Dr hab. Łukasz Półtorak, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz, comes from Białystok. He studied in his hometown, Germany and France. He gained further scientific experience in the Netherlands. Since 2019, he has been associated with the University of Lodz Faculty of Chemistry. He is the leader of the Electrochemistry@Soft Interfaces (E@SI) team and the Head of the 3D printing laboratory. His scientific interests include the electrochemistry of systems based on the liquid-liquid interface, miniaturisation, biomimetic systems, membrane processes, electrochemical sensors and 3D printing. Privately, he is a husband, a father, a handyman and an eternally insatiable fisherman.
What inspired you to become a scientist?
I have always been fascinated by the world. My curiosity grew with my education. I was built up by my first international research experience in Germany. The atmosphere of the Bielefeld University captivated me and influenced my choice of career path. The PhD studies at the Université de Lorraine was a period of scientific maturation. The internship in the Netherlands was my first experience as a leader of small projects. At every stage, I had the pleasure of working with great scientists, whom I still consider my mentors. The decision to become a scientist is not only an inspiration, but also the result of working in a stimulating scientific environment.
What impact does your work have on the surrounding reality?
My work is the work of my team. Electrochemistry, a science that focuses on the relationship between molecules and electricity, constitutes the backbone of our research. We develop electrochemical sensors for drug detection and food quality control. I hope that our tools will be widely used in the future, enabling chemical control of the world around us. We are a part of an international scientific community that studies and creates tools to monitor our health, the quality of the products we use and environmental pollution.
How do you understand the term: profession of a scientist?
A scientist is a person who is driven by the desire to discover the world around us. It doesn't matter whether one looks at this world through a microscope or a telescope. Since I am a chemist, I will add the only appropriate piece of clothing to this definition, i.e. a laboratory coat.
More information about Dr hab. Łukasz Półtorak’s work
Naukowcy opracowują tanie sensory do wykrywania narkotyków [Scientists are developing cheap sensors to detect drugs] (in Polish)
Łódzka Nauka (TVP3 Łódź) [Science in Lodz] (in Polish)
Personal website of Dr hab. Łukasz Półtorak, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz
Scientific achievements
Source: Dr hab. Łukasz Półtorak (Faculty of Chemistry University of Lodz)
Edit: Michał Gruda (Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz)
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