, executing it was complex and demanding. Through the foresight and determination of the region’s leaders—who faced considerable challenges in addressing the social aspects of change—Silesia successfully reinvented itself. Today, Katowice stands as a prime example of this achievement.

In 2015, Katowice joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. This milestone reflects its evolution as a City of Science and its emergence as a City of Music and Culture. This broader cultural and scientific development has been central to the region’s success. Crucial to this progress was the role played by the academic community. The universities in the region, particularly the seven major public institutions, collaborated closely, bringing their complementary strengths together to support the city’s transformation. Their combined efforts have been instrumental in driving innovation and fostering new growth opportunities.

When investors consider potential locations, they evaluate not just economic factors but also the intellectual, cultural, and social environment. They seek regions where they can find a highly skilled workforce and a supportive setting for their businesses and families. Thanks to Katowice, thanks to its strong academic

and scientific foundations, Katowice offers precisely this environment, making it an attractive destination for investment and development.

At ESOF 2024, six key thematic areas were addressed, all of them vital to tackling the challenges of the future. The sessions featured contributions from experts both within the region and across Europe. With the support of EuroScience and the European Commission, the event successfully brought together leading minds—people who are shaping projects, developing ideas, and eager to collaborate. Through this kind of international cooperation and the exchange of ideas, we continue to drive progress globally.

Looking back, the conference provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to actively engage, share their insights, and foster new connections. These interactions, rooted in collaboration and knowledge sharing, will undoubtedly continue to shape the future.

Marek Pawełczyk

Prof. Marek Pawełczyk PhD, DSc Eng., Corr. Member, Polish Academy of Sciences. Rector of Silesian University of Technology for the 2024-2028 term. Professor and Head of the Department of Measurements and Control Systems at the Faculty of Automatic Control, Electronics and Computer Science, specialising in industrial automation, digital signal processing, and vibroacoustics. He has held key managerial roles at the SUT, serving as Vice Rector for Science and Development from 2016 to 2024. As of 2024, he is Chair of the International Cooperation Committee of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP), a member of the CRASP Presidium, and Vice Chair of the Conference of Rectors of Polish Technical Universities.

European City of Science Katowice 2024

Marcin Krupa

The ESOF 2024 Conference was one of the key events organised as part of the European City of Science Katowice 2024. It was the culminating point and the most important conference about science – a conference open to all and a conference from which everyone could benefit. Above all, it was a place where you could not only see the potential of our Universities but also touch science in the literal sense. It was conducted in such a way as to make it possible to talk about science in a friendly and approachable manner. The programme has been created with scientists in mind and, first and foremost, with the residents of Katowice and Metropolis GZM – all those interested in learning a little more about science. It fits perfectly with the idea that the consortium of seven universities created together with the City of Katowice is attempting to meet social expectations and increase the accessibility of science. This is done not in the standard, more classical way one would expect within the walls of a university, where this potential has been huge for years, but by bringing it closer to the region’s residents. Science communication, the act of presenting the best things our universities offers, makes society and the local communities feel even more connected to one another and the city.

Obtaining the title of the European City of Science is an opportunity for the city’s development and increasing its attractiveness, introducing innovative concepts, launching of new investments, stimulating tourism, and increasing the involvement of residents and the scientific community. The title and directly connected ESOF are prestigious brands that offer the city an excellent opportunity to attract scientists, politicians, business people, and media representatives at the highest level and promote it internationally. Katowice is the first city in history from Central and Eastern Europe to be awarded this title. We have joined the ranks of cities such as Barcelona, Munich, Manchester, and Copenhagen. It is a breakthrough event, focusing the attention of the world of science and technology on our region.

Obtaining the title and rights to organise the ESOF conference is also an opportunity for our city to take a huge step forward and deepen the changes accompanying the transformation of our society towards science. Moreover, it is an impulse steering us towards cooperation between residents and scientists to solve local problems,

such as the post-industrial character of the city, environmental degradation, depopulation of Silesian cities, quality of education, and attracting investments to Silesia thanks to our thriving academic centres. This is followed by an improvement in the quality of life of the residents and a dynamic development of science in the Silesia and Zagłębie region. In the face of three crises that have affected us – the epidemic, the war in Ukraine, and the rising energy costs – science is insurance for today and the future. All this made applying for this title so important to us.

The slogan of the ECS is: ‘Science will give us a future’. We want the needs and problems of the residents of the city and the region to dictate the programme of celebrations and the future directions of scientific development of our universities. Therefore, I’ve commissioned seven universities to research the expectations of the city’s residents towards the ECSK 2024 programme assumptions. The ECSK 2024 programme was based on the results of this research.

The slogan of ESOF 2024 was ‘Life changes science’. And now, science and education are becoming a new industry for our region. It is on science that we want to build the future of our city.

Marcin Krupa

Ph.D., has been the Mayor of Katowice since 2014. He graduated from the Faculty of Transport at the Silesian University of Technology, where he later defended his Ph.D. in Machine Construction and worked as an adjunct. Krupa also completed post-graduate studies in Organizational Management and has expertise in EU project assessment and motor vehicle appraisals. He served on the Katowice City Council (2006–2010) and as Deputy Mayor (2010–2014). In 2014, he was elected mayor after presenting his program “Agreement with the inhabitants of Katowice”.

Life, Science, and the Excess of Curiosity

Dawid Matuszek

The EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) is one of Europe’s most important scientific events, bringing together thousands of participants from various fields of science, technology, and innovation. The 2024 edition, held in Katowice from 12 to 15 June at the International Congress Centre (ICC), gathered over 3,500 participants from 40 countries.

Since its inception in 2004, ESOF has become a key forum for cross-disciplinary exchange among scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The 2024 edition, with the slogan ‘Life changes science’, highlighted the intricate relationship between life and science. The conference made it clear that science is shaped by the physical, biological, social, economic, and political dimensions of life while at the same time influencing these areas. The idea that the boundaries between life and science are often blurred was central to this year’s discussions.

The theme of this year’s ESOF conference emerged from the fundamental question: Why do people engage in science? Why do they spend so much time in laboratories, libraries, lecture halls, or in front of computer screens? The answer is clear: because they are excessively curious about life. Science arises from this excess of curiosity. Scientists are not content with simply observing life – they seek to understand it and are driven by the desire to change it, to improve, extend, and intensify it.

Science has a profound impact on our lives, but the reverse is also true – life itself is a constant source of challenges and inspiration that fuel the development of science. This symbiotic, reciprocal interaction between science and life is the driving force behind social progress. Science is no longer just about the search for the truth about reality; it must possess natural flexibility and adaptability, as well as be open to the changes taking place in the world and its needs in order to respond to new challenges and contribute to shaping a better future for life.

In this context, the transformation challenges faced by regions like Silesia resonate particularly strongly, as do the ways in which we, as representatives

of the scientific community, can address these challenges. By helping to solve existing problems, we also create new opportunities for the residents of cities, regions, and nations. Therefore, the choice of this year’s conference location was no coincidence.

In order to ensure the highest scientific level, an essential part of the preparations for the conference was the scientific review and selection of the submitted sessions. During this edition of ESOF, we received almost 500 submissions of oral and poster presentations, so the selection was broad, and the reviews were meticulous. Ultimately, our goal was to create the most diverse programme possible. However, due to the absence of this area in previous editions and, above all, the significance of this issue for the future of the Academy, the topic of scientific excellence garnered the most interest. It became the most prominent topic at the conference and featured the highest number of sessions. There were more than 130 thematic sessions and 90 poster presentations from all fields of science, making it a dynamic platform for exchanging knowledge and showcasing the latest scientific achievements.

The main themes included energy transition, sustainable environment, cultural identity and societal transformation, scientific excellence, healthy society, and digital transformation, and each of them featured a keynote speech. We aimed to strike a balance between global experts and local scientists to demonstrate that local perspectives and global science should complement each other. A particularly notable speech was delivered by Professor Marcin Piątkowski, who provided insightful perspectives on the future of economic growth and the challenges ahead in the 21st century, especially in light of Poland’s ‘Economic Miracle’ after 1989. However, ESOF2024 welcomed many more remarkable guests. Among them were Jara Pascual (an advocate for open innovation and cooperation), Philip K. Hopke (an expert in air pollution and environmental health), Sir Andy Haines (a leader in planetary health and sustainable development), David Stainforth (a specialist in climate modelling and risk), Sabina Leonelli (a philosopher of science with a focus on data practices), Isto Huvila (an expert in information science and digital humanities), Toma Susi (a physicist known for his work on advanced materials), and Krzysztof Wodiczko (an artist and designer renowned for his work on social justice and public spaces).

Additionally, several panels addressed the intersection of science and industry, with a particular focus on the role of science in shaping climate policy. One impactful session explored sustainable development and featured a discussion with recipients of the prestigious ERC (European Research Council) grants, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to global challenges. Moderated by Prof. Michał Daszykowski from the University of Silesia, the session aimed to introduce conference participants to the specifics of the scientific research that may lead to obtaining this distinction and present the critical elements of a research career contributing to success in ERC competitions.

The conference featured many workshops on topics such as the AI ecosystem and science communication in times of crisis, which attracted many participants. These sessions provided an opportunity not only for expanding knowledge but also for networking and cooperation with scientists and students from different fields. The poster presentations allowed emerging researchers to showcase their work, stimulating further discussions and feedback from established scientists.

ESOF2024 was not only a hub for intellectual exchange but also for fostering international cooperation. Several networking events were organised, allowing attendees to develop professional connections across borders. Notable accompanying events included the EU Prize for Citizen Science 2024, the Green Growth Ahead initiative, and the European Talent Fair – a job fair aimed at young scientists and aspiring researchers. The conference’s final day also offered the opportunity to explore the scientific potential of Silesian universities through tours and special presentations outside the ICC.

Throughout the conference, speakers addressed the pressing challenges facing science today, both globally and regionally. We debated over crucial issues, with many agreeing that international cooperation and increased investment in research and development will be essential. The conclusions drawn from the conference are expected to lay a solid foundation for future actions in science, including the social circulation of knowledge.

In this publication, we offer a glimpse of the key discussions and insights that unfolded during the conference. It is a collection of articles submitted by participants, showcasing the breadth of ideas and research presented at ESOF2024.

Dawid Matuszek Doctor of Humanities. Director of the Science Department at the University of Silesia in Katowice. Executive Director of the ESOF2024 conference.

Changes Within Science Excellence

The Influence of Science on Public Policy: Research Perspectives on Policy Design and Implementation

Anna Budzanowska

Changes in the design and implementation of public policies and transformations in the formulation of structural reforms have long been of interest to researchers (Christensen & Laegreid, 2007; Massey, 2013). However, the issue of the impact of science on public policies has recently become more a subject of interest. Studies in this area focus on the uses of science to both the intended and unintended outcomes of public policy and reform design, application, and implementation (Budzanowska, Danda 2022). These studies also seek to understand the mechanisms through which “reform policy (philosophy) actually works” and how public support for these reforms is garnered (Tsebelis, König, & Debus, 2011; Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2011) and how to implement research in the process of policy realizations (Antonowicz et al 2019).

The above issues are important because no one needs to prove anymore that the quality of public policies increasingly influences the dynamics and nature of socioeconomic processes. On one hand, it determines the state’s competitive position in the international arena and its ability to achieve strategic goals. On the other hand, it shapes the well-being of its citizens (Parkhurst, 2017). This growing significance of public policy is closely tied to the expanding influence of scientific knowledge in both the public and governmental spheres.

In the modern world, the role of science in governance is becoming increasingly prominent. Scientific research is critical in shaping public policy because it provides reliable data and verified expert knowledge for policy decisions.

At the same time, research confirms that there is still a need to build stronger bridges between scientific authorities and policymakers […]. Recent challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of climate change have proven that science can play a pivotal role in policy implementation by providing evidence-based solutions to pressing policy issues […].

Moreover, the interaction between science and public administration reshapes how policies are developed and implemented. As a result, changes in policies not only affect public action but also influence the course of scientific research itself. This reciprocal relationship underscores the importance of integrating science with the policymaking process to ensure the development of effective and sustainable public policies.

How does science support political processes?

Science supports political processes by providing reliable data and interdisciplinary advice. This is emphasised by both political decision-makers and industry representatives:

“The greatest value lies in in-depth knowledge and access to global, not just local, information. This is an undeniable advantage. The key to success is a well-diagnosed problem that can be turned into a research question. Universities are often the best places to solve such problems. Unfortunately, research plans are often not discussed with key stakeholders. Communication is needed from the beginning of the process”1 .

At the same time, the researchers point out:

“We should not expect scientific discoveries to lead to immediate results. This is a rare event. The key is above all a good diagnosis of the problem at an early stage, in direct contact with the political decision-makers. But the challenges we have faced in recent years have confirmed that experts from different fields need to work together with politicians and share their experiences worldwide”2 .

One of the key challenges in today’s world is to create policies that are based on proven data and tailored to local social needs. Health policy is an example of such a policy. Scientific evidence should support existing policies, anticipate future challenges, and help policymakers develop needs-based solutions.

1. ESOF 2024, panel

2. ESOF 2024, panel

Collaboration between science and policymaking

Effective collaboration between scientists and policymakers requires an understanding of the differences in the way these groups work. One challenge is the different response times: while research is time-consuming, policymakers often make quick decisions under pressure. To address this issue, network-like structures are needed that enable a better flow of information and continuous cooperation between researchers and decision-makers.

There are already examples of organizations that act as intermediaries between science and politics. For example, the European Commission’s Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM)3 or senseaboutscience4 supports policymaking by translating scientific findings into a language decision-makers can understand. Another example is the EuroScience Policy Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the dialogue between science and politics. The first award went to Ciencia en el Parlamento, a grassroots movement in Spain that led to the establishment of the Office for Science and Technology Assessment in the Spanish Parliament, demonstrating how scientists and public support can influence evidence-based policy5

Journalists also play a crucial role by translating complex scientific findings into language that the public and politicians can understand, thus supporting policy implementation. However, the unpredictability of policy, societal pressures and the influence of the media often pose a challenge to the integration of scientific advice, particularly in polarizing areas and situations. For scientists to communicate their findings effectively, their messages must be clear, concise, practical and realistic.

The future of policymaking must be based on science

Researchers’ efforts to provide validated data are insufficient; it is crucial to transform these data into actionable knowledge for policymakers. Effective collaboration between scientists and policymakers requires mutual understanding and constant communication. A key element of this relationship is to identify the needs of policymakers and create mechanisms that foster systematic dialogue

3. https://scientificadvice.eu/

4. https://senseaboutscience.org/

5. https://cienciaenelparlamento.org/noticias/

between both parties. Events like the one in Katowice - ESOF 2024 - have served as valuable platforms for this exchange6 .

Arguments why the future of policy should be based on science:

→ Evidence-based decision making - Scientific data provides a solid foundation for developing evidence-based policy and reduces the risk of biassed or uninformed decisions.

→ Long-term solutions - Science enables policymakers to anticipate future challenges such as climate change or pandemics and develop sustainable solutions.

→ Global cooperation and impact - Science fosters international cooperation by enabling experts from different countries to share knowledge in order to develop globally coherent policies.

References:

→ Antonowicz, Dominik, et al. “Breaking the Deadlock of Mistrust? A Participative Model of the Structural Reforms in Higher Education in Poland.” Higher Education Quarterly, vol. 73, no. 4, 2019, pp. 456-468, doi:10.1111/hequ.12254.

→ Budzanowska, Anna, and Aleksandra Dańda. “Law 2.0 – Participatory Paradigm in Public Policies as the Example of the Reform of the System of Science and Higher Education in Poland.” Kwartalnik Nauka, no. 2, 2022, pp. 71-92.

→ Christensen, Tom, and Per Laegreid. Transcending New Public Management: The Transformation of Public Sector Reforms. Routledge, 2007.

→ Massey, Andrew. Public Sector Reform. 1st ed., SAGE Publications Ltd, 2013.

→ Parkhurst, Justin. The Politics of Evidence: From Evidence-based Policy to the Good Governance of Evidence. Routledge, 2017.

→ Pollitt, Christopher, and Geert Bouckaert. Public Management Reform: A Comparative Analysis - New Public Management, Governance, and the Neo-Weberian State. Oxford University Press, 2011.

→ Tsebelis, George, et al. Reform Processes and Policy Change: Veto Players and Decision-Making in Modern Democracies. Springer-Verlag, 2011.

→ “Scientific Advice.” scientificadvice.eu, https://scientificadvice.eu/.

→ “Ciencia en el Parlamento.” cienciaenelparlamento.org, https://cienciaenelparlamento.org/noticias/.

6. https://www.esof.eu

→ Senseaboutscience. https://senseaboutscience.org/ → “EuroScience Open Forum.” esof.eu, https://www.esof.eu.

Anna Budzanowska

Doctor of Political Science at the Silesian University in Katowice. Specialist in the history of political doctrines and public policy, combining her academic career with her work in public administration. Plenipotentiary of the Mayor of Katowice for the European City of Science 2024, champion of the Euroscience Open Forum ESOF 2024.

Mental Health of Early Career Researchers in Academia

Aleksandra Lewandowska

The mental health of early career researchers (ECRs) in academia is a growing concern that requires immediate attention from institutions, policymakers, and the academic community at large (Levecque et al., 2017). ECRs, encompassing postdoctoral researchers, junior faculty, and PhD candidates, face unique challenges that significantly impact their mental well-being (Evans, Bira, Gastelum, Weiss, & Vanderford, 2018). Understanding and addressing these challenges with appropriate support systems is essential for fostering a healthier and more sustainable academic environment.

Early career researchers occupy a precarious position within academia. They are often under immense pressure to secure funding, publish high-impact research, and establish themselves in a competitive job market, all while navigating temporary contracts and uncertain career paths (Guthrie, Lichten, van Belle, & Ball, 2017). The “publish or perish” culture prevalent in academia exacerbates these pressures, often leading to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and burnout (Woolston, 2019). A 2019 Nature survey highlighted the high prevalence of mental health issues among ECRs, including anxiety, depression, and burnout, which are often fueled by the relentless demand for productivity and excellence (Woolston, 2019).

The job insecurity associated with temporary contracts and the intense competition for permanent positions further contribute to the mental health strain experienced by ECRs (Guthrie et al., 2017). The reliance on external funding for career progression creates additional stress, as researchers must constantly secure grants to maintain their positions (Levecque et al., 2017). This cycle of uncertainty can lead to a decrease in personal well-being, reduced professional productivity, and strained interpersonal relationships with peers, mentors, and family (Evans et al., 2018).

The mental health challenges faced by ECRs have far-reaching consequences beyond personal well-being. Anxiety, depression, and burnout can lead to lower productivity, higher absenteeism, and a decline in creative and innovative output (Levecque et al., 2017). These issues not only affect the researchers themselves

but also have a broader impact on the academic community and research outputs (Woolston, 2019). Strained relationships with mentors and peers, coupled with the pressure to perform constantly, can create a toxic work environment that is detrimental to the overall academic culture (Evans et al., 2018).

Institutions play a crucial role in supporting the mental health of ECRs. Access to mental health services, counselling, and well-being programmes is essential for helping researchers cope with the pressures of academic life (Evans et al., 2018). Mentorship programs that provide guidance and support are equally important, as positive mentor-mentee relationships can significantly enhance the career development and mental health of ECRs (Levecque et al., 2017).

Creating supportive peer networks is another effective strategy. Encouraging collaboration, sharing experiences, and building a sense of community can alleviate isolation and foster a more inclusive academic environment (Guthrie et al., 2017). Institutions should also promote work-life balance initiatives, such as flexible working hours and healthy work culture, to reduce the burden on ECRs (Woolston, 2019).

To address the mental health challenges of ECRs, institutions should implement policies that promote job security and reduce workload (Levecque et al., 2017). Providing more stable career pathways and reducing the emphasis on constant publication can alleviate some of the pressures researchers encounter (Evans et al., 2018). Increasing access to mental health resources, such as counselling and resilience training, is also crucial (Woolston, 2019).

Structured mentorship and career development programs can provide ECRs with the guidance and support they need to navigate the complexities of academic life (Levecque et al., 2017). Additionally, institutions should offer stress management and resilience training, equipping researchers with the tools they need to cope with their challenges (Evans et al., 2018).

While institutional support is vital, ECRs can also adopt personal strategies to manage their mental health (Guthrie et al., 2017). Regular self-care practices, such as exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating, are fundamental to maintaining physical and mental well-being (Levecque et al., 2017). Effective time

management, prioritising tasks, and setting realistic goals can help researchers manage their workloads more efficiently (Evans et al., 2018).

Engaging in social activities, joining support groups, and seeking help from mentors and peers can also provide valuable emotional support (Guthrie et al., 2017). It is essential for ECRs to recognise the signs of mental health struggles and to seek help when needed, utilising available mental health resources and building a solid support network (Woolston, 2019).

Addressing the mental health of early career researchers is not just a personal issue; it is a collective responsibility that requires the commitment of institutions, mentors, peers, and the researchers themselves (Evans et al., 2018). By creating a supportive and healthy academic environment, we can ensure the well-being and productivity of ECRs, fostering a research culture that values the mental health of its members as much as their academic achievements (Levecque et al., 2017).

The call to action is clear: academia must evolve to support the mental health of its early career researchers, recognising their contributions and providing them with the stability and resources they need to thrive (Woolston, 2019).

References:

→ Evans, T. M., Bira, L., Gastelum, J. B., Weiss, L. T., & Vanderford, N. L. (2018). Evidence for a mental health crisis in graduate education. Nature Biotechnology, 36(3), 282-284.

→ Guthrie, S., Lichten, C. A., van Belle, J., & Ball, S. (2017). Understanding mental health in the research environment: A rapid evidence assessment. RAND Corporation.

→ Levecque, K., Anseel, F., De Beuckelaer, A., Van der Heyden, J., & Gisle, L. (2017). Work organization and mental health problems in PhD students. Research Policy, 46(4), 868-879.

→ Woolston, C. (2019). PhDs: the tortuous truth. Nature, 575(7782), 403-406.

Aleksandra Lewandowska

Mental Health Working Group Coordinator at the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (EURODOC), Master of psychology (mn. neurocognitive science) and criminology. Doctoral candidate in social sciences at the University of Bialystok, specializing in the field of neurocriminology and forensic neuropsychology.

Digital transformation

Digital transition as a stimulator of changes in the science system

Jara Pascual

Digital tools or platforms are essential for any work required to communicate, collaborate or foster efficiency through processes. As part of the European strategy for digital transition, digitalization of the industry, society, and administrative level, together with digitalization across sectors, is critical to the region’s economic growth.

The understanding of integrating digital tools into existing processes is sometimes unsuccessful because it is not about a tool to speed up the current process, but about understanding the current process, analyzing it, discovering the gaps, and finding the points to improve it. A 360-degree overview is required to understand the correlations and interdependencies and decide which parts could be digitalized and which should remain “non digital”, i.e., in-person and offline. Every institution

A centralized tool for Digital Ecosystems

Aggregation and centralization Operational Efficiency

All the stakeholders and processes in one place to boost efficiency

Stakeholders are...

• Members of innovation hubs

Bringing alignment, a common goal and purpose to innovation hubs

• Coordinators of innovation hubs

• Startups

• SMES

• Universities

Access to Data

Facilitating access to data, processes and information even when there are in-person limitations

and organization is different because of the processes and cultural aspects. It is essential to do a prior analysis to understand the ecosystem dynamics, needs, and challenges to prepare an operational plan and documentation of what is important and relevant to digitalize and what is important to keep as in-person activities.

The European Innovation Ecosystem is a clear example of a decentralized innovation ecosystem, and the objective is to empower the decentralization of the ecosystem, understanding the strengths of each university, research team, digital hub, incubator, accelerator and their contribution to the overall European Innovation Ecosystem, and thinking as a unity with different stakeholders working together to one mission, which in this case is to make Europe resilient, green and digital with an innovation ecosystem and collaborative mindset among the quadruple helix (at least and beyond). This is a joint effort of orchestration, communication and understanding of each other. An economically resilient and successful digital and green transition should result from the new digital economy and the high-performing operations of the European Innovation Ecosystem.

Another challenge for a successful digitalization of the innovation ecosystem and the collaboration of academics with businesses is the factor of successful deployment of the internet and 5G connectivity across all the rural areas and countries of Europe as well, together with the access to high-speed internet in every institution and businesses (which is important for remote work and also for including everyone in the ecosystem, not only the main cities and countries). Although this is not the article’s topic, it must be mentioned as part of the success of digitalization and access to digital tools, which could be related to this critical infrastructure horizontal layer that will ensure the success of the European Innovation Ecosystem and academic-business collaboration.

The recommendation is to digitalize the following main processes and keep in-person and local the other described processes below. With this note, using digital tools empowers the local coordination of each TTO (technology and knowledge transfer office) with a hybrid mindset of orchestration and coordination of the innovation ecosystem and supporting the collaboration between academics and businesses.

