63 Notable Alumni of Nicolaus Copernicus University

Grzegorz Ciechowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1957-2001 (aged 44)
Occupations: film score composermusicianlyricistsongwriterpianist
Biography: Grzegorz Zbigniew Ciechowski was a Polish rock musician and film music composer.

Sławomir Mentzen

Born in: Poland
Years: 1986-.. (age 39)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: Studied physics and economics
Occupations: tax advisorpoliticianeconomistnon-fiction writer
Biography: Sławomir Jerzy Mentzen is a Polish right-wing libertarian politician, entrepreneur, and tax advisor. He serves as the chairman of the New Hope party and as one of the leaders of the Confederation Liberty and Independence.

Zbigniew Herbert

Born in: Ukraine
Years: 1924-1998 (aged 74)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: Graduated with Master of Laws
Occupations: authorpoetessayistwriterplaywright
Biography: Zbigniew Herbert was a Polish poet, essayist, drama writer and moralist. He is one of the best known and the most translated post-war Polish writers. While he was first published in the 1950s (a volume titled Chord of Light was issued in 1956), soon after he voluntarily ceased submitting most of his works to official Polish government publications. He resumed publication in the 1980s, initially in the underground press. Since the 1960s, he has been nominated several times for the Nobel Prize in Literature. His books have been translated into 38 languages.

Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus

Born in: Poland
Years: 1972-.. (age 53)
Occupations: politiciancultural manager
Biography: Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus is a Polish politician. She is a member of the Sejm for The Left political coalition. In December 2023 she was appointed a secretary of state in the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

Paweł Tanajno

Born in: Poland
Years: 1975-.. (age 50)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Paweł Jan Tanajno is a Polish entrepreneur and politician.

Janina Ochojska

Born in: Poland
Years: 1955-.. (age 70)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: In 1980 studied astronomy
Occupations: politiciandissidenthumanitarianastronomer
Biography: Janina Maria Ochojska is a Polish humanitarian, social activist and astronomer, who serves as a Member of the European Parliament (2019–present). She is founder and director of the Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH) (1992–present).

Janusz Wiśniewski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1954-.. (age 71)
Occupations: chemistauthordirectorwritercomputer scientist
Biography: Janusz Leon Wiśniewski is a Polish scientist and writer mostly known for his novel S@motność w Sieci translated into English as Loneliness on the Net.

Iga Cembrzyńska

Born in: Poland
Years: 1939-.. (age 86)
Occupations: film producerfilm directorsingeractorcomposer
Biography: Maria Elżbieta "Iga" Cembrzyńska is a Polish actress, singer, composer, screenwriter, film director, and producer. She runs her own film company, Iga Film. She was the wife of Polish film director Andrzej Kondratiuk.

Arkadiusz Myrcha

Born in: Poland
Years: 1984-.. (age 41)
Occupations: politicianassociation football playerjurist
Biography: Arkadiusz Myrcha is a Polish politician of the Civic Platform. He has been a member of the Sejm since 2015, and has served as deputy minister of justice since 2023. He was previously a city councillor of Toruń from 2010 to 2015. In 2018, he married Kinga Gajewska.

Aleksander Wolszczan

Born in: Poland
Years: 1946-.. (age 79)
Occupations: astrophysicistprofessor
Biography: Aleksander Wolszczan [alɛkˈsandɛr ˈvɔlʂt͡ʂan] is a Polish astronomer. He is the co-discoverer of the first confirmed extrasolar planets and pulsar planets. He is a graduate of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and works as a professor at the Pennsylvania State University.

Marcin Romanowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1976-.. (age 49)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: 1996-2000 graduated with Master of Laws
Occupations: juristpolitician
Biography: Marcin Romanowski is a Polish politician. He was a deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of Poland in the Second and Third Cabinet of Mateusz Morawiecki. He was elected as a member of the Sejm on 15 October 2023 from the Law and Justice list. Since January 2024 deputy representative of the Sejm in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

Piotr Hofmański

Born in: Poland
Years: 1956-.. (age 69)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: 1974-1978 graduated with magister degree in jurisprudence
Occupations: university teacherlegal scholarjuristjudge
Biography: Piotr Józef Hofmański is a Polish jurist and judge who served as President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) from 2021 to 2024 and as a judge of the ICC from 2015 to 2024. Prior to this tenure, Hofmański was a legal expert and advisor at the Council of Europe.

Piotr Zgorzelski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1963-.. (age 62)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Piotr Zgorzelski is a Polish politician and teacher, who served as the starosta of Płock County from 2010 to 2011. He was elected to serve as an MP in the Sejm in 2011, re-elected in 2015, 2019, and 2023. He has been serving as a Deputy Marshal of the Sejm since 12 November 2019.

Paulina Matysiak

Born in: Poland
Years: 1984-.. (age 41)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: In 2008 graduated with magister degree in Polish studies
Occupations: philosopherpoliticianpolonistlibrarianblogger
Biography: Paulina Matysiak is a Polish local government official, activist and politician serving as member of Sejm since 2019.

Zbigniew Girzyński

Born in: Poland
Years: 1973-.. (age 52)
Occupations: politicianuniversity teacherhistorian
Biography: Zbigniew Girzyński is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on 25 September 2005, getting 8734 votes in 5 Toruń district as a candidate from the Law and Justice list.

Michał Zaleski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1952-.. (age 73)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: Studied geography
Occupations: politicianmayor
Biography: Michał Franciszek Zaleski is a Polish politician. Zaleski was the mayor of Toruń from 18 November 2002 until April 2024.

Rafał Bruski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1962-.. (age 63)
Occupations: politicianofficial
Biography: Rafał Piotr Bruski is a Polish politician who is a president of Bydgoszcz (since 2010), was a Voivode of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (2007-2010) and a former Deputy-President of Bydgoszcz (2006-2007).

Anna Sobecka

Born in: Poland
Years: 1951-.. (age 74)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Anna Elżbieta Sobecka is a Polish Member of Parliament. She was elected to the Sejm on 25 September 2005, getting 13,761 votes in 5 Toruń district as a candidate on the League of Polish Families list. Currently she is a Law and Justice party member. She regularly appears on Radio Maryja and Telewizja Trwam.

Zbigniew Lengren

Born in: Russia
Years: 1919-2003 (aged 84)
Occupations: draftspersonfilm directorgraphic artistcaricaturistwriter
Biography: Zbigniew Lengren was a Polish cartoonist, caricaturist, and illustrator. He was awarded the "Order of Smile" amongst other, numerous awards. His most famous creation is Professor Filutek, who appeared once a week on the last page of Przekrój magazine, together with his dog Filuś, for over 50 years, a record run in Polish comics. Lengren was also a writer, especially of poems for children.

Antoni Pacyfik Dydycz

Born in: Poland
Years: 1938-.. (age 87)
Occupations: Catholic priestCatholic bishop
Biography: Antoni Pacyfik Dydycz OFMCap is a prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of Drohiczyn from 1994 to 2014.

Andrzej Person

Born in: Poland
Years: 1951-.. (age 74)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Andrzej Person is a Polish senator, representing Civic Platform.

Joanna Borowiak

Born in: Poland
Years: 1967-.. (age 58)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Joanna Beata Borowiak is a Polish politician. She was elected to the Sejm (9th term) representing the constituency of Toruń. She previously also served in the 8th term of the Sejm (2015–2019). She lived for many years in the city of Włocławek in the province. Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.

Alicja Grześkowiak

Born in: Ukraine
Years: 1941-.. (age 84)
Occupations: politicianuniversity teacherlawyertrade unionistjurist
Biography: Alicja Grześkowiak is a Polish politician who served as Marshal of the Senate of Poland from 21 October 1997 to 18 October 2001.

