Dr. Danuta Solecka, a teaching professor at the Institute of Experimental Biology and Plant Biotechnology, is concerned with the mechanisms of plant responses to environmental stress factors (low temperature, drought), and especially with the role of the cell wall and phenolic compounds in these processes. In recent years, she has also become interested in the morphogenetic and embryogenic potential of in vitro plant cultures and the induction of the synthesis of specialized metabolites in these cultures.

She is a recipient of UW Rector’s team awards for research and organizational achievements, and three times received the so-called Rector UW Research Fellowship. In 2017, she received the Silver Medal of the 200th anniversary of the UW for her scientific and teaching activities, and in 2018, she received the Teaching Award of the University of Warsaw Rector for outstanding achievements in the implementation of the teaching process and the introduction of innovative methods and measures in the area of natural sciences and sciences. She is most proud to have twice received the Teaching Merit Award from the UW Biology Faculty students in 2021 and 2023.

She was a manager of 2 KBN grants, a contractor in 4 NCN-funded grants and in grants from other funds. She has held short-term research internships, funded by Erasmus (3 months, University of Manchester), Polish-French Foundation (3 months, Universitaire Paul Sabatier Toulouse), Alberta State University, Canada (3 months), and five 2-week teaching internships, including at the University of Bangor, University of York, University of Manchester.

Currently, she is the coordinator of 4 and co-coordinator of 3 subjects offered by the Faculty of  Biology, and is involved in teaching 2 more. She has supervised 33 master’s and bachelor’s theses and reviewed 136, in various fields of biology. She cooperated in the organization of the postgraduate course „Man-City-Environment”. In addition to teaching at the UW Faculty of Biology, she has taught, among other things, lectures and laboratories as part of the Postgraduate Program for Teachers of Nature (where she was voted Best Lecturer by the students).

She has authored more than 130 lectures and popularization classes, and at the Faculty of Biology she has been coordinating the World Fascinating Plant World Day activities since 2013. She also participates in the Night of Biologists, the Science Festival, and is often invited to the media for interviews on plant topics. She organizes lessons for schools.

She is, since 2022, a member of the Editorial Committee of the Kosmos journal.

Dr. Danuta Solecka is a founding member of the Polish Society for Experimental Plant Biology and a member of the Polish Botanical Society. She was Treasurer of the Warsaw Branch of the PTB from 2006 to 2016, 2016 – 2020 – member of the Board of Directors, and since 2020 – member of the Audit Committee of the Warsaw Branch of the PTB.

Organizational activities at the University

contact: d.solecka@uw.edu.pl