Gallery

On 16 February 2026, the official opening of two new permanent exhibitions took place at the National Museum of Technology in Warsaw. The Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) had the honour of co-creating one of them – the exhibition "E = mc² – the formula that changed the world."

The exhibition offers a modern and engaging narrative about one of the most important equations in the history of science, formulated by Albert Einstein in 1905, and its impact on the development of technology, energy, and contemporary civilisation.

A special section of the exhibition is dedicated to the future of energy and research on nuclear fusion. Visitors can take a virtual journey, using VR headsets, through the construction site and inside the international experimental thermonuclear reactor ITER. Another attraction is a live demonstration of plasma generation and its electrostatic–inertial confinement in a fusor-type device, designed and built at the IPPLM.

The exhibition was created with audiences of all ages in mind – from young science enthusiasts, through school students and university communities, to adults seeking new perspectives and inspiration.

During the opening ceremony, alongside museum representatives, remarks were delivered by Dr hab. Monika Kubkowska, Director of the Institute. In her speech, the Professor of IPPLM emphasised the importance of science communication and the role of cooperation between research institutions and cultural organisations.

The event brought together numerous representatives of the scientific, cultural, and museum communities.

We encourage you to visit the exhibition at the National Museum of Technology in Warsaw and explore together the ideas that are changing the world.

Photos: Michał Bojara, National Museum of Technology

Photos: IPPLM

The Sylwester Kaliski Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) has for many years been actively engaged in initiatives supporting children and young people supported by the TPD "Helenów" Rehabilitation, Education and Care Centre in Warsaw.

On 9 December 2025, a group of students accompanied by their carers visited IPPLM. The Institute’s research staff prepared demonstrations devoted to phenomena related to laser light. Participants had the opportunity to learn, among other topics, about the basic mechanisms of light propagation in various material media and to observe these processes through accessible and engaging demonstrations.

Following the demonstrations, a Christmas fair was held, featuring ornaments and decorations made by the beneficiaries of the "Helenów" Centre. The event attracted considerable interest among Institute employees.

From 24 November to 5 December, a fundraising campaign was organised at IPPLM. Donations could be made both on site and online. The collected funds were used to purchase Christmas gifts for children and young people, including clothing, gift cards, puzzles, electronic accessories, and cosmetic sets.

The ceremonial handover of the gifts took place on 18 December during a Christmas Eve meeting at the "Helenów" Centre. On behalf of the Institute, the gifts were presented by the Deputy Director for Administration, Paweł Nadrowski, together with representatives of the Employees’ Council: Dr Agnieszka Zaraś-Szydłowska and Dr Agnieszka Jardin. The collective commitment of the Institute’s staff once again brought joy and smiles to the Centre’s beneficiaries, reaffirming the value of the long-term cooperation between IPPLM and the TPD "Helenów" Centre.

Photos: IPPLM

On 10–14 November 2025, a research team from the Sylwester Kaliski Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) – Prof. Katarzyna Batani, Dr Hanna Marchenko and Dr Agnieszka Zaraś-Szydłowska from the Department of Laser Plasma Physics and Magnetized Dense Plasma – participated in an experimental campaign carried out on one of the world’s most powerful laser facilities, GEKKO XII, at the Institute for Laser Engineering at the University of Osaka (Japan).

The experiment, led by Prof. Katarzyna Batani, focused on studying the equation of state (EOS) for cubic boron nitride (c-BN) and aluminium silicate under extreme conditions (compression to megabar pressures) generated using high-power laser pulses.

The participation of IPPLM researchers in the experimental campaign in Osaka marks another significant step in advancing research on matter under extreme conditions and confirms the active role of Polish scientific teams in international research project.

From left: Dr Agnieszka Zaraś-Szydłowska, Dr Hanna Marchenko, Prof. Katarzyna Batani

Photo: IPPLM

We invite you to take part in the 18^th Kudowa Summer School "Towards Fusion Energy", which will be held on 8–12 June 2026 in Kudowa-Zdrój, Poland. The event is organised by the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) in cooperation with COST Action CA21128 PROBONO.

The Kudowa Summer School offers an excellent opportunity for young researchers, Master’s students, and PhD candidates from Poland and abroad to broaden their knowledge of plasma physics and fusion energy research. During the School, participants will have the chance to present their research achievements, and the best presentations will be awarded.

Lectures delivered by leading specialists from renowned research centres worldwide will cover a wide range of plasma physics topics, including fusion energy, plasma experiments, plasma technology and diagnostics, as well as proton boron fusion and laser-induced plasmas.

Participant registration will open on 24 November 2025 and remain available until 20 April 2026. The deadline for abstract submission is 16 March 2026.

More information is available on the official School website: https://kudowaschool.ipplm.pl/

Don’t miss the chance to join one of the most significant scientific events of the coming year!

The Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) took part in the second technical meeting held as part of the DONES Consolidation Phase 1 (DONES ConP1) project, co-financed by the European Commission under the EURATOM programme.

The DONES ConP1 project aims to prepare for the launch of the innovative research infrastructure IFMIF-DONES (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility – Demo Oriented NEutron Source), located in Granada, Spain. This facility will be used for testing, validating, and qualifying materials intended for future fusion reactors. The data obtained from DONES experiments will play a key role in advancing fusion science, verifying radiation–material interaction models, and developing reactor technologies. In addition, the infrastructure will support research in nuclear physics as well as medical and industrial applications. IFMIF-DONES is included in the ESFRI Roadmap (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures).

Ten partners from eight European countries are involved in the project, including institutions from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Hungary, and Poland. The project is coordinated by esDONES – the IFMIF-DONES España consortium. Poland is represented in the consortium by the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN).

DONES ConP1 focuses on key technical, financial, and organisational aspects related to the preparation for the construction and operation of the international IFMIF-DONES facility. The project includes, among others, updating the experimental programme documentation, developing a licensing strategy, planning auxiliary infrastructure, and building a scientific community interested in using the facility for research in nuclear physics, medicine, and industry. One of the main objectives of the project is to consolidate the scientific user community involved in both fusion and non-fusion experiments. The project also aims to strengthen this emerging community by developing innovative research proposals in nuclear physics, medical, and industrial fields.

The DONES ConP1 project will conclude on 31 October 2025.

Photo: © IFMIF-DONES