From 6 to 31 July 2026, the sixth edition of the International Summer Student Programme in Natural Sciences (TSSP NatSci) was held at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń.
The programme was coordinated by Prof. Wojciech Kujawski from the Faculty of Chemistry and Prof. Przemysław Charzyński from the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management, in cooperation with Dr hab. Beata Kaczmarek-Szczepańska. The financial administration of the programme was managed by Ms Karolina Rasak from the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management.
This year's edition brought together 17 students—15 from abroad and 2 from NCU - who carried out 15 research projects in the fields of chemistry, geography, and biology.
Three research projects were conducted at the Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management:
- Aydan Hajiyeva – The Role of Blue-Green Infrastructure in Water Retention in Urban Areas – Examples of Bydgoszcz and Toruń,
- Damla Karadede / Urszula Charzyńska – Do Museums Tell the Soil Story? An Online Analysis of Soil Exhibits and Visitor Attention,
- Veronika Sobkovych – Analysis of Light Pollution on the Nicolaus Copernicus University Campus.
The remaining projects addressed the following topics:
- Timur Azganov – Microbes: Diversity, Ecology, Potential,
- Álvaro Ferrero Veintemilla – Development of Active Polysaccharide Films for Potential Usage as Acne Patches,
- Keti Gongadze – Synthesis of New Benzothiophene β-Amino Alcohols with Potential Antimicrobial Properties,
- Juan José Hincapié Villada – Comparative Evaluation of Propolis from Different Origins in Cosmetic Formulations,
- Anastasia Konontseva – Characteristics of Materials Based on Polysaccharides for Potential Use in Biomedical Applications,
- Mariia Marchuk – Synthesis and Application of Transition Metal Nitrides for Efficient Water Splitting,
- Dmitri Melkumyan – ML-MolDyn: Machine-Learning Accelerated Molecular Photodynamics,
- Aniela Milcarz – Novel Functionalized Emulsifier for Stabilizing Egg-Free Mayonnaise,
- Queen Uyojo Omale – Functional Biodiversity and Microbiome Monitoring in Salt-Affected Soils,
- Shynggys Tasbolatov – Synthesis of Hybrid Graphene/Biosilica Composites Using Diatom Biomass as a Precursor,
- Anna Vakuliuk / Kseniia Ohoreltseva – Biomimetic Materials Modified with Ferulic Acid,
- Jocelyn Sydnee Widjaja – Polysaccharide-Based Materials for Cosmetic and Biomedical Applications.
An integral part of the programme was a series of Thursday lectures delivered by academic staff from three faculties of Nicolaus Copernicus University, held in the Prof. Rajmund Galon Auditorium. The Faculty of Earth Sciences and Spatial Management contributed two lectures: "World Cultural Map" by Prof. Przemysław Charzyński and "How Humans Scalp the Earth – The Impact of Soil Degradation on Migrations" by Prof. Marcin Świtoniak.
The programme also included a variety of cultural and field activities. Participants explored the city of Toruń, including a visit to the Museum of Toruń Gingerbread, and took part in the workshop "Environmental, Biological, Chemical and Wine Tourism Aspects of Viticulture", held at Przy Talerzyku Vineyard in Topolno, located in the Lower Vistula Valley.
The international character of the programme provided participants with an excellent opportunity to conduct research in a multicultural academic environment, exchange knowledge and experience, and establish new international scientific collaborations.
