Three UPWr scientists with START scholarships

• Dr Dariusz Strugarek received a scholarship with distinction for his research in satellite geodesy.
• Dr Aleksandra Wdowczyk received a START scholarship for her research on the properties of leachate water from municipal landfills in terms of selected biological treatment processes.
• The research conducted by Daria Marczak, the third START scholarship holder, concerns the reduction of water consumption necessary for proper plant development, rational support of vegetation and adaptation to climate change through sustainable technologies.

The START Scholarship of the Foundation for Polish Science, is an annual scholarship for outstanding young scientists at the beginning of their scientific career. The programme aims to recognise the most talented young scientists and encourage their further scientific development by enabling them to devote themselves fully to research work. One hundred outstanding young scientists selected from a pool of 660 candidates received the scholarship. This is the 31st edition of the oldest scholarship programme in Poland for the best young scientists representing all fields of science. Winners of the START programme in the 2023 edition will receive an annual scholarship of PLN 30,000. They can use it for any purpose. The total amount allocated by the FNP for scholarships is PLN 3 056 000.

The START programme scholarship holders are selected through a multi-stage competition in which the quality of their scientific achievements to date is assessed.

Ground-breaking research in satellite geodesy

Among the three scholarship recipients from UPWr, one of the scientists – Dr Strugarek – received a distinction. Since 2009 the The Foundation has been awarding additional distinctions in the START programme to candidates whose research achievements have been assessed as outstanding by the competition reviewers. Their scholarships will be increased to PLN 38 000.

Dr Dariusz Strugarek defended his doctoral thesis with distinction. It is titled "Satellite Laser Ranging to Low Earth Orbiters for Orbit Validation and Determination of Global Geodetic Parameters". Both of its internationally renowned reviewers – Prof. Toshimichi Otsubo of Hitotsubashi University, Japan, and Dr Frank G. Lemoine of Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, USA - judged the dissertation to be outstanding, resulting in a request to commend the dissertation for its groundbreaking nature and the usefulness of the results in the area of satellite geodesy, the integration of geodetic techniques and the development of satellite systems in Earth exploration. The dissertation, which consists of a collection of five publications in journals such as GPS Solutions and Advances in Space Research, was also unanimously awarded by the Council of the Discipline of Civil Engineering, Geodesy and Transport of UPWr.

His research solves important scientific problems and has great potential for the use of laser distance measurements to low altimetry, remote sensing and gravimetric satellites, for the realisation of Earth reference systems and the determination of global geodetic parameters. In his work, Dr Strugarek successfully integrated laser observations to satellites in low, medium and high orbits for the first time. He identified the main errors in the determination of artificial satellites' orbits and laser observations and proposed models to eliminate these errors, making his findings particularly valuable for improving the quality of data from various satellite missions for Earth observation and the determination of geodetic parameters. – And better data means better monitoring of earthquakes, tsunamis, melting ice, precise reference systems for engineering measurements in construction or mining, but also better monitoring of the quality of vegetation, the amount of water in the soil, soil erosion, or vehicle navigation used widely today – emphasises Dr Dariusz Strugarek.

Treating leachate water from landfills

Dr Aleksandra Wdowczyk from the Department of Environmental Design and Protection, who is also a START scholarship holder, studies the properties of leachate water from municipal landfills in terms of selected biological treatment processes.

As Dr Wdowczyk points out, this topic is important because leachate water emissions can be a serious pollutant to the groundwater environment. This raises two important scientific issues, related to the assessment of the scale of the threat to the environment from leachate water and the search for solutions to ensure its effective treatment.

– I started my scientific work by looking for a way to comprehensively assess the properties of leachate water. A number of physico-chemical analyses can be carried out for this purpose, but their ranges are often different in different studies, making it difficult to interpret the results. The results of the analyses can be used to determine the Leachate Pollution Index (LPI, Leachate Pollution Index), used by researchers worldwide. However, the limited scope of leachate water testing, resulting from the current landfill monitoring rules in Poland, means that the index value determined in this way may not reflect its actual properties. Therefore, I supplement the analysis of leachate water properties with toxicity tests, which indicate the possibility of harmful effects on living organisms – says Dr Wdowczyk.

– I have also become interested in hydrophytic systems, which mimic naturally occurring wetland systems. I have carried out research into the application of this method for treating leachate water. On the basis of the results obtained, I have also assessed the suitability of various substrates for the construction of the substrates of the systems, their impact on the ability of the used vegetation to accumulate pollutants and the composition of the bacterial biocenosis of the activated sludge used in the next stage of treatment – mentions Dr Wdowczyk, emphasising that she is currently beginning research on the treatment of leachate from municipal waste landfills in vegetated activated sludge systems within the funding received from the National Science Centre. Her work will contribute to the evaluation of solutions to the problem of leachate water treatment. This research is in line with sustainable development goals, which include improving water quality by reducing pollution and the amount of untreated wastewater or decommissioning landfills.

Sustainable rainwater management, vegetation support and climate change adaptation

The research conducted by Daria Marczak, the third START grantee, is concerned with the reduction of water consumption necessary for proper plant development, rational support of vegetation and adaptation to climate change through sustainable technologies. As the scientist emphasises, an integral part of her research work is the implementation of solutions in line with closed-loop economies and sustainable development goals. Her work is the basis for the introduction of innovative solutions to reduce the effects of drought and soil pollution.

The topic of her PhD thesis is directly related to the development of a new technology, which is biodegradable water sorbing geocomposites (BioGSW). BioGSW is an innovative technology for storing water in soil so that it is available to plants. It consists of three components: a non-woven fabric, an internal skeleton and a superabsorbent (SAPu). The non-woven fabric captures water from the soil, which is stored by the SAP, which has the capacity to absorb large amounts of water. The inner skeleton provides the space necessary for the SAPu to swell freely. Plant roots can freely grow through the non-woven fabric into the interior of the BioGSW and then, using the suction force, take up the water stored in the SAP, allowing them to survive periods of drought.

– In several years of research, I have shown that there are a number of biodegradable materials with suitable properties that are characterised by low acquisition costs – most often as waste material and, above all, as a source of natural nutrients for plants.  – My research is in line with a closed loop economy and indicates possible ways to manage textile waste in sectors such as environmental engineering, agriculture and horticulture – explains the PhD student.

The results of her work contribute to the evaluation of the effectiveness of solutions that are relevant in terms of reducing the consumption of non-renewable resources, reducing environmental pollution and rationally supporting plant vegetation.

Daria Marczak is also a winner of the PRELUDIUM 20 competition and the Scholarship for doctoral students for achievements in engineering and technical sciences in the Student Scholarship Programme.

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  The Biskupin Campus through the eyes of students: green and innovative in design

  UPWr students of Landscape Architecture have designed plans for the development of the Biskupin Campus aligning with the principles of sustainable development. – The students' ideas are interesting and full of innovative and 'green' design solutions. So, there should be an impulse to take action so that the campus becomes a model, multifunctional public space in Wrocław in the future – says Dr. Anna Bocheńska-Skałecka.

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  Miniatura 7 award for Dr Wdowczyk

  Dr Aleksandra Wdowczyk from the Department of Environmental Design and Protection has won funding for her preliminary research into the treatment of leachate from municipal landfills in plant-based activated sludge systems. PLN 43,771 was awarded to her in the Miniatura 7 competition.