The PASIFIC Programme, which provided unique opportunities for postdoctoral researchers to conduct cutting-edge research in the dynamic scientific environment of the PAS, has come to an end. The project, implemented by the Polish Academy of Sciences, was co-funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No. 847639and the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

About the PASIFIC

The Programme recruited 47 excellent researchers from a pool of 550 candidates in two Calls published in 2021 (5 laureates resigned for personal reasons prior to signing the fellowship agreement or before the start of the fellowship). Fellows were selected through a merit-based evaluation process carried out by international experts. Selected candidates from 19 different countries, including the United States, Australia, Italy, Ukraine, India and others, joined the Polish Academy of Sciences, one of the country’s most prestigious scientific institutions, for 24 months to conduct research at their chosen institutes.

The PASIFIC laureates carried out their research at 23 PAS institutes in a wide range of disciplines, including, space science, materials engineering, computer science and informatics, cultures and cultural production, environmental biology, ecology and evolution.

The fellows were provided with excellent conditions for their research projects: all the necessary infrastructure and exposure to the international research community at host institutes, a rich training offer, a wide range of activities aimed at the academic and non-academic sector and general public, the possibility of a six-month secondment outside academia, a monthly salary of about EUR 2,500 net (and a family allowance), a research budget of up to EUR 93,000 per project.

The fellows’ active scientific life resulted in 152 publications. Fellows presented their research results at numerous international conferences in the form of oral and poster presentations, invited talks and panel discussions (226 appearances). To facilitate intersectoral mobility, fellows were invited to take part in the science-industry events organized within the PASIFIC: Innovatorium Łukasiewicza (June 2023) and Central European Technology Forum CETEF’24 (November 2024). To develop and maintain their research networks, the PASIFIC fellows participated in networking events: “PASIFIC & AMU networking event” (September 2023), “PASIFIC Networking with Scientific Community” (June 2024).  

To popularize the research results, the PASIFIC Programme included events aimed at the general public. Two editions of Academy Smart Talks were organized in Warsaw (October 2023, April 2024), where the PASIFIC fellows talked to high school students. The PASIFIC Short Docs series of 11 episodes was created, where the PASIFIC fellows talked about their research, successes, challenges and insights into being a scientist. Media coverage of the PASIFIC Programme, fellows and their research included newspaper articles (Gazeta Wyborcza), radio & podcast episodes (Nauka.To lubię, Radio Naukowe), social media appearances (Crazy Nauka), the PASIFIC website and FB.

The PASIFIC Programme contributed to a high staying rate (31%) of researchers, with 11 fellows continuing their research at the institutes of the PAS, 1 fellow – at Warsaw University of Technology, and 1 fellow – at the University of Krakow. It was a good stepping stone for the fellows to develop or continue their international careers. Successful applications abroad included the University of Oxford, the University of Seville, the Czech Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Molecular Medicine II, Uniklinikum Dusseldorf, the University of Helsinki, the University of Hamburg, the Spanish National Research Council,Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies. 

To briefly summarize the results of the fellows’ projects and their scientific impact, the PASIFIC Brochure was prepared and is available at https://pan.pl/app/uploads/2025/03/Broszura_Pasific_01-89_pelna_27.03.25.pdf