Janusz Zemke

Born in: Poland
Years: 1949-.. (age 76)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: In 1970 graduated with magister degree in law
Occupations: politician
Biography: Janusz Władysław Zemke is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on 25 September 2005, getting 33,672 votes in 4 Bydgoszcz district as a candidate from the Democratic Left Alliance list.

Mariusz Kałużny

Born in: Poland
Years: 1986-.. (age 39)
Biography: Mariusz Kałużny is a Polish politician serving as a member of the Sejm since 2019. He has served as leader of Law and Justice in Toruń since 2024.

Tomasz Lenz

Born in: Poland
Years: 1968-.. (age 57)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Tomasz Lenz is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on 25 September 2005, getting 9472 votes in 5 Toruń district. He was a candidate from the Civic Platform list.

Iwona Michałek

Born in: Poland
Years: 1956-.. (age 69)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Iwona Krystyna Michałek née Pychyńska – is a Polish teacher and politician who is a member of the VIII and IX Sejm. She is a member of the Agreement political party.

Piotr Całbecki

Born in: Poland
Years: 1967-.. (age 58)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Piotr Franciszek Całbecki is a Polish politician who is a current member of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Regional Assembly and Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Marshal. He was part of the Toruń City Councillors between 1998-2002.

Jerzy Kłoczowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1924-2017 (aged 93)
Occupations: medievalistpoliticianhistorianchurch historian
Biography: Jerzy Kazimierz Kłoczowski was a Polish historian, professor at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, and former member of the Polish Senate. During World War II, Kłoczowski was a soldier of the Home Army (Armia Krajowa) and participated in the Warsaw Uprising, where he was seriously injured and lost his right hand. On leaving the military hospital in April 1945, he went to Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and then to Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, where he earned a degree and a Ph.D. (1950). Member of the anti-communist Solidarity movement – after the fall of communism in Poland, Kłoczowski was elected Senator and member of the Commission for Foreign Affairs of the Senate, as well as the representative of the Polish Parliament at the Council of Europe.

Łukasz Zbonikowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1978-.. (age 47)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Łukasz Zbonikowski is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on 25 September 2005, getting 7209 votes in 5 Toruń district as a candidate from the Law and Justice list.

Robert Gontarz

Born in: Poland
Years: 1993-.. (age 32)
Occupations: local politicianpolitician
Biography: Robert Gontarz is a Polish politician of Law and Justice serving as a member of the Sejm. He was first elected in the 2019 parliamentary election, and was re-elected in 2023. From 2018 to 2019, he was a member of the Warmian–Masurian Voivodeship Sejmik.

Michał Jacaszek

Years: 1972-.. (age 53)
Occupations: composerrecord producer
Biography: Michał Jacaszek is a Polish electroacoustic musician, often credited on albums simply as Jacaszek.

Monika Falej

Born in: Poland
Years: 1972-.. (age 53)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Monika Walentyna Falej is a Polish politician. She was elected to the Sejm (9th term) representing the constituency of Elbląg from The Left's lists.

Marian Filar

Born in: Poland
Years: 1942-2020 (aged 78)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: Studied in 1967
Occupations: university teacherpoliticianlegal scholarjurist
Biography: Marian Filar was a Polish lawyer, academic and politician who served as a member of the Sejm from 2007 to 2011.

Jerzy Kozdroń

Born in: Poland
Years: 1950-.. (age 75)
Occupations: politicianjudge
Biography: Jerzy Kozdroń is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on 15 September 2005, getting 3,868 votes in 25 Gdańsk district as a candidate from the Civic Platform list.

Janusz Symonides

Born in: Belarus
Years: 1938-2020 (aged 82)
Occupations: human rights activistuniversity teacherjudgediplomatjurist
Biography: Janusz Ignacy Symonides was a Polish jurist, diplomat and university professor. A graduate of Central School of Foreign Service, he was a law professor at the University of Warsaw. His publications include focuses on human rights, the law of the sea, public international law and modern political areas of thought.