Knowledge sharing

• Zoom sessions

• Recording of webinars

• Digital nuggets

• Research publications

• Resources sharing

Digitalization of processes for innovation ecosystem

People and stakeholders

• Profile creation of ecosystem members

Technology solutions Communication processes

• Collabwith marketplace

• Automation of emails to facilitate the coordination of the ecosystem Legal processes

• Digitalization of processes to streamline the safe establishment of new partnerships

• efficiency

• safety

• opportunities

• collaboration BOOST INNOVATION

The proposed digital tool platform is a one-stop-shop for the European Innovation Ecosystem with micro-ecosystems from every research team, accelerator, incubator, TTO, university, digital hub, tech park, etc., as coordinators of their local stakeholders to have a place to go, to be informed, work together and keep track of all the activities around each digital hub and their portfolio and alums (here, it’s about academic-businesses collaborations, technology applications, spinoffs, etc.) As a side note, in this case, businesses mean industry, corporates, SMEs and startups.

Currently, TTOs, researchers and universities are working on self-made tools or using US-based and created tools for free (with the risk of the data accessible by the US government and other actors, easy to access, which reduces the security and the confidentiality of research and innovation projects). The issue with using those systems is that the data is hosted in the US, and the data is accessible by the US government at any time.

This is essential, and other institutions, regions, governments or projects are creating different one-stop shops for academia and research. Those digital tools should be connected and partially connected via APIs, data interoperable, database encrypted, and standardization of data structure to support the smooth operations of the European Innovation Ecosystem in the case of the systems critical the ecosystem operations and management. As it’s impossible to envision only one application for everything due to different functionalities but also due to the governmental requirements, at the same time, this should not be a stopper for the performance of the European Innovation Ecosystem at any level.

For instance, as scientific and research results, on the one hand, researchers usually prepare an article presenting the results of scientific projects. That is their role in terms of academic purposes. This is expected of them. On the other hand, society and businesses have yet to read that kind of text or the other case where patents are hidden from the rest of the world, making it almost impossible for entrepreneurs or other professionals (who might apply the research results or patents) creating new ideas, concepts and applications for providing the value of research to the society and industry. Therefore, the risk is that it will not reach the public and consequently will not create the societal impact that makes such innovation worthwhile.

The innovative ecosystem actors share this information consciously and responsibly. This requires being proactive and involves multiple actors in the ecosystem: academics, professionals, industry and business, and, last but not least, the government. All of them should be curious about what is happening at universities. Universities need to be active in effectively sharing their know-how. They have to be open to the rest of the world, but in a proper way—not only communicating for the sake of communication. This flow of information among different innovation ecosystem actors plays a crucial role in building fruitful cooperation. Without it, we have the invention, but we lose the whole performance of innovation.

INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES

Hybrid Digitalized In person

• Promotion in the platform of in-person events

• Recorded tranings to keep track of the knowledge

• Directory/archive of the stakeholders

• Chat channels for communication exchange beyond in-person events

• Recording of trainings Quarterly ecosystem partners

• Matching with EU calls

• On-site trainings for mindset, education, skills and knowledge

• Ecosystem events for networking

• Collaboration Days

• In-person PechaKucha

• Info sessions/ round tables

• Peer mentoring

• "Meet the experts" sessions

Let us create a realistic overview of the benefits vs operational tasks to enhance the European Innovation Ecosystem from a perspective “in-person and online digital” decentralization of the innovation ecosystem with a digital centralization of the ecosystem:

→ Facilitate networking among hubs members and other international hubs and be able to outreach to reach out to others and discover other innovations and entrepreneurs.

→ Use the digital tool to clarify your collaborations as an overview.

→ Use the digital tool to empower other hubs to access operations and performance data dashboards.

→ Use one tool or minimize the use of tools per functionality to communicate, share information, collaborate and access to programs and funding opportunities (from your team members / hubs / ecosystem perspective).

→ Connect your hub and digital ecosystem with other networks to increase collaboration opportunities, tech transfer and innovation adoption.

→ Create your own resources and training and sell or give them for free to other hubs or other partners.

→ Provide value to the rest of the hubs and their members with your expertise, programs, and training.

→ Kick off your community as a Digital Innovation Hub and manage as a hybrid mode coordinator.

Additionally, it requires an educational culture of innovation that encourages creativity. The authorities in universities and companies should use the triggers to create that type of workplace environment. It will be the basis for a space of new competencies.

An ecosystem mindset is important in understanding the main actors and the knowledge of that specific environment. The next step would be creating innovative leadership that brings people together. The ecosystem mindset means helping each other in this process, collaborating to “connect the dots”.

CONCLUSIONS

→ Digitalization of the connections and collaborations between academics and businesses is about increasing efficiency in the collaboration.

→ Digital tools are not to substitute the work and tasks of universities and academics for collaboration; instead, they are “helpers” and “supporters”

of the work of the technology transfer offices for enhancing collaborations, networking and interactions.

→ Digital tools complement the academic system, and hybrid modes should be considered, which means a mix of offline and online activities.

→ A transition, tool adoption and change management plans should be implemented and included, because digital tools imply a transformation of the way of working.

→ Digitalization is not only about adopting digital tools, but it changes the processes and daily tasks, and this is about mindset and supporting scientists, researchers, academics, entrepreneurs and businesses with a common way of thinking and working.

→ In the end, a collaborative and innovative mindset should be the baseline for an efficient collaborative quadruple helix in a format of innovation ecosystem when the hybrid (digital and local) governance and coordination support those models and opportunities.

REFERENCES

→ (Pascual, J., 2021) Innovation and Collaboration in the Digital Era. August 2021.

Jara Pascual

CEO of Collabwith, author of the book Innovation and Collaboration in the Digital Era. Consultant and professor at different universities. Board member of the K4I Innovation Forum at the European Parliament. Expert advisor on innovation in the European Parliament and the European Commission, Chair of the WG Innovation Ecosystems of the European IoT Alliance and Member of AMIT-MIT.

Do you know how your data was made? You should.

Isto Huvila

Everything from everyday pursuits to decision-making and scientific research increasingly relies on “data”. But do we know if, how and why we can and sometimes should not depend on it? In addition to knowing what the data is about, we should also know where it comes from, who created it, how, why, and how it has been processed after its conception. Information on data creation, processing and use is “paradata” – and remarkably often, there is far too little paradata available.

Introduction

The accelerating datafication of social life from everyday pursuits to societal and economic decision-making to scientific research means that we rely more and more on “data”. Knowing if, how, why and when data is reliable or unreliable can be difficult. Knowing what data is good or good enough is not always very easy. To be able to do that, apart from figuring out what a particular piece of data is about, we should also know where the data comes from, who created it, how, why, and how it has been processed after its conception. Very often, even if data is carefully documented, there is little “paradata” or information on the data’s creation, processing and use.

Where does data come from?

A significant complication with data is that it is never raw, even if it is customary to talk about raw data. As Geoffrey Bowker, a well-known researcher of technology and information, noted, “raw data is both an oxymoron and a bad idea” (Bowker 2005, p. 184) meaning that data is always ’cooked’. It is prepared and made by someone for a purpose we might or might not know.

Therefore, understanding data requires that we know the recipe and who is cooking the data we are interested in. For example, an ordinary thermometer used at home is usually just perfect for measuring temperatures to decide whether it is a good day to go out for a picnic, or if you need a coat or if a T-shirt would be enough. For such purposes, it is also good if the 5-year-old in the family checks the measurement. However, if temperature measurements are needed for another purpose, both the instrument’s accuracy and when, how, and by whom the

measurements are taken can play a significant role. For example, following and foreseeing the pace of global warming requires a different level of accuracy.

The crux is that with all kinds of data concerning everyday life and major decisions of societal importance, we need to have paradata — to know where the data we are using comes from, how it was cooked, and according to what recipe to be able to rely on it.

Paradata

Paradata is information on data creation, processing and use. The European Research Council-funded research project CApturing Paradata for documenTing data creation and Use for the REsearch of the future (CAPTURE) has investigated what information about the creation and use of research data — or paradata — is needed and how it could be possible to capture enough of that information to make datasets reusable in the future. With the aim of creating new knowledge on the broad patterns of process and practice documentation and its use, the project has conducted extensive research on how archaeologists document their data making and figure out how the data they use has been created and processed. Archaeologists were selected as an especially apposite group to study in the project. They work with a vast variety of different types of data and use a massive range of scientific and scholarly methods in their work. We have extended our findings to other domains by combining evidence from archaeology-specific research with findings from other communities and contexts of data creation and use. The research has shown that there tends to be a lot of paradata around. The most critical problem is to recognize it.

Considering this, instead of trying to maximize the production of new paradata, the major issue is that the paradata is often fragmented across different parts of data and eventual data documentation. It can be challenging to get an overall grasp of what paradata is available. Finding the paradata, understanding what is missing, and complementing it with the necessary additional information can all be surprisingly difficult. Practices and processes are sometimes documented, for example, in explicit written form, as well as video and audio recorded descriptions and photographs of data making, diagrams, and workflows. However, relevant information can also be found elsewhere. The naming of work procedures and methods or the organisation or individuals creating data can be informative

enough if you know them. Similarly, as the research in CAPTURE shows, looking into the data itself before reuse can reveal a lot about how it was created and processed and how reliable it probably is.

In data used for research and everyday purposes, a common and effective strategy is talking to people. Asking data creators is often the easiest way of getting to know more, even if there are some caveats. However, we forget how we did something surprisingly fast and fail to keep casual notes and documentation. In the long run, career changes, retirement, and the passing away of data creators make it impossible.

Document enough and leave traces

Even if knowing about the making of data can be difficult, there are several things you can do. As a data creator, it is worthwhile to consider how to ensure that there is enough, but just enough, essential information that imaginable data reusers really need and use. Discussing with existing and potential data users when deciding what to document and how is crucial. Documentation should also be planned before data itself is created rather than first afterwards. Publishing a data extraction protocol beforehand functions both as documentation and helps to keep data work more systematic.

The worst is to try to ferociously document everything without a clear plan. There is no end to documentation. More information is often just more, not better information. The time and effort are wasted. Moreover, it is important to consider that even if transparency is often for good, for example, privacy and ethics frequently mean that there are aspects of data-related practices that should not be documented.

Another helpful strategy to ensure that information on data creation and processing is preserved to avoid cleaning all the traces of what was done. Make sure to leave traces of your data making, and, as a user, ask for early versions of data, working documents, and any creation and processing time notes and information. This makes any attempts later on to figure out how data was created by reading documentation or using diverse data forensic and “archaeological” methods much more straightforward.

In addition, there is a wealth of techniques for creating paradata and understanding data creation and processing. Knowledge graphs that aim to gather all data in a given domain can also be included to cover how the data was created. Techniques such as food nutrition labels and data comics describing data practices and data as such can help to make information on data creation and processing easier to find and understand. For documenting ongoing datawork, using digital notebooks and keeping a video diary of the process can be equally helpful. Whenever working with programming code to process data, it is useful to remember that it is paradata and should be kept as documentation.

Conclusions: Paradata is about trust

With paradata, the most critical aspect is remembering that it is not really about generating and having more (para)data or documentation. It is about understanding data work. In parallel, it is crucial to remember that paradata is a meshwork of many different information pieces. Creating and using it effectively requires data literacy, or understanding that you need to understand data and how it was made, but also that you can’t understand everything by yourself. Even if it is reasonable to expect that as data users, we need to know our data and ’check facts’ about what we don’t know, we must also know our limits and when we can’t do that. Much of the contemporary disinformation crisis is about people believing that they are checking facts and, in reality, not being able to do that properly and ending up in trusting false data. Some of it is made to deceive us, some is merely merely incorrect by being outdated, and some is wrong by accident.

We need to trust the processes behind the data we use. This is where paradata kicks in by helping us understand how the data we use was created and processed even if we could not make expert judgments of the data itself. With insights into data creation and processing, we should also be more courageous in asking how our data was made. Trusting and understanding data depend on an active dialogue between data makers and users. Making paradata work is about explaining data making and processing and asking and letting it to be adequately explained.

Literature

→ Börjesson, Lisa et al. (2022). “Re-Purposing Excavation Database Content as Paradata: An Explorative Analysis of Paradata Identification Challenges and Opportunities”. In: KULA 6.3, pp. 1–18.

→ Bowker, Geoffrey C. (2005). Memory Practices in the Sciences. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

→ Holland, Sarah et al. (Jan. 2020). “The Dataset Nutrition Label: A Framework to Drive Higher Data Quality Standards”. In: Data Protection and Privacy: Data Protection and Democracy. Ed. by Dara Hallinan et al. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, pp. 1–25.

→ Huvila, Isto, Lisa Andersson, and Olle Sköld, eds. (2024). Perspectives on Paradata: Research and Practice of Documenting Data Processes. Cham: Springer.

→ Tes, Marian et al. (2023). “Data Comics: Using Narratives to Engage Students in Data Reasoning”. https://repository.isls.org//handle/1/9958.

Isto Huvila holds the chair in information studies at the Department of ALM (Archival Studies, Library and Information Studies and Museums and Cultural Heritage Studies) at Uppsala University in Sweden. His areas of research include information and knowledge management, information work, knowledge organisation, documentation, research data, and social and participatory information practices.

The future of healthcare is digital

Davide Montesarchio, Wouter Huberts, Cristina Curreli, Zita Van Horenbeeck, Liesbet Geris

1. Introduction

As a scientific discipline, medicine advanced significantly by breaking down the complexity of the human body into organs and systems. Over the centuries, this approach has successfully improved our understanding of how the body functions and how to intervene when issues arise. However, it also revealed limitations in more complex cases involving multiple systems. Therefore, one of the most pressing questions in modern medicine is tackling the aspects that a reductionist approach cannot fully understand.

The significant technological advancements of the late 20th Century, including medical imaging, computer modelling and simulation, and artificial intelligence, have paved the way for a more holistic approach to understanding the human body, leading to the emergence of in silico medicine, a new paradigm in healthcare.

The term “in silico” refers to silicon, the primary material in computer chips, and is analogous to other standard terms in biological sciences, such as in vitro (experiments conducted in test tubes) and in vivo (experiments performed on living organisms). In silico medicine, therefore, leverages the principles of physics, chemistry, and mathematics to model biological systems, using computer simulations across all areas of healthcare to understand the human body better, prevent diseases, diagnose conditions, treat illnesses, and predict outcomes.

Such an approach has already been successfully applied in various sectors, especially engineering. In this field, using “digital twins” as “living computer models” of a real object allows for testing complex and sensitive structures under different conditions at a fraction of the time and financial investment.

2. From the Physiome Project to the Virtual Physiological Human Institute

One of the critical initiatives that jumpstarted the field of in silico medicine was the establishment of the Physiome Project in 1993 by the International Union of Physiological Sciences. Then, in 2005, the term “Virtual Physiological Human” was

officially introduced during a meeting in Barcelona with researchers involved in in silico medicine and European Commission officials. This effort eventually led in 2011 to creating an international nonprofit organisation, the Virtual Physiological Human Institute (VPHi), aiming to ensure that the Virtual Physiological Human is fully realised, universally adopted, and effectively used in research and clinical practice (Viceconti et al., 2016).

→ Currently, VPHi has participated in several EC-funded projects, including EDITH, InSilicoWorld, Simcor, Realm and SimCardioTest.

→ Viceconti, Marco, and Peter Hunter. “The Virtual Physiological Human: Ten Years After.” Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering, vol. 18, no. 1, July 2016, pp. 103–23. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-bioeng-110915-114742.

3. Digital Twins in Healthcare

The digital twin is linked to the concept of model predictive control, which aims to control the behaviour of a real-world system by using a virtual representation of it updated with system-specific measurements and subsequently used to evaluate possible future scenarios. Once the optimal system behaviour is predicted, the model settings can then be used to control the real-world system. The digital twin model, the real-world system, and the bidirectional information loops are called a digital twin, even with only one iteration of this loop (Fig.1).

Figure 1: Representation of a digital twin in human settings, with the patient/subject representing the real-world data.

The core of a digital twin system is the model, which can be of different types. Mechanistic models are based on state-of-the-art knowledge; hence, they are also called knowledge-based models. This approach improves the model’s predictive capability, generalisation, and explainability, in other words, understanding why the model produced a specific output.

On the other hand, data-driven models, such as AI models, also exist. They can deal with unknown factors, such as an incomplete understanding of physiological processes and disease progression and how to include co-morbidities and non-physiological but relevant features.

However, despite the differences, it is possible to combine such approaches in hybrid models, this leveraging on the advantages and limiting, at the same time, the respective shortcomings.

To build a virtual representation of a subject, it is then necessary to feed the model with patient-specific data. Such data can also be added to the population data, further improving the digital twin model and allowing the creation of both

a patient-specific digital twin and a population digital twin. The two of them can then allow for clinical and lifestyle decision support, leading to changes in the subject’s state and new subject data, thus starting the digital twin loop again. (Rawlings, 2020; Wouter et al., 2018).

→ Rawlings, J. B. “Tutorial Overview of Model Predictive Control.” IEEE Control Systems, vol. 20, no. 3, June 2000, pp. 38–52. https://doi.org/10.1109/37.845037.

→ Huberts, Wouter, et al. “What Is Needed to Make Cardiovascular Models Suitable for Clinical Decision Support? A Viewpoint Paper.” Journal of Computational Science, vol. 24, Jan. 2018, pp. 68–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jocs.2017.07.006.

4. In silico clinical trials

Digital Twins can be a disruptive technology not only in a hospital setting but also in allowing a faster and safer assessment of drugs and medical devices, allowing to perform in silico clinical trials alongside traditional in vitro and in vivo methods (Favre et al., 2021; Viceconti et al., 2021). It is possible to create and operate model-based populations, which can be increased in number by interpolating and/or varying model parameters. Once properly validated, it is thus possible to generate synthetic data to complement and extend real-world data. In such a way, it is also possible to simulate conditions or populations rarely represented in traditional clinical trials, such as patients with rare conditions or children.

This approach can lessen the issues connected to the lengthy and costly assessment phase of drugs and medical devices.

→ Favre, Philippe, et al. “In Silico Clinical Trials in the Orthopedic Device Industry: From Fantasy to Reality?” Annals of Biomedical Engineering, vol. 49, no. 12, May 2021, pp. 3213–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-021-02787-y.

→ Viceconti, Marco, et al. “Possible Contexts of Use for in Silico Trials Methodologies: A Consensus-Based Review.” IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, vol. 25, no. 10, Oct. 2021, pp. 3977–82. https://doi.org/10.1109/ jbhi.2021.3090469.

5. Use case: musculoskeletal applications of in silico medicine

There are currently different clinical applications of in silico medicine. Among such examples are those related to the musculoskeletal system. In this case, the digital twin is defined as a virtual replica that accurately simulates the physical and functional characteristics of an individual’s musculoskeletal system, enabling detailed analysis and optimisation of medical interventions.

One application involves osteoporosis patients, where a digital twin of the femur is developed to predict fracture risk more accurately than traditional bone mineral density assessments (Aldieri et al., 2023). By utilising patient-specific data such as height, weight, and CT images, finite element models simulate various loading conditions, such as falls, to estimate bone strength and inform tailored treatment strategies (Figure 2).

Digital twins can also be used for scoliosis surgery planning. In this case, the digital twins are created from patient CT scans to simulate and evaluate different corrective manoeuvres. These models consider various surgical parameters, including the number and placement of peduncular screws, to minimise risks like excessive pull-out forces during correction. As these models evolve to incorporate comprehensive anatomical structures such as muscles, ligaments, and soft tissues, they promise to become indispensable tools for personalised surgical planning.

Another application addresses knee replacement failures due to wear (Figure 3). Multiscale digital twins combine whole-body musculoskeletal simulations with

Figure 2. Workflow of the digital twin used to predict femur fracture risk in osteoporotic patients

detailed finite element analyses of knee joints to predict implant wear under different physical activities and conditions, including pathological states (Curreli et al., 2021). This approach aids in determining the most suitable surgical interventions and implant designs for individual patients.

Figure 3. Multiscale digital twin used to predict knee replacement failure due to wear

→ Aldieri, Alessandra, et al. “Credibility Assessment of Computational Models According to ASME V&Amp;V40: Application to the Bologna Biomechanical Computed Tomography Solution.” Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, vol. 240, Oct. 2023, p. 107727. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. cmpb.2023.107727.

→ Curreli, Cristina, et al. “Using Musculoskeletal Models to Estimate in Vivo Total Knee Replacement Kinematics and Loads: Effect of Differences Between Models.” Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, vol. 9, July 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2021.703508.

Responsible Research and Innovation in in silico medicine

In silico medicine will, in a long way, revolutionise the way we deal with healthcare, and with such a profound process, there’s a growing need for a social science perspective to manage expectations, uncover implications, and include diverse perspectives through interdisciplinary collaborations, in a pathway toward earning trust and the acceptance of these technologies in society (Calvert and Martin, 2009; Felt, 2014). Focus group discussions with a variety of stakeholders, including but not limited to modellers, clinicians, and patients (Elhadj et al., 2023a), complemented by literature - predominantly from the field of AI - have uncovered some, but not all, ethical and social implications related to in silico medicine. These range from data-related concerns (data sharing, availability, transparency, and bias) to challenges regarding inequality, accessibility, doctor-patient relationships, shifting expertise, and questions around responsibility in case of harm (Bak, 2022; Cordeiro, 2021; Leo et al., 2022; Rosemann and Zhang, 2022). Bak (2022) pointed to an interesting paradox: while non-technical stakeholders, such as the public, may struggle to grasp the technicalities and raise social concerns, the ones developing the models might lack the capacity to hold the broader implications of their work. To make research more responsible, inclusive, and responsive, the EC introduced the Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) framework as part of its Horizon 2020 funding scheme (Landeweerd et al., 2015; Stilgoe et al., 2013; Zwart et al., 2014).

While RRI might not be society’s magical fix it claims to be, it can be an incentive to promote interdisciplinary collaboration, addressing diverse perspectives in all steps of R&I. Continuous collaboration efforts in the context of in silico medicine might also give rise to more trust in the ecosystem behind its technologies, potentially shifting the focus from trust in the technologies at hand to the trustworthiness of the actors involved (O’Doherty, 2023; Pink et al., 2024; Stilgoe, 2023).

→ Bak, Marieke a R. “Computing Fairness: Ethics of Modeling and Simulation in Public Health.” SIMULATION, vol. 98, no. 2, June 2020, pp. 103–11. https:// doi.org/10.1177/0037549720932656.

→ Calvert, Jane, and Paul Martin. “The Role of Social Scientists in Synthetic Biology.” EMBO Reports, vol. 10, no. 3, Feb. 2009, pp. 201–04. https://doi. org/10.1038/embor.2009.15.

→ Cordeiro, João V. “Digital Technologies and Data Science as Health Enablers: An Outline of Appealing Promises and Compelling Ethical, Legal, and Social

Challenges.” Frontiers in Medicine, vol. 8, July 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/ fmed.2021.647897.

→ Felt, Ulrike. “Within, Across and Beyond: Reconsidering the Role of Social Sciences and Humanities in Europe.” Science as Culture, vol. 23, no. 3, July 2014, pp. 384–96. https://doi.org/10.1080/09505431.2014.926146.

→ Landeweerd, Laurens, et al. “Reflections on Different Governance Styles in Regulating Science: A Contribution to ‘Responsible Research and Innovation.’” Life Sciences Society and Policy, vol. 11, no. 1, Aug. 2015, https://doi. org/10.1186/s40504-015-0026-y.

→ Leo, Carlo Giacomo, et al. “Health Technology Assessment for in Silico Medicine: Social, Ethical and Legal Aspects.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 3, Jan. 2022, p. 1510. https://doi. org/10.3390/ijerph19031510.

→ O’Doherty, Kieran C. “Trust, Trustworthiness, and Relationships: Ontological Reflections on Public Trust in Science.” Journal of Responsible Innovation, vol. 10, no. 1, July 2022, https://doi.org/10.1080/23299460.2022.2091311.

→ Pink, Sarah, et al. “Trust, Artificial Intelligence and Software Practitioners: An Interdisciplinary Agenda.” AI & Society, Mar. 2024, https://doi.org/10.1007/ s00146-024-01882-7.

→ Stilgoe, Jack. “What Does It Mean to Trust a Technology?” Science, vol. 382, no. 6676, Dec. 2023, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adm9782.

→ Rosemann, Achim, and Xinqing Zhang. “Exploring the Social, Ethical, Legal, and Responsibility Dimensions of Artificial Intelligence for Health – a New Column in Intelligent Medicine.” Intelligent Medicine, vol. 2, no. 2, May 2022, pp. 103–09. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imed.2021.12.002.

→ Zwart, Hub, et al. “Adapt or Perish? Assessing the Recent Shift in the European Research Funding Arena From ‘ELSA’ to ‘RRI.’” Life Sciences Society and Policy, vol. 10, no. 1, May 2014, https://doi.org/10.1186/s40504-014-0011-x.

