Professor Michał Kleiber was honored with the prestigious PoloniaTech award at this year’s European Federation of Polish Scientific and Technological Societies Aboard (EFPSNT). The award recognizes his exceptional scientific achievements and significant contributions to the establishment of the Federation. The gala event, held in Heidelberg from October 24 to 27, 2024, marked the 20th anniversary of EFPSNT and brought together distinguished representatives of Polish scientific and technological societies from across Europe.
Prof. Kleiber, who served as Minister of Science two decades ago and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Federation, delivered a keynote speech titled “Rola inżynierii w budowie pomyślnej przyszłości świata” (“The Role of Engineering Sciences in Building a Successful Future of the World”). In his address, he highlighted the critical importance of technological innovation, asserting, “Engineering sciences are the key to survival and the development of civilization.” He further noted that, despite the wealth of knowledge and advanced technologies available to meet basic human needs, society continues to grapple with inequalities and environmental degradation. “Why do we still fail to provide a decent life to all?” – he posed to the audience.
Prof. Kleiber highlighted the significant challenges facing the modern world, including the depletion of natural resources, the imperative for energy transformation, and mounting demographic pressures. He emphasized that addressing these issues effectively requires bold and innovative technological solutions. “We cannot pretend that everything will be business as usual,” he stated, underscoring the urgency for advancements in areas such as energy, digitization, biomedicine, and information and communications technology – key drivers in shaping the future.
In his remarks, Professor Kleiber also referred to the words of Theodore von Kármán, a pioneer in aerodynamics, who famously observed, “Scientists study the world as it is; engineers create the world that has never been.” This quote served as the central theme of Professor Kleiber’s speech, capturing the transformative power of engineering in building a better world.
He simultaneously emphasized the critical importance of adhering to ethical principles in science and engineering. “Engineers carry immense responsibility,” he stated. “We must uphold integrity, anticipate potential risks, and continually expand our expertise. Only by doing so can we ensure that technology serves humanity’s best interests and avoid exacerbating societal divides.”
Fot. PoloniaTECH award presented to Prof. M. Kleiber.
For the past 20 years, the EFPSNT Federation, based in Vienna, has been dedicated to supporting the integration of Polish engineers and scientists abroad. It organizes annual meetings and thematic conferences, with this year’s event in Heidelberg held under the patronage of the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Munich and with the support of the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Gala presented an ideal opportunity to reflect upon the federation’s future and strengthen the collaboration between Polish engineering communities across Europe. Among the Federation’s members are FSNT-NOT from Katowice, VPI from Austria, SITPF from France, and ZFPITN from Germany, all of which play key roles in advancing Polish technological expertise on the global stage.
We are pleased to announce that the 6th World Congress of Polish Engineers will be held in Poznań in June 2025, alongside the 28th Congress of Polish Technologists, under the honorary patronage of the Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland. For more information, please visit: https://szip.org.pl/ (Polish version only).
