In Memory of Professor Aleksandra Skłodowska

10 05 2024

With deep sorrow, we received the news of the passing of Professor Aleksandra Skłodowska on May 7, 2024. She had been associated with the Faculty of Biology at the University of Warsaw for decades.

Professor Aleksandra Skłodowska was born on December 20, 1953, in Bytom. She earned her master’s degree in 1977 at the Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw. Between 1977 and 1981, she worked as an assistant at the Copper Research and Design Institutes in Wrocław.

From 1981 onward, Professor Skłodowska was professionally affiliated with the Faculty of Biology at the University of Warsaw, where she obtained her PhD in 1986, habilitation in 1999, and the title of full professor in 2009. In 2000, on her initiative, the Environmental Contamination Analysis Laboratory was established, which she led for 16 years. For many years, she also served as the head of the Postgraduate Studies Program in Environmental Protection at the Faculty of Biology. In recent years, she was a full professor at the Department of Geomicrobiology, Institute of Microbiology, University of Warsaw.

Professor Aleksandra Skłodowska was a distinguished specialist in microbiology and environmental biotechnology. She authored numerous scientific publications on the interactions between microorganisms and heavy metals, including arsenic, copper, and uranium.

She was also actively involved in research and development concerning the use of microorganisms in biohydrometallurgy and bioremediation. She led numerous scientific projects—including strategic and commissioned research—resulting in patents and practical implementations. She was a co-founder of RDLS Ltd., the University of Warsaw’s first spin-off company. In recent years, she collaborated with the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace in Wilanów, where she conducted research on the biodeterioration of museum objects.

Professor Aleksandra Skłodowska was an active academic teacher who supervised many undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students. Until her final days, she continued to lecture on the subject ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’.