A Special Day at the Royal Castle in Warsaw

Earlier this year, I shared the exciting news that I had been selected as one of the 2025 laureates of the START programby the Foundation for Polish Science — Poland’s oldest and most prestigious award for early-career researchers. Out of 100 awardees across all scientific disciplines, only two of us represent the field of psychology.

On Saturday, June 14, the official award ceremony took place in the historic Royal Castle in Warsaw — a truly unforgettable and meaningful experience.

I am sincerely grateful for the support and presence of Rector Maciej Borski and Dean Marta Adamczyk of the Faculty of Psychology at Humanitas University, as well as my scientific mentor Prof. Janusz Surzykiewicz and colleague Patrycja Uram — thank you for being there on this special day.

I’m also honored to share that my START scholarship has been extended with an international research component. In 2026, I will have the opportunity to conduct research at the Mayo Clinic — the world’s leading hospital — in collaboration with Prof. Ann Vincent and Prof. Loren Toussaint (Luther College). Together, we will study the role of spiritual transformation and forgiveness in adapting to life with chronic pain.