This year, the Copernicus Science Centre (CNK) is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Through its multifaceted activity, this modern institution tirelessly contributes to research and promotes scientific achievements. It also inspires visitors to observe, experiment, ask questions, and search for answers. We are proud to have been the Center’s partner for the last five years, and to have been pursuing the important mission of discovery and science education conducted in interesting ways that is attractive to the younger generations. On the 10th anniversary of its operation, we would like to congratulate the Copernicus Science Centre on its commitment to science, and thank the institution for the many scientific and educational projects that we have organized together.
The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship
Since signing a mutual cooperation agreement in July of 2015, SWPS University, together with the Copernicus Science Centre, have conducted a number of research and educational projects, and organized conferences, lectures, webinars, workshops, and panel discussions. Thanks to the support of the Center, our doctoral students can work on their industrial doctorates and complete their doctoral internships, while many students have had an opportunity to complete their practicums at the institution. Together with CNK, we form interdisciplinary teams, which develop innovative research methods. We believe, that by joining forces, we can contribute our complementary experience to the development and promotion of Polish research and to science education.
The theme of our 10-year anniversary is “Future at the Center”. (...) This is an opportunity to thank everyone for the past ten years. An opportunity to thank millions of people, who visited us. To thank thousands of teachers and students who actively participate in our education networks and to thank hundreds of scientists, who meet with our visitors and share their passion for discovering the world.
Wiktor Gajewski, Event Director, CNK
Cognitive Adventures
“Cognitive Adventures” is a series of multidisciplinary international conferences centered around learning and teaching, organized by CNK in partnership with SWPS University. Additionally, under the same name, SWPS University organizes research competitions for scientists from our university. The goal of the competitions is to expand knowledge about cognitive phenomena and processes, the learning process, and exploratory behaviors of visitors to CNK. The competitions contribute to the practical aspect of research in the field of humanities and social sciences and promote partnerships between the academia and various organizations, such as state institutions, non-governmental organizations, business community, and the arts and culture sector.
Przemiany Festiwal
The Przemiany (Transformations) Festival is an annual event organized by CNK. The Festival explores the themes of development and changes it brings about. It is an interdisciplinary event that allows to approach a given problem from different perspectives. The goal of the Festival is to confront different ideas and points of view. The tension that results from this confrontation provides a source of engagement and generates new ideas.
Students of SWPS University’s School of Form presented at the “Designers of the Anthropocene” exhibition that was a part of the 2015 Przemiany Festival. Some notable examples, designed to meet the needs of contemporary users, included clothing designed to make physical activity easier and cups that prompt their owners to drink water.
Our researchers participate in the Festival annually. They organize exhibitions, host debates and conduct workshops (e.g. “Does a longer life mean a better life?” – a debate hosted by Assistant Professor Joanna Jeśman from SWPS University), share their expert knowledge and prepare publications (e.g. “Temptation of Immortality” – Assistant Professor Joanna Jeśman).
During the 2018 edition of the Festival, Wiesław Bartkowski, Head of the Creative Coding program at SWPS University, was one of the authors behind the “Machina Sapiens” exhibition. The project presented different aspects of artificial intelligence and its impact on new reality. The accompanying “Artists and Algorithms” panel discussion pondered whether artificial intelligence can compete with human creativity.
A year later, psychologist Mateusz Banaszkiewicz talked about myths related to food during his lecture titled “Myths and memes”.
Many places are called ‘unique’, although sometimes it’s an exaggeration. However, it’s not the case with the Copernicus Science Centre. The uniqueness of CNK is obvious – no other institution in Poland implements this type of mission on such an impressive scale, using the latest solutions, and collaborating with the most renowned partners in the field of science education around the world. For me, the projects implemented with our partners have always provided an opportunity for surprising discoveries. The Copernicus Science Center teaches through experience. It teaches important things. It teaches not only children, but also us... scientists.
Assistant Professor Maksymilian Bielecki, psychologist, Uniwersytet SWPS
Research Project: "Classification of artefacts in CNK’s exhibition space and the attention and memory processes in visitors"
What is the link between adolescent personality and the way teenagers move around an exhibition and acquire knowledge? Assistant Professors of psychology from SWPS University, Joanna Roszak and Katarzyna Winkowska-Nowak researched this topic together with Karolina Ziembowicz, Ph.D. from the Department of Social Psychology of the Maria Grzegorzewska University. Two studies, conducted on a group of 15 to 19 year-old high school students, confirmed that cognitive models of two CNK artefacts, measured with their schematic representations by study participants, are related to individual differences, such as ability and personality of participants. Research results were published in a report “The level of complexity in an interaction with artefacts as an indicator of learning”.
Online Meetings
During the coronavirus pandemic, educational events, similarly to artistic or business events, have moved online. Our researchers and academic teachers presented a variety of topics during interesting webinars organized by CNK.
For example, during the “Przekazać 2020” (To Convey 2020) Festival, Assistant Professor Magdalena Śniegulska, psychologist, during a lecture Independent, but Lonely. Relationships in Online Learning talked about lockdown-induced loneliness. The lecture was a part of an Evening online series called Lessons from Lockdown.
Another CNK series “Damy radę” (We will manage), saw psychologist Mateusz Banaszkiewicz talk about The importance of human relationships during the pandemic. The lecture was part of the “Cała naprzód” (Full Steam Ahead) and “Rekreacje po lockdownie” (Recreations After Lockdown) series.
Additionally, an interaction designer and researcher of complex systems, Wiesław Bartkowski from SWPS University, presented a currently important topic of the relationship between humans and machines: Artifical Intelligence will Save Us.
Training for Employees of CNK
As part of the “Researchers’ Preschool” program, our faculty conducted a series of classes on statistics and methodology of psychological research for employees of the Copernicus Science Center.
Industrial Doctorates
Two doctoral students from SWPS University, Krzysztof Kornas and Maciej Frasunkiewicz, will work on their industrial doctorates at CNK under the guidance of their doctoral thesis advisors, Professor Mirosław Filiciak and Professor Aneta Brzezicka. SWPS University’s Interdisciplinary Doctoral School, in cooperation with CNK and Bursa Szkolna 4, a dormitory managed by the City of Warsaw, received funding from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education to finance these two industrial doctorates in the disciplines of psychology and cultural and art studies.
"Discover. Think. Act". The 10th Anniversary of the Copernicus Research Center
People shape a human and nature-friendly world by developing research and applying its findings. CNK has been following this vision from its inception. For the very first time, CNK opened its doors ten years ago, on November 5, 2010. The grand opening offered many attractions for the first visitors to CNK. This year, due to the pandemic, a similar celebration awaits science fans online. Science aficionados will have an opportunity to spend the CNK’s anniversary weekend (November 7-8, 2020) perusing virtual experimentation labs, exhibitions, and visiting the planteriaum.
One of the exhibitions, “Hello! I know you ‒ I am you” has been organized in cooperation with the graduates of our Creative Coding postgraduate program, Klementyna Jankiewicz and Karol Nowak, and one of our lecturers, Szymon Pepliński. More information »