SciComm Lab Polska: launching a new space for collaboration in science communication and outreach

How can we communicate science more effectively? What makes scientific information engaging and trustworthy? What changes are needed to bring science closer to society? These questions will be at the heart of the inaugural SciComm Lab Polska event, taking place on November 4, 2026, at the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences (IChF) in Warsaw.

We invite researchers, science communicators, science outreach professionals, journalists, representatives of public administration, the education sector, civil society organizations, and everyone interested in science communication to join the conversation.

Under the theme “New directions and good practices in science communication,” the event will launch a series of meetings dedicated to advancing science communication, public engagement, and outreach in Poland. SciComm Lab Polska is also intended to become a collaborative space bringing together different professional communities to exchange experiences, share good practices, and jointly develop practical solutions and recommendations for institutions, practitioners, and policymakers.

The initiative is being developed by IChF as part of the Polish Hub of the European COALESCE project, in collaboration with the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) and its expertPAN initiative. The Marshal's Office of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship in Warsaw is a co-organizer of the inaugural event.

Connecting European cooperation with Polish practice

SciComm Lab Polska is being established within the framework of [COALESCE](https://coalesceproject.eu/), a European Union-funded project working to develop the European Competence Center for Science Communication and its associated Science Communication Academy.

The Center brings together knowledge, tools, and good practices to support effective science communication and outreach. An important part of the project is its [network of National and Regional Hubs](https://coalesceproject.eu/nr-hubs/), which connect European expertise with the needs of individual countries, foster local communities of practice, and contribute to the development of the Center's resources.

The Polish Hub, coordinated by IChF, will advance this cooperation through initiatives including SciComm Lab Polska. The planned series of meetings will help identify the needs and challenges of science communication and outreach in Poland while contributing Polish experiences and perspectives to the broader European exchange of knowledge and practices.

What's on the agenda?

The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. with opening remarks by representatives of the scientific community and national and regional public authorities.

Program | November 4, 2026

- 9:30–10:00 a.m. | Opening and inauguration – Remarks by Prof. Adam Kubas, Director of IChF, and representatives of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Marshal's Office of the Mazowieckie Voivodeship.

- 10:00–10:45 a.m. | Opening lecture – Paweł Piszczałka: “How can we talk about science so that people listen?”

- 10:45–11:25 a.m. | Coffee break and refreshments

- 11:25 a.m.–12:25 p.m. | Panel discussion and Q&A – “Bringing science closer to people: What needs to change in science communication in Poland?”

- 12:25–12:35 p.m. | Closing remarks

- 12:35–1:15 p.m. | Networking

A central part of the program will be a panel discussion bringing together the experiences and perspectives of researchers, science communicators, outreach professionals, media representatives, public administration officials, and other stakeholders involved in communicating science. The conversation will explore both established good practices and challenges that call for broader cooperation.

We also asked the public about science

The discussions will also draw on findings from “Science in our lives” (Nauka w naszym życiu), a survey conducted by IChF as part of the Polish COALESCE Hub's activities.

The survey explored public interest in science, perceptions of its impact on everyday life, sources of scientific information, preferred communication formats, and factors influencing trust in science communication. Participants also shared their comments and suggestions on how science could be communicated more effectively and how science outreach could better respond to public interests and needs.

The findings, together with the experiences and perspectives shared during the inaugural event, will inform future SciComm Lab Poland meetings and contribute to the development of recommendations for science communication, public engagement, and outreach in Poland and at the European level.

Join us!

SciComm Lab Poland welcomes diverse experiences, ideas, and perspectives. Whether you conduct research, communicate scientific findings, work in science outreach, education, media, or public administration, or are simply interested in strengthening connections between science and society, we invite you to take part.

Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Time:** 9:30 a.m.–1:15 p.m.

Venue: Auditorium, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences (IChF), 44/52 Kasprzaka Street, Warsaw, Poland

Please note that this particular event will be held in Polish.

Registration: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/c2UqAA1zZF

Contact: Dr. Anna Przybyło-Józefowicz, IChF, Coordinator of the Polish COALESCE Hub

Email: aprzybylo-jozefowicz@ichf.edu.pl

We warmly invite you to register and join us!