60 Notable alumni of Nicolaus Copernicus University
Updated: June 22, 2026 EliteDegrees
Nicolaus Copernicus University is ranked #917 in the world and #21 in Poland by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 60 notable alumni from Nicolaus Copernicus University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Nicolaus Copernicus University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Mirosław Golon
1964-. (aged 62)
historian
university teacher
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.
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2. Jacek Sauk
1944-. (aged 82)
politician
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.
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3. Tomasz Sobecki
1952-. (aged 74)
photographer
Tomasz Sobecki is a Polish fine art photographer.
4. Antoni Stawikowski
1933-. (aged 93)
trade unionist
astronomer
Antoni Stawikowski, first leader of the Polish illegal Solidarity union in Toruń.
5. Jan Świerkowski
1984-. (aged 42)
astronomer
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.
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6. Irena Lichnerowicz
1974-. (aged 52)
diplomat
official
Irena Maria Lichnerowicz is a Polish diplomat who served as an ambassador of Poland to Cyprus between 5 September 2018 and 18 August 2023.
7. Grażyna Ciemniak
1948-. (aged 78)
politician
chemist
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).
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8. Teresa Kalina
1952-. (aged 74)
teacher
librarian
Teresa Kalina is a Polish politician and history teacher, who from 2014 to 2018 was a chairman of the West Pomeranian Regional Assembly.
9. Jakub Nowakowski
1924-. (aged 102)
soldier
zoologist
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.
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10. Oskar Dawicki
1971-. (aged 55)
actor
performance artist
installation artist
video artist
multimedia artist
Oskar Dawicki is a Polish performer and multimedia artist, a graduate of the Fine Arts Faculty at the 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. Dawicki's life and work has been the...
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11. Michał Joachimowski
1950-2014 (aged 64)
athletics competitor
Michał Teodor Joachimowski was a triple jumper from Poland. He won three medals at the European Indoor Championships.
12. Leszek Matela
1955-. (aged 71)
journalist
esotericist
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.
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13. Maciej Konacki
1972-. (aged 54)
astronomer
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.
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14. Włodzimierz Jastrzębski
1939-2024 (aged 85)
historian
chess player
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...
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15. Hubert Radke
1980-. (aged 46)
basketball player
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.
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16. Antoni Pacyfik Dydycz
1938-2025 (aged 87)
Catholic priest
Catholic bishop
Antoni Pacyfik Dydycz, OFMCap was a Polish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of Drohiczyn from 1994 to 2014.
17. Józef Ramlau
1958-. (aged 68)
politician
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).
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18. Anna Górska
1980-. (aged 46)
journalist
politician
Anna Górska is a Polish political activist, political scientist, journalist and politician. She is a senator of the 11th term.
19. Iwona Chmielewska
1960-. (aged 66)
illustrator
children's writer
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.
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20. Tomasz Urbanowicz
1959-. (aged 67)
glassblower
architect
Tomasz Urbanowicz is an architect and a designer of architectural glass art.
21. Mirosław Krajewski
1946-. (aged 80)
university teacher
politician
historian
trade unionist
political scientist
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.
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22. Antoni Karwowski
1948-. (aged 78)
choreographer
painter
Antoni Karwowski is a Polish lyrical abstraction and neo-figuration painter and performance artist active since the 1980s.
23. Tomasz Jasiński
1951-. (aged 75)
historian
medievalist
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.
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24. Mirosław Ziętarski
1993-. (aged 33)
rower
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.
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25. Jerzy Kozdroń
1950-. (aged 76)
politician
judge
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.
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26. Konstanty Dombrowicz
1947-. (aged 79)
Esperantist
politician
journalist
Konstanty Dombrowicz is a Polish journalist and politician who was the President of Bydgoszcz (from 2002 to 2010).
27. Janusz Symonides
1938-2020 (aged 82)
university teacher
judge
diplomat
jurist
human rights defender
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.
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28. Zbigniew Sosnowski
1963-. (aged 63)
politician
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.
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29. Alicja Grześkowiak
1941-. (aged 85)
politician
university teacher
lawyer
trade unionist
jurist
Alicja Grześkowiak is a Polish politician who served as Marshal of the Senate of Poland from 21 October 1997 to 18 October 2001.
