Janusz S. Szmyd, Ph.D., D.Sc., Dr.H.C.
Professor
Department of Fundamental Research in Energy Engineering
Faculty of Energy and Fuels
AGH University of Krakow
e-mail: janusz.szmyd@agh.edu.pl

Prof. Janusz Szmyd is a distinguished academic figure renowned for his contributions to the fields of electrical engineering and computer science. Born and raised in Krakow, Poland, he developed a passion for science and technology from a young age. This passion led him to pursue higher education at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, where he obtained his Master’s, Ph.D. (1980), and D.Sc (1992) degrees and became a professor in electrical engineering. In 2002, he was awarded the title of Professor by the President of the Republic of Poland, and in 2005, the title of Professor by the Minister of Higher Education.

Prof. Szmyd serves as the Rector’s Representative for Cooperation with Japan and head of Doctoral Studies. Based on his contacts and the cooperation established
in the 1980s with Japanese universities, he has built up an impressive list of educational programs that AGH and the best universities in Japan jointly implemented. Several joint programs were implemented between AGH University of Krakow and Shibaura Institute of Technology. For example, the Polish Japanese Energy Winter School in Krakow and the Summer School in Energy Engineering in Tokyo (since 2014). Moreover, they developed a bilateral Ph.D. program (since 2010) and the International Virtual School at AGH. He also invented a double degree master’s degree program for International Energy and Environmental Engineering in 2021.
As a result of his efforts, AGH University has also signed teaching and research agreements with other Japanese universities (e.g., Kyoto University, The University of Tokyo, and Kyushu University). In 2015, the Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, awarded him the title of Doctor Honoris Causa.

Throughout his academic journey, Prof. Szmyd demonstrated exceptional talent and dedication to his field. His research interests encompass a wide range of topics, including renewable energy systems and mathematical modeling of heat and mass transfer processes. He has made significant contributions to the development of advanced control techniques for power electronic converters, which play a crucial role in modern electrical systems. He has published more than 270 scientific papers
in the fields of numerical simulation of heat and mass transfer, turbulent flows and turbulent heat transfer, interactive computational and experimental methodologies, convection in the Czochralski method, magnetic convection, solid oxide fuel cells, energy, and exergy analysis. Moreover, he was a keynote and plenary speaker in more than seventy seminars and lectures abroad. In addition, Prof. Szmyd has been a visiting professor at Bochum University (Germany), Kyoto University (Japan), Shibaura Institute of Technology (Japan), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne (Switzerland), and Kyushu University (Japan).

Prof. Szmyd’s expertise extends beyond academia as he actively guides doctoral students and is involved in several cooperation of international research projects.
For example, he was the supervisor of 18 doctoral theses (he is currently the supervisor of 2 postgraduate students),
and the scientific supervisor and coordinator of 2 European projects, the manager of 6 Polish-Japanese scientific and technical cooperation projects, the manager of 3 Polish-German scientific and technical cooperation projects, and the manager of 2 Polish-Korean scientific and technical cooperation projects.

In addition to his academic and research endeavors, Prof. Szmyd is actively involved in professional societies and conferences. He has served in various leadership roles and contributed to the advancement of his field through publications and presentations. Professor Szmyd has been the President of the EUROTHERM Committee (European Committee for the Advancement of Thermal Sciences and Heat Transfer) since 2018 and
a member of the Assembly of World Conferences on Experimental Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, and Thermodynamics. He is also a member of the Scientific Council of The International Centre for Heat and Mass Transfer and vice-chairman of the Commission on Threats to Civilisation of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences. Additionally, he managed to become an Associate Editor for the International Series on Developments in Heat Transfer and has been a guest editor of the Progress of Computational Fluid Dynamics International Journal, a guest editor of the International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, and a guest editor of the Heat and Mass Transfer Journal.

Besides this impressive academic achievement, Prof. Janusz Szmyd is also an authority in the field of energy and numerical modeling of mass, momentum, and energy transport processes. He managed research projects that were financed by the KBN, MEN, MNSiW, NCN, NCBR, PAN, and EC (including as part of Polish-Japanese research cooperation NCBR-JCOAL, agreement on scientific cooperation between the Polish Academy of Sciences and JSPS, and intergovernmental cooperation). That achievement earned him the Gold Cross of Merit, the Medal of the National Education Commission, and the International Teaching Star Award.

In summary, Prof. Janusz Szmyd’s life and career are a testament to the power of curiosity, perseverance, and dedication. Through his pioneering research, exemplary teaching, and leadership, he inspired generations of scholars to pursue their dreams.