On March 11, 2025, a ceremonial meeting of the Scientific Council of the National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ) took place, during which the activities of NCBJ in 2024 were summarized. During the meeting, the Chairman of the Scientific Council, Prof. Dr Hab. Tomasz Matulewicz, and the Director of NCBJ, Prof. Dr Hab. Krzysztof Kurek, presented awards for the most significant scientific achievements of 2024, as well as diplomas conferring the academic degrees of Doctor and Habilitated Doctor. The NCBJ Director also presented a report on the Institute’s activities over the past year.

As every year, the most important achievements have been selected by a committee composed of the Institute’s management. External Acceptance Committees proposed the evaluated works. Awards were granted in three categories.

Distinction in the category of Scientific and Research Work:

• Award for Dr Eng. Jędrzej Walkowiak from the Laboratory for Nuclear Energy and Environmental Analyses, Department of Complex Systems, for a series of three publications on the simulation of phenomena in reactor plasma.

The awarded work addressed problems in plasma modelling in fusion. The first article described influence of tungsten impurities on runaway electrons generation in tokamaks. This was a pioneering work on the subject, paving the way for further safety analyses of the ITER tokamak after the plasma facing material was changed from beryllium to tungsten.

The second publication contained the values of mean excitation energy for ions of all elements from hydrogen to radon, which were calculated in the scope of works. This filled a gap in the available data for heavy elements, since this parameter had not been published before for most of them.

The last paper concerned the reconstruction of the plasma radiation profile in the X-ray spectrum. Machine learning techniques were used for this purpose, creating neural networks capable of solving a given problem in real time, which enables their use in tokamak control systems.

• Award for comprehensive research on synthesis of high-entropy alloy ( HEA ) TiCrFeCoNi thin films using pulsed magnetron sputtering (PMS), conducted by the team consisting of: MSc Eng. Grzegorz Strzelecki, Dr hab. Katarzyna Nowakowska-Langier, Prof. NCBJ, MSc Eng. Katarzyna Mulewska, MSc Eng. Kamil Namyślak, MSc Eng. Magdalena Wilczopolska, Dr Sebastian Okrasa, Dr Svietlana Romaniuk from the Material Physics Department.

The article „Shannon Entropy Characterization of High-Entropy Thin Films Synthesized by Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering: The Influence of Modulation Frequency” (https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-024-07643-x) presents research on the synthesis of high-entropy alloy (HEA) TiCrFeCoNi thin films using pulsed magnetron sputtering (PMS). The study focuses on the impact of modulation frequency on the composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the coatings.

A key aspect of this research is the use of Shannon entropy as an innovative method for characterizing the complexity and uniformity of thin films. Shannon entropy was measured on SEM images of film cross-sections and surfaces, providing insights into structural variations depending on modulation frequency. The Shannon entropy analysis tool used in this study was developed using generative artificial intelligence (GAi), specifically ChatGPT. The application of GAi opens new and powerful opportunities for scientists, enabling the rapid development of advanced analytical tools and the automation of complex research processes.

The results indicate that modulation frequency influences plasma discharges, which, in turn, affect the morphology and material properties of the thin films. EDS, SEM, and nanoindentation analyses confirm variations in the characteristics of the coatings, suggesting that intermediate modulation frequencies lead to optimal structural complexity and improved mechanical properties.

This study highlights the potential of precise PMS parameter control for tailoring high-entropy alloy thin films to meet the demands of advanced applications. It also underscores the growing role of generative artificial intelligence as a powerful new tool supporting scientific research.

Distinction in the category of technical and organizational work:

• An award was received for developing and verifying the technical specification of the HTGR-POLA research high-temperature reactor received: MSc Eng. Janusz Malesa, MSc Eng. Dominik Muszyński, and MSc Eng. Maciej Skrzypek from the Laboratory for Nuclear Energy and Environmental Analyses, Department of Complex Systems.

• Award for coordination and contribution to the creation of the technical documentation for the basic design of the HTGR-POLA high-temperature research reactor was received by Prof. Dr hab. Mariusz Dąbrowski– Head of the Laboratory for Nuclear Energy and Environmental Analyses, Department of Complex Systems.

The HTGR project was developed in cooperation with the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and is being carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (formerly: Ministry of Education and Science) under the contract titled: „High-temperature research project. Technical description of a research high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactor” (Contract No. 1/HTGR/2021/14). It also includes the development of the Preliminary Safety Report, which contains the assumptions of the integrated management system, a summary and evaluation of safety analysis results, the scope of emergency operations, environmental impact aspects, waste management, and the strategy and conditions for reactor decommissioning.

The development of the technical documentation for the basic design of the HTGR-POLA high-temperature research reactor by the team led by Prof. Mariusz Dąbrowski is a substantial undertaking, which can be quantified as follows:

• the first reactor project created in Poland, with 50% Polish intellectual contribution, since the construction of the MARIA reactor in 1974,
• over 3 years of discussions and substantive work by the team,
• 19 volumes of documentation, including part of the Preliminary Safety Report (PSR),
• 3,000 pages of technical descriptions,
• 636 technical drawings and 132 three-dimensional CAD models of reactor components,
• engagement of 47 contributors from NCBJ, along with several subcontractors from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and Energoprojekt Katowice (EPK),
• interdisciplinary collaboration involves experts in nuclear physics and engineering, reactor engineering, environmental engineering, nuclear energy, materials engineering, thermal-mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, HVAC, construction engineering, architecture, and management,
• 7 open-access publications and dozens of conference presentations, meetings, and public lectures,
• reactor descriptions published in the ARIS bulletin (IAEA) and the NEA Dashboard (OECD).

Distinction in the category of educational work:

• Dr. Anna Durkalec received award for organizing lectures and classes as part of the ScienceKids Project from the Astrophysics Division, the Fundamental Research Department.

The ScienceKids Project was prepared and implemented by the InScience Foundation, a women-led Ukrainian organisation established in 2018. Until 2022, the project was carried out in Ukraine, aiming to create a space for children aged 7–13 to meet with scientists.

In February 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the project’s implementation and objectives were altered. The priority became providing psychological support to children. Until 2023, classes were held in basements and bunkers- places where such support was most needed- in Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Odesa.

The first part of the meetings, conducted in Ukrainian, focused on science and involved scientists, while the second part addressed techniques for managing emotions and traumatic experiences.

In 2024, scientific institutions from Poland and the Czech Republic, including NCBJ, joined the initiative.
In our offices on Pasteur Street, 20 meetings (with groups of up to 35 people) were held on various topics, ranging from black holes to cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and biology. Over 20 scientists and psychologists participated, and 140 children attended, many participated in several sessions.

The classes were conducted by scientists from Poland and Ukraine in Ukrainian or translated into the language.

The Visegrad Fund funded the project, which is still ongoing, with online lectures available on the foundation’s website: https://inscience.io/en/sciencekids/.