History

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is one of the oldest faculties of Bialystok University of Technology, created upon The Private Evening Engineering College established on the 1st of December 1949. The first 54 students commenced their education in the field of Mechanics on the 1st of February 1950. At the time the activities of the Faculty were aimed at providing future engineers with general education in the field of Machine Construction Technology.

Moreover, the aforementioned activities were the inevitable response to the demand of developing industries for engineering personnel. This study proved to be predominant for a considerable number of years. On the 1st of September 1964, The Evening Engineering College was transformed into Engineering Academy and as a result the rights to conduct full-time and extramural engineering studies in the field of Mechanics were obtained. In 1973 full-time Master’s Programme was opened in the field of Mechanics and Machine Construction. Along with the development of new trends in industries connected with automation of technological processes, a new programme of studies was introduced – Automatic Control and Robotics – the 5-year uniform Master’s Studies. Following the need of providing future engineers with interdisciplinary knowledge in the fields of technology and medicine, the educational offer of the Faculty was extended resulting in a new speciality of Orthopaedic and Prosthetic Engineering, which was subsequently transformed into Biomedical Engineering (Bachelor of Engineering Studies since 2008 and Master’s Studies since 2011). Moreover, in 2005 a new faculty of Education in Technology and Informatics was opened followed by Agricultural and Forest Technology in 2008. Following cooperation with Electrical Engineering Faculty, an inter-faculty programme of Energetics was proposed and in 2013 it was transformed into Eco-energetics with additional engagement of Building and Environment Engineering Faculty. In 2014 the educational offer of Mechanical Faculty was further developed with the introduction of Mechatronic Systems and Materials studies taught both in Polish and English. It should be noted that since its first days approximately 10 000 students have graduated from the Faculty.

The first Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering was Prof. Marian Poniatowski, PhD, Eng who was elected in December 1951 and held the post until March 1958. The subsequent Deans of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (or Directors of Institute of Mechanics) who set formal and organizational foundations as well as established new trends in the development of the Faculty include the following: Jan Zubaczek, MSc Eng (1958-1967), Prof. Henryk Popko PhD, Eng (1968-1971), Prof. Tadeusz Jeszke DSc, PhD, Eng (1971-1975), Prof. Henryk Bernacki DSc, PhD, Eng (1975-1979), Prof. Józef Jezierski DSc, PhD, Eng (1979-1981), Prof. Stefan Ignatiuk DSc, PhD, Eng (1982-1990), Czesław Celmerowski DSc, PhD, Eng (1990-1994), Roman Niesteruk PhD, Eng (acting as the Dean in 1994 r.), Prof. Jan Łach DSc, PhD, Eng (1994-1999), Prof. Jan Piwnik DSc, PhD, Eng (1999-2002), Prof. Franciszek Siemieniako DSc, PhD, Eng (1981-1982 and 2008-2012) and Prof. Andrzej Seweryn DSc, PhD, Eng (2002-2008, and since 2012).

The 1970s was a period of time when the University underwent a noticeable and dynamic development. It was the time when the new campus finally took its final shape in 45 Wiejska Street, allowing the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering to obtain facilities suitable for its growing research potential and educational requirements. Countless employees from various universities, scientific institutes as well as developing industries in Poland were offered a position and were later employed by the University. As a result of a constantly increasing number of academic staff, constant growth of laboratory base occurred that served not only so as to modernize didactics, but also to develop and carry out scientific research. Following the agreement with the Minister of National Education, on the 1st of October 1988 the Institute of Mechanics was formally transformed into the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Bialystok University of Technology. Significant development of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering resulted in obtaining the rights to confer the degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences (PhD) in the field of Machine Construction and Maintenance in 1989 and in the field of Mechanics in 2005. Further development of academic staff and scientific research brought the possibility of conferring a Postdoctoral Degree (DSc.) in the field of Machine Construction and Maintenance in 2006 and in the field of Mechanics in 2009. In 2006, the Faculty extended its offer even further with two additional PhD studies in the fields of Machine Construction and Maintenance and Mechanics. In 2014, the Faculty obtained the rights to confer the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in the fields of Biocybernetics and Biomedical Engineering, and shortly after followed with opening Doctoral Studies in these fields.

In recent years, the faculty has witnessed significant changes that mark its remarkable academic potential. In 2013, as a result of a comprehensive evaluation of scientific and research activities of scientific units conducted by Komitet Ewaluacji Jednostek Naukowych (Committee for Evaluation of Scientific Institutions) acting on behalf of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Bialystok University of Technology received category A, taking sixth place among thirty-six similar units in Poland.

On the initiative of Mechanical Faculty, honorary degrees were conferred to Prof. Zenon Mroz, DSc, PhD, Eng (Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Science in Warsaw) in 2012 and to Prof. Jarosław Mikielewicz, DSc, PhD, Eng (Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Science in Gdańsk) in 2014. Furthermore, in 2014, an honorary professor degree was conferred to a long-time faculty employee and a former Dean, Prof. Franciszek Siemieniako, DSc, PhD, Eng.

Currently, there are six departments, covering general and specialized didactics within the scope of available studies as well as implementing advanced scientific research and developmental works in the following fields:

• Mechanics of modern materials with particular focus on the development of damage and fractures,
• Construction and maintenance processes of machines and vehicles,
• Technology of technical objects shaping, processing and measurement,
• Modelling, diagnostics and controlling systems and objects, including autonomous mobile robots and unmanned aircrafts,
• Modern constructions, materials and technologies in biomedical engineering,
• Modern heating/cooling systems and devices.