Ryszard M. Kowalczyk

About

Present affiliation: Full professor: Private University for Ekology and Management Dept.of Architecture, Warsaw, Poland.
Scientific career: MSc - Warsaw University of Technology in 1951, PhD in 1957, and DrSc in 1967.
In 1992 - Title of Professor. Honorary Professor: Cracow University of Technology (2001) and Silesian University of Technology (2004), Bialystok University of Technology 2014. Doctor Honoris Causa: University of Beira Interior, Portugal 2016.

Professional career: over 50 years in research, consulting and teaching in various universities and research institutes in his native Poland as well as abroad (Warsaw University of Technology, Bialystok University of Technology, Institute of Building Research, Institute of Fundamental Technological Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Fritz Leonhardt Design Office, Stuttgart, Germany, The University of Calgary, Canada, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, USA). UNESCO expert in vocational and technical education in the Middle East (1983 – 1989) since 1983 professor in the University of Beira Interior (Portugal) and in Bialystok University of Technology (Bialystok).

Main research areas: structures, dynamics of structures, structural systems of tall buildings. Author or co-author of over 80 papers in technical journals and conference proceedings and 7 books and monographs.

Involvement in tall buildings activity: Since 1969 first in the Joint Committee on Tall Buildings and later on in the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. He was responsible for organization of Regional Conference on Tall Buildings in Warsaw in 1972 and later on he was nominated Council Representative of Poland He was working for the Council at Lehigh University as Council Secretary from 1975 – 1984 as close co-worker of Prof Lynn Beedle. He was chairing several Council Committees like: “International Interaction”, “Membership”, “Editorial”. He initiated and chaired the Topical Committee 3: “Structural Systems for Tall Buildings,” which elaborated under his leadership the Council Monograph Volume: “Structural Systems for Tall Buildings” published by McGraw-Hill in 1995. Participated and was actively involved in virtually all Congresses of CTBUH and several Council Regional Conferences (organization and papers). In series of Congresses he was organizing, as the Chairman of Council Standing Committee “International Interaction”, meetings of Council Representatives. In 2001 he was nominated Council Vice-Chairman for Europe. He has initiated the idea of establishing of Fazlur Khan Medal as well as Lynn Beedle Medal - the late was not successful yet. He belonged to the group of initiators of the book honoring Lynn Beedle “Catalyst for Skyscraper Revolution – Lynn Beedle a legend in his lifetime” and served as Chairman of its Editorial Committee. During his activity in the Council he was also involved in strengthening of ties and co-operation with International Association For Bridges and Structural Engineering (IABSE) as the member of Steering Committee of CTBUH, and Permanent Committee of IABSE.