Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, PhD, professor of chemistry, will serve as the next director of the University’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works.
She has been a member of Adelphi’s faculty for nearly two decades, joining the University’s Department of Chemistry in 2005.
In her new role, Dr. Widera-Kalinowska will work with students and faculty to increase scholarly activities for undergraduates at Adelphi through both course-based work as well as independent scholarly and creative projects. She will also work on Adelphi’s new program for faculty to accrue credits for overseeing students’ independent research projects, as well as develop the University’s summer research experiences.
“One of my major goals for this year as director is to create an undergraduate research journal hosted and edited by Adelphi faculty, where our students, along with their faculty mentors, would publish their creative work and share it not only with the Adelphi community but also with a broader public nationwide,” said Dr. Widera-Kalinowska. “I would also like to pay special attention to minority and underrepresented students to show them great benefits of their involvement in research activities.”
Dr. Widera-Kalinowska is committed to teaching, inspiring and collaborating with students to expand their academic experiences beyond the classroom. Early in her time at Adelphi, she created and continues to operate a highly active research laboratory focused on developing components used in solar panels, engaging more than 85 Adelphi undergraduate students in this work to date. She has also been awarded two International Research Experiences for Students grants from the National Science Foundation, through which she has taken 24 Adelphi students to the University of Warsaw in Poland to conduct high-level research on nanomaterials. She is a well-published scholar who frequently publishes with students who work in her laboratory.
“Supporting undergraduate research and creative work is a key priority of our Momentum 2 strategic plan, amplifying and enriching the academic experience of our students,” said Christopher Storm, PhD, Adelphi’s provost and executive vice president. “Through the growth of this office and the appointment of Dr. Widera-Kalinowska as its next director, we hope to make collaborative research and creative scholarship a widespread experience for our students and faculty.”