Dr Piotr Smolarkiewicz, a member of ECMWF’s Research Department, has been made Professor of Physical Sciences by the President of Poland. Piotr received the country’s highest academic title at a ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Warsaw on 18 February.
The University of Warsaw, where Piotr studied physics and obtained his PhD, nominated him for the title.
A two-year review process involving a panel of referees culminated in a recommendation to President Bronisław Komorowski.
“I feel honoured to have received this title. I regard it as an expression of appreciation from my colleagues at the University of Warsaw,” Piotr said.
Piotr Smolarkiewicz joined ECMWF in March 2013
After studying physics, Piotr took up a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Boulder, USA, where he remained for over 30 years. During that time his work brought him into contact with colleagues at ECMWF, where he spent a sabbatical year in 1999/2000 and became a regular visitor.
He joined ECMWF in March 2013 as the principal investigator of the PantaRhei project. Funded as an Advanced Grant by the European Research Council, PantaRhei is developing an interdisciplinary forecasting system capable of simulating multi-scale fluid flows.
Top photo: Eliza Radzikowska-Białobrzewska/Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland