More NAWA grants for international bilateral projects

Dr Slávka Gałaś from the Faculty of Geology, Geophysics, and Environmental Protection has obtained funding in the amount of PLN 23,200 for her project on building climate resilience (PL: Wzmacnianie odporności klimatycznej inwestycji i projektów: Innowacyjne narzędzia i wytyczne dla skutecznego zarządzania ryzykiem). The project is to be carried out in cooperation with the Technical University of Košice.

The objective of the project will be to develop methodology for assessing climate sensitivity and resilience to climate change of new investments and projects, thereby supporting effective climate risk management. As climate changes become increasingly noticeable, there is a need for effective climate risk management. An assessment of the climate sensitivity and resilience of the investments and projects will allow for the identification of risks and their potential effects, so that appropriate countermeasures could be taken. The implementation of the project is vital for effective climate risk management, promotion of sustainable development, and adaptation to climate change.

Dr Łukasz Cieniek from the Faculty of Metals Engineering and Industrial Computer Science has received as much as PLN 29,600 and, together with researchers from Institut Matériaux Microélectronique Nanosciences de Provence, University of Toulon in France, he will work on a project on thin nanostructured coatings for hydrogen production by means of methane photocatalysis (PL: Nanostrukturalne cienkie warstwy do produkcji wodoru poprzez fotokatalizę metanu).

Methane is the second most widespread greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and, at the same time, it has a 25 times greater potential for developing the greenhouse effect. The conversion of methane to alternative forms, such as carbon oxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methanol, is the preferred method of methane reduction. Multiple research centres are trying to find a method for reducing the concentration of methane in the atmosphere.   The Polish and French team od researchers will work on one of such methods by studying the effect of a stoichiometric and non-stoichiometric LaCeO3 of perovskite structure on hydrogen production by catalysis of methane oxidation.

The NAWA grants are aimed at supporting mobility of international research teams. The funding is intended for covering travel and stay expenses of Polish researchers in a partner country.