GOING INTERNATIONAL
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Fulbright graduation. U.S. Ambassador Stephen D. Mull (left) and
Prof. Włodzisław Duch, vice minister of higher education of Poland (right)
MY PASSION
I believe international education is a life-changing experience for every student. Increasingly diverse student populations deserve teachers who are flexible, adaptable, and experienced in different research and pedagogical contexts. My intention is to promote the importance of international cooperation and sharing of ideas in the fight against global challenges. I believe internationalization also contributes to understanding foreign problems within the US. I see it as an opportunity to actively promote diversity, equality, inclusiveness, and antiracism. My activities were recognized by the Senate of the Lodz University of Technology which awarded me with the Medal of Distinction.
STUDENT EXCHANGE
With a strong background in polymer physics obtained in my native Poland, I had the privilege to continue my study as a postdoc in top polymer research institutions in the US and Germany. This experience proved invaluable for the rest of my life. I met world-class Professors as my mentors to conduct important research they invited me to, but at a certain point, I converted this experience to obtaining an important, lucrative industrial position at Shell Technology Center. Hence, international education became my passion.
In order to pass it to the UHD students, I created and manage the program based on the exchange of students for a variety of summer research activities. My 15-year record of a successful program with foreign universities gives hope for the development of lasting relationships in the future. Mainly, these are intensive education & research activities typically of five weeks (duration of US Summer semester). In return, UHD invites students from those schools to participate in projects created for this program. Several European Universities participate in my program as partners. They are:
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AGH UST Krakow: summer schools for oil shales, Geothermal
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KTH Stockholm: Summer School for Reposition of Nuclear Spent Fuel
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University of Gdansk: molecular biology
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Lodz University of Technology: molecular physics
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AMU Poznań: geology
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Bialystok University of Technology: forest science
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War Studies University, Warsaw.
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SUMMER SCHOOLS
I established / took part at / proposed 4 summer schools, which brought me several years of experience with this type of education. Overall, several hundred students benefited from this rich source of knowledge and cultural exchange between students, teachers, and countries. These are:
THERMOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES
OF
MATERIALS
I organized the summer school at my home university UHD, in order to bring together Polish and American lecturers from the field, as well as students from both countries.
INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL ON UNCONVENTIONAL RESOURCES
My work gained interest from AGH UST and I was invited three times to teach on the utilization of the nuclear reactor as the heat source in the extraction of hydrocarbons. The school attracts students and faculty members from several countries.
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REPOSITION OF NUCLEAR SPENT FUELS IN GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS
In 2013, I came up with the idea of organizing this school with the KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
I initiated this project to be run in Oskarshamn, Sweden annually for many nationalities. I taught in its first three editions.
EUROPEAN-AMERICAN
SUMMER SCHOOL
ON ROCKS
FOR ENERGY
This is my newest child: the annual school would be hosted interchangeably between Houston and Krakow as part of my prospective cooperation with AGH UST. Each side will secure faculty and invited lecturers, lab demonstrations, field trips, and visits to local companies.
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FACULTY EXCHANGE
In addition to the exchange of students, I organize and manage faculty contacts. I have initiated numerous Texas study tours (ex. in 2018, five AGH Professors visited UHD and I took them to Eagle Ford to observe “real life” operations) and UHD visits for Professors representing foreign academic institutions of key scientific importance as well as state representatives.
I have also facilitated many UHD faculty visits (including mine) in Europe for lectures and scientific cooperation. What proves the value of this exchange is the fact that many of my exchange students have graduated with PhD titles from respected American universities. Also, I became a copromotor of PhD thesis at AGH UST, Kraków.
Apart from strictly academic contacts, I facilitate visits of high-rank representatives of political and business bodies. For example, Mr. Mariusz Brymora, consul general of Poland, and Brig. Gen. Andrzej Pawlikowski, former head of Poland's Secret Service, gave presentations at UHD on the state of political issues in their respective areas of expertise.
With the Biology faculty of the UNIVERSITY OF GDAŃSK:
Prof. Grzegorz Węgrzyn, Dr. Lidia Gaffke, and Dr. Karolina Pierzynowska.
Fulbright US Scholar Program – the most important international exchange opportunity
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I became a Fulbrighter in 2014 when my project High Temperature Materials for Application in Nuclear Industry gained recognition. While in Kraków, I conducted research, taught PhD students, and promoted the concept of extraction of hydrocarbons from oil shales using nuclear reactor’s heat. As a side activity, I helped US consulate organize an English language club for the public.
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In recognition of my expertise in the field, Polish-American Fulbright Commission invited me to be a referee of Polish applicants to the Fulbright program.
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At my university, I became a strong promoter of the Fulbright program. As a result, one of my colleagues subsequently became a Fulbrighter, too (I was a facilitator of her application process).
PONdER
My scientific contacts resulted in the invitation to the PONdER (Public Opinion of Nuclear Energy) project conducted at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. In 2017, I was elected as a member of the International Advisory Board for this project conducted by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. Together with several leaders in the field from several countries, I served as an expert on repositioning of spent nuclear fuel for evaluation of the results of the opinion polls regarding the development of nuclear energy programs in Singapore and Asian countries, which are on different levels of development of this technology.
