From: mk_thisisit
An exceptional Polish scientist, recognized as one of the most outstanding, was the only Pole to be included on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world [00:46:00]. She serves as an advisor to the international health organization and is a member of the Australian Academy of Sciences [00:52:00]. She recently received the L’Oréal-UNESCO Women in Science award in Paris [01:00:00]. This award has for decades honored outstanding female scientists globally, including women who have subsequently received Nobel Prizes [01:08:00].
Personal Experience with Recognition
Upon receiving the email notification about being on Time magazine’s influential people list, the scientist initially dismissed it as spam due to its unbelievable nature [01:36:00]. It was only when her university’s media department, also contacted by Time for photos, confirmed the news that she believed it was real [01:47:00]. This recognition was not for a single recent discovery, but rather for 20 years of research on the spread of viruses through airborne particles, which began during the SARS 1 epidemic in 2003 [02:10:00], [02:29:00]. Despite early difficulties in securing funding, with one application rejected because a reviewer stated airborne transmission was “not possible” [03:00:00], [03:13:00], this foundational knowledge proved critical during the recent pandemic [04:05:00].
Her existing knowledge allowed her to rapidly organize a group of scientists from diverse fields (physics, engineering) within three days [04:22:00]. This group then sent a petition to the WHO when the organization initially claimed the virus was not airborne [03:35:00], [04:52:00]. Her long-standing advisory role with the WHO, dating back to the 1990s, was primarily in air quality and pollution, a different field from infectious diseases [04:57:00]. She co-chaired the development of the 2021 WHO air quality recommendations [05:28:00].
After her publication on airborne transmission was initially rejected but then published three months later, the WHO accepted its findings the very next day [06:09:00]. This acceptance led to significant changes in pandemic control measures, emphasizing ventilation, airborne virus removal, and mask use, which likely saved hundreds of thousands of lives [06:22:00], [06:40:00].
Access and Opportunities for Women in Science
The scientist is often asked about whether women have equal access to science as men [12:57:00]. Based on her personal experience and career, she did not realize for a long time that opportunities for women might be different [13:02:00]. Her upbringing by parents, both with university degrees (her mother was a chemist), instilled in her and her sister the belief that they could achieve anything they desired [13:17:00]. From early childhood, she was fascinated by nuclear physics and pursued this path without perceived obstacles, completing her studies and doctorate [13:38:00]. While she is a nuclear physicist by training, her interest shifted to environmental radiation towards the end of her studies [14:03:00].
However, she acknowledges that her experience is not universal, stating that not everyone grows up in such a supportive home or social environment [14:36:00]. She emphasizes that in many other places and situations, women do not have the same opportunities, and thus, “the world must put a lot of effort into ensuring that women have truly equal rights and equal opportunities” [14:51:00].
Regarding Poland’s development in the scientific community, the scientist, who primarily bases her scientific activities in Australia, but collaborates globally [15:05:00], reflected on opportunities in her home country [15:08:00]. When she left Poland, she had open doors for return, including a position at the AGH University of Science and Technology [17:13:00]. However, her work in Toronto revealed that she would have more opportunities, particularly regarding equipment and the scope of scientific work, outside of Poland [17:26:00]. While she frequently visits Poland and notes visible improvements in infrastructure and organization [15:57:00], she believes it would currently be impossible to achieve her current standing in science by living and working solely in Poland [17:01:00]. She hopes that with continued development, such as the Solaris facility in Krakow, Polish scientists will be able to conduct research at the highest level without needing to leave the country [17:51:00].