Davide Montesarchio

Davide Montesarchio is a science communicator at the Virtual Physiological Human Institute (VPHi). With an MSc in Genetic Technologies and five years of research experience, he transitioned into science communication after earning a Master’s in the field. Before joining the VPHi, Montesarchio worked as a radio host for Italy’s national broadcaster and as science communicator at the Central European Research Infrastructure Consortium. He has also published different podcasts, including The Digital Twin Theory, on Spotify.

Wouter Huberts

Dr. Wouter Huberts is a medical engineer specialising in personalised cardiovascular modeling. He earned his PhD from Maastricht University, focusing on vascular access modeling, and completed a postdoc at TU/e in cardiovascular biomechanics. Currently, he coordinates the TU/e master in medical engineering at Maastricht University. His research includes fluid mechanics, uncertainty quantification, and decision-support models for clinical use.

Cristina Curreli

Dr. Curreli is a biomedical engineer at Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, a research institute specialised in orthopedics. She earned a PhD in mechanical engineering at the University of Pisa with a thesis combining musculoskeletal and finite element models to predict contact mechanics and wear in total knee arthroplasty. She currently contributes to a number of European research projects.

Zita Van Horenbeeck

Zita Van Horenbeeck is social scientist at the Virtual Physiological Human Institute (VPHi), contributing to stakeholder engagement in European in silico medicine projects like SIMCor, SimCardioTest, EDITH and In Silico World. She’s also an external PhD student at KU Leuven, researching Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in in silico medicine. This dual role allows Zita to seamlessly integrate theoretical insights with practical skills during her research.

Liesbet Geris

Prof Liesbet Geris, PhD, is a full professor in computational tissue engineering at the University of Liège and the KU Leuven, Belgium. Her research is funded by regional, national and European agencies (including ERC starting and consolidator grants). Since 2017 she is the executive director of the VPHi. In that capacity has participated in activities leading to setting the scene for in silico medicine to reach its full potential (policy suggestions, white papers writing, and contacts with EC, EP, regulatory bodies and other stakeholders).

Shaping the Future of Teaching AI: Key

Considerations for Discussion

Agnieszka Nowak-Brzezińska, Michał Baczyński, Michał Kłosiński, Dariusz Szostek

The evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) stands at a pivotal juncture, presenting educators with an extraordinary opportunity to redefine educational paradigms. As we embrace this transformative era, it becomes imperative to engage in comprehensive discourse regarding the responsible integration of AI into educational methodologies. This dialogue must bring together educators, researchers, policymakers, and industry experts to delve into critical considerations surrounding the future of AI in teaching.

In these discussions, we aim to chart a path that not only harnesses the potential of AI but also prioritizes ethical considerations, inclusivity, and the enhancement of the overall educational experience. Key areas for exploration include:

1. Incorporating AI into Education: This encompasses a wide range of tools and technologies that can augment teaching, learning, and administrative processes. Adaptive learning platforms, automated grading systems, virtual learning assistants, and AI-powered content creation tools are just a few examples of how AI can enhance educational methodologies.

2. Ethical Frameworks for AI in Education: It is crucial to establish guidelines for the responsible use of AI in educational settings. These frameworks should safeguard privacy, promote equity and fairness, and advocate for a critical approach to ethics in the integration of AI.

3. Human-AI Collaboration in the Classroom: A central theme of our discourse is how AI can complement the role of educators rather than diminish it. We need to explore collaborative strategies between teachers and AI systems to optimize learning outcomes.

4. Personalized Learning and Adaptability: AI offers significant promise in tailoring educational content to meet the individual needs of students. This adaptability is crucial for fostering an inclusive learning environment.

5. Data Privacy and Security in Educational AI: Addressing concerns related to data collection, storage, and utilization is vital. Developing robust security measures to protect sensitive student information must be a priority.

While most discussions surrounding AI in education reflect optimism, it is essential to consider the challenges posed by AI as we integrate it into teaching. We must grapple with how to effectively educate about AI across various subjects—be it law, languages, or natural sciences—utilizing AI to ensure a beneficial future. Recent reports indicate that AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are increasingly replacing traditional supplementary learning methods. For instance, in mathematics education, AI-driven virtual teachers provide instant feedback and continuous availability, facilitating personalized learning experiences.

From the perspective of educators, AI tools enable greater creativity and efficiency in course preparation, allowing teachers to analyze student performance and provide individualized teaching paths. However, this optimistic view must be balanced against the potential threats AI poses to the knowledge sector. As we consider the inclusion of AI in education, we must ask what challenges we face today and how we envision the future of education in this context.

A multifaceted approach is essential, incorporating insights from humanistic, philosophical, legal, mathematical, and computer science perspectives. By examining the topic from various angles, we can realistically assess AI’s potential impact on shaping future generations’ education.

At the University of Silesia in Katowice, my colleagues and I aim to present a comprehensive vision of AI in education, recognizing the necessity of bridging technology, humanities, ethics, and law in our discussions. We hope to ignite public discourse and initiate transformative changes in how we teach AI, ensuring it is smart, clever, and beneficial for all stakeholders involved.

The impact of AI on the job market also demands our attention. We must consider how to prepare computer science students to create intelligent applications effectively. Should we continue teaching traditional programming languages, given that generative AI like ChatGPT can write code? Perhaps we should prioritize teaching students how to formulate effective questions for AI tools. Additionally, incorporating ethics into the curriculum is essential to ensure that future AI developers are mindful of the ethical implications of their creations.

As we envision Poland as a global hub for digital innovation, we recognize that without a well-educated populace, the country’s digital transformation cannot succeed. Key skills for AI specialists must include programming languages, statistics, mathematics, data structures, and data manipulation. Furthermore, data science, which integrates various tools and algorithms to uncover insights from raw data, is an essential field within AI.

The current landscape reveals that most AI specialists possess strong technical skills but often lack the soft skills increasingly demanded in diverse fields. Thus, our discussions must also encompass the development of these soft skills, which are critical for the holistic application of AI across various sectors.

It is notable that Polish AI experts, in comparison to their European counterparts, often report a deficiency in soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and teaching. This gap underscores the necessity of incorporating perspectives from the humanities into our discussions. From a scientific viewpoint, we must also consider appropriate tools and various AI methodologies.

Another significant question revolves around balancing the teaching of AI theory—such as algorithms and mathematical foundations—with practical skills, including the use of AI tools and application development. How can AI enhance the management of educational institutions and administrative processes? Furthermore, will AI eventually replace teachers in the classroom?

The integration of creative domains such as humanities and creative writing into the discourse is increasingly relevant, particularly concerning prompt engineering. The critical questions we face include what to teach, how to teach, and why we need to (re)design technical education.

The questions concerning AI from the perspective of philosophy and contemporary humanities discourses also point to the immediate and uncontrollable changes in the way society produces and consumes knowledge. This translates into the need to critically reposition and rethink AI, shifting from shallow and purely pragmatic ideologies promoting the use of AI as yet another toolset to a deeper, socially responsible positions. These positions focus on a broad horizon of changes to the ways human beings think about themselves, perceive and inhabit the world, and function as a society via the exchange of knowledge, mutual affection, but also calibrating attention. Thus, rethinking AI from a university perspective cannot just translate into easily digestible courses for the general public but requires discussions about the power structures the AI produces, its impact on the very fabric of our society, as well as critical inquiries into its role in the development of contemporary and future stages of capitalism. It is also pivotal to discuss problems such as accountability, responsibility, or geopolitical implications of new forms of both control and desocialization caused by AI. Teaching about AI in the long run will require a deeper understanding of its effects on the human capacity to think, interpret the world, pose critical questions, and ascertain the answers provided by various models. Philosophical reflection is therefore needed to combat diverse new forms of alienation, disenfranchisement, and exploitation produced within the new economic and social orders established with the use of AI.

Finally, we must contemplate the broader societal implications of AI. Why is it crucial to understand AI within the context of Big Tech? What critiques of technology should inform our educational approaches? Are we preparing a generation of digital workers who merely know how to prompt AI, or are we fostering technologically aware citizens who can contextualize technology within larger social, political, and economic frameworks?

The environmental impact of AI, including its carbon footprint, is another essential consideration. Lastly, the legal implications surrounding AI and technology integration must be addressed. For example, how can AI assist legal professionals, and should there be regulatory frameworks governing new technologies, including AI?

In conclusion, our current study programs for AI experts are heavily oriented towards science, technology, and engineering. More than half of AI specialists in Poland have backgrounds in fields such as mathematics, computer science,

and engineering. This emphasis highlights the need for a balanced approach that encompasses both hard and soft skills to prepare future generations for a world increasingly shaped by AI.

As we move forward, fostering open dialogues among diverse disciplines will be vital in shaping an educational landscape that embraces AI’s potential while addressing its challenges. Through our collective efforts, we can create a future where AI enhances learning and empowers educators and students alike.

One of the projects we undertook was to create an Artificial Intelligence module for students of all faculties (and we have over 80 of them at our University), in which students have the opportunity to learn about the world of AI from all the perspectives discussed here, not only the most obvious technological and also humanistic, philosophical, social or legal.

This is the first step, but it perfectly demonstrated the need for this type of educational initiatives that will equip future generations with competencies regarding new technologies and the digital world, relating them to such permanent values in our lives as law, ethics and philosophy.

Agnieszka Nowak-Brzezińska

Associate Professor at the Institute of Computer Science, University of Silesia in Katowice. Deputy Dean for Promotion and Development. Author of over 100 papers on AI and machine learning, focusing on intelligent systems, decision support, and data mining algorithms.

Michał Baczyński

Professor who specializes in the mathematical foundations of intelligent systems, particularly fuzzy systems. He researches algorithms for aggregating information and their applications in IT.

Michał Kłosiński

Associate professor at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Silesia. Member of DiGRA, CEEGS, and utopian studies communities. Founder and head of the Game Studies Research Centre.

Dariusz Szostek

Associate professor at the University of Silesia’s Faculty of Law. Director of CYBER SCIENCE Centre, AI expert for the EU Parliament, and Horizon 2020 grant contractor. Member of the IGF ONZ Poland program board.

Sustainable Environment

Predicting Our Climate Future:

Why we need

to rethink our approach to climate change science

David Stainforth

Back in 2004, I presented some of my early research at the very first European Science Open Forum (ESOF) in Stockholm. Therefore, it was a particular pleasure to be able to return to ESOF and discuss my recent book - “Predicting Our Climate Future” (some of which is based on that early work) - in Katowice twenty years later.

Bringing together diverse sciences, which is what ESOF does, is tremendously important. It’s important for communicating the breadth and diversity of scientific research, but it’s also important because it enables scientists to see, learn and reflect on how other scientific disciplines work. All too often, scientists specialise, then specialise further and then specialise still more. While sometimes this is necessary for progress, often innovation requires breadth as well as depth of knowledge; it requires cross-fertilisation of ideas and perspectives. Nowhere is this more clearly the case than in the subject of climate change. In climate change research, there is an urgent need to question our approaches, bring together diverse perspectives on the problem, and develop methods that can separate robust conclusions from the results of the latest high-profile study. To achieve better, more societally-relevant research, we need to rethink how we approach the science of climate change.

Before getting to that, though, let’s take a step back. There is much that is well understood about climate change. The bottom line is that we understand the existence and importance of the threat it poses. We know that human emissions of greenhouse gases are leading to warming and climate disruption impacting our societies and ecosystems, and will do so more strongly in the future. We know that reducing our emissions of those gases will reduce the scale of that disruption in the future. We know that acting to address the problem would reduce future risks and would thereby hugely benefit our societies.

There is so much more to be said about what we know, but there are many books, articles and websites that cover these things; indeed, my own book has an eleven paragraph summary of why the reality and seriousness of climate change are

beyond reasonable doubt. But this is not what I want to discuss here. For young scientists looking for interesting problems to tackle and for science to provide the best possible information for policy makers to act on, we need to revolutionise our approach to climate change science. I’ll try to explain why.

Societal decisions to tackle climate change are founded on predictions. We have some understanding of what the world will look like if we act to minimise future climate change and some understanding of what it will look like if we don’t. These different images of the future are the basis for action and are informed by an understanding of the issues and their interconnections based on the natural and social sciences. They also provide the context for balancing investment in climate policy against investment in other social goods such as education, health, transport, etc.

Therefore, science and social science on climate change play an important role beyond simply identifying the threat. They provide details, and the details matter because they allow us to picture how climate change will impact us - individually, regionally and nationally. Furthermore, they can characterise the uncertainties, and the uncertainties also matter because each of us needs to consider how much risk we are willing to accept or how much we are willing to spend to reduce the risks of exceptionally bad outcomes. Science and social science provide this information and the context for governments and electorates’ decisions.

The problem is that we are not in a good position to provide these details. We understand the big-picture threats but we’re not good at painting the small pictures of how they will affect us personally. Even more importantly, we’re not good at identifying the robust messages at these small scales, and separating them from speculations that are open to question. There are three issues; three aspects of climate change research that need attention.

The first is an urgent need for more pure research to build the foundations for making predictions of future climate. At present, much of the research is founded on large, complex computer models of the climate system that require supercomputers on which to run and even then lack many of the details that many scientists think are important. These models have been tremendous tools for developing scientific understanding over the last forty years and more. They still are. What

has changed is that their outputs are now often also interpreted as predictions of reality; well, conditional predictions based on assumptions about future human greenhouse gas emissions. However, the use of large complex models in this way is a new thing in the context of the history of science. All the connections between the different components - land cover and monsoons, sea ice and ocean currents, etc. - raise deep mathematical and philosophical questions regarding just when the outputs of a computer model can be trusted as (conditional) predictions of the details of the real world’s future. If they don’t provide reliable (conditional) predictions, how should we use them to inform our decisions? A few researchers are beginning to address these questions, but there is much more to do.

The second issue is that climate change science is stuck in traditional ways of doing science: it is driven by the particular interests of scientists. This can sometimes be a good thing, but it means there is a tendency to focus on aspects of the system that are interesting to scientists: ocean currents, cloud behaviour, behaviour of economies, etc. We need to make it more accurate and more applicable to societies. We need climate change science and social science to be framed in terms of the questions that matter for business, finance, nations and individuals. At the moment, we talk about tipping points, ice sheets, heat waves and floods, but we don’t address how climate change will affect the way our societies function. It’s very easy to believe that you won’t get hit by a flood, but in practice, the increased risk of floods across a nation could provide a steady drain on resources and undermine the ability of a government to provide all sorts of social goods. Although the big picture science and economic questions certainly need to be asked, they need to be asked with an eye on how they will affect the functions of society.

So the message of the first two issues is that climate change research needs to be both more pure and also more applied, whereas, at the moment, most of it sits unhelpfully in the middle ground.

Arising out of these two issues is the third. We can only generate scientific conclusions that are both robust AND relevant to society if we draw together perspectives from a wide range of disciplines. I’m talking about everything from nonlinear mathematics and philosophy, to physics and atmospheric/oceanic chemistry and biochemistry, to economics, engineering, sociology, psychology,

ethics and more. Unfortunately, the incentive structures for academic researchers simply don’t encourage such wide-ranging, multi-disciplinary conversations. Funders rarely support such initiatives, the peer-review process works against the ability to publish the resulting research, and the departmental structures of universities mean it is rarely a good career move.

There is an urgent need for the next generation of climate change scientists and social scientists to grasp the nettle of doing things differently. Of diving deep into problems in many different disciplines but doing so with a good grasp of what is most useful for informing and guiding society in relation to this problem; this is, after all, one of the most pressing problems of our time. However, to enable up-and-coming researchers to do this, research funders and universities need to change the way climate science is supported and the way careers in academia are structured so that these integrative issues can be addressed. To enable informed and constructive debates in our societies regarding climate policy requires a rethink of how we go about climate change science on multiple levels. And we need to do it quickly.

→ Prof. Stainforth’s book, Predicting Our Climate Future, is available from Oxford University Press.

David Stainforth is an expert in uncertainty analysis and climate change. Based at the London School of Economics he has a BA in Physics and a doctorate in “uncertainty and confidence in predictions of climate change”, both from Oxford University. He researches and publishes widely on climate modelling, nonlinear dynamical systems, climate economics, and the philosophy of climate science.

Towards coexistence. Symbiocene as a response to the challenges of the climate crisis

Piotr Skubała, Magdalena Ochwat, Anna Kopaczewska

Leaving the Anthropocene behind

The world is currently in a deep climate and environmental crisis. It threatens the functioning of the Earth’s ecosystems, but it also threatens the human race. We live in exceptional times, at a historical moment that may prove to be the end of human civilization or the beginning of a new path. In 2017, scientists in the World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice appealed for action to reverse these negative trends. If this does not change, we will face a catastrophic loss of biodiversity and untold human suffering, and soon it will be too late to change course, and time is running out (Ripple 1028). Why are we on a suicidal path, what must happen so that we do not lead to ecocide, ecological suicide?

Our impact on the Earth’s ecosystem has become so immense that in the year 2000, chemist Paul Crutzen and ecologist Eugene Stroemer have put forward that the current period in Earth’s history - characterized by increased human activities on a global scale, radically influencing the course of geological processes - be referred to as the Anthropocene. The consequences of this excessive human activity are supposed to be rapid urbanization of the world, the accelerated depletion of fossil fuels, accumulated in nature for hundreds of millions of years, and extracted by man, as well as environmental pollution and excessive greenhouse gas emissions (Crutzen 17).

The Symbiocene - a new conceptual frame

Human impact on the Earth’s ecosystem has become so devastating that we need a new positive vision of the world, giving hope. We believe that the time of this change must no longer be called the Anthropocene. One such attempt is to create a conceptual framework for a new era called the Symbiocene. The creation of a new interdisciplinary path that takes into account the central role of symbiosis in the functioning of life on Earth was proposed by the Australian scientist Glenn Albrecht. In 2011, Glenn Albrecht - a transdisciplinary environmental philosopher from Murdoch University in Western Australia - advocated a new conceptual frame for a new epoch. He proposed the idea of the Symbiocene, which was supposed to

change not only our previous way of thinking about the world, but also the way of talking about the world in order to create a new narrative (Albrecht 97).

The Symbiocene, a new period in human history, will be characterized by imitating symbiotic life processes in human activities, creative actions and design, as well as the perception that there is more to animal and human nature than greed and selfishness. This is a time of living together with humans and other species, their mutual support in relationships. The way to achieve the state of the Symbiocene in the world is - as the researcher proposes - among other things, understanding and respecting all species and restoring symbiotic bonds where they have been broken (Albrecht 143).

Fig. Midjourney + Anna Kopaczewska, “annako_19258_symbiocene_aec05b94-2dbb-4d16-80c8afc66790aac3.png”

Symbiosis as an exemplary model of coexistence

Until recently, we have ignored the role of symbiotic relationships in ecosystems. The view that symbiosis is a typical phenomenon of fundamental importance for living beings is slowly entering modern science. Scientists from various fields, including biologists, ecologists, physicists, chemists, geologists, and meteorologists, are beginning to understand that the biosphere is like a living organism in which various chemical reactions and biological systems create countless synergistic and symbiotic interrelations. Ecosystem studies indicate that the relationships between living organisms are primarily based on cooperation, the principle of coexistence, and mutual dependencies and that these relationships are more or less symbiotic in nature. Symbiosis turns out to be a regular phenomenon that is fundamental to all living beings and permeates ecosystems (Weiner 377). Biology today refers to the human, animal, and plant organism as a biological network composed of a host and a myriad of non-human beings (Bordenstein 1). Symbiotic interactions are the basis and guarantor of the functioning of ecosystems and each living species.

Science clearly proves that the metaphor put forth by Alfred Tennyson, “Nature, red in tooth and claw,” is far from the truth, whereas Douglas H. Boucher is right when he describes nature as a great community “green in root and flower” (Boucher 27).

Symbiocene in literature, social sciences and economy

The idea of the Symbiocene is beginning to be relevant in the human world. We believe that the concept of the Symbiocene, inclusive and integrative philosophy of life, has great potential to become a new direction not only in the natural sciences but also in the social sciences and humanities. This way of thinking is also visible in the economy.

In contemporary literature, we can find many examples of symbiocene thinking, in which symbiosis and mutual help play a key role. We believe that these examples can serve as training in collective imagination in good interspecies living. Robin Wall Kimmerer (Canadian botanist and biologist), in a book Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, uses a classic example of a symbiotic living organism which are lichens, some of the earliest life forms on the planet, which began to exist in the harsh glacial world. The story of a being that was formed from a combination of fungi and algae appears in the chapter Umbilicaria: The Belly Button of the World in Kimmerer’s book. Her

narrative allows us to entirely change our previous perception of these organisms (Kimmerer 268-269). Lichens are a great example of how to create a culture of reciprocity and community because they are not one being but two: a fungus and an alga; they show an alternative to a life of alienation, of self-reliance, of individuals seeking to maximize profits.

Almost all plants form partnerships with fungi that wrap around their roots, a relationship known as mycorrhiza. Ann L. Tsing, in her book The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins, described field research conducted on matsutake mushrooms that populate forests destroyed by humans. Tsing says, “the uncontrolled lives of mushrooms are a gift - and a guide - when the controlled world we thought we had fails” (Tsing 2). The living conditions of matsutake mushrooms become a metaphor for life in the Anthropocene, in the devastated landscapes that have become our home, and the encounters between pine trees and this species of mushrooms, the entanglement of their ways of life an example of good being together based on mutualism.

In one of the stories from Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer draws from the symbiotic story of the three sisters - corn, beans, and squash - broadening our imagination with the lesson written in the farm fields, the lesson of living well together. This symbiotic feminine relationship is based on reciprocity, balance, and harmony. Each of the three plants―as the story teaches us - “has its own pace, and […] their birth order is important for their relationship and to the success of the crop.” (Kimmerer 130).

An example of symbiosis in new thinking can be the Future Trend Map for 2023, i.e. the main directions of world development, prepared by infuture.institute. The authors of the map indicated the symbiocene as one of the megatrends - alongside the mirror world, bioera, demographic changes and multi-polarization of the world - defined as a departure from the idea of putting humans in the center in favor of a broader perspective of understanding the ecosystem. The symbiocene includes, among others, such concepts as resilience, the crisis of raw materials, the rights of non-human beings, bioarchitecture and the closed-loop economy (Trend Map 2023).

Jeremy Rifkin (American economist) is the author and implementer of a new concept characterizing the post-coal era, the Third Industrial Revolution. Its essence is democratic, citizen-based, distributed renewable energy. Rifkin believes that the

“democratization of energy” is to change the face of the entire planet fundamentally. Instead of giant corporations involved in the exploitation of fossil fuels, production and distribution of energy, millions of small producers are emerging, generating electricity from renewable sources in their own homes and selling the surplus on a common information and energy market. The model of distributed prosumer civic energy re-evaluates many of our previous assumptions about how the world works. Our daily life in a prosumer society will rely more on cooperation and belonging than on competition and the search for autonomy. Dispersion and mutual assistance are important in it. The functioning of a prosumer society resembles the natural ecosystems of the planet (Rifkin 262-264).

Fig 2. Midjourney + Anna Kopaczewska, “annako_19258_human_body_full_of_cells_and_ microorganisms_1797bb9e-fb8c-4033-8379-e647530e5467.png”

Take-home message

As part of the conclusion, we made an attempt to visualize the Symbiocene and its assumptions. See the below image created with Midjourney, via the Discord platform in 2023 and 2024.

We would like to conclude and leave you with two take-home messages:

Whether we like it or not, we are closely related to all the plants, animals, and microorganisms with whom we form the biosphere. In various ways, our lives are interconnected.

It is time for the arrival of Homo symbioticus, a human who feels part of nature and is able to live in harmony with it.

References

→ Albrecht, Glenn A. Earth Emotions. New Words for a New World. Ithaca: Cornell University Press Ithaca–London Press, 2019.

→ Bordenstein, Seth R., Theis, Kevin, R. “Host Biology in Light of the Microbiome: Ten Principles of Holobionts and Hologenomes”. PLoS Biology, vol. 13(8): e1002226, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002226

→ Boucher, Douglas H. The Idea of Mutualism, Past and Future. In: Boucher, Douglas H. (ed.) The Biology of Mutualism: Ecology and Evolution. London, Croom Helm 1985.

→ Crutzen, Paul. J., Stoermer, Eugene F. “The ‘Anthropocene’.” Global Change Newsletter, vol. 41, 2000, pp. 17-18.

→ Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Milkweed editions, 2013.

→ Rifkin, Jeremy. Trzecia Rewolucja Przemysłowa. Jak lateralny model władzy inspiruje całe pokolenie i zmienia oblicze świata. Wyd. Sonia Draga, Katowice, 2012.

→ Ripple, William. J., Wolf Christopher., Newsome, Thomas M., et al. “World Scientists’ Warning to Humanity: A Second Notice.” Bioscience, vol. 67(12), pp. 1026-1028, https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/bix125

→ Tsing, Anna L. 2015. The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possibility of Life in Capitalist Ruins. Princeton–Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2015.

→ Weiner, January. Życie i ewolucja biosfery. Podręcznik ekologii ogólnej. Warszawa, PWN, 2020.

