Our PhD Students

Visual artist, photographer, and illustrator of children’s books, a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. Her work explores the multidimensional manifestations of spirituality and its materialization within the visible world. She has developed projects in diverse cultural contexts (Africa, Latin America, Australia, Asia, and Poland), engaging with indigenous traditions, myths, archetypes, and rituals in search of universal aspects of human experience.

She specializes in analog photography and the gelatin silver printing. Her practice bridges art and socially engaged projects carried out in Europe and Asia, including workshops in India as well as collaborative photographic-literary projects in Iran, Turkey, and Italy.

She is represented by Galerie Camera Obscura (Paris). A recipient of scholarships from the Polish Ministry of Culture and a two-time laureate of the Kraków City Artistic Scholarship, she has received six awards for her photobook “Dancing Your Dream Awake”, including the Photo Book 2024 Grand Press Photo, Tokyo International Photography Awards, International Photography Awards, and LensCulture Black and White Photography Awards. She is also a laureate of the Project Competition at the Santa Fe Center for Visual Arts (USA) and Figures Futur (France). Her work has been presented in over 50 exhibitions worldwide — from Japan and the United States, through Iran and Turkey, to numerous countries across Europe.

Alongside her artistic practice, she leads workshops for children, youth, and adults, integrating her artistic experience with mindfulness and contemplative psychology. She approaches creativity as a universal form of communication and a tool for self-development.

I am a PhD student at the Doctoral School of the University of the National Education Commission in Kraków in the discipline of mathematics. I also completed my master’s degree at UKEN, defending my thesis entitled “The Multiplicative Ergodic Theorem” under the supervision of Dr Aleksandra Huczek. My current research focuses on ergodic theorems that I worked on during my master’s studies and on attempts to extend them to Polish spaces. In addition to my academic research, I work on a daily basis as a high school mathematics teacher.

I am a PhD student since October 2021. I have completed bachelor’s studies in Information Brokering, Document Management and Archival Studies (IHiA UP 2018) and history (IHiA UP 2019). Also, I have completed master studies in history (IHiA UP 2021). My master’s thesis was focused on issues related to the upbringing of a Roman aristocrat in the 5th century. It was based on the epistolography of the Gallic aristocrat, poet and bishop – Sidonius Apollinaris.

My doctoral thesis focuses on late antiqua women in the family and social field (4th-6h centuries). Basing on various sources, I am going to present the differences between women from traditional (pagan) and christian backgrounds and indicate to how law and mores implied the position of women in society. In addition, during my research, I would like to check what extent the role of women can be exposed in the communities of barbarian tribes settling in the territories of the empire.

A doctoral candidate in the field of social communication and media studies.

A graduate of the Institute of Jewish Studies at Jagiellonian University, where she defended with distinction her Master’s thesis entitled “Polish-Jewish relations in Kielce in the years 1932-1939 in the light of Kielcer Cajtung,” written under the supervision of Dr. hab. Magdalena Ruta, Professor at the Jagiellonian University.

A researcher and curator of exhibitions at the Galicia Jewish Museum, including “Helena Rubinstein. First Lady of Beauty.” The first Polish researcher of the Rubinstein family history.

Currently, as part of her doctoral studies, she is continuing her research on the media image and life of Helena Rubinstein.

I am a PhD student at the Pedagogical University of Krakow in the discipline of political science and administration. My research interests focus on public policy planning and the process of planning and implementing public policy within decentralised systems of governance, as well as strategic management in self-government.

I am a graduate of the Jagiellonian University, having majored in self-government administration and cultural studies. I have completed postgraduate studies in the evaluation of public policies and the organisation of the social assistance system. I have professional experience in management confirmed by an MBA diploma.

My doctoral thesis concerns the development of environmental forms of support for dependent persons and the transformation of 24-hour care facilities into local centres of social services.

Doreen Basemera is currently a doctoral student in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the Pedagogical University of Krakow Poland.

Prior to joining this doctoral programme, Doreen served as a lecturer and in various administrative positions at Mountains of the Moon University in Uganda.

Doreen holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies and a Bachelors degree in Ethics and Development Studies from Uganda Martyrs University.

Doreen’s research interests are in conflict management, gender studies, social work, African studies and international relations.

Currently, Doreen is writing her research project on Ubuntu philosophy as a social work approach to conflict management in refugee settlements in Uganda, supervised by Prof. Jacek Sroka and Prof. Bearta Ziebinska.

Grzegorz Bator – a doctoral student in the field of security studies, a graduate of the Pedagogical University (currently: University of the Commission of National Education) in Krakow, with degrees in national security (first-cycle studies) and state security with a specialization in “security and defense management” (second-cycle studies).

He is an instructor and disseminator of knowledge in the field of Security Education, survival techniques, and light infantry tactics, collaborating with third-sector organizations for years.

