Awards for young scientists

The weekly POLITYKA announced the list of finalists for the 25th edition of the POLITYKA Science Awards in five science categories: Humanities, Social sciences, Natural sciences, Life sciences, and Technology on 17 September 2025.

The finalists were selected by the Chapter of the first stage (the so-called Professors' Chapter), which consists of eminent professors, experts in specific disciplines of science and editors of "Polityka".

Polish and world cinema through the eyes of a culture expert

Dr Emil Sowiński is not only an author of numerous scholarly publications on the history and development of cinema, but also a populariser who clearly presents the social, cultural and political aspects of Polish cinema. His doctoral thesis received two awards: the distinction for the best doctoral thesis in the field of culture, and the Professor Alicja Helman’s Award for the best doctoral thesis in film studies.

Currently, the researcher is also one of the curators of the film section of the Festival of Many Cultures (Cinema of Many Cultures). Dr Sowiński actively cooperates with the Polish Film Academy and the "Man in Danger" Media Festival, where he participates in the selection of materials and conducts lectures and meetings with filmmakers.

The scientist has been the head of the research project entitled "Studio Filmowe im. Karola Irzykowskiego w latach 1981-1989 na tle polityki programowej peerelowskiej kinematografii wobec debiutów" [The Karol Irzykowski Film Studio in the years 1981-1989 in the context of the programme policy of the Polish People's Republic cinema towards debuts], financed by the National Science Centre for five years.

Awards ceremony

Of the 15 finalists, five winners will be selected by the Second Stage (Civic, also known as Social) Chapter consisting of individuals known for their public activism and compelling, broad perspectives on social reality. This will allow to identify those whose research is deemed particularly promising, not only in terms of its practical utility, but also for civilisational and intellectual progress in general.

Five of the finalists will receive Science Awards – stipends of PLN 15,000 and an interview in the weekly "Polityka" at a gala ceremony on 19 October 2025. The remaining ten will receive final awards of PLN 5,000.