→ Trend Map 2023; infuture institute, https://infuture.institute/en/trend-map2023/#null. Accessed 13 September 2024.

Piotr Skubała

Ph.D. professor of biological sciences, University of Silesia in Katowice, ecologist, acarologist, environmental ethicist, climate activist. Member of the Team Europe Direct expert network (European Commission), “ethic expert” at the European Commission in Brussels (HORIZON EUROPE), member of The State Council for Nature Conservation, member of the Climate Council at the United Nations Global Compact Network Poland.

Magdalena Ochwat

Ph.D. Institute of Literary Studies, University of Silesia, associated with the Interdisciplinary Centre for Research on Humanistic Education. Research interests - Polish language education, the use of literary reportage in education, the social responsibility of school readings, the challenges of the 21st century: global crises, climate change.

Anna Kopaczewska

visual communication designer, graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, where currently lectures at the Editorial Graphics Studio and the Typography Studio. Representative of the Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts for visual identification of EMN Katowice 2024. She is responsible for the analysis and design of publications, communication and visual identification systems.

Have you ever thought about the environmental impact of the pills you take?

Juan José Sáenz de la Torre, Fernando Gomollón-Bel, Leyre Flamarique Pérez

Most of us don’t think about this seemingly simple question. When we have a headache, we take an ibuprofen. If we suffer an allergic reaction in spring, we can take antihistamines. Bacterial infection? Don’t worry! Our doctor gives us an antibiotic if necessary. Modern medicines have saved thousands of lives during the past century. However, as the consumption of modern pharmaceuticals rose through the 1900s and 2000s, so did the CO2 levels in our atmosphere. So, how are these two things —pharma consumption and CO2 levels— related? Well, the chemical industries are the third largest emitters in the world. And this includes pharma. Climate change is pushing our society to reimagine everything, and part of this process is coming up with new ways of manufacturing pharmaceuticals.

When we look at the pharmaceutical sector on a global scale, a big part of the environmental issues that it poses has to do with waste. There’s a direct explanation for that: the way that medicines are manufactured. To produce 1 Kg of an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (the component that produces the therapeutic effects within the pills), the current manufacturing techniques generate 180 kg of waste. A large portion of this waste is directly tied to solvents. Solvents are the invisible little helpers in chemistry: chemical compounds that dissolve solutes and form solutions, making a lot of reactions possible. If you look inside a chemical reactor, up to 80 out of 100 kilos of the substances mixed inside are actually solvents – much like 80% of your coffee is just water. Solvents come in many forms—from water to hazardous materials like dichloromethane. However, they are both a blessing and a curse: they enable most of the reactions we currently perform at an industrial scale while, at the same time, affecting millions of workers every year and posing a growing environmental hazard. So, what if we eliminated all or at least as many solvents as possible?

That’s precisely the aim of mechanochemistry. If the term is new to you, don’t worry; we’ll explain it now. Mechanochemistry is one of the oldest forms of chemistry. It is literally grinding stuff to carry out the chemical reactions. These mechanical

forces drive the chemical reactions instead of solvents. The simplest form of mechanochemistry is quite homey: a mortar and pestle. And it’s one of the first written records we have of chemistry! In the fourth century BCE, one of Aristotle’s disciples described how to obtain mercury from its ore (cinnabar) using a copper mortar and pestle – as well as a bit of vinegar as a catalyst. Mechanochemistry has a deep and rich history, ranging from Francis Bacon and Michael Faraday to companies like BASF using it in the modern era. However, during the 19th and 20th centuries, solvent-based chemistry rose together with the Industrial Revolution, so mechanochemistry wasn’t explored as much.

In the 1980s and early 1990s, as the worries about the environmental impact of the chemical industry rose, mechanochemistry came back into the spotlight. The number of conferences, congresses and industrial uses of mechanochemical methods have increased since then across multiple fields: recycling technologies, agrochemicals, energy storage materials… and pharmaceuticals.

IMPACTIVE is a Horizon Europe project that uses mechanochemistry to change the way we manufacture pharmaceuticals. More specifically, we want to manufacture the functional compounds within our pills and tablets: the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, or APIs. To keep us focused, we are targeting three different families of compounds: antidiabetics, anticarginogens, and antihypertensives.

To ensure that we leave no stone unturned, we have gathered almost every tool in the mechanochemistry toolbox:

→ Ball mills: a type of grinder, made of a big vat that contains balls inside. Once the materials are inside, you spin the vat, and the collisions and clashes between the balls and the reactants cause the chemical reactions. Depending on the process, we use ball mills with different geometries, as well as  balls of various materials and sizes.

→ Twin screw extrusion: two screws mounted in a barrel, where the thread of the screws interlock with each other. In this way, the reactants move along the screws, which mash the molecules together as they spin.

→ Resonant acoustic mixing: an innovative technique that uses… sound! Soundwaves of specific frequencies move molecules and mix and mash the reactants. It’s a vibrant field!

Altogether, we aim to find reactions that safely produce APIs and ensure these reactions work well in an industrial setting. Why? Because if we want to shake things up in the pharmaceutical industry, we need to design reactions that work not only in our labs but also in industrial settings.

If you’ve read up until this point, you must be thinking: wow, that’s a lot of information! And you are right. Mechanochemistry, the environmental challenges behind the pharmaceutical industry, the issues that solvents pose… It’s a long and complex list of topics to cover. At ESOF 2024, we wanted to navigate all of this in a fun and engaging way. So we turned everything into a TV contest! In the spirit of ‘Who wants to be a millionaire?’, we set in a room at ESOF, encouraged our audience to bring out their phones, and asked them to participate in our quizzes and open discussions for the possibility of winning real prizes. However, unlike ‘Who wants to be a millionaire?’, they were not competing for a million euros. In fact, they were not competing for money. But a couple of fortunate members from the audience will now remember IMPACTIVE in the morning while they sip coffee from their IMPACTIVE mugs.

Acknowledgements

We want to first acknowledge the funding agency of the project IMPACTIVE. IMPACTIVE has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101057286.

Also, we want to give special thanks to the whole team at IMPACTIVE: over 60 people are working on the project, making sure that everything runs smoothly. From PIS, postdocs and PhD candidates to project managers, financial and patent officers and science communicators. This article and the activity at ESOF were organised and executed by Agata Communications, an agency specialised in communicating science and innovation.

Juan José Sáenz de la Torre

is co-founder of Agata Communications, a communication agency dedicated to science communication. He graduated in physics from the University of Zaragoza and has over 10 years experience in designing and delivering effective communication strategies for innovation projects.

Fernando Gomollón-Bel

is co-founder of Agata Communications, a communication agency dedicated to science communication. He holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of Zaragoza and has an ample experience in press and media strategies. Before his entrepreneurial adventure with Agata, he was Press and Communications Coordinator for the Graphene Flagship for several years.

Leyre Flamarique Pérez

works as a science communicator for Agata Communications. She has a background in psychology and has worked for many years as a freelance science journalist, publishing in Spanish media like La Vanguardia, Salvaje, and many others. She has published ‘The SARSCoV-2 challenge, a book about the Spanish Biotechnological Center and the challenge it faced during the COVID pandemic.

Healthy Society

Air quality in selected locations of Silesian Voivodeship

Anna Mainka, Ewa Puszczało, Pawel Wargocki

Introduction

People are exposed to air pollutants in all microenvironments. To assess health risks, exposure is defined at different time intervals as (1) long-term exposure, which is the sum of exposures that have occurred in different environments - this is especially important for carcinogenic pollutants; (2) long-term exposure, measured as an average over one or more years; (3) short-term exposure, measured in minutes or days [1].

Exposure is the multiplication of the concentration of a contaminant by the time a person is exposed to that contaminant. Meanwhile, exposure assessment is part of risk assessment, which is schematically represented as a chain of events from emissions through air pollutant concentrations, population exposure, the dose of absorbed pollutants at the organ or cellular level, to the health effect (Figure 1).

EMISSION

HEALTH EFFECT DOSE

In some places, the concentration of pollutants is low, but the overall contribution to exposure is high due to the longer time spent in a place. Indoor environments play a significant role, as people spend 70-80% of their time indoors [2].

Figure 1. Pathway from emission to health effect.

Elsewhere, air pollutant concentrations are high (e.g., in locations with heavy traffic), and even short periods spent in such locations result in high exposure. The pollutant determining air quality in Poland is particulate matter, especially fine particulate matter with particle diameters < 2.5 mm (PM2.5). Particulate matter includes atmospheric aerosols, which, due to their small diameter, can travel long distances from the emission source. The smaller the particle, the more negative the impact on health. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) indicate that PM contains compounds that are carcinogenic and mutagenic to humans [3]. PM2.5 particles via inhalation can enter the bloodstream through the capillaries surrounding the alveoli, causing lung inflammation and systemic inflammation, among other things. The observed health effects may include cardiac arrhythmias, atherosclerosis, cancer of the respiratory organs and many other severe conditions. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 can contribute to chronic cardiovascular disease and nervous system disorders, including increased Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease [4]. Fine dust is emitted during the combustion of fossil fuels. In the Silesian province, 86% of PM2.5 is emitted from municipal sources, 5% from traffic sources, 8% from power and industrial processes, and 1% from other sources. PM2.5 concentrations in indoor environments depend on both outdoor air quality (due to infiltration through leaks in buildings) and indoor sources, including candles, incense, cigarettes, carpets, clothing, among others.

Air quality in Poland has improved markedly over the past decade. In 2023 (Figure 2), for the first time, annual average concentrations at air quality monitoring stations in the Silesian Voivodeship did not exceed 20 µg/m3, the annual average permissible level for PM2.5 in Poland. In the European Union, the average annual permissible level is 25 µg/m3. In contrast, the WHO recommends 5 and 15 µg/m³ for the annual and 24-hour averaging period, respectively [1,5].

The traditional approach used in air quality management is the measurement of air pollutant concentrations at stationary monitoring points. These are used to assess trends and estimate exposure in epidemiological analyses. However, even for the most commonly monitored pollutants, the coverage of the air quality monitoring network is insufficient; that is, it is often limited to major cities. Wanting to estimate concentrations in a wide variety of locations, scientists, NGOs, local governments and individual residents have turned their attention to low-cost

air quality sensors. Although these low-cost sensors can exhibit low accuracy compared with laboratory-graded instruments, they perform fairly well at higher PM concentrations [6]. As they collect large amounts of data, these results can inform about changes and trends in air pollutant concentrations. They are particularly useful if used in parallel in different locations and local communities.

Research

The aim of the study was to assess short-term (1-week, 24-hour and 1-hour) exposure to PM2.5 in selected locations in Silesia Province. The results of concentration measurements obtained with the low-cost Flow sensor were analyzed in relation to the results of measurements published by the Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection as part of the monitoring and air quality network in Silesia Province. The article analyzes data from measurements conducted in October 2022 and 2023. The measurements involved students from the Silesian University of Technology, who wore a low-cost Flow sensor for a week to monitor air quality, both inside and outside the buildings. While at home, the sensor was located in the participant’s bedroom for 12 to 16 hours daily. The study participants lived in the following cities: Gliwice, Orzesze, Piekary Śląskie, Rybnik, Tarnowskie Góry and Tychy. Meanwhile, air quality monitoring stations are located in the cities of: Gliwice, Rybnik, Tychy, Tarnowskie Góry and Knurów [7].

Comparing PM2.5 concentrations in bedrooms with WHO recommendations, it was found that in all analyzed cities the concentrations exceeded the recommended 24-hour average values, i.e. 15 µg/m3. As can be seen from the data in Figure 2, the highest concentrations were observed in the bedrooms of students living in Piekary Śląskie, followed by Gliwice and Tarnowskie Góry. Even assuming a 50% measurement inaccuracy, the concentrations in these bedrooms are still above WHO recommendations, posing a health risk to the users of these facilities.

In Piekary Śląskie and Tarnowskie Góry, the study participants lived in neighbourhoods with many single-family houses with individual combustion sources, characteristic emitters of particulate matter. In contrast, the apartment of person 1 in Gliwice was located next to an intersection of roads with heavy traffic. The people living in Piekary Śląskie and Tarnowskie Góry were advised to limit bedroom ventilation during the evening hours as emissions from individual heating sources increase. In contrast, a person living in Gliwice was recommended to

Gliwice

Gliwice

Orzesze

Bedrooms concentrations during one week of October 2022 and 2023

Piekary Śląskie

Rybnik

Tarnowskie Góry

Tarnowskie Góry

Tychy

Annual limit 25! g/m3

Annual limit 20! g/m3

C2022 = 14 – 23! g/m³

C2023=13 – 20! g/m³

Annual limit 5! g/m³ 24h limit 15! g/m³

Figure 2. PM2.5 concentrations acceptable in the EU and Poland, as well as WHO recommended and monitored in the Silesian Province in 2022 and 2023 and bedrooms concentrations during one week of October 2022 and 2023.

ventilate the bedroom in the evening when the traffic is low. In comparison, the 24-hour concentrations monitored at the air quality monitoring station in Tarnowskie Góry and Gliwice in October 2022 and 2023 were 17.5 and 15.4 µg/m3 , respectively, i.e. the short-term (24-hour) level recommended by the WHO was exceeded. All participants in the study were alerted to the high levels of PM2.5 concentrations and advised to spend as much time as possible outside the Upper Silesia region. In addition, parallel measurements with low-cost sensors indicate that air quality monitoring stations should not be considered reliable enough for estimating exposure to air pollution of people living near roads with heavy traffic, as well as residents of neighbourhoods where individual heat sources are fired with solid fuel.

References

→ [1] World Health Organization, WHO global air quality guidelines. Particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide, 2021

→ [2] Kozielska, B., Mainka, A., Żak, M., Kaleta, D., Mucha, W.; Indoor air quality in residential buildings in Upper Silesia, Poland; Building and Environment; 177 (art. no. 106914), 2020

→ [3] IARC International Agency for Research on Cancer; Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans; Lyon, France; Volume 96, 2010

→ [4] Mainka A. Żak M., Synergistic or antagonistic health effects of long- and short-term exposure to ambient NO2 and PM2.5: a review; International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health; 19, (art. no. 14079),

→ [5] Główny Inspektorat Ochrony Środowiska, Departament Monitoringu Środowiska, Regionalny Wydział Monitoringu Środowiska w Katowicach, Roczna ocena jakości powietrza w województwie śląskim, raport wojewódzki za rok 2021; s. 57, 79-80, 91-92; Katowice, 2022

→ [6] Crnosija, N., Zamora, M.L., Rule, A.M., Payne-Sturges, D., 2022. Chamber Evaluation of Flow Air Quality Sensor PM 2.5 and PM 10 Measurements. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127340

→ [7] Karwatka, J.; Pietraszko, A.; Fuhrmann, M.; Mainka, A.; Puszczało, E.; Wargocki, P. Jakość Powietrza Wewnętrznego i Zewnętrznego w Wybranych Miejscowościach Śląska. In Współczesne problemy ochrony środowiska i energetyki; Magdalena, B., Pikoń, K., Eds.; 2023; pp. 155–167 ISBN 9788395008788.

Anna Mainka

Associate Professor at the Silesian University of Technology in the Department of Air Protection. Holds a Ph.D. and D.Sc. in environmental engineering. As an active researcher and academic, she specializes in ambient air pollution, indoor air quality, particulate matter, bioaerosols, and public health. Author of 60+ publications. Dedicated to propagating knowledge on air quality.

Ewa Puszczało

Ph.D., conducts research on obtaining modern adsorbents from waste materials and clay minerals. She is also involved in the regeneration of activated carbon and its reuse for pollutant adsorption. Dr. Ewa Puszczało additionally researches the application of membrane processes in environmental engineering, with a particular focus on membrane bioreactors.

Pawel Wargocki

a professor at the Technical University of Denmark, is an ISIAQ, REHVA, and ASHRAE Fellow. He has over 25 years of experience in IAQ research, focusing on ventilation, air cleaning, and indoor environment quality. He has collaborated with top institutions globally and published extensively (h-index 53).

Improving Air Quality: Assessing Risks in the Training Rooms of a Technical University’s Sports Facilities

Edyta Melaniuk-Wolny, Kamila Widziewicz-Rzońca, Magdalena Żak, Dmytro Chyzhykov

1. Introduction - Understanding Air Quality in Sports Facilities

Our choices about how we live and exercise can greatly impact our health. Recently, there’s been a push to improve sports facilities to encourage more physical activity, especially among young people. However, exercising in poorly ventilated or polluted environments can actually be harmful and may negate the benefits of exercise. Poor air quality in sports facilities can lead to serious health issues like heart and respiratory problems and asthma [1,2]. When we exercise, we breathe harder and more frequently compared to when we’re at rest. For instance, young athletes may breathe up to three times more during exercise, and professional athletes even more [3]. This increased breathing rate means they are exposed to more airborne pollutants. Also, as we exercise, the volume of air we breathe can increase significantly, sometimes up to 25 times more than at rest, depending on how intense the activity is [4]. Temperature also plays a key role. Ideal temperatures for sports facilities are between 16-18°C in winter and 18-21°C in summer. Too high or too low temperatures can make exercising harder, leading to issues like dehydration, muscle cramps, and even fainting. Proper ventilation is also important. High levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) [5] can lead to “sick building syndrome,” which can affect performance and overall health [6]. The Ministry of Health in Poland suggests specific ventilation rates to keep CO2 levels in check and maintain comfortable humidity levels. Indoor air quality can often be worse than outdoor air, and since people spend most of their time indoors, this is a significant concern; unlike workplaces, which frequently monitor air quality, sports facilities often do not. Our study aimed to examine the air quality in sports facilities near the Silesian University of Technology to identify sources of indoor air pollution and understand how it affects users. While mechanical ventilation systems can be effective, their high cost means many facilities in Poland still use less efficient natural ventilation.

2. Methods

From April to June 2022, we conducted a detailed study on air quality in five sports rooms at the Sports Center of the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Poland. Our research focused on assessing indoor air quality by measuring temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide levels, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). We conducted measurements every three days over a 24-hour period to gather comprehensive data while avoiding the winter months to prevent interference from high particulate matter levels. The study was performed in three different sports halls with varying sizes and uses, all relying on natural ventilation during the measurement period. Our findings aim to highlight the importance of maintaining good air quality in sports facilities for the health and well-being of users.

2.1 Summary of the Study on Sports Facility Air Quality

In our study, we analyzed air quality in five sports facilities owned by the Sports Center of the Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Poland. The focus was on understanding how different factors, including ventilation and facility usage, affect indoor air quality. We examined the following sports facilities (Table 1).

Table 1 Summary of the sports facilities analyzed in this study, including their names, types of activities, ventilation methods used, locations, and maximum capacities.

Note: Ventilation types indicate whether the facility uses natural ventilation or a combination of natural and mechanical systems. The location provides each facility’s address or general area; maximum capacity refers to the highest number of individuals using the facility simultaneously during the study.

2.2 Study Focus and Methodology

Students were chosen as the test population due to their active sports participation and their role in shaping exercise habits. The study assessed the impact of their activities on air quality, with data collected from coaches’ diaries and daily cleaning schedules.

Statistical Analysis: Data was analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk test to check for normal distribution. We used the Spearman correlation coefficient to explore relationships between indoor and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations and the influence of the number of individuals training on indoor air quality.

3. Results

We monitored air quality in five sports facilities over several days in 2022. We measured key factors such as CO2 levels, temperature, relative humidity (RH%), and particulate matter (PM2.5) both inside and outside the facilities. Inside the sports halls, CO² levels rose during activity sessions and fell during breaks. This was especially noticeable in the gym areas, where peaks were seen around times of high activity. For example, in the ‘Nowa’ Gym Hall, CO2 levels surged during gym classes and dropped during non-active periods. CO2 concentrations could rise significantly during intense training, sometimes exceeding recommended levels. For instance, on some days, levels peaked at 4,248 ppm. Indoor temperatures generally followed outdoor trends but were better regulated. For instance, temperatures in the ‘Nowa’ Gym Hall were higher due to warmer outside conditions, while the OSiR Gym maintained more stable temperatures. Indoor temperatures ranged from 17.1°C to 27.2°C, averaging 22.7°C. The facilities showed effective temperature control despite outdoor fluctuations. Humidity levels inside the sports halls mirrored outdoor conditions, especially on days when windows were open. Some facilities, like the ‘Nowa’ Hall, had lower humidity than recommended, which might affect students’ comfort. Humidity levels ranged from 20% to 51.7% indoors, with the lowest levels the ‘Nowa’ Gym Hall and the highest the OSiR Hall and Gym. The recommended humidity range for sports facilities was not always

met. PM2.5 levels inside the facilities closely followed outdoor levels, with higher concentrations during times of external air pollution. For example, on days with high outdoor PM2.5, indoor levels also increased. Facilities with good natural ventilation, like the OSiR Hall, showed better alignment between indoor and outdoor conditions. On average, indoor PM2.5 concentrations were lower than those outside. The highest outdoor PM2.5 levels were around the ‘Nowa’ Gym Hall (13.9 µg/m³) and ‘Konarskiego’ Hall (9.7 µg/m³). Concentrations near the OSiR Hall were slightly lower (10.1 µg/m³), and the lowest were near the OSiR Gym Hall (9.5 µg/m³). For example, the ‘Nowa’ Gym Hall, indoor PM2.5 averaged 23.36 µg/ m³, while outdoor levels were 17.76 µg/m³. When outdoor air quality worsened, indoor PM2.5 concentrations also increased. For instance, on April 28-29, when outdoor PM2.5 was higher, indoor levels the ‘Nowa’ Gym Hall spiked from 19.7 µg/ m³ to 49.9 µg/m³. On May 10-11 the ‘Nowa’ Hall, indoor PM2.5 levels were close to outdoor levels (26.3 µg/m³ indoors vs. 27.06 µg/m³ outdoors). Similarly, from May 25-31 the OSiR Hall, indoor PM2.5 was slightly higher (14.8 µg/m³) compared to outdoors (10.53 µg/m³). Late-night strength training sessions led to increased PM2.5 concentrations in most sports rooms. However, the ‘Konarskiego’ Hall, used mainly for table tennis, showed stable PM2.5 levels with a notable drop on May 18, likely due to lower activity and reduced humidity from heating. On May 16-17, PM2.5 levels increased due to a table tennis tournament, and levels remained high overnight, consistent with other studies showing prolonged particle suspension indoors. Significant correlations between indoor and outdoor PM2.5 levels were found the ‘Nowa’ Gym Hall and ‘Konarskiego’ Hall. The weakest correlation was the OSiR Hall Gym, where intensive training sessions had a noticeable impact on PM2.5 levels, especially on June 6. Indoor relative humidity (RH%) increased notably during physical exercise, especially between 7:00-8:00 am and 7:00-8:00 pm. This rise is linked to the increased gas exchange during strength training, which impacts indoor humidity levels. Wind speed was fairly uniform across sites, with speeds reaching up to 5.7 m/s around the ‘Nowa’ Hall and 2.6 m/s at other locations. Around the ‘Nowa’ Hall and Konarskiego Hall, wind predominantly came from the west, north, east, and south. In the OSiR Hall area, the main wind direction was from the west. For the OSiR Hall, southwest winds might bring in polluted air, especially with windows on the southwest side and nearby Chrobry Park blocking gusts.

The ‘Nowa’ Hall and OSiR Hall had the highest student attendance, influenced by physical education classes, after-school programs, and sports teams. Data from trainers’ diaries showed higher occupancy on weekdays and varied activity levels throughout the day. Generally, there was a positive correlation between the number of occupants and indoor RH%, reflecting increased moisture from exhalation during exercise. The ‘Nowa’ Hall showed no significant correlation, indicating unique factors affecting humidity there. Optimal indoor conditions include temperature between 20-22°C (68-72°F) for general comfort and performance and humidity ideally between 40-60%, though specific sports might need slight adjustments.

Conclusion

Maintaining optimal air quality in sports facilities involves carefully monitoring and adjusting temperature, humidity, and ventilation. Understanding the relationships between occupancy, air quality parameters, and external conditions helps ensure a comfortable and healthy environment for athletes and users. This research illuminates indoor air quality in University-affiliated sports facilities and its impact on athletes and visitors. Findings show significant fluctuations in PM2.5 concentrations, temperature, and humidity both indoors and outdoors. Notably, a correlation between indoor and outdoor humidity was observed, especially when windows were opened during training sessions, leading to increased indoor humidity levels. Late-hour training sessions at the OSiR Gym resulted in elevated PM concentrations due to activities like dropping barbells and using magnesia for hand drying. Concerns were raised about particulate matter pollution, exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on multiple occasions. Maintaining optimal CO² levels is emphasized, as high levels negatively affect athletic performance and health. To address these challenges, proper ventilation, routine maintenance, and CO² monitoring using sensors are essential for an athlete-friendly environment that prioritizes well-being.

Funding: This work was supported by the Faculty of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Silesian University of Technology (statutory research)

References:

→ Bralewska, K., et al. (2022). Indoor air quality in sports center: Assessment of gaseous pollutants. Building and Environment, 208, 108589.

