How did your adventure in science begin?

Ever since I can remember I have been very curious about the world, since childhood I have been drawn towards science. My first contact with “more serious” science was in scientific circles, during my studies at the University of Lodz. It was then that I made the decision to pursue a career in science.

What factors prompted your decision to go abroad? What were the biggest challenges associated with this decision?

The first time I went abroad to study was while I was still a graduate student.

I then went to Italy on an Erasmus scholarship. That same year, I also studied A few months in Russia. At that time I was very curious about the world. I wanted to see what it was like to live and study abroad. Later I made the decision quite quickly to go to Italy permanently, to study for a doctorate. At that time I considered both studying in Poland and abroad.

There were several factors that influenced my choice. Among other things, the university to which I applied stood higher in various rankings. In the end, my decision was influenced by non-scientific considerations – during my first trip to Italy I met my wife. I decided to go abroad for my doctorate so that we would be closer to each other.

As for challenges, I didn’t pay much attention to them at the time. There was something to do, so I did it. I was more focused on starting my doctorate than the challenges. On the other hand, in retrospect, I can say that I encountered quite a few logistical challenges. In addition to the PhD application itself, that is, my first contact with a foreign administration, there was also a lot of dealing with so-called daily life in a new country. Recognizing the education acquired in Poland, renting an apartment, setting up a bank account, signing up for health care..

Quite a few things that we take for granted may look very different abroad.

What are the benefits to you of working in an international scientific environment compared to working in Poland?

I don’t have a comparison. I haven’t worked scientifically in Poland, and I don’t want to rely on friends’ opinions, so it’s hard for me to judge. I certainly favor working in international teams.

This allows you to look at research problems from different perspectives.

Usually members of such teams have different research and cultural backgrounds. On the other hand, I wouldn’t judge it comparatively on the basis of “Poland vs. the rest of the world,” because these days you can build a network of international contacts from almost anywhere on earth.

Do you keep in touch with the Polish scientific community?

Yes. I keep in touch with both colleagues working in Poland and Poles working outside the country.

What are you currently working on and what is the main subject of your scientific research?

There are several subjects that I am interested in. In general, I am doing research in the field of Management Information Systems (MIS). First of all, I am concerned with persuasion technology, i.e. the study of technologies that influence user decisions, with a particular focus on the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence to create such technologies. I also study the contribution of such technologies to digital transformation processes and business management.

What are the latest developments in your field of research that are of particular interest to you?

What particularly arouses my admiration today, when you ask this question, is the development of artificial intelligence capabilities and its impact on human interaction with digital devices.

The last two years have seen tremendous progress in this field, both quantitatively and qualitatively. I am very curious to see how this technology will develop and what impact it will have on society.

What is your most important scientific achievement or discovery? Why is it important? 

I don’t know if this is my most important accomplishment, but I have derived great satisfaction from working to increase the accessibility and quality of the feedback that students receive during the university classes. The goal of our team was to make it easier for students to learn with limited contact with the lecturer. I was particularly pleased that our team was awarded the AIS Award in the Innovation in Teaching category in 2020. The AIS Awards are sort of the equivalent of an Oscar in my field, awarded annually by the Association for Information Systems. Both the project itself and the award gave me a lot of joy. And the fact that our solution (available under an open source license) can be used to motivate and helping students, also gives a lot of satisfaction.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your scientific work?

When it comes to researching new technologies for business, the challenge is to keep up with reality. Universities and research institutions are increasingly falling behind technology giants.

Very often, strictly scientific work in my field is a reaction to trends in business, and should take part in setting those trends. That’s why it’s so important, in my opinion, for scientists to collaborate with companies that can put research results into practice or participate directly in this research.

What are the most important research questions you plan to address in the near future? What developments do you see in your field?

I am currently working on several projects, and these are the ones I will be working on in the near future. First and foremost is exploring the possibility of personalizing persuasion technology on a massive scale using AI. The second topic, a bit more embedded in practice, is the possibilities of The application of such technologies in healthcare management. As for the directions of development, in my field, the further development of artificial intelligence and its practical application in business processes will certainly have quite an impact on future research directions.

Are there practical implications or potential applications of the results of your research?

How do you see their impact on society or the economy?

Yes. The field I am involved in has practical applications in business management. Especially today, when digital technologies are developing at a very fast pace. Studying their impact on human decisions and behavior can have a

Directly translated into practice. Especially if this research, as I mentioned, is conducted in cooperation with business.

What advice would you give to young scientists at the threshold of their scientific careers？

I don’t think I have that much experience to be able to give advice. Maybe we can come back to

This questions in a few(umpteen) years:). I would certainly suggest thinking well about what interests us. What questions we want to know the answers to and why exactly. If we define them well, they will help us to maintain a continuous motivation for research. Regardless of whether this research will be conducted in Poland or abroad.

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