Science Café "Social Perception of the Space Mission of Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski"

On 6 December 2025, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM, the Transform4Europe Science Café series will make a special appearance at the Silesian Science Festival—one of the Alliance’s key regional stakeholders for societal outreach. The event will take place in Katowice and will also be streamed live for audiences across Europe.

Watch live here

At the heart of this session lies a simple but powerful question: "How do people experience a space mission from the ground?" The meeting opens with a presentation of new research that looks closely at the public’s perception of Poland’s first European Space Corps astronaut, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski.

The findings shed light on how familiar citizens are with space symbols and institutional emblems, what emotions accompany each stage of a mission, and how society imagines the work—and future—of astronauts. The study also touches on broader questions of trust in science and the values people associate with technological progress. Following the presentation, a moderated discussion will invite participants and guests to reflect on these insights and consider how they can inform the future of science communication and public engagement.

The conversation will bring together three speakers whose work bridges psychology, neuroscience, culture, and space:

• Łukasz Jach (University of Silesia), a psychologist and sociologist known for his research on public attitudes toward science and space exploration.
• Pedro Rodrigues Ribeiro, a Research Scholar at the Human Neurobehavioral Laboratory at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, whose work spans decision-making, EEG/fNIRS technologies, and cognitive neuroscience.
• Jan Świerkowski, an astronomer, artist, and cultural researcher also affiliated with Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and the founder of the internationally recognised art–science collective Instytut B61.
  
  The discussion will be moderated by Jacek Nowak, Director for Industry Cooperation at the University of Silesia in Katowice. Hosted at one of Poland’s largest science festivals, this Science Café offers an opportunity to explore how science, society, and imagination intersect—revealing not only how we interpret space missions, but also what they mean for the human future beyond Earth. 

Learn more here