→ McKenzie, D. C., & Boulet, L. P. (2008). Asthma, outdoor air quality and the Olympic Games. CMAJ, 179(6), 543-548.

→ Kuskowska, K., et al. (2015). Analiza możliwości wystąpienia zagrożeń ze strony pyłu zawieszonego podczas treningów sportowych na przykładzie wybranych warszawskich obiektów rekreacyjnych. Zeszyty Naukowe SGSP, 54(2).

→ Szmit S, Balsam P, Opolski G. Wzór wentylacji wysiłkowej u chorych z przewlekłą niewydolnością serca. Kardiologia po dyplomie, Tom 8 Nr 2, 2009.

→ ASHRAE. (2019). Standard 62.1-2019: Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality. Atlanta, GA: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.

→ Wang, M.; Li, L.; Hou, C.; Guo, X.; Fu, H. Building and Health: Mapping the Knowledge Development of Sick Building Syndrome. Buildings 2022, 12, 287.

Edyta Melaniuk-Wolny Assistant Professor at the Silesian University of Technology, specializes in environmental engineering. Her research focuses on indoor especially in sports facilities and outdoor air quality, examining the impact of particulate matter and carbon dioxide on human health.

Kamila Widziewicz-Rzońca

PhD, is a task-oriented scientist at the Institute of Environmental Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, holds diplomas in Environmental Engineering and Biotechnology. Specializing in aerosol sciences, her research focuses on atmospheric chemistry, PM-bound water contents, and human exposure to air pollutants including non-cancer and cancer effects.

Magdalena Żak

s a research and teaching assistant professor at the Silesian University of Technology’s Department of Air Protection. She holds a Ph.D. in environmental engineering, focusing on nitrogen oxides in outdoor air from automotive and municipal sources, and indoor air from various fuel combustion sources.

Dmytro Chyzhykov

is a PhD student at the Silesian University of Technology and an investigator in a national research project at the Institute of Environmental Engineering, Polish Academy of Sciences, Zabrze. His research focuses on improving the accuracy of Particulate Matter gravimetric assessment.

Reduce low emissions by eliminating solid biofuels contaminated with plastics through the implementation of the Py-GC-MS technique

Marcin Sajdak, Roksana Muzyka

Introduction

Biomass is a key renewable solid fuel, and its use as an energy source is considered sustainable and environmentally friendly [1]. Projections indicate that global primary energy demand will continue to rise, with an expected increase of 41% from the base year to 2035 [2]. Using biomass and other renewable solid fuels, particularly in dedicated combustion systems, significantly reduces environmental impacts compared to coal. However, the growing production of plastics and waste from the furniture industry each year can lead to contamination of solid biofuels with these types of waste. Combustion systems designed specifically for clean biomass and renewable fuels are not equipped to mitigate the harmful organic compounds released during the combustion of contaminated fuels. Regulations in various countries, including the EU, USA, Canada, and the UK, [3–5] strictly prohibit the incineration of waste in unsuitable facilities, especially when solid biofuels, perceived as environmentally friendly, are illegally mixed with waste materials [6,7]. While existing certification systems, standards, and quality tests for solid biofuels like pellets and briquettes address their physicochemical properties, they may not detect plastic contamination [8–11]. Considering the health risks from toxic emissions during uncontrolled waste burning, it is crucial to question how the purity of commercially available solid biofuels, not regulated by current standards, can be ensured. Based on a review of current knowledge, analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC-MS) emerges as a potential method for quality control of biofuels in the market, providing raw data to develop effective control measures.

Methods

Analytical pyrolysis of the test standards and model samples was performed using a CDS 5200 pyrolyzer coupled with a PerkinElmer Clarus GC-MS. Approximately 1.00 mg of each test sample was placed between two quartz wool discs in a quartz tube. During this analysis, both biomass and contaminants decompose at high temperatures, breaking down into smaller chemical compounds that are characteristic of both biomass and contaminants, such as polymers. The ana-

lytical signals from this process can be utilized in data analysis, chemometrics, and machine learning techniques to develop tools for biofuel quality control. A Python script was used to compile Py-GC-MS data from a 3D matrix into a single summary matrix. This dataset is structured as a 3D matrix with three dimensions: m/z (X-axis), retention time (Y-axis), and individual sample results (third dimension). The data were then transformed into a 2D matrix for further analysis and machine learning applications.

Results

The Py-GC-MS analysis detected key biomass markers, including acetic acid, furfural, p-cresol, 2-methoxy-p-cresol, p-tert-butylphenol, eugenol, vanillin, trans-isoeugenol, and acetyleugenol (Fig. 1).

In the biomass with polymers contamination, the Py-GC-MS analysis detected the main polymer markers such as methyl methacrylate, 1-octene, styrene, α -methylstyrene, 1-decene, 4-ethyl-1,3-dioxolane, acetophenone, 1-undecene, phthalic acid, 1-dodecene, benzoic acid, caprolactam, p-pentylacetophenone, phenanthrene, bisphenol A, and dibenzyl derivative (Fig. 2).

Figure 1. Pyrographs of the biomass mixture

7.5 PW_BW

2.5 PW_BW

0.5 PW_BW

Figure 2. Pyrographs of the biomass contaminated by polymer waste

To demonstrate the method’s capabilities, several biomass fuel samples (biomass pellets) were obtained from the local market. The results confirmed that Py-GC-MS effectively identifies even low levels of polymer contamination, as indicated by the presence of markers such as toluene, styrene, α -methylstyrene, and styrene dimer, which are characteristic of polystyrene (Fig. 3).

Figure 3. Pyrolysis analysis of a sample of biomass pellet biofuel available on the local market: chromatograms indicating the presence of polymeric impurities

Based on the research conducted and the data obtained, a model was developed to classify solid biofuels and confirm their purity. This model was validated using real Py-GC-MS data from biomass-plastic waste mixtures. As shown in Figure 4, principal component analysis (PCA) on the normalized data effectively separated samples into two groups based on potential contamination. The model optimized using the boosted tree method with specific hyperparameters -100 trees, a learning rate of 0.01, a maximum tree depth of 3, a sample fraction of 1, and the square root of the number of features- achieved an accuracy of 97% for clean biomass and 100% for contaminated biomass. The F1 score and overall model accuracy were 98%, demonstrating excellent performance in balancing precision and sensitivity. The F1 score, the harmonic mean of precision and sensitivity, reflects the model’s ability to minimize both false positives and false negatives.

4. Projection of test objects onto the plane defined by the first two principal components

PC2 for real Py-GC-MS data of biomass and polymer contaminated biomass samples.

Figure

PC1,

Conclusions

This study investigated the feasibility of using Py-GC-MS to analyse biomass samples contaminated with a polymer mixture. The findings suggest that direct analysis of samples with minimal preparation steps (grinding and homogenization) is practical and effective in identifying polymer markers indicative of contaminants such as PP, PE, LDPE, ABS, PET, PA6, PS, PC, and POM. Analytical pyrolysis has proven to be a reliable method for confirming the presence of plastics in samples. Py-GC-MS demonstrated its utility in detecting and analysing polymer markers in biomass matrices, identifying characteristic markers for each polymer used in the mixture. This ensures that polymer waste contamination in biomass can be effectively detected. The results presented address the challenge of controlling the purity of commercially available solid biofuels that are not covered by existing regulatory frameworks. The use of Py-GC-MS provides a robust method for monitoring the purity of these biofuels.

Based on the analytical pyrolysis results, the developed model achieved an accuracy of 97% for clean biomass and 100% for contaminated biomass. The F1 score and overall accuracy of the model were 98%, indicating that the model effectively balances precision and sensitivity, minimizing both false positives and false negatives.

References

→ 1. Patermann, C.; Aguilar, A. The Origins of the Bioeconomy in the European Union. N Biotechnol 2018, 40, 20–24, doi:10.1016/j.nbt.2017.04.002.

→ 2. Tzeiranaki, S.T.; Bertoldi, P.; Economidou, M.; Clementi, E.L.; Gonzalez-Torres, M. Determinants of Energy Consumption in the Tertiary Sector: Evidence at European Level. Energy Reports 2023, 9, 5125–5143, doi:10.1016/j. egyr.2023.03.122.

→ 3. AGM - Agriculture & Markets :: 2010 New York Code :: US Codes and Statutes :: US Law :: Justia Available online: https://law.justia.com/codes/ new-york/2010/agm (accessed on 14 November 2023).

→ 4. EUR-Lex - 32008L0050 - EN - EUR-Lex Available online: https://eur-lex. europa.eu/legal-content/PL/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32008L0050 (accessed on 14 November 2023).

→ 5. Protection of the Environment Operations (Clean Air) Regulation 2010 under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 Explanatory Note. 2010.

→ 6. Mazur, I.; Jagustyn, B.; Sajdak, M. The Detection of Ash Derived from the Illegal Co-Combustion of Solid Waste with Coal in Domestic Boilers with the Aid of Spectrometric Approaches and Statistical Learning. Environ Nanotechnol Monit Manag 2023, 19, 100758, doi:10.1016/j.enmm.2022.100758.

→ 7. Muzyka, R.; Chrubasik, M.; Pogoda, M.; Tarnowska, J.; Sajdak, M. Py–GC–MS and PCA Analysis Approach for the Detection of Illegal Waste Combustion Processes In Central Heating Furnaces. Chromatographia 2019, 82, 1101–1109, doi:10.1007/s10337-019-03747-4.

→ 8. Zanchini, R.; Blanc, S.; Pippinato, L.; Poratelli, F.; Bruzzese, S.; Brun, F. Enhancing Wood Products through ENplus, FSC and PEFC Certifications: Which Attributes Do Consumers Value the Most? For Policy Econ 2022, 142, 102782, doi:10.1016/J.FORPOL.2022.102782.

→ 9. Duca, D.; Riva, G.; Foppa Pedretti, E.; Toscano, G. Wood Pellet Quality with Respect to EN 14961-2 Standard and Certifications. Fuel 2014, 135, 9–14, doi:10.1016/J.FUEL.2014.06.042.

→ 10. Monedero, E.; Portero, H.; Lapuerta, M. Pellet Blends of Poplar and Pine Sawdust: Effects of Material Composition, Additive, Moisture Content and Compression Die on Pellet Quality. Fuel Processing Technology 2015, 132, 15–23, doi:10.1016/J.FUPROC.2014.12.013.

→ 11. Chen, G.B.; Chang, C.Y. Co-Gasification of Waste Shiitake Substrate and Waste Polyethylene in a Fluidized Bed Reactor under CO2/Steam Atmospheres. Energy 2024, 289, 129967, doi:10.1016/J.ENERGY.2023.129967.

Marcin Sajdak

is a research assistant professor at the Silesian University of Technology, a habilitated doctor in chemical technology, and a doctor in environmental engineering. Specialist in chemometrics, thermal conversion of fuels and wastes, and air protection. Participated in many national and international projects and completed research internships. Author of 50+ scientific publications.

Roksana Muzyka

is a research assistant professor at the Silesian University of Technology and a doctor in chemical technology. Her research explores the use of chromatography to identify compounds arising from the thermochemical conversion of fuels and wastes. Author of 40+ scientific publications.

Cancer risk associated with exposure to PM10-bound PAHs in Polish Agglomerations

Barbara Kozielska, Dorota Kaleta

Introduction

Air pollution is a major cause of various cardiovascular diseases, as well as respiratory diseases predominantly lung diseases and lung cancer, and premature deaths [1,2]. In Poland, the most serious problem is the high concentration of particulate matter (PM) and PM10-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Both PM10 and PM-bound PAHs have carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic properties [3]. They can be emitted from industrial, domestic, mobile, agricultural, and natural sources. The primary source of these pollutants in Poland is so-called “low emissions” associated with burning solid fuels, mainly in domestic boilers and vehicle traffic [4,5]. This study evaluates the carcinogenic risk of incremental lifetime inhalation exposure (ILCR) to ambient PM10-bound PAHs among adult residents in Polish agglomerations in 2018–2022.

Method

We selected those agglomerations (Tricity, Upper Silesian, Cracow, Lublin, Lodz, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw) where systematic monitoring of seven selected PAHs is carried out, such as benzo[a]anthracene B[a]A, benzo[a]pyrene B[a]P, benzo[b]fluoranthene B[b]F, benzo[j]fluoranthene B[j]F, benzo[k]fluoranthene B[k]F, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene DBA, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene IP within the framework of the State Environmental Monitoring. The air monitoring data are officially validated data [6]. As part of our work, we analyzed the average annual concentrations of PM10 and the average annual concentrations of B[a]P as a representative of the PAHs group. We then calculated incremental lifetime cancer risk for the inhalation exposure route based on the work of Fadel et al. [4]. In the calculations, we considered toxic equivalent concentration for PAHs [7], average time for carcinogens, body weight and other parameters [4].

Results

In Poland, the currently monitored concentrations of PM10 and B[a]P have decreased compared to the last century, but they are still high. In the Polish Agglomerations, the average annual concentrations, depending on the location and year, ranged from 17.42 to 43.20 µg/m³ for particulate matter PM10. These concentrations are much

higher than the concentrations recorded in other European countries. In Cracow, Lodz, and Silesia Agglomerations, the average annual concentrations exceeded the Polish standards of permissible concentrations (40 µg/m³) in 2018. Compared with the WHO guidelines (15 µg/m³), the average annual concentrations exceeded the safe level at every station every year (Fig 1). The average concentration of PM10-bound B[a]P ranged from 0.32 to 4.89 ng/m³ (Fig. 1). The highest B[a]P concentrations were recorded in Cracow and Silesian Agglomerations. Considering the limit values of the Polish and World Health Organization standards of 1 ng/m³ and 0.12 ng/m³ for B[a]P, respectively these values were exceeded in all agglomerations (Fig. 1).

Cracow

Lublin

Łódź

Szczecin

Tricity

Warsaw Upper Silesian

Fig. 1 The average annual and maximum concentrations in the years 2018-2022 a) PM10, b) PM10-bound B[a]P

The incremental lifetime cancer risk of inhalation exposure was estimated on the basis of the concentration of PM10-bound PAHs in the atmospheric air. The lifetime lung cancer risk values calculated are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Incremental lifetime cancer risk for inhalation exposure route in Polish Agglomerations Agglom

The WHO estimated an acceptable ILCR of 1×10−6 to 1×10−4 for carcinogens. In all agglomerations, the ILCR is greater than 1×10−4. We determined the cancer risk to be high based on the calculations for four agglomerations, i.e., Silesia, Cracow, Lodz, and Szczecin. Considering the number of inhabitants in the agglomerations, the number of the excess lung cancers attributed to exposure to PM10-bound PAHs may exceed 2,800 per million population in Upper Silesia (Fig. 2).

Szczecin 400 ÷1064

Wroclaw 361 ÷ 644

Upper Silesian 1499 ÷ 2873

Tricity 209 ÷ 494

Łódź 705 ÷ 1011

Warsaw 432 ÷ 881

Lublin

146 ÷ 263

Cracow

487 ÷ 1064

Fig. 2 Number of additional lung cancers per 1 million people due to exposure the average annual concentrations of PM10-bound PAHs

Conclusions

Currently, tambient air quality is one of the most critical environmental problems. This especially concerns developed and developing countries, including Polish Agglomerations. In 2018–2022, the concentrations of PM10 and PM10-bound B[a] P very often exceeded the permissible concentrations regulated by national and European regulations. The calculated incremental lifetime cancer risk due to the inhalation exposure to PM10-related PAHs concentrations in Polish Agglomerations suggests 146–2873 additional lung cancer cases per 1 million people depending on location and year. Therefore, the most important goal is to reduce the number of diseases and deaths caused by polluted air through actions undertaken in order to protect the air.

References

→ WHO. Ambient (Outdoor) Air Pollution: https://www.who.int/en/news-room/ fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health

→ Compendium of WHO and other UN Guidance on Health and Environment, 2022 Update; WHO: Geneva, Switzerland, 2022; https://apps.who.int/iris/ handle/10665/352844

→ IARC (2021) IARC monographs on the identification of carcinogenic hazards to Humans. https://monographs.iarc.who.int/list-of-classifications

→ Fadel, M., Courcot, D., Afif, C., Ledoux F.: Methods for the assessment of health risk induced by contaminants in atmospheric particulate matter: a review. Environ. Chem. Lett. 2022, 20, 3289–3311.

→ Kaleta, D., Kozielska, B.: Spatial and temporal volatility of PM2.5, PM10 and PM10-bound B[a]P concentrations and assessment of the exposure of the population of Silesia in 2018-2021. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 2023, 20, 138.

→ https://powietrze.gios.gov.pl/pjp/archives

→ Larsen, J.C., Larsen, P.B.: Chemical carcinogens. In: Air Pollution and Health (Herster RE, Harrison RM, eds). Cambridge: Royal Society of Chemistry, 1998, 33–56.

Barbara Kozielska is involved in the research issues related to indoor and outdoor air quality. Focuses on the problem of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds and others. She is a recognized expert on the field of the methodology of collecting and preparing environmental samples for analysis, specializes in environmental analysis. Author of 80+ publications.

Dorota Kaleta

Assistant Professor at the Silesian University of Technology’s Department of Air Protection, holds a Ph.D. in environmental engineering. Her work focuses on air quality, modeling pollutant dispersion, and predicting concentrations. She has contributed to national projects and authored numerous publications.

Microbiological air quality after the ozonation process carried out under different air change rate

Ewa Zabłocka-Godlewska, Walter Mucha

OFFICES

SCHOOLS

~ 80-90% of a day we spend in internal spaces

HOME FACTORIES

BIOAEROSOLS GENERATION = SPREADING OF AIRBORNE PATHOGENS

WAY OF IMROVING IAQ'

OZONE AIR DISINFECTION

Bioaerosol conc. [CFU//m3]

O3 conc. [ppm]

*IAQ - Indoor Air Quality

**ACR - Air Change Rate

ACR [h-1] ?

Introduction

It is estimated that people spend about 80-90% of their day in indoor spaces such as schools, offices, factories, homes, etc. Therefore, indoor air quality is a key parameter affecting occupants’ well-being and health [1, 2]. Of particular importance in this regard are the qualitative and quantitative parameters of the bioaerosol, which consists mainly of bacteria, fungi and viruses [3, 4, 5]. The primary source of bioaerosol in this area is he indoor space users. Bioaerosol generated by residents affects everyone present in this space.

One method of improving indoor air quality (IAQ) is is air disinfection by ozonation. The effectiveness of this treatment depends on various factors, including ozone concentration and treatment time [6, 7]. However, the question is, what is the effect of Volumetric Flow Rate (VFR) of the Volumetric air and the associated air Air Change Rate (ACR)? Answering this question was the goal of our research.

Materials and methods

Studies were conducted a closed chamber with dimensions 150 cm high/150 cm wide/80cm deep. The chamber was equipped with a controlled Air Change Rate (ACR) [h-1] system, an ozone generator, which produced ozone with the efficiency of 0.12 g O3/min, the Air Ideal 3P Biomerieux sampler for the collection of bacteria and fungi, Aeroqual series 500 ozone meter (Fig. 1). The ventilated airflow system was working in two speeds which allowed to obtain the ACR on level 0.2 and 2 h-1. The airflow was measured using a hot wire anemometer HCA-1. Microbiological analysis included determining the total number of psychrophilic and mesophilic bacteria and fungi per 1 m3 of air. The only source of microorganisms was the air flowing through the chamber. Samples were taken using the impact method (Air Ideal 3P Biomerieux sampler) from one point at the closed chamber’s front wall. Two microbiological growth media were used to estimate bacteria concentration: Trypticase Soy Agar (BTL) and fungi concentration: Sabouraud medium (BTL). The results were presented in the form of CFU/m³. Studies were conducted in three various series, which differ with ACR (0.2 h-1 and 2 h-1) and concentration of O3 determined with the number of used generators and number of cycles:

→ 1st series: ACR 2 h-1 and one ozone generator working for 30 min,

→ 2nd series: ACR 0.2 h-1 and one ozone generator working for 30 min,

→ 3rd series: ACR 0.2 h-1 and two ozone generators working in two cycles each for 30 min.

In each series, three microbiological measurements were performed: the first before the ozonation, the second after 30-minute ozonation, and the third - 30 minutes after the end of ozonation. Each measurement was performed in triplicate to determine the average value. Ozone concentration measurements were performed continuously from the start of ozonation during and up to 30 minutes after the end of ozonation.

SAMPLING SITE, DEVICES & CONDITIONS:

Closed chamber (150/150/80 cm) with a controlled Air Change Rate (ACR) [h-1].

Ozone generator generation efficiency 0.12

MEASUREMENTS:

Microbiological Analysis (impact method AirIdeal 3P Biomerieux)% removal was calculated

O3 conc. [ppm] (Aeroqual 500 series metersampling at 1-min intervals)

ACR [h-1] - HCA-1 hot wire anemometer

Bacteria: meso- & psychrophiles [CFU/m³] TSA medium Fungi [CFU/m³] Sabouraud medium

Fig. 1. Sampling site, devices and measurements.

Results

During the 1st series, the value of the ACR was 2 h-1. One ozone generator was working for 30 min (Fig. 2a). The highest ozone concentration slightly exceeded 0.07 ppm (0.15 mg/m³); the concentration achieved was not high and did not exceed the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), which an 8-hour, time-weighted average value 0.1 ppm (0.2 mg/m³ ) (by OSHA). The average ozone concentration during the ozonation process was 0.061 ppm; for 30 minutes after this process, the average concentration was 0.012 ppm. During this series, a more significant reduction in the number of bacteria was observed in the case of the mesophiles compared to the psychrophiles (directly after ozonation, 51.2% and 2.9%, respectively). measurements done 30 minutes after the end of ozonation still showed the decrease of the number of both groups of bacteria compared to the first measurement. However, compared to the values directly after ozonation, their percentage reduction was lower because of the continuous air inflow through the working ventilation system. In the case of fungi, no reduction but even growth of their concentration was observed.

During the 2nd series, the value of ACR was 0.2 h-1, and one ozone generator was working for 30 min (Fig. 2b). The highest ozone concentration slightly exceeded 0.09 ppm (0.193 mg/m³); this concentration did not exceed PEL according to the OSHA but was close to this limit.

The average concentration during the ozonation process was 0.08 ppm, and for 30 minutes after the ozonation, this average value was 0.042 ppm. During this series, a more significant reduction in the number of bacteria, in comaprison to the 1st series, was observed. Directly after ozonation, the concentration of mesophiles and psychrophiles was reduced by 58.4% and 42.6%, respectively. Thirty minutes after ozonation, a further decrease in the number of both groups of bacteria was observed (74,3% and 93.5%, respectively). In the case of fungi, a 40% reduction of concentration was observed directly after ozonation, but 30 minutes after switching off the ozonator, it was only a 23.5% reduction.

In the 3rd series, the value of ACR was 0.2 h-1; during this series two ozone generators were working in two cycles, each for 30 minutes (Fig. 2c). During the 1st and 2nd cycle of the 3rd series, the highest ozone concentration was 0.154 ppm and 0.16 ppm respectively and exceeded PEL, which according to the OSHA is

0.1 ppm. The average concentration during both cycles of the ozonation process also exceeded the PEL value and was 0.124 ppm.

During the 3rd series, the concentration of all examined microorganisms groups decreased. Results obtained 30 minutes after the ozonation process indicate a further slight decrease in these concentrations. After 1st cycle, the reduction of mesophiles, psychrophiles and fungi was 60%, 78% and 18%, respectively, while after 2nd cycle of ozonation, the results of this removal were 83.5%, 91.1% and 45.7%, respectively.

Fig. 2 Ozone

mesophile and psychrophile bacteria and fungi.

Mesophiles Fungi

The measurements demonstrate that the disinfection process based on double ozonation using two ozone generators (3rd series) was the most effective method. The drawback of this method is that the value of PEL was exceeded. Worse yet still satisfactory results were obtained in the 2nd series, with the same value of ACR (0.2 h-1) and usage of one ozone generator. The worst results were obtained in the 1st series, where the value of ACR was tenfold higher (2 h-1). It demonstrated that the setting of the generation of suitable ozone concentration and the suitable value of ACR can be a clue factor that affects the efficiency and safety of the disinfection process. The conducted studies show that the duration of ozone exposure has a significant impact on the results, especially in the case of fungi.

Conclusions

The best results were obtained in the 3rd series, where 2 generators worked during 2 cycles under ACR 0.2 h-1; in this case, the highest bacteria removal was observed. The highest efficiency of removal of fungi obtained in this series showed that in the case of this group of microorganisms, the treatment time impacts disinfection efficiency. However, it has to be pointed out that in this series, the PEL of O3 was exceeded. A bit worse results, especially in the case of fungi, were obtained in the 2nd series, (1 ozone generator, ACR 0.2 h-1), and the PEL of O3 was not exceeded there. The tenfold higher value of ACR caused a drastic decrease in disinfection efficiency, which was a result on the one hand of the outflow of part of ozone and lower concentration in the chamber, and on the other hand, the inflow of microorganisms with the fresh, uncleaned air. The optimization of the disinfection process needs to consider the value of ozone concentration as well as the ACR value.