30. Andrzej Person
1951-. (aged 75)
politician
Andrzej Person is a Polish politician and former senator, representing Civic Platform in the VI, VII and VIII Senate terms.
31. Janusz Zemke
1949-. (aged 77)
politician
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.
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32. Mariusz Kałużny
1986-. (aged 40)
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. He graduated in 2018 from the University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw (now VIZJA University).
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33. Tomasz Lenz
1968-. (aged 58)
politician
Tomasz Lenz is a Polish politician who currently serves as a Senator for the Toruń senate constituency and previously served as a Member of the Sejm for the Toruń parliamentary constituency from 2005 to 2023.
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34. Iwona Michałek
1956-. (aged 70)
politician
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.
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35. Jerzy Kłoczowski
1924-2017 (aged 93)
historian
church historian
medievalist
politician
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...
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36. Robert Gontarz
1993-. (aged 33)
local politician
politician
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.
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37. Łukasz Zbonikowski
1978-. (aged 48)
politician
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.
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38. Monika Falej
1972-. (aged 54)
politician
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.
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39. Michał Jacaszek
1972-. (aged 54)
composer
record producer
Michał Jacaszek is a Polish electroacoustic musician, often credited on albums simply as Jacaszek.
40. Marian Filar
1942-2020 (aged 78)
legal scholar
jurist
university teacher
politician
Marian Filar was a Polish lawyer, academic and politician who served as a member of the Sejm from 2007 to 2011.
41. Iga Cembrzyńska
1939-. (aged 87)
actor
composer
film actor
film producer
film director
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.
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42. Arkadiusz Myrcha
1984-. (aged 42)
jurist
politician
association football player
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.
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43. Paulina Matysiak
1984-. (aged 42)
polonist
librarian
blogger
civil servant
philosopher
Paulina Matysiak is a politician serving as member of Sejm since 2019. She used to be a Polish local government official.
44. Aleksander Wolszczan
1946-. (aged 80)
astrophysicist
professor
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.
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45. Piotr Hofmański
1956-. (aged 70)
legal scholar
jurist
judge
university teacher
Piotr Józef Hofmański is a Polish jurist 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.
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46. Zbigniew Girzyński
1973-. (aged 53)
historian
politician
university teacher
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.
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47. Michał Zaleski
1952-. (aged 74)
politician
mayor
Michał Franciszek Zaleski is a Polish politician. Zaleski was the mayor of Toruń from 18 November 2002 until April 2024.
48. Rafał Bruski
1962-. (aged 64)
politician
official
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).
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49. Anna Sobecka
1951-. (aged 75)
politician
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.
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50. Zbigniew Lengren
1919-2003 (aged 84)
film director
graphic artist
caricaturist
writer
children's writer
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...
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51. Joanna Borowiak
1967-. (aged 59)
politician
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.
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52. Zbigniew Herbert
1924-1998 (aged 74)
essayist
writer
playwright
author
poet
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...
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53. Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus
1972-. (aged 54)
politician
cultural manager
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.
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54. Paweł Tanajno
1975-. (aged 51)
politician
Paweł Jan Tanajno is a Polish entrepreneur and politician.
55. Janina Ochojska
1955-. (aged 71)
humanitarian
astronomer
politician
dissident
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).
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56. Janusz Wiśniewski
1954-. (aged 72)
director
writer
computer scientist
chemist
author
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.
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57. Sławomir Mentzen
1986-. (aged 40)
economist
non-fiction writer
tax advisor
politician
Sławomir Jerzy Mentzen is a Polish politician, entrepreneur and tax advisor. He placed third in the 2025 Polish presidential election. He serves as the chairman of the libertarian political party New Hope and as one of the leaders of the far-right Confederation Liberty and Independence coalition.
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58. Grzegorz Ciechowski
1957-2001 (aged 44)
pianist
composer
poet
singer
film score composer
Grzegorz Zbigniew Ciechowski was a Polish rock musician and film music composer.
59. Marzenna Drab
1956-. (aged 70)
politician
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).
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60. Marcin Romanowski
1976-. (aged 50)
jurist
politician
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...
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