The research interests of the doctoral candidate are focused on the security of the Central and Eastern European region, with particular emphasis on the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war since 2014. His doctoral thesis explores the changes occurring in the security architecture in the Intermarium region due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Kasper Bednarek – is a Ph.D. student at the Pedagogical University of Cracow in the department of history. Graduate of the Institute of History at the Jagielonian University. Author of the dissertation entitled „The activity of polish self-defence units in Eastern Galicia in 1943-1944 (on selected examples)” written under the guidance of prof. Jan Jacek Bruski. Kasper is a member of Home Army veterans union from Lviv District in Cracow. In the veteran union he works as secretary, treasurer and is an editor of „Biuletyn Informacyjny”. Kasper is also a member of Society for Enthusiasts of Lviv and Southeastern Borderlands in Cracow, where he is responsible for the renovation of polish graves at the Łyczakowski cemetery. On 4th of January 2023 he has been awarded medal for „Opiekun Miejsc Pamięci Nardowej” for his overall with the Society. This medal is awarded by Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland.

He conducts research on: political and social changes in Eastern Galicia during World War II, Polish-Ukrainian relations in Eastern Galicia during World War II also he makes inventories of cemeteries in the Lviv voivodeship.

His PhD thesis will will focus on Polish Underground Force activity in Eastern Galicia during First Soviet Occupation (1939-1941).

Cultural studies scholar and holder of two master’s degrees from two different universities, respectively in Intercultural Relations at the Jagiellonian University and Language and Society at the University of Warsaw. Currently a PhD student in Sociology at UKEN. Her research interests include feminism, sexual violence, popular culture, fandoms, as well as bibliology and the phenomenon of young people distorting the cult of the Polish Pope. She devotes her dissertation to the study of rape culture in Poland. By day, she works in Warsaw theatres as an auditorium attendant, and during holidays she goes to the mountains as a youth camp councillor. She relaxes with handicrafts and petting cats. Whenever she has the opportunity she performs on stage, whether through dance or conference appearances.

PhD student at the Doctoral School of the University of the National Education Commission in Krakow, in the discipline of legal sciences. She is a graduate of law studies. Her master’s thesis focused on issues of the legal personality of artificial intelligence.
Her research focuses on the legal issues of artificial intelligence in the context of data processing by AI systems.
Her scientific interests include the law of new technologies, in particular issues related to artificial intelligence and intellectual property law.

PhD student at the Doctoral School of the University of the Commission of National Education in Krakow in the discipline of socio-economic geography and spatial management. Graduate of the Spatial Management program at the University of the Commission of National Education in Krakow, where he obtained engineering and a master’s degree.

His research focuses on urban and rural issues, with a particular interest in small towns and settlements that have lost their town status. He is also passionate about regional studies, especially the Sanok region and the Bieszczady Mountains, as well as preserving the cultural heritage of these areas.

In his doctoral dissertation, he plans to explore the process of restoring town status in the Sanok region, considering the historical spatial and social changes in the area

I am a PhD student at the University of the National Education Commission in the field of physical sciences. I completed my bachelor’s degree in astronomy and my master’s degree in theoretical physics at the Jagiellonian University. My master’s thesis focused on research in cosmology. Currently, my doctoral research focuses on topics at the interface of astrophysics and geophysics.

Aleksandra Bogucka MA – a PhD student of social sciences in the discipline of socio-economic geography and spatial management at the Pedagogical University of the National Education Commission in Krakow. A graduate of the Bachelor’s degree in the field of tourism and recreation with a specialisation in international tourism, and of the complementary Master’s degree in the field of tourism and recreation with a specialisation in cultural tourism at the Pedagogical University of Krakow. Her research interests include the development of ethnic tourism in Mexico and its impact on the standard of living of indigenous communities. Her dissertation research concerns strategies for the development of ethnic tourism in selected indigenous communities within Mexico.

I am a doctoral student of political science and administration. I have graduated studies in sociology at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow whit a specialization in economic sociology and market research.

I am a researcher of socio-economic processes and animator of initiatives in the field of social economy. I deal with the programming of social economy development on the regional and local levels. My particular area of interest is the development of social entrepreneurship in Poland and the formation of a support system for social enterprises at the EU and national levels.

My doctoral dissertation focuses on the issues of institutional transformation of non-governmental organizations into social enterprises and support for this process within the framework of social policy in Poland. My supervisor is Dorota Murzyn, Ph.D., Professor at UP.

I am a doctoral student in the discipline of security sciences and a graduate of the Pedagogical University of the National Education Commission in Krakow in the field of security sciences. I graduated with a master’s degree with honours from the Institute of Security and Computer Science, with a specialisation in internal security. My research interests are mainly in the field of: specific functioning of special services of states, international cooperation in the area of security, systemic transformations taking place, military and civil aviation, military and information security, development of human rights protection. My interests also include: research on the use of contemporary technologies in the military area, and the shaping of contemporary security policies of states in response to the evolving challenges of the security environment. I am also fascinated by the historical, cultural and, above all, security area of Italy.

I am preparing my dissertation under the supervision of Tomasz Skrzyński, PhD, Professor UKEN. In my dissertation, I will study a selected area of security of European countries ‘Security policy of the Republic of Poland and the Italian Republic in 2008-2019 in the field of information security, military security, the problem of illegal migration. A cognitive study’.