Konstanty Dombrowicz

Born in: Poland
Years: 1947-.. (age 78)
Occupations: politicianjournalistEsperantist
Biography: Konstanty Dombrowicz is a Polish journalist and politician who was the President of Bydgoszcz (from 2002 to 2010).

Zbigniew Sosnowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1963-.. (age 62)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Zbigniew Sosnowski is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on 25 September 2005, getting 5937 votes in 5 Toruń district as a candidate from the Polish People's Party list.

Iwona Chmielewska

Born in: Poland
Years: 1960-.. (age 65)
Occupations: illustratorchildren's writer
Biography: Iwona Chmielewska is a Polish author and illustrator, who publishes mainly for children but also for adults. Many of her works are published in South Korea where she has gained considerable popularity. She lives and works in Toruń in northern Poland where she teaches in the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Nicolaus Copernicus University.

Tomasz Urbanowicz

Born in: Poland
Years: 1959-.. (age 66)
Occupations: glassblowerarchitect
Biography: Tomasz Urbanowicz is an architect and a designer of architectural glass art.

Antoni Karwowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1948-.. (age 77)
Occupations: choreographerpainter
Biography: Antoni Karwowski is a Polish lyrical abstraction and neofiguration painter and a performance artist.

Mirosław Krajewski

Years: 1946-.. (age 79)
Occupations: political scientistuniversity teacherpoliticianhistoriantrade unionist
Biography: Mirosław Krajewski is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on 25 September 2005, getting 11,333 votes in 5 Toruń district as a candidate from the Samoobrona Rzeczpospolitej Polskiej list.

Tomasz Jasiński

Born in: Poland
Years: 1951-.. (age 74)
Occupations: historianmedievalist
Biography: Tomasz Jasiński is a Polish historian, dean of the History Department at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. He specializes in medieval history of Poland.

Oskar Dawicki

Born in: Poland
Years: 1971-.. (age 54)
Occupations: photographeractorperformance artistinstallation artistvideo artist
Biography: Oskar Dawicki is a Polish performer and multimedia artist, a graduate of the Fine Arts Faculty at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and co-founder of the Azorro Supergroup. He has exhibited nationally and internationally at venues including Zachęta, Manifesta Biennale, Postmasters Gallery, New York, and Warsaw Raster Gallery which represent the artist. Oskar Dawicki's life and work has been a subject of a movie, "Performer", directed by Maciej Sobieszczański and Łukasz Ronduda which premiered at Berlinale. "Performer" was awarded the "THINK: FILM AWARD" at the Berlinale Film Festival and was screened among others at Tate Modern London, and the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw.

Mirosław Ziętarski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1993-.. (age 32)
Occupations: rower
Biography: Mirosław Ziętarski is a Polish rower. He competed at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, in the men's quadruple sculls and men's double sculls events, respectively.

Michał Joachimowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1950-2014 (aged 64)
Occupations: athletics competitor
Biography: Michał Teodor Joachimowski was a triple jumper from Poland. He won three medals at the European Indoor Championships.

Leszek Matela

Born in: Poland
Years: 1955-.. (age 70)
Occupations: journalistesotericist
Biography: Leszek Matela is a Polish journalist, a dowser, expert of feng shui and geomancy, teacher of suggestopedia, a researcher of the Wawel Chakra, and many Earth mysteries.

Maciej Konacki

Born in: Poland
Years: 1972-.. (age 53)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: Studied in 1991-1996
Occupations: astronomer
Biography: Dr. Maciej Konacki is a Polish astronomer, notable for his tentative discovery of HD 188753 Ab, a possible planet discovered in a three star system. The planet would be similar to Jupiter.

Anna Górska

Born in: Poland
Years: 1980-.. (age 45)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: Studied international relations
Occupations: journalistpolitician
Biography: Anna Górska is a Polish political activist, political scientist, journalist and politician. She is a senator of the 11th term.

Marzenna Drab

Born in: Poland
Years: 1956-.. (age 69)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Marzenna Stefania Drab is a Polish politician who is a member of the Sejm of Poland (since 2007) and former acting Governor of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (2006).

