News - Narodowe Centrum Promieniowania Synchrotronowego SOLARIS - SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre - Jagiellonian University

10 Years of SOLARIS – A Decade of Science, Collaboration and Technological Development

On 22 May 2026, the SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre of the Jagiellonian University celebrated the 10th anniversary of its activity. The jubilee gala, held at the historic Stara Zajezdnia venue in Kraków, gathered 230 guests representing the scientific community, European research infrastructures, public administration, regional authorities and the business sector. The anniversary was not only an opportunity to reflect on the first decade of operation of the only synchrotron in Central and Eastern Europe, but also a moment to consider the role of modern research infrastructures in the development of science, technology and international collaboration.

Among the guests were representatives of the authorities of the Jagiellonian University, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, national and regional administration, as well as international partners representing European research infrastructures, synchrotron facilities and institutions collaborating with SOLARIS. Participants included Prof. Piotr Jedynak, Rector of the Jagiellonian University, Prof. Wojciech Macyk, Vice-Rector for Research of the Jagiellonian University, Michał Goszczyński, Director of the Department at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Stanisław Kracik, Deputy Mayor of the City of Kraków, as well as representatives of regional authorities, the scientific and infrastructure communities from Poland and abroad, including Prof. Jean Daillant, Director General of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in France, and Prof. Thomas Feurer, Director of European XFEL in Hamburg.
The official part of the celebration began with speeches delivered by representatives of the authorities of the Jagiellonian University - Prof. Piotr Jedynak, Rector of the Jagiellonian University, and Prof. Wojciech Macyk, Vice-Rector for Research. Afterwards, the Director of SOLARIS, Prof. Jakub Szlachetko, addressed the audience, referring in his speech to the work of Stanisław Lem - the author of the novel Solaris, from which the Centre derives its name.
“We are only seeking Man. We have no need of other worlds. We need mirrors,” quoted the Director of the Centre, referring to Lem’s famous words. “For the past ten years, SOLARIS has been exactly such a place - a place of discovery, of asking questions, and of pushing the boundaries of what still seems impossible to see and understand.”
In his speech, Prof. Szlachetko recalled the history of the first synchrotron in Poland - from the long-standing efforts of the scientific community gathered around the Polish Synchrotron Radiation Society and the Polish Synchrotron Consortium, through the support of the Jagiellonian University and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, to the launch of the first electron beam in 2016. “SOLARIS is the result of a collective effort by the scientific community, institutional courage and the conviction that Poland needs a modern research infrastructure capable of conducting world-class research,” emphasised Prof. Szlachetko.
An important part of the ceremony was the speech delivered by the Rector of the Jagiellonian University, Prof. Piotr Jedynak, who highlighted the historical significance of the investment and the role of SOLARIS in the development of Polish science. “Today, the SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre can be regarded as one of the most important scientific investments of contemporary Poland,” said the Rector of the Jagiellonian University. “This centre has not only fulfilled the hopes and expectations placed upon it, but has greatly exceeded them.”
During the official part of the celebration, Michał Goszczyński, Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, drew attention to the strategic importance of SOLARIS for the European research infrastructure ecosystem and for the international cooperation of Polish science. “Today, SOLARIS is an example of an infrastructure that not only successfully develops its scientific and technological potential, but also builds lasting international relationships and actively co-creates the European Research Area,” said Michał Goszczyński.
The importance of the Centre for the development of Kraków and the Małopolska region was emphasised by representatives of regional and local authorities. In a letter from the Mayor of Kraków, Aleksander Miszalski, read by Stanisław Kracik, Deputy Mayor of Kraków, the unique character of SOLARIS as the only synchrotron in the world operating within the boundaries of a historic European metropolis was highlighted. “This extraordinary combination of modern science with cultural heritage and centuries-old academic tradition perfectly reflects the character of Kraków,” the letter stated.
The Marshal of the Małopolska Region, Łukasz Smółka, highlighted the role of SOLARIS in building the regional innovation ecosystem and strengthening cooperation between science, business and public administration. Meanwhile, in his letter, the Voivode of Małopolska, Krzysztof Jan Klęczar, described the Centre as a symbol of modernity and dynamic scientific and technological development in the region.
Throughout the jubilee celebration, the European and international dimension of SOLARIS activities was strongly emphasised. For years, the Centre has actively participated in international initiatives and infrastructure networks, including LEAPS - The League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources - bringing together Europe’s leading synchrotrons and free-electron lasers. SOLARIS also develops cooperation with European research centres and organisations supporting the advancement of modern research infrastructures and synchrotron-based science. Prof. Jean Daillant, Director General of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in France, also referred to the significance of SOLARIS for the international scientific community. In his speech, he underlined the role of the Centre as an important element of the European synchrotron ecosystem and a facility supporting the development of the synchrotron radiation user community in Central and Eastern Europe. He pointed out that before the establishment of SOLARIS, access to this type of infrastructure for many researchers in the region had been significantly limited, whereas the synchrotron in Kraków opened entirely new opportunities for scientific development, collaboration and competence building in this part of Europe.
An integral part of the celebrations was the specially prepared artistic performance inspired by the works of Stanisław Lem. Combining light, electronic music and performative readings of excerpts from the novel Solaris, the spectacle created a unique atmosphere for the event, emphasising the symbolic relationship between science, imagination and culture. The artistic interpretation of Lem’s work became at the same time a metaphor for the activity of the synchrotron itself - a place of discovering the invisible and pushing the boundaries of knowledge. The anniversary celebration became not only an opportunity to mark the first decade of the Centre’s activity, but also a symbolic confirmation of the role of SOLARIS as one of the most important research infrastructures in Central and Eastern Europe and an important part of the European scientific ecosystem.

Photo 1. SOLARIS 10th-anniversary gala. Stara Zajezdnia, 22 May 2026. Photo: Joanna Kowalik

Photo 3. Address by the Rector of the Jagiellonian University, Prof. Piotr Jedynak, The 10th-anniversary gala of SOLARIS. Photo: Joanna Kowalik

Photo 4. Address by the Vice-Rector of the Jagiellonian University, Prof. Wojciech Macyk. SOLARIS 10th Anniversary Gala. Photo: Joanna Kowalik

Photo 5. Speech by the Director of the SOLARIS Centre, Prof. Jakub Szlachetko. SOLARIS 10th Anniversary Gala. Photo: Joanna Kowalik

Photo 6. Speech by Mr Michał Goszczyński, representative of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. SOLARIS 10th Anniversary Gala. Photo: Joanna Kowalik