On Monday, 14 September 2014, representatives of SRI International, one of the most famous research centres worldwide, have visited the Jagiellonian University. Stephen Ciesinski and Robert Pearlstein were greeted in Collegium Novum by Prof. Wojciech Nowak, JU Rector. Other members of the university's staff also participated in the meeting, including Prof. Stanisław Kistryn, Vice-Rector for Research and Structural Funds, Prof. Tomasz Brzozowski, Faculty of Medicine Vice-Dean for Scientific Researches and International Cooperation, Dr inż. Gabriela Konopka-Cupiał, Head of the Centre for Innovation, Technology Transfer and University Development, and Artur Nowicki, Director of Unilob. Before the meeting, the American delegation has also visited the Małopolska Centre of Biotechnology and the Jagiellonian Centre for Innovation.

The representatives of SRI International have come at the invitation of the National Centre for Research and Development. Its aim is to discuss the Polish-American cooperation concerning research and development in the financial perspective. During their stay in Poland, the guests from the Silicon Valley will also meet with representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education as well as Polish businessmen and investors.

SRI International was founded in 1946 at the Stanford University as the Stanford Research Institute. In 1977, it became an independent non-profit organisation. During 50 years of activity, it has patented over 10,000 technologies. The Institute conducts research – both independent and sponsored – in various scientific fields.

One of the best known researchers working with SRI was Douglas Engelbart – the inventor of computer mouse and one of the pioneers of hypertext. The Institute also works with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which has greatly contributed to inventing the Internet. The projects realised by the SRI are interdisciplinary and include, for instance, research on artificial intelligence which has been employed in creation of Apple's iPhone.

All financial resources that SRI International gains from its activity are invested in the Research and Development sector.

Photographs: Anna Wojnar