Hubert Radke

Born in: Poland
Years: 1980-.. (age 45)
Occupations: basketball player
Biography: Hubert Radke is a Polish former professional basketball player who played at the center position. Radke represented the Poland national basketball team a total of 13 times between 2004 and 2005.

Włodzimierz Jastrzębski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1939-2024 (aged 85)
Occupations: historianchess player
Biography: Włodzimierz Jastrzębski was a Polish historian and a professor of Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, born in Siedlce. He specialized in Polish history during World War II. He studied Bloody Sunday, a sequence of events that took place in Bydgoszcz (German: Bromberg), a Polish city with a sizable German minority, between 3 and 4 September 1939, immediately after the German invasion of Poland, supporting the "traditional Polish POV" until later, when he cancelled his results.

Józef Ramlau

Born in: Poland
Years: 1958-.. (age 67)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Józef Jan Ramlau is a Polish politician who was a Voivode of Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship (2006) and a Member of Toruń County Council (1998-2002).

Grażyna Ciemniak

Born in: Poland
Years: 1948-.. (age 77)
Occupations: politicianchemist
Biography: Grażyna Jolanta Ciemniak is a Polish political figure who has been a member of the Senate of Poland (1993–97) and Deputy President of Bydgoszcz (1998–2001), as well as member of the Sejm of Poland (2001–07, since 2009) and member of the European Parliament (2004).

Teresa Kalina

Born in: Poland
Years: 1952-.. (age 73)
Occupations: teacherlibrarian
Biography: Teresa Kalina is a Polish politician and history teacher, who from 2014 to 2018 was a chairman of the West Pomeranian Regional Assembly.

Jakub Nowakowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1924-.. (age 101)
Occupations: soldierzoologist
Biography: Jakub Tomasz Nowakowski, pseud. "Tomek", "Tomasz" is a Polish zoologist, participant of the Warsaw Uprising, independence conspiracy activist during World War II, and a retired major of the Polish Armed Forces.

Mirosław Golon

Born in: Poland
Years: 1964-.. (age 61)
Occupations: historianuniversity teacher
Biography: Mirosław Golon is a Polish historian. Professor of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, member of Institute of National Remembrance, Polish Historical Society and Toruń Scientific Society.

Jacek Sauk

Born in: Lithuania
Years: 1944-.. (age 81)
Occupations: politician
Biography: Jacek Sauk is a Polish politician, member of Law and Justice party. He was a member of Polish Sejm from 2001 to 2005 and Polish Senate from 1997 to 2001 and from 2005 to 2007.

Tomasz Sobecki

Born in: Poland
Years: 1952-.. (age 73)
Occupations: photographer
Biography: Tomasz Sobecki – fine art photographer, doctor of art – born in 1952 and residing in Toruń.

Antoni Stawikowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1933-.. (age 92)
Occupations: trade unionistastronomer
Biography: Antoni Stawikowski, first leader of the Polish illegal Solidarity union in Toruń.

Jan Świerkowski

Born in: Poland
Years: 1984-.. (age 41)
Occupations: astronomer
Biography: Jan Świerkowski is a Polish artist, curator, cultural researcher and astronomer. He is the founder and curator of the international art and science collective Instytut B61.

Haim Gitler

Born in: Mexico
Years: 1962-.. (age 63)
Occupations: researchernumismatistcurator
Biography: Haim Gitler is an Israeli curator and researcher, specializing in the field of numismatics. He is chief curator of archaeology and curator of numismatics at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, as well as the President of the Israel Numismatic Society.

Irena Lichnerowicz

Born in: Poland
Years: 1974-.. (age 51)
Enrolled in Nicolaus Copernicus University: Studied English studies
Occupations: diplomatofficial
Biography: Irena Maria Lichnerowicz-Augustyn is a Polish diplomat who served as an ambassador of Poland to Cyprus between 5 September 2018 and 18 August 2023.