Flagship Projects
As part of the Excellence Initiative, three Flagship Projects are being implemented at the Faculty of Philosophy. Below you will find a brief description of each of them and links to their external websites.
Center for Data Analysis at the JU (CANDY)
What do we do?
The Center for Data Analysis at the Jagiellonian University (CANDY) provides support and expert knowledge in the field of research planning and data analysis to employees and PhD students of the Jagiellonian University, in particular, but not exclusively, working in the social sciences. We consult individual research and analytical projects, cooperate with research teams, plan, coordinate and conduct teaching. We help in the preparation of grant applications, pre-registration of research, and scientific publications. The scope of our expertise is wide; includes research design, development of data analysis plans, organization and preparation of datasets for analysis, development of computer codes for data processing and analysis, advanced statistical analysis, causal inference, predictive modeling, text analysis, data visualization, and much more. In addition to consulting activities, the Center’s flagship initiatives are: analizUJ-summer school and analizUJ-data hackathon & data fest.
Who are we?
We are a group of consultants - employees of the Jagiellonian University and external experts who use advanced methods of data analysis in their research and teaching. Our team is informal, with a changing composition and always open to new collaborators. It is a group focused around common interests – advanced methods of data analysis and a common goal – to cultivate the highest methodological standards; focused on stimulating and deepening of our knowledge in this field and sharing it with the academic community. Thus, the Center responds to the need for the proper use of data analysis, especially in the social sciences, to enhance research and teaching excellence in the area of analysis and methodology.
Contact: Maciej Koniewski, PhD, maciej.koniewski@uj.edu.pl
Centrum Analizy Danych UJ (CANDY), Instytut Socjologii, ul. Grodzka 52, pok. 75, 30-044 Kraków
Behaviour in Crisis Lab (BiC-L)
The scope of the project
Emergencies, disasters, and other types of crisis - ranging from natural events (such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and pandemics) to human-caused incidents (such as mass shootings, terrorist attacks, forced migration or economic turmoil) are complex events, highly dynamic, as well as high-stakes. They pose the threat of death (whether real or perceived), affect masses of people at once, and restrict much if not all opportunity of escape. They also overwhelm the communities’ capacity to cope. From a wider perspective, they reveal weaknesses in social and political systems, reinforce inequalities, and provoke social and political. Crises by themselves, however, do not necessarily lead to inescapable disaster; if dealt with adeptly, they can catalyze change for the better. The key skill required is the ability to make prudent decisions, and take the actions that support them. Still, this skill can only be applied successfully if decision-makers (and citizens) understand the nature of the crisis, and the ways in which people typically behave in a crisis situation. It is therefore of utmost importance to obtain the best scientific knowledge concerning a crisis, and to understand the mechanisms that shape the behavior of individuals, groups, and entire societies, both during a crisis and in the post-crisis period.
The aim of the project
The aim of the project is to create a research and expert center recognized in Poland and internationally, dedicated to crises and human behavior in relation to global crises. The center would operate on three levels: (a) research activity, (b) expert activity, and (c) scientific communication.
Who we are
The specific research program will be one that focuses on behaviors in crisis. As such, the current proposal builds upon the findings, skills and collaborations already developed through the wide range of activities of CSCS / INCET / CEAPP. Crucially, it also expands the scope of its ongoing work and applies the skills existing in the Philosophy Faculty to novel research questions and methods. By placing the research proposal within this broader scientific consortium, greater innovation will be encouraged and facilitated, regionally and internationally.
Contact: prof. Małgorzata Kossowska, malgorzata.kossowska@uj.edu.pl
Website: https://www.uj.edu.pl/web/becrilab-id/o-nas
Centre for Brain Research JU
The scope of the project
Centre for Brain Research (CBR) aims to build a strong, interdisciplinary research unit supporting the realisation of multidisciplinary research projects in the broadly defined cognitive neurosciences. By combining the research potential, knowledge and competencies of various JU units, we will conduct interdisciplinary research investigating the function and structure of the human brain of broader scope than is possible in individual units. The Centre aim to conduct basic and clinical research. The foundation of the Centre will also allow purchasing and optimisation of the use of neuroimaging devices already purchased in various JU units. The Centre is the first research unit in Poland combining the potential of a university and a university hospital.
The aim of the project
Most of the funds granted to the Centre for Brain Research flagship project are dedicated to infrastructure development. However, we also aim to support collaboration between JU and JU-CM units with seed funding for pilot studies. The partnership between the social and medical sciences at JU is still rare, so we expect that our call for proposals will expand the number of joint grant applications. The call will be announced in 2023.
Who we are
CBR is an interdepartmental organizational unit of three faculties of the Jagiellonian University: Collegium Medicum Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Philosophy, and Faculty of Management and Social Communication. Please see our website for details:
Contact: Michał Wierzchoń, michal.wierzchon@uj.edu.pl
Website: https://brain.uj.edu.pl/