The 54th Annual Meeting of the Polish Chemical Society (PTChem) and the Association of Engineers and Technicians of Chemical Industry (SITPChem), organized by the team of the Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, was held in Lublin, Poland, on September 18-22, 2011. Over 700 delegates from Poland and abroad participated in the Meeting. The conference was particularly ceremonial, as it took place in the centenary of the second Nobel Prize for Maria Skłodowska-Curie – in the International Year of Chemistry and the Year of Maria Skłodowska-Curie established by the Upper House of the Parliament of Poland – and moreover at the University by her name. The two plenary lectures invited by the Organizing Committee and inaugurating the scientific part of the Meeting, focused on reminding the research and achievements of our Great Compatriot, as well as on discussion of the impact of her discoveries on the present state of the research in the fields related to radiochemistry, and owing their creation to the chemical works by her. One of these lectures: “Nuclear medicine and nuclear power in the 21st century in light of chemical discoveries by Maria Skłodowska-Curie”; was delivered by Professor Jerzy Ostyk-Narbutt, Head of the Centre for Radiochemistry and Nuclear Chemistry at the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology, who was also the member of the Honorary Committee of the Meeting. The lecturer, referring to Maria Curie’s discoveries, shortly presented the topics and problems of research directed towards progressing modern medicine and power industry – the two areas that significantly affect sustainable development of the world in the 21st century. Prof. Narbutt mentioned that just these problems make the main subject of the research programme of our Centre, and presented the main achievements of the INCT research teams in both areas.

More information on the Meeting and its scientific programme is available on the web page http://ptchem2011.umcs.lublin.pl.