References

1. Vasile V., Petran H., Dima A. & Petcu C.: Indoor Air Quality - A Key Element of the Energy Performance of the Buildings. Energy Procedia 2016, vol. 96 277–284 Elsevier Ltd.

2. Mannan M., Al-Ghamdi S. G.: Indoor air quality in buildings: A comprehensive review on the factors influencing air pollution in residential and commercial structure. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, vol. 18 1–24 Preprint at https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063276.

3. Daisey J. M., Angell W. J., Apte M. G.: Indoor air quality, ventilation and health symptoms in schools: an analysis of existing information.

4. Less B., Mullen N., Singer B., Walker I.: Indoor air quality in 24 California residences designed as high-performance homes. Sci Technol Built Environ 2015, 21, 14–24.

5. Niculita-Hirzel H. et al.: Fungal contaminants in energy efficient dwellings: Impact of ventilation type and level of urbanization. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020, 17, 1–15.

6. Makles Z., Galwas-Zakrzewska M.: Ozon bezpieczeństwo ludzi i środowiska. Bezpieczeństwo Pracy : nauka i praktyka 2004, nr 6, 25–28.

7. Epelle E. I. et al. Ozone application in different industries: A review of recent developments. Chemical Engineering Journal 2023, vol. 454 Preprint at https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2022.140188.

Ewa Zabłocka-Godlewska

Associate Professor in Silesian University of Technology, PhD and habilitation in environmental engineering. Deals with environmental microbiology, ecotoxicology, biotechnology, including microbiological quality of air, water, soil, raw materials, industrial space. Has experience in biodegradation of organic pollutants (crude oil hydrocarbons, synthetic dyes).

Walter Mucha

assistant professor at the Silesian University of Technology in the Department of Air Protection. He holds a Ph.D. in environmental engineering. As a researcher, he specializes in air quality research and methods of air purification from dust, gas and microbiological pollutants.

Cultural Identity and Social Transformation

Notes from the Laboratory of the Future Society1

Anna Maj

The art itself changes along with available means of expression, media, and technologies. Digital technologies represent the next step after traditional means of artistic expression. Today, AI technologies play a leading role as a tool. Virtual reality and 3D animation, now supported by generative artificial intelligence, interactive art and technologically supported artistic activism, are also significant. Regardless of the technology or generation of the medium used, the essence of all art is communication, the desire to connect with the audience and to talk about important issues and problems of modern humans, who we are and who we are becoming.

New technologies undoubtedly generate pressure in all dimensions of contemporary daily existence. At almost every step, we notice that we are ceasing to be self-sufficient; intelligent systems are increasingly taking over, collecting more or less private data and monitoring the environment and our spatial, consumption, and communication behaviours. Artificial intelligence analyses our traces on the network and in the offline world, analyses our behaviour patterns, profiles us, and creates predictions about our health, potential diseases, and eating habits, profiles us as potential customers, employees, or partners, and predicts non-standard and risky behaviours. We often feel amazed, and sometimes even lost, in the face of the rapid development of new technologies and their ubiquity. We wonder how to cope with this and how our children will cope in the future in a world that is simply difficult to imagine today.

1. The article was based on discussions within the research team and a team presentation during ESOF2024: New Media Art as the Laboratory of the Future Society by Anna Maj (Faculty of Humanities, University of Silesia in Katowice), Ksawery Kaliski (Chair of New Media, Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice), Marian Oslislo (Chair of New Media, Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice), Karol Makles (Faculty of Humanities, University of Silesia in Katowice, Silesian Museum in Katowice), Tomasz Strojecki (Chair of New Media, Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice), Piotr Ceglarek (Chair of New Media, Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice).

Paradoxically, such a space for reflection on contemporary and future challenges is not science, which for some parts of society is too hermetic, especially the exact sciences. Narrow disciplines and busy scientists only sometimes have the popularisation of their knowledge on their horizon. And here it turns out that the art+science area, where new media art is situated, has become a unique tool ideal for social communication. It is from such a need that numerous teams composed of scientists from various disciplines and artists - computer scientists, humanists, biologists, geneticists, etc., and those who specialise in data visualisation, 3D animation, sound art, or AI art - are developing around the world. Among these initiatives are the activities of the New Media Art, Culture & Technology Research Centre team². Our goal is to combine activities in several areas: research on new media art theory & practices, research on science, culture & technology intersections, fostering interdisciplinary thinking & creation, providing ground for developing new forms of art & promoting its visibility, multiplying the innovative power of 3 institutions: University of Silesia in Katowice, Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, Silesian Museum.

New media art is a creative dialogue with technology conducted to communicate with society. The intersection of experimental artistic activities and information technologies, along with humanistic reflection on the changing role of humans in the world, values, and the essence of social communication, constitutes a laboratory of the future or a laboratory of future society. This combined reflection of humanists and artist-programmers, coupled with the efforts of curators and the social impact of modern cultural institutions, brings hope for the creative development of broader reflection on new tools, including AI.

The traditional communication model of art proposed by Roman Ingarden (artistartwork (artefact) - viewer) has been replaced by the new media art model, where the artist/programmer creates an artwork/program/interface (process) to meet active vuser (model described by Oliver Grau or Edward Shanken, in Poland by Ryszard W. Kluszczyński). Nowadays, we can observe the following shift: to the AI

2. The New Media Art, Culture & Technology Research Centre is an initiative of researchers from a team of employees of the Institute of Cultural Studies at the University of Silesia, the Multimedia Activities Studio of the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice and the Silesian Museum (in the process of establishment).

art model, where AI becomes a tool or co-author and datasets (or their authors/ providers/creators) can be regarded as co-creators or participative authors. AI, an artist and a vuser become one connected system. Some thinkers suggest a fundamental shift in the creativity process given to the machine, while others say AI is just a tool in the hands of techno-savvy artists.

Strategies and tactics performed often in new media art (or cyberarts) can be described using various typologies, i.e. the one proposed by Ryszard W. Kluszczyński in his book Interactive Art, where he talks about the strategies of 1) instrument, 2) game, 3) archive, 4) labyrinth, 5) rhizome, 6) system, 7) network, 8) performance. What happens with these forms in AI art? It seems they are still actual, but new strategies may also arise. The most intriguing aspect of this set now becomes a live man-machine performance, where either music or visualisations can be created in real-time with the help of AI, and the artist becomes a kind of wizard, mixing the sounds or images to obtain a specific effect. On the other hand, Lev Manovich suggests that the opposition between human and machine creativity is disappearing, as both are based now on AI algorithms. In AI art, the substance of man-machine artists is merging. Years ago, I observed three major attitudes characterising media artists in digital art: 1) cyberbricolers (play with technology), 2) cyber activists (create discussion), and 3) cyborgs (transform their bodies through technology). We may say that in AI art, they are still valid, but new attitudes may occur. What kind do we still observe? It seems that these technologies promise the democratisation of the art profession. But in fact, they create new divides and new challenges.

Based on the literature on the theory of art, we can say that, in general, there exist several different approaches to technology: Roy Ascott sees technology as the emancipation of the recipient due to the reversal of the so-far roles, Mirosław Rogala sees it as the tool of control over the recipient, whereas Michel Foucault or Shoshanna Zuboff perceive technology as an illusion of freedom and the tool of power, Marshall McLuhan, Derrick de Kerckhove, and Lev Manovich - as the tool of externalisation of mind (of creator-programmer) and David Rokeby as the filter in signification process & the constructor of the recipient’s-user’s experiences. It is hard to say who is right, maybe, paradoxically, all at once.

In general, from my research perspective, new media art is far from programming the user and their actions; instead, it designs a general path of user experience. It is a co-creation process in which the user plays a vital role. It is a laboratory of cultural and communication practices for the future of society. Still, it is also an area for testing the limits of interfaces and expanding the repertoire of possible interactions. Thus, the interaction with an art piece is a specific test of the operation of existing technology in a new reconfiguration or a test for an original prototype proposal.

From the field research and interviews on AI art and artists’ approach to technology, I found that no artist wants to admit that AI is a co-creator of an artwork; they see it as a tool—the next generation of artistic tool after a brush, a video camera or a computer. The sensitivity of an artist and their will to communicate are the most important. The rest is just a choice of a set of tools and results of the work of algorithms which perform what an artist tells to do. We don’t need to worry about losing creativity; AI art is still human.

Anna Maj

D. Litt., PhD, is a cultural and media studies expert, communicologist, associate professor at the Institute of Cultural Studies of the University of Silesia in Katowice, and former Vice-Director of the Institute (2012-2019). Her main research interests are new media, cyber arts, AI in cultural aspects, media anthropology, digital memory, communication behaviours in new media, perception theory & user experience, travel narrations & perception. Author of two monographs, Media in Travel and Transformations of Knowledge in Cyberculture and about 90 articles, scientific editor of 9 multi-author monographs on new media communication, digital art & digital memories (Brill, Leiden; Rodopi, Amsterdam-New York; Inter-Disciplinary Press, Oxford). Cultmedia Network Scientific Board Member (2022-2023), Cyber Hub Steering Group Member and Digital Arts Project Leader in Inter-Disciplinary Net (Oxford) (2008-2016), ENABLE Network Member (2012-2013). Katowice Project Team Member for ECC 2016 contest. Project Leader of multiple conferences on new media, art & technology (i.e. New Media Days in Katowice, Digital Arts in Oxford University, and recently (2023) New Media Perspectives at Silesian Museum, University of Silesia & Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice). The team leader of the New Media Art, Culture & Technology Research Centre. AI Space Curator of Silesian Science Festival.

Energy Transition

Exploring the Future of Post-Mining Infrastructure for Energy Storage: Insights from a Panel Debate

Marcin Lutyński, Łukasz Bartela, Adam Smoliński, Lukáš Adámek, Sebastian Waniczek

The transition to a low-carbon economy has led to significant changes in energy production, but one critical area often overlooked is the reuse of mining and post-mining infrastructure (Badakshan et al. 2023; Krzemień et al. 2022; 2023; Gado et al. 2023; Gupta 2023a; 2023b, Lutyński et al. 2019). This topic was the focus of the panel debate held at EuroScience Open Forum 2024, where experts from various sectors—research institutions, energy design offices, and mine restructuring agencies and companies—discussed the potential for repurposing mining facilities for energy storage solutions. Below is an exploration of the key insights from this discussion, focusing on Poland and the broader context of Europe and the world, with particular emphasis on regions of interest for companies like Gravitricity.

Mining Infrastructure as a Resource for Energy Storage: The Polish Example Poland, with its long-standing history of coal mining, presents a unique opportunity to reuse its mining infrastructure. Before the panel, essential data on the number of currently operating mines in Poland were given, making a strong case for the potential of using these facilities for energy storage systems (Rashid 2024; Magdziarczyk et al. 2024; Parkash, Prasad 2022; Marwan, Jovana 2023; Guo et al. 2021). While Poland remains one of Europe’s largest coal producers, the ongoing decarbonization process raises concerns about what will happen to the vast network of underground shafts and above-ground facilities as the country phases out coal.

The Central Mining Institute – National Research Institute has been actively researching the post-mining use of infrastructure, particularly focusing on regions traditionally reliant on mining. These regions face significant socio-economic risks during the transition focusing from coal, making repurposing mines for energy storage a compelling alternative. These regions could benefit from new job creation and continued economic activity by converting former coal mines into energy storage systems while supporting Poland’s energy transition goals.

Expanding the Scope: The Case for the Czech Republic, Europe, and the World

While Poland’s mining infrastructure offers substantial opportunities, the potential for similar projects in the Czech Republic, Europe, and even globally cannot be ignored. During the panel, it was emphasized that understanding the current state of mining infrastructure in neighbouring countries like the Czech Republic and across Europe is critical for grasping the full scope of opportunities. As other European nations phase out fossil fuels, they, too, have the potential to repurpose their mining sites (Krzemień et al. 2023; Badakshan et al. 2023).

From Gravitricity’s perspective, regions like the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom—both of which have extensive mining histories—should be particularly interested in the opportunities provided by their existing infrastructure. Gravitricity focuses on using gravity-based systems to store energy by lifting and dropping heavy weights in mine shafts. This approach can be especially viable in regions where the depth and condition of mining shafts allow for efficient energy storage.

Energy Storage Systems: A Necessary Innovation for the Future Energy Grid

One of the key points raised during the panel was the growing importance of energy storage systems in balancing national energy grids. Energoprojekt-Katowice, Poland’s largest design office specializing in large-scale energy investments, discussed the need for energy storage as the country shifts towards a mix of nuclear energy and renewable sources. The intermittent nature of renewable energy, such as wind and solar, creates challenges for maintaining grid stability. Energy storage systems, particularly those that can store large amounts of energy over long periods, are crucial for ensuring a reliable energy supply.

As a result, the panel highlighted the urgent need for investments in energy storage infrastructure. Whether through lithium-ion batteries, compressed air energy storage (CAES), or gravity-based systems, Poland and other countries entering the renewable energy era will require robust energy storage to manage fluctuations in energy generation (Marwan, Jovana 2023; Guo et al. 2021).

Technological Maturity and Barriers to Adoption

Despite the promising potential of energy storage systems, certain barriers remain, particularly regarding the maturity of specific technologies. Compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems were identified as having impressive potential,

especially in projects that utilize large underground spaces such as former mine shafts (Bartela et al. 2022). Some proposals envision systems with capacities exceeding 200 MWh, stored in shafts with volumes up to 60,000 cubic meters. However, the need for air storage pressures of 5 MPa or more poses significant technical challenges.

While CAES systems are progressing toward maturity, there are other hurdles to overcome, including safety concerns, pressure management, and the complexity of retrofitting existing mine infrastructure for such high-pressure systems.

Gravity-Based Energy Storage Systems: Ground vs. Underground Solutions

Gravity-based energy storage systems, promoted by companies like Gravitricity, also offer a unique solution for utilizing mining shafts. These systems operate by using surplus energy to raise a large weight in the mine shaft, which is then lowered to generate power when demand is high. While this concept is gaining traction, the panel discussed the limitations posed by the diameter and condition of many existing mine shafts, which may constrain energy capacity.

An alternative option involves constructing surface-based gravity storage systems, which would eliminate the constraints of narrow shafts. However, the panel argued that repurposing post-mining shafts may still be a logical choice, as it capitalizes on already available infrastructure. This approach is especially appealing in regions where mining facilities are being decommissioned and could serve as a sustainable energy solution while providing economic value.

Compressed Air Energy Storage: Technical Feasibility and Future Potential

One of the most exciting prospects discussed during the panel was the potential of compressed air energy storage (CAES) systems. These systems use excess electricity to compress air, which is then stored in large underground cavities, such as mining shafts. When energy demand increases, the compressed air is released to drive turbines and generate electricity. Some estimates suggest that shafts with volumes of 60,000 cubic meters could store enough energy to exceed 200 MWh, making these systems a viable option for large-scale energy storage (Waniczek et al. 2022).

However, technical challenges remain, particularly concerning the need to maintain storage pressures above 5 MPa. Achieving these pressures in existing mining shafts requires careful retrofitting and engineering solutions to ensure the structural integrity of the shafts and safety during operation. An interesting alternative seems to be energy storage in supercritical carbon dioxide. Then carbon dioxide at high pressure is stored in small reservoirs, and the shaft volume is used to store the gas after expansion in the expander. The pressure prevailing in the shaft volume can be close to atmospheric, but it is more advantageous for the system’s energy capacity to have a level of 1 MPa. Then, the system’s energy capacity using the reference shaft can exceed 50 MWh.

The Role of Hydrogen and Other Energy Storage Technologies

As the panel debated various energy storage solutions, the topic of hydrogen inevitably arose. Hydrogen is treated as a clean, environmentally friendly energy carrier and as a driving force for the success of the climate goals described in the European Green Deal (Mordi, Groth 2019; Ramos et al. 2018; Howaniec et al. 2015; Krawczyk et al. 2016). Hydrogen, often hailed as the “fuel of the future,” has the potential to revolutionize energy storage by allowing surplus energy to be converted into hydrogen via electrolysis. This hydrogen can then be stored and used to generate electricity when needed. Some panellists argued that hydrogen storage could eventually overshadow other methods, including CAES and gravity-based systems, especially as hydrogen production technologies mature.

However, others cautioned against dismissing alternative storage methods too quickly. Hydrogen technology still faces significant challenges in terms of green hydrogen production costs, infrastructure, and efficiency. In the meantime, gravity-based and compressed air systems can provide reliable and scalable solutions. Additionally, post-mining infrastructure could play a role in hydrogen storage by using underground facilities to house hydrogen reserves, thus giving a second life to mining excavations (Gajda and Lutyński 2022).

Overcoming Regulatory and Investment Barriers

A critical issue raised during the panel was the difficulty of transferring post-mining infrastructure to potential investors for energy storage projects. In Poland, complex regulatory frameworks and ownership issues often create obstacles for companies interested in repurposing former mines for energy storage. The Mine

Restructuring Company, responsible for managing the closure of mines, faces challenges in ensuring that valuable infrastructure is preserved for future use.

The panellists emphasized the need for regulatory reforms to streamline mining infrastructure transfer to energy companies and investors. By simplifying these processes, countries like Poland and the Czech Republic could unlock the economic and environmental benefits of repurposing post-mining facilities. Moreover, creating clear legal frameworks for using such infrastructure for non-mining purposes would encourage investment and accelerate the development of energy storage projects.

Beyond Electricity Storage: The Potential for Heat and Cold Storage

While much of the panel’s discussion focused on electrical energy storage, the possibility of using mining infrastructure for heat and cold storage also gained attention. In climates with extreme temperature fluctuations, storing heat during the summer and releasing it during the winter (or vice versa for cold storage) could provide significant energy savings and contribute to grid stability. Some panellists mentioned ongoing efforts in Poland to demonstrate the feasibility of such systems, which could offer a new investment avenue for post-mining infrastructure.

Conclusion: The Future of Post-Mining Infrastructure for Energy Storage

The panel debate made it clear that repurposing post-mining infrastructure for energy storage offers a promising solution to the challenges posed by the energy transition. Whether through gravity-based systems, compressed air energy storage, or hydrogen reserves, the potential for reusing mining shafts and other facilities is enormous. However, realizing this potential requires overcoming regulatory hurdles, advancing technological maturity, and securing investment.

Regions like Poland, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom, with their rich mining histories, are particularly well-positioned to benefit from these developments. By giving a second life to mining infrastructure, these countries can support the global shift toward renewable energy while mitigating the socio-economic impacts of decarbonization. As the energy landscape continues to evolve, the role of post-mining infrastructure in energy storage will undoubtedly become a focal point in the search for sustainable and scalable energy solutions.

References

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→ Gajda D., Lutyński M.: Permeability Modeling and Estimation of Hydrogen Loss through Polymer Sealing Liners in Underground Hydrogen Storage, Energies 2022, 15(7)

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→ Krzemień, A.; Álvarez Fernández, J.J.; Riesgo Fernández, P.; Fidalgo Valverde, G.; Garcia-Cortes, S. Valuation of Ecosystem Services Based on EU Carbon Allowances—Optimal Recovery for a Coal Mining Area. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 381.

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→ Magdziarczyk, M.; Chmiela, A.; Dychkovskyi, R.; Smoliński, A. The Cost Reduction Analysis of Green Hydrogen Production from Coal Mine Underground Water for Circular Economy. Energies 2024, 17, 2289.

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Marcin Lutyński

DSc, PhD, Eng. is a full professor at the Faculty of Mining, Safety Engineering and Industrial Automation of the Silesian University of Technology. His main fields of interest include mineral engineering, CCUS and circular economy in the extractive industry. He participated in numerous projects related to CO2 storage and waste recovery.

Łukasz Bartela

is an associate professor at the Department of Power Engineering and Turbomachinery of the Silesian University of Technology. He is engaged in technologies supporting decarbonization processes in the power industry. His research interests are mainly focused on the problems of hybrid energy storage systems. He conducts analyses on the potential use of coal-fired power plant infrastructure for nuclear investments. Expert in energy storage and hydrogen energy. Initiator of the establishment of the DEsire Energy Transformation Platform. Member of the international Repower initiative. Author over 100 peer-reviewed publications and over a dozen inventions.

Adam Smoliński

Scientific Secretary, Central Mining Institute (Katowice, Poland); Vice-president for the Innovation and Tenders, Mining Restructuration Company; Head of the Supervisory Board at Polska Grupa Górnicza S.A. (Polish Mining Group); lecturer at Nasarawa University, Keffi, Nigeria. Research interests focus on energy technologies, hydrogen, and energy storage.

Lukáš Adámek

Gravitricity Ltd, Edinburgh, UK, An enthusiastic, technically oriented Project Manager in energy and large technology projects. Lukáš has 15 years’ experience as a designer, construction and project manager, or consultant, with experience in all project phases, from design to implementation and commissioning. He has participated in large projects, from nuclear and conventional power plants to renewable energy and energy storage.

Sebastian Waniczek PhD. For over 18 years, he has been an employee of Energoprojekt-Katowice SA, where he holds the position of design expert in the mechanical department. His main activities include studies, concepts, analyses, and detailed designs in the field of compressed air, technical gases, liquid and gaseous fuels and dense slurries. Co-author of several patents in the field of energy storage.

The European Green Hydrogen Tour

Juan José Sáenz de la Torre, Fernando Gomollón-Bel, Leyre Flamarique Pérez

From the chilly and windy Norwegian fjords and the toasty summers in Greece to the colourful autumns in the forest of Southern Germany, the landscapes across Europe couldn’t be more varied. Just as Europe’s geography changes from place to place, so do climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. In this article, we want to take you on a unique touristic route through Europe, focusing on an important sector you may have heard of, i.e., green hydrogen. Read on to find out what it is, why it is important, and some of the different initiatives and particularities that different regions in Europe face.

Green Hydrogen: going beyond the buzzword If you’ve read climate change news lately, you’ve probably come across the words “Green Hydrogen”. But what is it, and what is it for? For starters, hydrogen can be a cleaner fuel to produce energy and is used in the refining and chemical sectors. Whereas burning fossil fuels forms greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, hydrogen is a cleaner option. The combustion of hydrogen yields only water. This represents an attractive alternative in the transition to a decarbonised economy –hydrogen provides a powerful opportunity to secure sustainable energy sources. Moreover, many consider hydrogen an interesting “energy vector” because it allows the safe storage of energy from some sources of renewable power, which are produced intermittently, like solar and wind. Hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels could deliver economic energy to areas with limited access to sustainable options. Moreover, green hydrogen could cut over 700 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, directly derived from the fateful fossil fuel economy.

The issue with hydrogen is that, currently, almost all of it is obtained from fossil fuels—in the industry, they call this ‘Grey Hydrogen’. However, there are ways to produce hydrogen in a clean way, using renewable or nuclear energy. This way of producing hydrogen is key for the climate transition since it would help to decarbonise a range of sectors, including long-haul transport, chemicals, and iron and steel, where it is challenging to reduce emissions. The hydrogen produced in this way—using renewable energy— is labelled as ‘Green Hydrogen’, to differentiate

it from the ‘Grey Hydrogen’ coming from fossil fuels. If you want to know more about hydrogen and its ‘colours’, you can read this article.

To produce ‘Green Hydrogen’, we can use different technologies: solar energy, wind energy… even bacteria! However, developing and applying each approach represents its own technological challenge. So, embark with us on a European tour to meet these technologies.

Salty winds in Ireland for offshore hydrogen production

Talking about rain and wind in Ireland seems almost too stereotypical, yet it’s true: in the first half of 2024, wind farms provided 34% of the country’s electricity. In the future, the share is only going to get bigger. It seems natural since the Irish cloudy weather hampers the development of solar energy production, and the deployment of other energy generation sources, like hydro, is limited since Ireland is an island—with all that the water management restrictions pose.

So, the renewable energy picture for Ireland seems pretty clear: wind energy farms, either on-shore or offshore. How does this relate to our topic, Green Hydrogen? Well… one of the most direct ways to manufacture hydrogen is electrolysis. A chemical process where electricity splits the water molecule into its fundamental components: Hydrogen and Oxygen.

This chemical reaction has been known since the 18th century, but nowadays, electrolysis takes place in industrial machines called electrolysers.

In Ireland, there are already some initiatives looking into how to produce Green Hydrogen:

→ Cork Harbour: at Aghada, on the eastern side of Cork Harbour, ESB and the Cork County Council plan to develop a small-scale generation project of green hydrogen that links electrolysers with off-shore wind energy. The project could be the first step towards a “hydrogen lighthouse around Ireland”.

→ SH2AMROCK: labelled as “Ireland’s Emerald Hydrogen Valley”, this project will deploy green hydrogen across key hard-to-abate sectors across Ireland – including key infrastructure to enable the production, distribution, and use of green hydrogen. The project will go on for 5 years, with a total investment of approximately €80m.