PhD candidate in philosophy at the Doctoral School of Humanities at UKEN. He graduated from the Jagiellonian University, where he completed the Interfaculty Individual Studies in the Humanities with a dual specialization in Literature and Philosophy. His master’s thesis, titled The Status of Minor Literature – A Study of the Concept in the Perspective of Deleuze and Guattari, focused on the theoretical intersections of literature and philosophy. His academic interests lie at the intersection of continental philosophy, literary theory, and psychoanalysis, with particular emphasis on French poststructuralism, schizoanalysis, and materialist thought, including both new materialism and historical materialism.
He is also deeply engaged in political philosophy, particularly the history of anarchist and socialist movements, and is fascinated by questions of ontology, complexity, and multiplicity. His current doctoral research explores the philosophical concepts of “agency” and “action” as framed by new materialisms and historical materialism. The project seeks to examine the intersections between these perspectives, with the goal of understanding how they redefine “materialist” politics and their implications for the humanities today.

I am a doctoral candidate at the Doctoral School of the University of the National Education Commission in Kraków, specializing in mathematics. I also completed my master’s studies at UKEN, defending my thesis entitled “The Role of Analogy in Teaching and Learning Mathematics” under the supervision of Dr. Barbara Barańska. My current research continues this line of inquiry, with a particular focus on how analogies are employed in classroom practice and how they can be interpreted from phenomenological and hermeneutic perspectives. My other research interests are also situated within the field of mathematics education, in particular the role of errors in the learning process and the gamification of teaching.

Email: sandra.branicka@uken.krakow.pl

I am a PhD student at the Doctoral School of the University of the National Education Commission in Kraków, specializing in mathematics. I also completed my master’s studies at UKEN, defending my thesis titled ” On Arrangements of Lines, Conics and Cubics with Simple Singularities” under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Piotr Pokora.

My research focuses on plus-one generated curve arrangements, particularly their combinatorial and algebraic properties. In my work, I also use tools for symbolic computation, such as SINGULAR.

Beyond mathematics, I am interested in playing musical instruments (guitar, piano, and button accordion), as well as cooking and baking.

I am a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow, Faculty of Industrial Forms and Graphics. I move in the field of painting, intaglio, drawing and animation. In my work, I am pernamentally pitted against the unconscious. It is a relentless cycle of teasing out the unconscious content into consciousness, and trying to describe it through a visual phenomenon. Very often the visual phenomenon precedes intellectual identification. If I approach the work with an idea, it is based on a hunch, an emotion, something that cannot be named. This hunch is revealed from the experience of everyday life but also from the intellectualization of the problem. Art constantly mixes with my daily rhythm of life. With the help of an image, text or film, I tell about a world that is scary, wild, strange, joyful and beautiful. Intellectually, I address in art problems concerning the ontology of being, aesthetics, ethics and psychoanalysis.

In addition to culture and art, I am passionate about gravity cycling which I have been doing for about 20 years.

In my doctoral project I am combining extreme sports, visual art and literature by means of so-called somatoesthetics in relation to fundamental ethical problems. I will juxtapose my experiments in autoethnographic research with other artists and thinkers who combined their work with movement in nature.

Selected artistic achievements:

2018 ASIFA Poland Award “Where the Sleepe is born”

2019 Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur

2019 THE 44TH PAINTING BIENNALE BIELSKA JESIEŃ

2019 Final Exhibition Eibish award Warsaw

2020 International Biennial Print Exhibit: 2022 ROC – National Taiwan Museum of fine arts.

2020 First Prize 11. FKA Festival of film art critics Poland – Where the sleepe is born

2020 First Prize Krakow Art Salon – “WheWe 2”

2021 Berlin Sci-fi Fil festival “The Steamites”

2022 International Biennial Print Exhibit: 2022 ROC – National Taiwan Museum of fine arts

Links to sites:

https://www.instagram.com/whitestarfaun/

https://bugrzegorz.myportfolio.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WhitestarFaun

https://vimeo.com/user89142024

https://www.youtube.com/@whywe1601

https://www.youtube.com/@ohohohoriders3712

PhD studnet in the discipline of social communication and media studies. He holds a Master’s degree in Journalism and Social Communication from the Jesuit University Ignatianum in Kraków. His research interests include social media studies, disinformation, the use of artificial intelligence in media, the automation of editorial processes, and fact-checking tools.

Professionally, he works in journalism. He hosts the radio programme OFF Course on OFF Radio Kraków and manages the academic radio station Stacja 4. He also delivers training sessions and teaches university courses in journalism, social communication, audio editing, and marketing.

His professional experience includes work in radio broadcasting as a reporter at RDN Nowy Sącz, followed by positions as a producer and scriptwriter at RMF FM, with additional collaboration with RMF24, as well as work for online media. For several years, he has been an editor and reviewer for the technology portal Tabletowo.pl, specialising in new technologies, artificial intelligence, and mobile devices.