PROF. KRZYSZTOF MATYJASZEWSKI AWARDED HONORARY DOCTORATE. CEREMONY CELEBRATING ACADEMIC PROMOTIONS

An extraordinary session of the Senate of Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa took place, during which prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski was awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa (Aula Magna, April 14, 2026). The resolution to honour the scientist had been adopted by the University Senate on January 21, 2026. The ceremony also included academic promotions, during which diplomas were awarded to individuals who obtained habilitated doctor and doctoral degrees.

Film production: Olaf Trzewiczek (Faculty of Art, Photography and Visual Communication).

“Today’s ceremony is exceptional - it combines two elements that reflect the essence of thinking about a classical university: on the one hand, the awarding of an honorary doctorate to an outstanding scholar; on the other, the academic promotion of habilitated doctors and doctors,” emphasized Acting Rector prof. Bogusław Przywora in his speech. “Although these events differ in form, they create a coherent whole. They demonstrate the continuity and maturity of the academic tradition of Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa, as well as a professional approach to scientific work. The university is a place where experience and mentorship meet youth, fresh perspectives, and innovation. This diversity of viewpoints creates a synergy effect, which constitutes the university’s added value.”

Prof. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski has repeatedly praised the university, highlighting that although it is relatively young on Poland’s academic map, it is experiencing dynamic development across all areas of activity, particularly in research and teaching. Asked by journalists about the significance of receiving the honorary doctorate, he stated:
“Częstochowa is a special place for me, not only because of the Jasna Góra Monastery but also because of the university. Although it is young and only recently gained the status of a classical university, it is developing dynamically in all areas. I first visited the university a few years ago at the invitation of Prof. Józef Drabowicz. Since then, the university has changed beyond recognition. Judging by this transformation, I would venture to say it is the fastest-developing academic centre in the country, and perhaps even in Europe. Therefore, receiving this honorary doctorate is a great honour and distinction, very important to me.”

The laudation in honour of Prof. Matyjaszewski, on behalf of Prof. Józef Drabowicz, was delivered by Prof. Anna Nowik-Zając Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology.

The ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, who congratulated Prof. Matyjaszewski as well as all recipients of habilitated doctor and doctoral diplomas. They also expressed appreciation for the university authorities, emphasizing the institution’s dynamic development. Among the guests were, among others: dr Ryszard Majer (Senator of the Republic of Poland), Adam Zaczkowski (First Vice-Voivode of Silesia), Marcin Biernat (Chairman of the Czestochowa City Council), Zdzisław Wolski (Deputy Mayor of Czestochowa), and attorney Jacek Będkowski (Chairman of the University Council).

Prof. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski

Prof. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski is a world-renowned scientist specialising in polymer chemistry and has for several years been mentioned as a potential Nobel Prize laureate in chemistry.

Born in 1950 in Konstantynow near Lodz, he is one of the most outstanding contemporary chemists in polymer science and macromolecular engineering. His scientific career - begun in Poland and developed internationally - led to one of the most important discoveries in late 20th-century chemistry.

He graduated from secondary school in Zelow and then studied at the Faculty of Chemistry of the Lodz University of Technology and at the Institute of Petrochemistry in Moscow, where he obtained an MSc in engineering in 1972. That same year, he began working at the Centre of Molecular and Macromolecular Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Lodz under Prof. Stanisław Penczek. He earned his PhD in 1976 with a dissertation on the cationic polymerisation of tetrahydrofuran.

In 1977–1978, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Florida in Gainesville, researching polymerisation of triazolinodiones and cyclopolymerisation. After returning to Poland, he continued work on cationic ring-opening polymerisation. He obtained his habilitation in 1985 at the Lodz University of Technology. In the mid-1980s, he began working abroad - first in Paris, then at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he became a full professor in 1993. From 1994 to 1998, he served as Dean of the Department of Chemistry, and in 1998 he inherited the title of “J.C. Warner Professor of Natural Sciences” from Nobel laureate John Pople. In 2004, he received the university’s highest academic title, University Professor, while maintaining ongoing collaboration with institutions in Lodz.

His breakthrough achievement was the development in 1995 of Atom Transfer Radical Polymerisation (ATRP). This technique allows precise control over molecular weight, architecture, and polymer functionality through a reversible radical deactivation mechanism. It enabled the design of macromolecules with strictly defined parameters - from block and gradient copolymers to star and brush structures. ATRP initiated a new era in macromolecular engineering, now a key area of nanotechnology and biomaterials. Since 1995, over 16,000 papers on ATRP have been published.

Prof. Matyjaszewski’s scientific output includes 1,360 publications, 25 books, and over 100 book chapters. His work has been cited more than 165,000 times (Web of Science), with an h-index of 190, placing him among the world’s leading chemists.

He has supervised over 100 PhD students and collaborated with 150 postdoctoral researchers. He is co-author of 72 U.S. patents and more than 150 international patents; ATRP technology has been implemented industrially in the United States, Japan, and Europe. His achievements have been recognised with major scientific awards, including the Wolf Prize in Chemistry (2011), The Dreyfus Prize (2015), the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry (2017), and the National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemical Sciences (2023). He is a member of, among others, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the European Academy of Sciences, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The awarding of the Doctor Honoris Causa title to Prof. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski by Jan Dlugosz University in Czestochowa is a recognition of his outstanding scientific achievements, extensive international collaboration, and invaluable contribution to the development of chemical sciences. His work has permanently transformed modern polymer chemistry, making macromolecular engineering one of the key scientific fields of the 21st century.

More information about Prof. Krzysztof Matyjaszewski can be found in the publication.

Academic Promotions
During the ceremony, academic promotions were also held. Diplomas of habilitated doctor were awarded to:

1. dr hab. Mirosław Łapot
Scientific achievement: Monograph entitled “School Inspectors in Galicia during the Period of Autonomy (1867–1918)”
Field: Social sciences
Discipline: Pedagogy

2. dr hab. Jarosław Pasek
Scientific achievement: Series of publications entitled “Assessment of the Effectiveness of Selected Physical Therapy Treatments in the Management of Difficult-to-Heal Wounds”
Field: Medical and health sciences
Discipline: Health sciences

3. dr hab. Dariusz Mosler
Scientific achievement: Series of publications entitled “Biomechanical Determinants of Strike Effectiveness in Selected Combat Sports”
Field: Medical and health sciences
Discipline: Physical culture sciences

Doctoral diplomas were awarded to 15 graduates across disciplines including law, arts, linguistics, chemistry, philosophy, and literature.
 
Congratulatory letters on the occasion were sent by numerous institutions, including the Polish Academy of Sciences and several leading Polish universities.

The event was widely covered by regional and national media.
 
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