Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska has been awarded a Honoris Causa Doctorate from Lublin University of Technology (LUT) in Poland for her globally significant work in air quality research and its effect on human health and the environment.
The award, which recognises outstanding achievements and contributions in fields including science, technology, the economy, and society, was presented on May 13, following a discussion forum on What our children breathe – air quality in educational institutions, at which Professor Morawska was guest of honour.
In honouring Professor Morawska, LUT highlighted the widespread impact her research has had on the world over a career spanning more than three decades.
Professor Morawska, a physicist and Australian Laureate Fellow with the QUT School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, was born and raised in Poland which gives this latest accolade extra significance.
“I am truly honoured to receive Doctorate Honoris Causa from Lublin University of Technology and grateful for this incredible recognition of my work,” Professor Morawska said.
“Doctorate Honoris Causa is perhaps the highest honour a university can bestowed upon an individual, usually for a significant contribution to society. In accepting it, I emphasised that the need for a purpose of my work, beyond satisfying scientific curiosity, is what motivates me every day.
“I am humbly proud that my work has made a small contribution to the good of our society.”
Director of the QUT-based International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Professor Morawska was named by TIME magazine in 2021 as one of the world’s 100 most influential people for her leadership role in assembling an international team of more than 200 scientists and public-health authorities to convince the World Health Organisation to recognise the role of aerosols in spreading SARS-CoV-2.
Through approximately 1100 publications, she has been a leader in new science and driven far-reaching changes her field.
Her focus is on airborne particles, both anthropogenic and natural, such as nanoparticles, ultrafine particles, and particles people emit when they breathe.
A strong advocate for air quality standards, she recently led a group of international experts who presented a blueprint for national indoor air quality standards for public buildings.
The LUT Honoris Causa Doctorate is that latest in a list of honours for Professor Morawska. Last year she was elected to the prestigious American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was presented with the 2024 Planetary Health Award from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.
- As part of the Honoris Causa Doctorate, Lublin University has published a book (in Polish and English) that honours Professor Morawska’s career with reviews of her achievements.
Main image: Professor Lidia Morawska awarded a Honoris Causa Doctorate from Lublin University of Technology, Poland. Photo by Tomasz Nowak
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