→ ANEMEL: a Horizon Europe project coordinated by the University of Galway that will turn dirty waters into clean hydrogen. This project is developing an electrolyser that uses renewable energy to directly obtain hydrogen from “low-grade” waters: salty and industrial waste. In that way, the hydrogen can come from non-consumable waters, limiting its environmental impact. The ultimate goal is to build a technology that, ideally, could do electrolysis directly with seawater. This could enable us to join off-shore wind platforms with the ANEMEL electrolyser, which makes an ideal solution to generate hydrogen in remote places like small islands.

Sunny Spain leading the way for photoelectrolysis

If there is one thing that tourists associate with Spain besides the fiesta, good food, and flamenco, it is, without a doubt, the sun. Just as the wind was the main star in Ireland’s energy landscape, the sun really shines bright in Spain’s energy mix. In just 5 years (from 2018 to 2023), the solar photovoltaic capacity in Spain is nearly 5.5x times higher. Currently, it represents 15% of the total electricity mix.

So, how can this impact the generation of green hydrogen? If you remember the electrolysis process from the previous section, we only need electricity. In the case of Ireland, it came from windmills. In the case of Spain, the option is clear: photovoltaic panels. That’s why the technology is called photo-electrolysis. Spain is uniquely positioned in the field due to three main reasons: its abundant solar radiance (more sunny days per year), the long sunshine duration (longer days when compared to northern latitudes), and an established chemical industry (that provides both the necessary infrastructure and the expertise).

In the case of Spain, there are some initiatives worth highlighting:

→ Green Hysland: a European initiative that aims to deploy a fully-functioning Hydrogen (H2) ecosystem on the island of Mallorca, Spain, turning the island into Europe’s first H2 hub in Southern Europe. Its demonstrator projects want to provide a blueprint for the decarbonisation of island economies.

→ Puertollano Green Hydrogen Plant: Iberdrola’s largest plant producing green hydrogen for industrial use in Europe. Its goal is really straight forward: a 100 MW photovoltaic solar plant, a lithium-ion battery system with a storage capacity of 20 MWh and one of the largest electrolytic hydrogen production systems in the world (20 MW). Altogether, this will supply the hydrogen needed by Fertiberia to produce ammonia, a key ingredient to produce fertilisers and other agrochemicals.

→ OHPERA: a European project that wants to harness solar light to produce hydrogen, using a starting materials water and a very specific industrial waste—glycerol. More specifically, they will develop a device that, using these starting materials, will produce both hydrogen and high added value chemicals.

Busy Brussels is building a European Hydrogen ecosystem

However, not all the breakthroughs in Europe are technological. Some of them have to do with legislation and policy. Organisms like the European Innovation Council (EIC) have the difficult task of helping scientific innovations transform into business. And to do that, the EIC applies a very specific methodology: an ecosystemic approach. Instead of working project by project, the EIC encourages and promotes collaboration among projects that work on the same topic. Each one of these clusters is called a portfolio of projects. And Green Hydrogen production has its own portfolio. It comprises nine projects that tackle green hydrogen, each with its own technological approach:

→ H2STEEL – A project that will develop cost-competitive sustainable steel from green hydrogen and bio-coal.

→ PhotoSynH2 – New technologies to produce green hydrogen from solar energy using biological systems.

→ ELOBIO – Manufacture of green hydrogen from biomass.

→ DualFlow – Innovative flow technologies for producing green hydrogen and efficient batteries.

→ MacGhyver – Microfluidics and electrochemistry to treat wastewater and produce green hydrogen

→ EPOCH – Production of hydrogen carriers and chemicals from lignin.

→ GH2 – Green hydrogen production from water and bioalcohols

→ OHPERA – Photoelectrochemical production of green hydrogen.

→ ANEMEL – using renewable energy to obtain clean hydrogen from dirty waters.

Together, these projects will ensure Europe’s ready for the hydrogen economy, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and advance towards a climate-neutral future.

Acknowledgements

We want to acknowledge first the European Innovation Council, the funding agency of ANEMEL. ANEMEL has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 101071111.

Also, we want to give special thanks to the people who participated in our session at ESOF: Muhammad Sohail Riaz, from Galway University, who updated us about the situation in Ireland; Samiksha Jain, from the Institute of Advanced Materials in Castelló, Spain, that gave details about the multiple pilot projects that are currently present in Spain; and Francesco Matteucci and Marco Antonio Pantaleo, Program Managers from the European Innovation Council, that provided some insight into Green Hydrogen form a policymaking perspective. This article and the activity at ESOF were organised and executed by Agata Communications, an agency specialising in communicating science and innovation.

Juan José Sáenz de la Torre

is co-founder of Agata Communications, a communication agency dedicated to science communication. He graduated in physics from the University of Zaragoza and has over 10 years of experience in designing and delivering effective communication strategies for innovation projects.

Fernando Gomollón-Bel

is co-founder of Agata Communications, a communication agency dedicated to science communication. He holds a PhD in chemistry from the University of Zaragoza and has ample experience in press and media strategies. Before his entrepreneurial adventure with Agata, he was Press and Communications Coordinator for the Graphene Flagship for several years.

Leyre Flamarique Pérez

works as a science communicator for Agata Communications. She has a background in psychology and has worked for many years as a freelance science journalist, publishing in Spanish media like La Vanguardia, Salvaje, and many others. She has published ‘The SARS-CoV-2 challenge’, a book about the Spanish Biotechnological Center and the challenge it faced during the COVID pandemic.

Science as a greenhouse for bright minds

European Talent Fair. Science as a development path for young bright minds

Katarzyna Więcek-Jakubek, Barbara Smorczewska Małgorzata Chrupała-Pniak

Alongside ESOF,  the 2nd edition of the European Talent Fair took place, addressed to early-stage academics and people interested in taking up research work. The initiative aimed to bring bright young minds - people considering their future career options, students, doctoral candidates and young researchers together with the representatives of science, higher education and R&D sectors.

The EU Talent Fair was an opportunity for researchers to exchange information, experiences, and views on the labour market and to facilitate networking between young talents, stakeholders, and potential investors wishing to collaborate in the field of research.

The main objectives of this international and cross-sectoral event were to strengthen the employability of young researchers in the economic sectors related to development and scientific work, to facilitate contacts between stakeholders, and to raise awareness among young scientists of career development opportunities in academia as well as in key sectors of the future economy.

The event’s organisation coincided with the adoption of a new European Charter for Researchers, in December 2023, which replaced an old document from 2005. The European Charter for Researchers is a set of principles underpinning the development of attractive research careers to support excellence in research and innovation across Europe, covering all types of research from frontier, targeted, strategic, applied and close to market. The key 20 principles are addressed to researchers in all sectors and all disciplines (STEM, SSH), researchers’ employers, funders and policymakers and are classified into four pillars:

a. Ethics, Integrity, Gender and Open Science

b. Researchers’ Assessment, Recruitment and Progression

c. Working Conditions and Practices

d. Research Careers and Talent Development

At least 3 of the abovementioned pillars (a, b & d) were strongly emphasised during the EU Talent Fair in individual speeches, panel discussions and other activities. The significance and value of that document as a compass, especially for young researchers, has been highlighted during the Talent Fair Opening Ceremony by a representative of the European Commission.

The aim of the Charter is to ensure that the nature of the relationship between researchers and employers or funders is conducive to successful performance in generating, transferring, sharing and disseminating knowledge and technological development, and to the career development of researchers. The Charter also recognizes the value of all forms of mobility as a means for enhancing the professional development of researchers. In this sense, the Charter constitutes a framework for researchers, employers, and funders that invites them to act responsibly and as professionals within their working environment and recognise each other. The Charter addresses all researchers in the European Union at all stages of their careers and covers all fields of research in the public and private sectors, irrespective of the nature of the appointment or employment, the legal status of their employer or the type of organisation or establishment in which the work is carried out. It takes into account the multiple roles of researchers, who are appointed not only to conduct research and/or to carry out development activities but are also involved in supervision, mentoring, management or administrative tasks. The examples of a variety of occupational positions of researchers across sectors along the R1-R4 profiles are shown in Annexe No. 1 to the Charter.

The Charter is one of the key strategic documents that enables EU members to implement the priorities of the European Research Area.  The ERA can be likened to a research and innovation equivalent of the European common market for goods and services. Its purpose is to increase the competitiveness of European research institutions by bringing them together and encouraging a more inclusive way of work. Hence, the Talent Fair was an opportunity for young researchers, in particular, to familiarize themselves with the strategic activities of the ERA and for business stakeholders as well.

The EU Talent Fair was also in line with the currently promoted concept of <<science as the new industry of the Upper Silesia region>>, trying to show the variety of career opportunities in research area, inspiring growth in research based on

success stories, bringing young researchers together with employers who are recruiting or seeking to collaborate with researchers, discussing the labour market trends for research-oriented people, expanding professional networks and finally encouraging all participants to gain new knowledge and skills.

One example of good cooperation practices between the university sector and the industry during the Talent Fair was the panel discussion organised by the Silesian University of Technology in the framework of the #SlaskiTalentHUB initiative, held by Prof. Małgorzata Dobrowolska. The aim of the panel was to present the results of the initiative and provide career perspectives for the youngest research candidates. The interested reader can find more about the project in the article written by Łukasz Górecki and Monika Bezak, titled Various transformations – agile skills

To achieve the main assumption of the EU Talent Fair initiative, 75 panellists, speakers and trainers from higher education and other key sectors of the economy prepared nearly 50 activities such as panel discussions, debates, seminars, workshops, speeches, presentations, success stories, career advice and networking, divided into four interactive zones, to give nearly 720 registered participants a day full of inspiration to look for their development paths in research-related fields.

Among the business representatives who accepted the organisers’ invitation and actively participated in the specific activities during the Talent Fair were the following companies and organisations: Kyndryl Poland, ING HUBS Poland, Katowice Special Economic Zone S.A., Rockwell Automation Sp. z o. o., Kirchoff Poland, Drim Robotics, European Health Tech Innovation Center, Elemental Strategic Metals Sp. z o.o., Elsevier, Cabiomede sp. z o.o., AIUT sp. z o.o., BITECH Think Tank, Selkie, WUD Silesia, Keywords Studio, CosmosID, Biosymfonix Edugames, Genpact, L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Programme, DKFZ German Cancer Research Center.

The sector of academia was represented by the Silesian University of Technology, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Adam Mickiewicz University, Gdansk University, Wroclaw University of Science, Jan Kochanowski University of Kielce, University of Economics in Katowice, University of Silesia in Katowice, Technische Universität Braunschweig.

Research funders and policymakers were represented by the Polonium Foundation, European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc), European Commission, EURAXESS, European Research Executive Agency, MSCA, Joint Research Center - European Commission and Polish National Association of Doctoral Candidates.

It should be emphasized that particular attention has been paid to activities aimed at young researchers – doctoral students and newly minted PhDs. As preliminary analyses confirmed that this group needs special support, thus the offer aimed at young researchers concerned not only possible career paths in universities and outside academia but also success stories and workshops to improve research competencies. The national and international level of PhD candidates’ representatives were committed in the wide spectrum of dedicated initiatives. European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers provided the debate titled Why Science? Making the PhD Value Proposition to the Next Generation. During the workshops, participants had the opportunity to develop their nerworking skills, self-confidence building, and effective communication. Those interested could also explore their talents and test their research skills.

Aleksandra Lewandowska from the Polish National Association of Doctoral Candidates write more on this theme in her paper titled Unlocking Effective Scientific Communication: The Essential Role of Team Collaboration.

Among the topics discussed were the issue of career crafting in science; the European Competence Framework for Researchers (ResearchComp), which supports the assessment and development of transversal skills by researchers, which can open up more career opportunities for them by promoting intersectoral mobility; the challenges related to the development of technical, digital and personal competences in the era of multiple transformations; the career of researchers in highly innovative sectors; the idea of the European University as a new perspective for boosting careers in science.

Participants held a wide-ranging discussion on new career paths in research. They were also introduced to the new platform, which provides a space for researchers, innovators, citizens, and policymakers to connect, collaborate, and access the latest information, data, and resources (ERA Talent Platform). More

details can be found in the paper written by Dario Capezzuto, titled Promoting attractive careers for researchers: the role of ResearchComp.

Concerning the first pillar of the Charter, one of the significant highlights of the event was the discussion panel on the importance of a supportive working and research environment, based on the values of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), both in career development and research funding. Then, the workshops on the role of women in science (The academy is female, but the dean is still male) or women in computer games (Career in the video game industry & how Women In Games supports talent) continued this theme and was also well attended. In addition, issues of open science and research data management were the subject of workshops offered to both young and more experienced scientists.

Furthermore, under the pillar – talent development, Talent Fair participants could benefit from the wide range of seminars and workshops concerning both soft and hard skills, e.g. creativity, mindfulness, self-confidence, self-regulation, effective communication and collaboration, usage of GenAI and robots in research work etc.

Talent Fair also offered a set of activities aimed at improving skills to navigate the international labour and research market. University career offices and doctoral schools, as well as think tanks and NGOs presented offers aimed at young researchers. For more details, see the paper by Dominic Baumgarten Looking for a job as a researcher? How to write your own (and get support along the way.

Last but not least was a discussion panel on the role of European universities. Alliances for European Universities is a flagship initiative of the European Strategy for Universities. The initiative’s ambition is to expand it to 60 European University Alliances involving more than 500 higher education institutions by mid-2024.

The European Universities Initiative has generated great interest and enthusiasm among higher education institutions. It currently brings together some 1,700 partners, ranging from the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and cities to local and regional governments.

European universities allow the creation of inter-university campuses, multiplying opportunities for your students, staff and researchers across Europe and beyond and enhance competitiveness and attractiveness at the global level.

Summarising, with the support of the European Commission and the participation of representatives from academia, business and innovation, the foundations were laid for an international, interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral discussion on the personal development opportunities offered by science, which definitely should be continued in this forum in the near future.

It can be argued that the thematic sessions of the ESOF conference constituted an answer to the question ‘Why Science?’. The discussions, lectures and workshops demonstrated that it is impossible to address the challenges of the present era without the input of scientists operating at the highest level of expertise.

On the other hand, the extensive programme of the EU Talent Fair facilitated an opportunity for collective reflection on the question of ‘How Science?’. In other words, the question was addressed as to how Science should be conducted to address the challenges of the present era effectively. The speakers, who proposed topics for discussions, speeches, presentations, workshops or seminars, demonstrated that science:

→ is pervasive, practiced not only within universities but also beyond their walls, within industry, business, NGOs and in the continuous relationship between academia and practice. Furthermore, science is also practised by citizens, in which volunteers (amateurs) engage in research alongside professional researchers, or even independently under the guidance of a scientist.

→ is a collaborative endeavour becoming increasingly prevalent in the current era. This collaboration is between individuals, teams, academic disciplines, universities, countries, industry sectors and other stakeholders. Furthermore, the cooperation between humans and machines, as well as the use of algorithms, has the potential to elicit strong emotional responses and significant challenges, yet it also offers numerous advantages for scientific advancement and daily life.

→ encompasses a diverse range of individuals and expertise. Diversity is a strength and a potential for scientific advancement. Applying diverse per-

spectives, experiences, and needs ultimately leads to more significant innovations and public engagement, which are essential for advancing science.

→ is a competency-based approach. The full spectrum of competencies is necessary for scientific work. The discussion encompasses a range of cognitive abilities, including those related to conducting and managing research and research tools. However, contemporary researchers also require self-management skills, working with others, and making an impact.

→ must be sustainable. That doesn’t just mean applied ecology and engineering. Sustainability in science means managing one’s own resources in order to be effective throughout one’s career and avoid burnout. To meet the challenges of our planet, we need motivated, capable and supported scientists to take ownership of their careers in order to maintain their employability, (mental) health and satisfaction over time.

→ must be close to life. Imagine that all scientific publications start from a practical question/problem to which the research, analysis or review conducted becomes an answer. This mental experiment is not against basic research but reinforces the idea that science is practical and desirable.

The following sections of this publication present a selection of the topics covered at the EU Talent Fair event. Readers, especially those beginning their careers, are encouraged to use the find development tips from the texts included in the publication to set their own career path.

Małgorzata Chrupała-Pniak

is a work and organisational psychologist with many years of academic experience; her research interests are mainly in the areas of psychological determinants of organisational effectiveness, work engagement and well-being at work; she is currently employed in the HR department of the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, in her work at the University she is involved in recruitment for academic teaching positions and academic staff development.

Katarzyna Więcek-Jakubek was the coordinator of the Talent Fair of the European City of Science Katowice 2024. She is an I/O psychologist who works as the Head of the HR Department at the University of Silesia in Katowice. An HR manager with several years of experience in large and medium-sized organisations, where she worked as a strategic HR business partner and a soft training trainer. Member of project teams dedicated to developing key skills for the future (including researchers).

Smorczewska

is a work and organizational psychologist. She currently holds the position of HR specialist within the HR Department of the University of Silesia. Her professional experience also encompasses academic teaching and management of the Student Service Centre at her alma mater. She is an active member of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology and serves as the President of the Polish Association of Organizational Psychology.

Barbara

Looking for a job as a researcher? How to write your own (and get support along the way)1

Dominik Baumgarten

This essay aims to provide information on the most common formats of academic career development from the perspective of science management. The professional field of science management sees itself as an interface between researchers and administration and thus as an “enabler” of the smoothest possible processes in favour of the best possible scientific working conditions.

Many universities and other academic institutions house offices for research services and/or international offices dedicated to supporting (international) academic career development and providing individual counselling.

These institutions usually cover one or more of the following aspects:

Current vacancies & career support

Most European universities and research institutions explicitly address their academic job offers to an international audience, including returnees currently researching and working abroad. Current job advertisements are usually published on the job portal of the respective university or research institution. The job advertisements themselves provide information on the area of responsibility, academic qualification objective, duration and remuneration of the position. They also contain specific contact details for content-related and administrative questions. The HR department can answer general questions, for example about the usual application procedure. For example, you can also find out whether you should contact the international office in advance. This may apply in case of recognition of international academic achievements or previous employment contracts. Applying for existing vacancies is usually the quickest way into an academic employment relationship. In the German public sector, a time frame of

1. The article was prepared based on the workshop entitled „Research Services for Career Development“, presented by Dominik Baumgarten as part of the 2nd EU Talent Fair (Katowice, 13 June 2024).

around 2-3 months can be assumed from the application, interview and recruitment process to the first day of employment.

Research funding support

Besides looking at the usual job portals, it is worthwhile for academics to consider joining universities and non-university research institutions with their own research project. Compared to applying for an existing position, significantly longer preparation times should be expected when applying for your research project, as research proposals are usually reviewed by panels or expert committees of funding bodies and foundations. The procedures can be single or multi-stage and can take 6-12 months from submitting an initial outline to a possible complete application, funding approval and finally, the project’s actual start. The clear advantage of an externally acquired project is that the project fits the researcher one hundred per cent: the researcher’s own position meets all the candidate’s expectations, and any team member (e.g. in the example of junior research groups) is also perfectly adapted to the needs of the project leader.

Applicants should consider both international EU formats (ERC Grants2, MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships3) and the offers of national funding bodies (in Germany, e.g., DFG4, BMBF5, DAAD6). Less well known are the funding instruments of the individual federal states, which often award comparable prizes and grants on a local level. This selection primarily includes individual support, which would result in a separate position and possibly additional staff, whereby the respective project would always be independent and pursue its own goal.

In addition to a “stand-alone piece”, it can also be attractive to dock your research project onto existing large research structures. Many collaborative research pro-

2. ERC: The European Research Council awards highly prestigious funding for early career researchers (ERC Starting Grants), experienced researchers (ERC Consolidator Grants) and established senior researchers (ERC Advanced Grants). The calls open yearly and are open to all academic fields.

3. MSCA: The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions by the EU foster doctoral and postdoctoral research on a European level. The Postdoctoral Grants supply international research for a period of two years in one or more of the European member states.

4. DFG: The German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemenschaft or DFG) is Germany’s primary national funding body. It supplies various formats, from individual grants with limited scope and funding duration to complex research conglomerates with long perspectives and international visibility.

5. BMBF: The Federal Ministry for Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung or BMBF) is the political representation of education and research and provides research funding, changing thematic scopes and academic audiences. Like all other federal ministries, the calls are closely linked to current political aims and strategies, which makes funding available on a rolling but irregular basis. In particular, calls for junior research groups might be of interest to early career researchers on their path towards a professorship.

6. DAAD: The German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst or DAAD) is the world’s largest institution for academic international exchange. The service provides various opportunities for academic research funding for all academic status groups and all fields of research.

jects (clusters of excellence7, collaborative research centers8, etc.) can be linked to additional projects. In such a case, a single project can ideally access larger research infrastructures (laboratories, large-scale equipment, field research or real laboratories), the development of which would far overburden a single postdoc project. In larger research clusters, young researchers also benefit from the existing staff and can develop their research projects in direct collaboration with established researchers in their field.

In later career stages, e.g. the appointment for a professorship, acquiring such third-party-funded projects is highly beneficial – if not mandatory.

(International) partner networks

Furthermore, research at universities of technology or non-university research institutions may provide interesting perspectives, particularly for the STEM field. These institutions are closely linked to local, national, or international industry partners and can provide positions that merge “both worlds”. These institutions usually have strong local and regional networks so that, for example, university graduates can move to thematically suitable industries in the surrounding area. Partnerships can be managed centrally at the management level of the research institution. Each institute and working group also maintains its research, teaching, and transfer network. It is worth inquiring about the respective networks before changing universities. In addition, applicants are always welcome to bring their networks with them.

Often, there is also the opportunity for industry research and, for example, a doctorate in cooperation between university and practice. National networks such as the German TU99 open up short paths at the national level and foster

7. Clusters of Excellence: Within the German national Excellence Strategy, a highly competitive funding format for universities as a whole, clusters form the biggest research conglomerates with specific thematic scopes. Applications are currently open every seven years.

8. Collaborative Research Centers: Being an established funding line of the DFG, established researchers can apply for collaborative research centres yearly. The projects are designed to provide three funding periods of four years each. It is possible to add individual funding projects to these centres.

9. TU9: TU9 is a national network of Germany’s nine leading technology universities.

collaborations between academia and industry, whereas there are similar formats at the international level, such as CESAER10 .

Welcome Support for international researchers

Last but not least, the support structures for international researchers (e.g. Welcome Centers, International Offices/Houses, Incoming Support) play a central role in the administrative management of a global research career. Each national academic system follows its own rules, which are often difficult to understand without prior local knowledge. Welcome Centers (et al.) can serve as a first point of orientation here: they primarily organize visa matters, housing, first getting around, and other issues related to arriving in a new country. However, they also have excellent internal networks and know all the other support structures of the new host organization.

This essay is intended to invite young researchers who aspire to an (international) career in science: all the institutions described here are explicitly intended as service units whose main task is to promote and support scientific careers.

At the same time, it is also an appeal to have the support structures outlined here involved as early as possible: if, for example, research services only find out about a planned funding application days or even hours before a deadline, they can no longer offer a comprehensive service in purely calendar terms. It would be a shame if optimal advisory services ultimately fell victim to a time window that was too tight.

With this in mind, please keep in touch!

10. CESAER: The Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research (CESAER) is a European-wide network of more than 50 technology universities.

List of References

→ ERC: https://erc.europa.eu/apply-grant

→ MSCA: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/

→ DFG: https://www.dfg.de/en

→ BMBF: https://www.bmbf.de/bmbf/en/home/home_node.html

→ DAAD: https://www.daad.de/en/

→ Clusters of Excellence: https://www.dfg.de/en/research-funding/funding-initiative/excellence-strategy

→ Collaborative Research Centers: https://www.dfg.de/en/research-funding/ funding-opportunities/programmes/coordinated-programmes/collaborative-research-centres

→ TU9: https://www.tu9.de/en/

→ CESAER: https://www.cesaer.org/

→ (all references last viewed on August 15, 2024)

Dominik Baumgarten

holds a M.A. in General Linguistics, German Language and Literature. Philosophy from the University of Cologne, followed by a PhD in German Literature. He has held positions in research management at the University of Cologne, Ruhr-University Bochum, Humboldt-University Berlin, Leuphana University Lunenburg, and currently at Technical University Brunswick.

Promoting attractive careers for researchers: the role of ResearchComp1

Dario Capezzuto

Researchers are at the heart of the European research and innovation system, which in turn is key for the competitiveness of Europe in the global arena. It is of fundamental importance to ensure researchers can benefit from attractive and sustainable research careers so that Europe can retain the researchers trained on European soil while being an attractive destination for international talents.

What is being done at the European level to strengthen research careers? In the context of revitalising the European Research Area, which is the ambition embedded in the Treaties2 to have a single market for researchers, scientific knowledge and technology, the Commission is working on a wealth of measures to strengthen research careers. In particular, based on a proposal from the European Commission, the Council of the European Union adopted in December 2023 the Council Recommendation on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe3. This document paramount, as it constitutes the new standards for research careers in Europe in all sectors. It also includes the new European Charter for Researchers4, which replaces the 2005 Charter and Code for Researchers5 with an evolution in line with the latest developments in the field.

