Mikołaj Kostecki, PhD(Eng)

Rector Gdynia Maritime Higher School, 01.10.1981-15.12.1981

Mikołaj Kostecki was born on 19th December 1924 in the village of Druja, Wileński (now in Belarus) During the years 1930-1934, the family lived in Mława, where Mikołaj Kostecki attended the local primary school, then in Białystok - where he continued his education at a mathematics and PE secondary school.

From 1941, he worked in the local powerplant as a locksmith’s assistant whilst continuing his education in clandestine classes. Between November 1942 and July 1944, he served in the "Grey Formations" [Szary Szeregy] in Białystock as a soldier in the National Army, advancing to the rank of Cadet Corporal. In 1944, he was wounded during frontline operations and remained in hospital until February 1945. That same year, he passed his secondary school matura exam at the Zygmunt August Middle and Secondary School.

Work in the shipbuilding industry and scientific activity

In 1952, Mikołaj Kostecki graduated with a master’s in electrical engineering from the Gdansk University of Technology, where he specialised in radio engineering. He combined his work in the shipbuilding industry with activity in science and education.

From 1951 to 1964, he worked at the Central Shipbuilding Office in Gdansk, initially as a builder and senior builder and then a workshop manager and in 1965-1966 at the PG Ship Institute as a senior designer in the measurement apparatus department. From 1967 to 1971, he taught as a senior lecturer at the University of Gdansk.

Beginning in 1965, he held the position of senior specialist for electronics at the Gdansk Association of Ship-repair Yards. In 1966-1968, he worked as the head of the Department of Studies at the Gdansk branch of the Meramont Comprehensive Automation Agency.

As of 1969, he took charge of work carried out on the central measurement system for a ship model pool within the Measurement Technology Laboratory of the Gdansk Ship Technology Centre’s Research and Development wing.

Gdynia Maritime Higher School

In 1975, he began his association with the Gdynia Maritime Higher School on a contract basis as a reader within the institute of Automation and Radiocommunications at the School’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering. He taught digital technology and fundamentals of electronic control to students of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and SDKO.

He was a member of the Polish Association of Electricians. During the 1980s, he was a co-founder, deputy chair and chair of the Catholic Intelligence Club in Gdansk. He also actively participated in the Solidarity Movement, and in September 1980 was made head of the School’s Work Commission. During the period 1982-1988, he wrote for the underground and emigration press and cooperated with Radio Free Europe (under the pseudonym Piotr Ponard). He was the editor of an academic periodical entitled “Wolna Myśl” [free thought].

Rector of the Maritime Higher School

He was chosen as the Rector of the Maritime Higher School for the term 1^st October 1981 to 31^st August 1984, however, his contract was ended on 30th September 1982, following the introduction of martial law. In 1983, he opted for retirement. Only to return to the Maritime Higher School in 1990, this time employed part-time as a member of the contract staff at the Institute for Ship Automation (until 30th November 1991), while also holding the position of secretary of a team of advisers to the Minister for Transport and Maritime Affairs. He then worked at the Maritime Office in Gdynia, before becoming an advisor to Prime Minister Jan Olszewski in 1992. From 1993 to 1994, he was employed at the Gdynia Office of the China - Poland Shipping Association.

Publications and Patents

He was the author of numerous publications mainly on the use of electronic circuits in measuring technology used in the construction and operation of ships, three academic scripts, an academic handbook, the inventor of six patents. Dr Kostecki was awarded the Military Medal, the National Army Cross, a badge of honour “For Meritorious Service to the Lands of Gdansk”, and The Gold Cross of Merit. He died on 3rd November 2009 in Sopot and was buried at the local Catholic Cemetery.