Prof. Michał Kleiber was awarded the honoris causa doctorate during an official award ceremony on 23 September 2021 at the WSB University in Dąbrowa Górnicza.
The WSB University in Dąbrowa Górnicza (former School of Business) is an academic institution founded in 1995 specializing in economics, social science, technology, and health.
Prof. Michał Kleiber is a world-class scientist and a renowned expert in the fields of mechanics, applied mathematics and informatics, specializing in applications of modern computer technologies in science and medicine.
Professor Kleiber has been a member of IPPT PAN since 1971. In 1995-2006 he was appointed Director of the Institute. Today, professor Kleiber holds the position of Member of the IPPT PAN Scientific Council and Professor at the Department of Information and Computational Science. He combines researching at the Institute with working as editor-in-chief of scientific journals, including the Computer Assisted Methods in Engineering and Science (CAMES). In 1994, he became editor-in-chief of the Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering and a board member of the International Association of Computational Mechanics. In 2017, the General Assembly appointed professor Kleiber President of the European Community on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences (ECCOMAS).
Professor Kleiber has gained unrivalled social and professional recognition and respect. His outstanding achievements cover a vast array of activities at universities and other scientific institutions in Poland and abroad. For many years, he chaired the Council of Directors of PAS Research Units, and was a member of the Centralna Komisja ds. Stopni Naukowych i Tytułu Naukowego (a degrees conferment committee). In 1998-2001 he represented Poland in the Board of Governors of the European Commission Joint Research Centre. In 2001-2005 he served as the Minister of Science and Informatization, and in 2007-2015 as the President of the Polish Academy of Sciences. In 2006-2010 professor Kleiber was the research and development adviser to Lech Kaczyński, President of the Republic of Poland. Professor Kleiber’s academic career covers many Polish and foreign universities, including: Stuttgart, Hanover, Berkley, Tokyo, Hong Kong. His numerous awards include Knight of the Order of the White Eagle and many other state decorations conferred by Japan, France, Greece, Belgium, and the Weimar Triangle. He is an Honorary Doctor at universities in Lublin, Cracow, Gliwice, Bydgoszcz, Darmstadt, Mons (Belgium), the Polish University Abroad in London, and an honorary master of science in Georgia Institute of Technology in Metz (France). Professor Kleiber also presides the Polish National Commission for UNESCO.
The conferment ceremony was honored by the presence of government representatives, including Ms Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka – Vice-Marshal of the Sejm, and representatives from Polish universities and scientific institutions, including prof. Arkadiusz Mężyk – President of the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland (CRASP), His Magnificence prof. Wiesław Banyś, rector of the Silesian University of Technology in 2008-2016, prof. Tadeusz Burczyński – Ordinary Member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Chair of the Council of Directors of Academy Research Units and Director of IPPT PAN, prof. Czesława Rosik-Dulewska, corresponding member of the Polish Academy of Sciences, member of the Presidium of the Katowice branch of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Chair of the Scientific Council of the Central Mining Institute, and rectors and vice-rectors of other Polish universities: the Warsaw University of Technology, Poznań University of Technology, AGH University of Science and Technology in Cracow, Cracow University of Economics, Pedagogical University of Krakow, University of Bielsko-Biała, and the University of Economics in Katowice.
The ceremony was opened by prof. Zdzisława Dacko-Pikiewicz, Rector of the WSB University, who said: Above all, professor Michał Kleiber is a man of great mind, a master, and a role model. By conferring the highest academic award – the honoris causa doctorate – on professor Michał Kleiber, the WSB University Community would like to express their deepest appreciation to the honorary doctor for his indisputable contribution to shaping the surrounding reality.
The commendation speech was given by prof. Krzysztof Diks, Chair of the Council of the Institute of Informatics at the University of Warsaw, and Chair of the Polish Accreditation Committee in 2016-2021, who said: Among the definitions of wisdom there is one which states that wisdom is the knowledge acquired through learning or experience and linked with the ability to use it. If I only had one word to describe professor Michal Kleiber, I would choose the word WISDOM. I am honored to be the promoter of his honorary doctorate.
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