The "Psychology of Risk Taking" project will significantly contribute to the improvement  of our University's teaching offer attractiveness. Thanks to the open lectures by Prof. Sebastian Ebert, students shall have the opportunity to explore the topics of behavioral economics and finance, as well as psychological determinants in risky decision-making. The current situation has underlined the significance of scientific achievements in the aforementioned field, and Prof. Ebert is a renowned expert on the matter. Lectures conducted in English by this well-known researcher will also be an important element in the internationalization of the teaching process.

The project also aims to support our University's researchers in their pursuit of scientific excellence, in areas concerning the research workshop refinement. The planned activities will help achieve this goal for a number of vital aspects of scientific work. Seminars presenting the results of research conducted under an ERC grant will be helpful in refining skills in the presentation of personal research findings, as well as in raising awareness of the quality of research eligible for grant funding. Meetings for faculty and department staff will, in turn, allow for discussion of up-to-date research trends, inspiring scientific and research activity important in terms of trends worldwide. In addition, the meetings shall be an opportunity to improve the teaching skills of research staff and doctoral students. The project also involves developing skills related to the publication and research activity of young scientists. Finally, it provides a rare opportunity to benefit from the experience of a journal Editor, allowing a group of our University staff members involved in scientific journal activities to benefit from Prof. Ebert's advice and suggestions.

The substantive supervision of the project is provided by dr hab. Monika Wieczorek-Kosmala, prof. UE., who is conducting this initiative with the support of Internationalization, dr hab. Julia Włodarczyk, prof. UE,  and dr hab. Dominiki Bochańczyk-Kupki, prof. UE. 

The project has been co-financed by the Metropolis GZM within the framework of the "Metropolitan Science and Education Support Fund" program for the years 2019-2022 in the amount of PLN 28,452.00. 

As part of the project, our University has established cooperation with the Silesian University of Technology, which has expressed willingness to participate in meetings and lectures conducted by Prof. Sebastian Ebert.

Professor Sebastian Ebert is a staff member at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. He conducts scientific research in the areas of microeconomics, behavioral finance and insurance.

He has received numerous awards for his scientific work. He is a recipient of an ERC-Starting Grant and a Fulbright Scholar. Honored with the Outstanding Young Scientist Award 2011 (NRW Young Scientist Award 2011), while in 2015 he was included in the prestigious ranking of the top 100 young scientists in Germany ("Top 100 under the age of 40" German Economists in the Handelsblatt Research Ranking 2015).

Also noteworthy are the prizes for the best publications awarded in 2013 and 2015 by EGRIE (European Group of Risk and Insurance Economics), which is a prestigious association of scientists conducting research in the field of Risk and Insurance. Recently, Prof. Ebert has been working more closely with EGRIE, supporting the organization of the association's annual conferences and the EGRIE-affiliated journal Geneva Risk and Insurance Review (as an Associate Editor). Prof. Ebert is also on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Risk and Insurance. These two are the world's most recognized titles among Risk- and Insurance-related journals.

Numerous invitations to participate in conferences and scientific seminars, organized by leading scientific associations and recognized scientific centers in Europe and the USA, are also a confirmation of the recognition of his scientific achievements internationally. Prof. Ebert's publication record is equally impressive. He publishes his works exclusively in leading journals in the discipline of Economics and Finance, including Journal of Economic Theory, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Banking and Finance, American Economic Review, Journal of Risk and Uncertainty.