1. The article is based on the author’s contribution to the panel discussion ”Career crafting in science. Looking for prospectful paths”, which was part of the 2nd edition of the EU Talent Fair (Katowice, 13 June 2024).

2. Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, Art. 179 (ex Article 163 TEC).

3. Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe, OJ C, C/2023/1640, 29.12.2023.

4. The European Charter for Researchers can be found in Annexe II to the Council Recommendation of 18 December 2023 on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe.

5. Commission Recommendation of 11 March 2005 on the European Charter for Researchers and on a Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, OJ L 75, 22.3.2005, p. 67–77.

The framework established by the recent Council Recommendation, together with the European Charter for Researchers and its implementation mechanism6 , addresses in a comprehensive way all challenges faced by research careers in Europe. This includes, for example, aspects related to recruitment and working conditions, the fight against precarity, equality and inclusiveness, skills to foster seamless mobility between sectors, and a balanced circulation of talents between European Member States.

The Commission has developed or strengthened several initiatives to support the implementation of the new standards at all levels. This includes, for example:

→ the creation of the ERA Talent Platform7, which is an online gateway for researchers and research and innovation institutions;

→ the revamp of EURAXESS8, which facilitates the mobility of researchers and supports career development;

→ the establishment of a Research and Innovation Careers Observatory (ReICO)9 in partnership with the OECD to monitor trends in research and innovation careers;

→ a pilot call for early-career researchers supported by Horizon Europe10 to support cooperation between academic, private and public sector entities to create ecosystems that ensure attractive perspectives, particularly for early-career researchers;

6. The HR Excellence in Research award is granted to research-performing organisations that are progressing in implementing of the principles of the European Charter for Researchers in their policies and practices. It is the result of a voluntary process for organisations from all sectors. As of today, the award is held by over 720 organisations from 39 countries. For more information, see https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/hrexcellenceaward.

7. https://ec.europa.eu/era-talent-platform/

8. https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/.

9. https://ec.europa.eu/era-talent-platform/reico/

10. https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/ topic-details/HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02-03?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,310 94502&frameworkProgramme=43108390&callIdentifier=HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-ERA-02&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&sortBy=startDate

→ The development of a European Competence Framework for Researchers (ResearchComp)11 to strengthen researchers’ transversal skills and foster inter-sectoral mobility.

As highlighted in the EU Talent Fair panel discussion on „Career Crafting in Science. Looking for Prospectful Paths”, skills is paramount for successful research careers. While researchers are highly skilled talents, they often miss or cannot identify the transversal skills needed for careers spanning between different sectors, including academia, businesses and industry, public administration, or non-governmental organisations.

Having the right set of transversal skills allows researchers – especially at early career stages – to profit from the opportunities the wider labour market offers. However, this is also highly important for the labour market itself and, more in general, for the competitiveness of the European economy, as we know how difficult it often is to find highly skilled talents.

As mentioned above, with these elements in mind, the Commission has developed in consultation with all relevant stakeholders ResearchComp. ResearchComp is the first competence framework for researchers at the EU level, and it was launched in the context of the European Year of Skills. As shown in Figure 1, it encompasses a total of 7 competence areas and 38 transversal competencies that can help researchers’ careers by supporting intersectoral mobility and, therefore, opening up a wealth of opportunities in the wide labour market.

11. https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/jobs-research/researchcomp-europeancompetence-framework-researchers_en

DOING RESEARCH

• Have disciplinary expertise

• Perform scientific research

• Conduct interdisciplinary research

• Write research documents

• Apply research ethics and integrity principles

MANAGING RESEARCH

• Mobilise resources

• Manage projects

• Negotiate

• Evaluate research

• Promote open access publications

MAKING AN IMPACT

• Participate in the publication process

• Disseminate results to the research community

• Teach in academic or vocational contexts

• Communicate to the broad public

• Increase impact of science on policy & society

• Promote open innovation

• Promote the transfer of knowledge

SELF MANAGEMENT

RESEARCH COMP

• Manage personal professional development

• Show entrepreneurial spirit

• Plan self-organisation

• Cope with pressure

MANAGING RESEARCH TOOLS

• Manage research data

• Promote citizen science

• Manage intellectual property rights

• Operate open source software

WORKING WITH OTHERS

• Interact professionally

• Develop networks

• Work in teams

• Ensure wellbeing at work

• Build mentor-mentee relationships

• Promote inclusion & diversity

Figure 1 (Source: ResearchComp website)

COGNITIVE ABILITIES

• Abstract thinking

• Critical thinking

• Analytical thinking

• Strategic thinking

• Systemic thinking

• Problem solving

• Creativity

For each of the competencies, ResearchComp includes a descriptor, as well as learning outcomes across four proficiency levels. This means that universities and other training providers can easily set up training opportunities, allowing researchers to develop competencies. Moreover, the Commission trusts ResearchComp will also be used for training of PhD candidates so that young and early-career researchers can develop transversal competencies from the early stage of their careers.

Having clarified the importance ResearchComp can have for researchers’ careers, an important question relates to how researchers can use this new tool to assess and develop their competencies. Figure 2 refers to the example of the competence ‘Communicate to the broad public’, which is part of the competence area ‘Making an impact’. Researchers can look at the competence descriptor and learning outcomes to understand what the competence is about and assess their own level. Obviously, this means that, where necessary, researchers can decide to upskill in one or more competencies.

It is important to note that ResearchComp is a tool that each user can use based on their own circumstances and needs. Therefore, it is possible for an institution to focus just on a set of competencies. At the same time, researchers are not expected to develop all ResearchComp competences and up to the expert level. Teams of researchers, however, are encouraged to cover all competencies to be effective and complementary.

To facilitate the use of ResearchComp by researchers, the Commission plans to develop an interactive self-assessment tool. It will consist of a number of questions a researcher has to answer in order to know the level possessed for all ResearchComp competencies. When ready, this self-assessment tool will be integrated into the ResearchComp website, and it will be accessible also from the ERA Talent Platform.

As explained, ResearchComp is part of a broader set of initiatives put in place by the Commission to make research careers in Europe more attractive, and it should be seen in conjunction with all of them. There is no doubt, however, that

MAKING AN IMPACT

4. Communicate to the broad public

Communicate about scientific findings to a non-scientific audience, including the general public. Tailor the communication of scientific concepts, debates, findings to the audience, using a variety of methods to different target groups, including visual presentations and various forms of written, spoken and digital communication.

FOUNDATIONAL

→ Understands and appreciates the value of engaging with the public.

→ Listens with attention and speaks with intention.

→ Knows the basics of non- scientific argumentation and the differences between scientific and non-scientific arguments.

→ Presents own research at smallscale events.

ADVANCED

→ Creates a climate where public engagement activity is valued.

→ Leads major public engagement projects.

→ Contributes to shaping the public’s conception of own research area.

→ Uses different communication forms tailored for different audiences.

INTERMEDIATE

→ Recognises the mutual benefit of public engagement in research.

→ Contributes to promoting the public understanding of own research area.

→ Knows how to present the value of own research and the evidence it is based on, to a non-scientific audience.

EXPERT

→ Gives strategic support for the setup of public engagement campaigns

→ Occupies specific public engagement post(s) or personal chair.

→ Is renowned for communicating scientific concepts in a clear, charismatic, and attractive manner, using appealing communication tools for the target audience

Figure 2 (Source: ResearchComp website)

it aims at addressing a key issue of careers. Traditionally, researchers aim at a career in academia and are trained for it. ResearchComp will contribute to changing this paradigm, making researchers understand the importance of an intersectoral career and creating the conditions for seamless mobility between sectors to the benefit of the over 2 million researchers in Europe12 .

In addition to developing ResearchComp itself and to planning an interactive self-assessment tool, the Commission supports the use of ResearchComp by all relevant users, particularly researchers, universities and training providers, and employers. This is done with Horizon Europe support13, and additional initiatives are in the pipeline for the near future.

12. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=R%26D_ personnel&oldid=641520#Researchers

13. https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topicdetails/horizon-widera-2024-era-01-04

Policy Officer, European Commission DG Research and Innovation. He has a legal background and is a policy officer at the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation. He deals with EU policies and instruments for researchers. Before joining the Commission in 2020, he served for over 10 years as a policy advisor to a Member of the European Parliament and vice-president of a political group in the chamber.

Dario Capezzuto

Unlocking Effective Scientific Communication:

The Essential Role of Team Collaboration1

Aleksandra Lewandowska

Effective scientific communication is the cornerstone of progress in research and development. The ability to convey complex ideas, share results, and foster understanding among diverse audiences is crucial for advancing scientific knowledge (Hall et al., 2018). However, successful communication is rarely the work of a single individual. Instead, it is the product of collaborative efforts that leverage the strengths of a multidisciplinary team (Bennett & Gadlin, 2012). This article explores the essential role of team collaboration in enhancing scientific communication and why a collective approach is key to unlocking impactful research dissemination.

The Complexity of Scientific Communication

Scientific communication is more than just writing a paper or presenting data at a conference. It involves translating complex, often highly technical information into formats that are accessible and meaningful to a wide array of audiences, including other scientists, policymakers, stakeholders, and the general public (Worrall et al., 2012). The process is riddled with challenges, from maintaining accuracy and precision to engaging non-specialist audiences and ensuring ethical considerations are met. For communication to be effective, it must be clear, concise, and relevant. However, achieving this trifecta often requires skills beyond those traditionally honed in scientific training. This is where team collaboration becomes indispensable. A well-rounded team brings together diverse skill sets, perspectives, and experiences, significantly enhancing the quality of scientific communication (Bennett & Gadlin, 2012).

The Power of Diverse Perspectives

In collaborative scientific communication, the strength lies in diversity. Teams composed of individuals from varied disciplines — scientists, writers, designers, data analysts, and communication experts—bring unique insights that enrich the communication process. Each team member contributes their expertise, ensuring

1. The article was prepared based on the presentation entitled “Unlocking Effective Scientific Communication: The Essential Role of Team Collaboration “, presented by Aleksandra Lewandowska, PhD, as part of the 2nd EU Talent Fair (Katowice, 13 June 2024).

that the message is not only scientifically accurate but also engaging and comprehensible (Stokols et al., 2008). For instance, a scientist might focus on the core findings and technical details of the research, while a science writer can reframe these details into a narrative that is compelling and accessible. Designers can enhance the visual presentation of data, turning complex graphs and statistics into intuitive visuals that capture the essence of the findings. Meanwhile, communication experts can tailor the message to resonate with specific audiences, meaningfully ensuring that the research reaches the intended stakeholders (Abouelfetouh, 2022).

Enhancing Clarity and Precision Through Peer Review

Collaboration within a team also enhances the clarity and precision of scientific communication. Peer review, a critical aspect of scientific rigour, is inherently a collaborative process. Within a team, peer review can occur organically and continuously, with team members reviewing each other’s work, offering constructive feedback, and identifying potential gaps or areas of confusion (Hall et al., 2018). This ongoing internal review process ensures the final communication is polished, accurate, and robust. Moreover, collaboration helps mitigate the risks of biases that can inadvertently shape scientific narratives. When multiple perspectives are considered, the communication becomes more balanced, comprehensive, and reflective of the team’s collective understanding.

Streamlining the Dissemination Process

A collaborative approach streamlines the dissemination of scientific findings. Teams can divide tasks according to expertise, ensuring that each aspect of communication — writing, editing, designing, and outreach — is handled by individuals best suited for the task (Patel et al., 2021). This division of labour accelerates the communication process, allowing research findings to be shared promptly and efficiently. Additionally, collaboration fosters innovation in dissemination strategies. Creative brainstorming within teams can lead to the development of novel ways to present information, such as interactive data visualizations, infographics, podcasts, or videos, which can significantly broaden the reach and impact of the research.

Building Trust and Credibility

Effective communication builds trust and credibility, both of which are crucial in the scientific community and beyond. Collaborative efforts enhance these qualities by ensuring that the communication is not the voice of a single individual but the

result of collective scrutiny and validation (Bennett & Gadlin, 2012). This teambased approach adds weight to the findings, reflecting a consensus among experts rather than a solitary viewpoint. Trust is also built through transparency, and collaboration naturally promotes open communication. Teams that work together are more likely to share not only their successes but also their challenges, limitations, and uncertainties, presenting a more honest and nuanced picture of the research.

Fostering a Culture of Continuous Learning

Collaboration fosters a culture of continuous learning where team members can grow by learning from each other. Scientists can improve their communication skills by working closely with writers and communication experts, while non-scientific team members gain a deeper understanding of the research process (Worrall et al., 2012). This cross-pollination of skills not only enhances the immediate communication efforts but also equips team members with valuable competencies that they can carry into future projects.

Overcoming Barriers to Team Collaboration

While the benefits of team collaboration are clear, achieving effective collaboration can be challenging. Differences in communication styles, varying levels of expertise, and logistical hurdles can pose barriers. To overcome these, teams must establish clear communication protocols, define roles and responsibilities, and create an environment that values every contribution (Abouelfetouh, 2022). Tools such as collaborative software platforms, regular team meetings, and structured feedback mechanisms can help streamline the process. Leadership is crucial in fostering a positive team culture, prioritising open communication, mutual respect, and a shared project vision.

Summary

Effective scientific communication is essential for advancing research, but it is rarely achieved by individual effort alone. The complexities of conveying technical information to diverse audiences require a collaborative approach that brings together scientists, writers, designers, and communication experts. This diversity enriches communication, ensuring accurate, engaging, and impactful messages. Collaboration enhances clarity through peer review, streamlines dissemination through task division, and builds trust by reflecting collective scrutiny. It also fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation, equipping team members with skills that extend beyond the immediate project. Overcoming barriers to collaboration

requires clear communication, defined roles, and strong leadership to create an inclusive and respectful team environment. By embracing a collective approach, teams can unlock the full potential of scientific communication, driving progress and fostering a deeper public understanding of scientific research.

References:

→ Abouelfetouh, A. (2022). Team science: The power of us. International Journal of Research and Ethics, 5(1).

→ Bennett, L. M., & Gadlin, H. (2012). Collaboration and team science. Journal of Investigative Medicine, 60(5), 768-775.

→ Hall, K. L., Vogel, A. L., Huang, G. C., Serrano, K. J., Rice, E. L., Tsakraklides, S., & Fiore, S. (2018). The science of team science: A review of the empirical evidence and research gaps on collaboration in science. American Psychologist, 73, 532–548.

→ Patel, M. M., Moseley, T. W., Nia, E., Perez, F., & Kapoor, M. (2021). Team science: A practical approach to starting collaborative projects. Journal of breast imaging, 3(6), 721-726.

→ Stokols, D., Misra, S., Moser, R., Hall, K. L., & Taylor, B. (2008). The ecology of team science: Understanding contextual influences on transdisciplinary collaboration. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 35, S96-S115.

→ Worrall, A., Marty, P., Roberts, J., Burnett, K., Burnett, G., Hinnant, C., Kazmer, M. M., Stvilia, B., & Wu, S. (2012). Observations of the lifecycles and information worlds of collaborative scientific teams at a national science lab. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, 423-425.

Aleksandra Lewandowska

Mental Health Working Group Coordinator at the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (EURODOC), Master of psychology (mn. neurocognitive science) and criminology. Doctoral candidate in social sciences at the University of Bialystok, specializing in the field of neurocriminology and forensic neuropsychology.

Various transformations – agile skills1

Monika Bezak, Łukasz Górecki

The automotive industry provides a broad perspective not only for research development and related career paths but also for thinking about change and the skills needed to manage it. This capital-intensive and knowledge-intensive industry—one of the world’s largest in terms of turnover—encompasses various organizations involved in designing, developing, manufacturing, marketing, selling, repairing, and modifying motor vehicles. The automotive sector is undergoing its greatest transformation in 100 years. The dynamic development of new digital technologies, coupled with the push towards climate neutrality in both products and processes, is reshaping the automotive sector as we know it. These challenges require well-prepared and highly skilled human resources to achieve the abovementioned aims. Participants in the automotive chain are facing challenges such as digital transformation, the implementation of alternative mobility solutions, and the adaptation to new environmental regulations and quality standards. New professions are emerging, new competencies are needed, and many positions require highly specialized technical knowledge.² According to the report “The Future Of European Competitiveness,” which presents a new industrial strategy for Europe based on three main areas of transformation, filling competence gaps will be key to success. The need for new competencies, caused by the rapid acceleration of the development of digital technologies—often referred to as the ‘digital revolution’—has been discussed for many years. The European Commission has prepared a list of key competencies necessary for society’s development:

1. The article is based on the authors’ contribution to the panel discussion “Challenges related to the development of technical, digital, and personal competencies in the era of various transformations”, which was part of the 2nd edition of the EU Talent Fair (Katowice, 13 June 2024). The panel was an opportunity to discuss the #SlaskiTalentHUB initiative and the role and scope of the competencies currently required in business. The #SlaskiTalentHUB initiative was started by Małgorzata Dobrowolska, a professor at the Silesian University of Technology and Director of the MBA Business School, along with Łukasz Górecki, Director of the SA&AM Cluster at the Katowice Special Economic Zone.

2. FORVIA. Talent w centrum zmian w motoryzacji, https://www.forbes.pl/forvia-talent-wcentrum-zmian-w-motoryzacji/3ps5llb)

understanding and creating information, multilingualism, mathematical skills, competencies in natural sciences, technology and engineering, digital competencies, personal and social competencies, learning-to-learn skills, as well as civic and entrepreneurial competences.3 Europe needs to address its slowing productivity growth, which can be achieved by accelerating technological and scientific innovation, speeding up the innovation-to-commercialization process, and making concerted efforts to close skills gaps.4 The new industrial sector is open not only to graduates of technical universities but also to those educated in fields connected with Big Data (e.g., Mathematics), technology, or other scientific disciplines. Digital and programming skills are becoming increasingly important as they facilitate communication and the search for information.

When discussing competence gaps, we are referring not only to hard technical skills but also to soft skills, which are becoming increasingly important and are crucial for many positions. The soft skills most valued by employers include interpersonal and communication skills, flexibility, adaptability, team management, and problem-solving abilities.5 What is becoming even more significant is the role of personal competencies, developed either during formal education or through informal learning experiences, such as volunteering or participation in non-profit organizations. Yes—technical skills and specialization alone are no longer sufficient. Today, engineers must be able to collaborate and communicate effectively, even in multicultural environments. Creativity and the ability to cope with challenges are also essential. Analytical skills are particularly valuable in a world that demands multitasking.

In recent years, the importance of the term ‘talents’ has risen. Talents are key to driving innovation because people fuel innovation processes with their skills and creativity. While innovations are often the result of technology and capital, they primarily stem from the thinking and actions of individuals who can effectively harness resources in innovative ways. Talents can identify and solve problems, creating new products, services, and technological solutions. But what exactly are talents? According to experts, talent is the sum of innate abilities, acquired

3. Council Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning, 2018

4. The Future Of European Competitiveness, https://commission.europa.eu/topics/ strengthening-european-competitiveness/eu-competitiveness-looking-ahead_en, 2024)

5. NAJCENNIEJSZE KOMPETENCJE MIĘKKIE NA RYNKU PRACY, Hays hays.pl/baza-wiedzy

skills, knowledge, competencies, and attitudes that enable individuals to achieve above-average results in a specific context.6 Talents play a vital role in fostering a culture of innovation within organizations. People with open minds, critical thinking skills, and the ability to adapt quickly to change bring valuable skills that contribute to continuous improvement. Talents can elevate a company’s competitiveness to a higher level. In an era where technologies increasingly intersect, individuals with knowledge from diverse fields can connect different areas, thereby generating innovative solutions.

According to the 2023 Deloitte Global Technology Leadership Study, more than a third of respondents indicated that technology-based services generate significant revenue for their companies, while over half stated that digital transformation in their organizations would focus on developing digital products and services in the coming years. At the same time, 46% of respondents cited gaps in the skills and capabilities of their technology departments as obstacles to delivering value from transformation initiatives.7 In the current market, creating innovations is essential for maintaining competitiveness.8 Attracting, engaging, developing, and retaining talent is crucial for the survival and growth of organizations. Engaging talent not only increases organizational productivity but also brings fresh ideas and new ways of thinking. Talents can ensure high-quality work and serve as role models for other employees. 9

Since talents are essential for organizational development and innovation, a key strategy for any forward-thinking organization should be to attract, develop, and

6. Gallardo-Gallardo E., Dries N., González-Cruz T.F. (2013). What is the meaning of ‘talent’ in the world of work?. Human Resource Management Review, 23(4)

7. https://www2.deloitte.com/pl/pl/pages/technology/articles/Talent-jako-tajna-bron-6kluczowych-krokow-ktore-wspieraja-budowanie-silnych-zespolow-technologicznych.html

8. A.Sudolska, M.Chodorek, Zarządzanie talentami w kontekście, https://cejsh.icm.edu.pl/cejsh/ element/bwmeta1.element.ojs-issn-0860-9608-year-2013-volume-Zeszyt-issue-XXVII-articlef55242b9-670b-3933-9b6d-dfc086b2a2fc/c/articles-2165189.pdf.pdf

9. Jak pozyskać i zatrzymać najlepsze talenty w organizacji? https://www.michaelpage. pl/advice/porady-dla-pracodawc%C3%B3w/rekrutacja-i-selekcja/jak-pozyska%C4%87-izatrzyma%C4%87-najlepsze-talenty-w

retain talent. One way to acquire talent is through building a strong employer brand (employer branding), which attracts talented candidates. Strengthening cooperation with universities and participating in educational initiatives is another way. By offering internships, apprenticeships, and mentoring programs, companies can acquire young talent. An example of such an initiative, as a good practice of cooperation between academia and the automotive industry, is #SlaskiTalentHUB, a programme jointly implemented by the Silesian University of Technology, the Business School of the Silesian University of Technology, the SA&AM Cluster, and business partners. The goal of the #SlaskiTalentHUB initiative is to support the development of the most talented students at the Silesian University of Technology. By organizing activities that support student development outside the university, business partners can build their organizational brand and increase the likelihood of acquiring future talent. The project showcases various of activities related to the automotive industry and modern technologies. Events offered by participating companies include workshops on problem-solving, mentorship opportunities, and insight into company processes. Additionally, companies involved in the #SlaskiTalentHUB initiative often go further by organizing competitions, quizzes, and substantive tasks. These initiatives not only present the work environment of modern businesses but also support the development of technical and personal skills while providing career counselling. The purpose of these activities is twofold: first, to introduce students to modern business environments, and second, to help them develop technical and personal skills. Additionally, career counselling is included to prepare students for the decisions they will face in their career paths. This initiative also serves as an excellent supplement to the university curriculum, giving students the chance not only to learn new concepts but also to practice their skills in real-world environments. Many engineers note that their skills come from various sources of learning—whether it be independent study from books, online resources like YouTube, or involvement in non-governmental organizations, apprenticeships, and internships. Participation in such activities creates a win-win situation for all parties involved. Students gain exposure to different companies and their organizational cultures, recognize various development opportunities, and enhance their technical skills while developing an interest in the sector. Universities benefit from diversifying education and creating a community of active students, who are aware of their development possibilities and interested in the automotive and modern technologies sectors. Companies, on the other hand,

build cooperation with universities, establish direct contacts with students and graduates (employer branding activities), and increase their chances of acquiring valuable new employees.

Technological changes and the pursuit of climate neutrality pose new challenges for the industry related to competencies. While the business sector constantly changes, the demand for new competencies also grows. Access to people with the right competencies, both technical and personal, is crucial for building innovative and competitive enterprises, not only in the automotive industry. The European industrial strategy and industry reports emphasize the need to fill competence gaps in connection with accelerating the development of new technologies. It is no longer so obvious that industry and the high-tech sector only need technical skills and knowledge. The modern labour market requires employees to be flexible, multi-tasking, able to work with different technologies and ready for continuous development. Access to people with such qualifications and predispositions, commonly called talents, will play an important role in the life of many organizations. Educational programs such as #SlaskiTalentHUB respond to these needs by creating a platform for cooperation between universities, companies and students. Thanks to such initiatives, we all win.

Łukasz Górecki

Director at the Katowice Special Economic Zone, manages Poland’s largest automotive cluster – Silesia Automotive and Advanced Manufacturing. Responsible for building a cooperation platform between the automotive industry, digital technology suppliers, scientific and research institutions, and the education sector. He is also a board member of the European Automotive Cluster Network, a member of the Silesian Regional Future Industry Council, and a member of the Council of the Polish Clusters Association. Coordinator of many domestic and foreign projects, cocreated regional initiatives such as Silesian Competence Center of Industry 4.0 and Digital Innovation Hub Silesia Smart Systems.

Monika Bezak

a labour market expert at the Katowice Special Economic Zone. A psychologist and journalist who conducts Education to Business activities supporting employer branding. She moderates cooperation processes. She also provides career counselling for children, young people and adults and promotes the Silesian Automotive & Advanced Manufacturing sector.