Pinkowski Files

Andrzej F. Szczepanski (b. Czestochowa, Poland, May 4, 1946).
Mechanical Engineer, Scientist, Historian, Polish Community Leader. Educated in Technical University of Czestochowa, Poland, 1969 - M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, (Yield point determination of selected metals using the bending method) 1978 - Ph.D. in Technical Sciences. (Influence of a selected surface treatment of duralumin on its fatigue strength) He developed a technology for increasing the fatigue life of aluminum alloys by application of coatings. From 1969 to 1990 he was employed at the Technical University of Czestochowa, Mechanical Engineering Department and also from 1988 to 1990 at the State University of Czestochowa, Mathematics and Natural Science Department. In 1978 - 1984 he became Chairman of the Technical University Branch at the Automotive Equipment Plant POLMO, Praszka, Poland. In 1981 he received a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Copenhagen, in the Technical University of Denmark. During his professional scientific career he mainly worked on Strength and Mechanical Behavior of Materials and the Internal Factory Transportation Systems where in 1988 he received professional registration. He led and reviewed over 50 master’s thesis in mechanical engineering and also in education of technical subject teachers. He was also a technical consultant in industrial plants and scientific industrial institutes.

At the end of studies in 1968 he became a qualified tourist guide per government standards and in 1985 was authorized to lead tours abroad. In 1982 he qualified as a tourist guide instructor and headed the board of examiners. As education and training organizer and coordinator working with the administration of the former Czestochowa, Katowice, Krakow and Sieradz voivodeships, he proposed and was authorized to create Jurassic Guide that included the area of Krakow - Wielun Jurassic Region. In 1990 he received No.1 Jurassic Guide identification card implemented by law under the Voivodeship Directorate of the Polish Tourist Association (PTA). During the period 1970-1990 he held the offices of President and/or Chairman of the Polish Tourist Association on chapter, university, municipal, provincial and national levels. He was the author of the books: "75 years of Polish Tourist Association (PTA) in Czestochowa" (1983) and "An historical outline of the tourist guidance in Czestochowa on the background of the tourist history on the Polish soil" (1984).

After coming to the United States in 1990 he worked in industry until 2003. Among other duties he programmed CNC machines and manufactured machine parts for aircraft and space industry (Boeing Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp., Martin Marietta Astro Space, Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space, General Electric Astro Space, Piasecki Aircraft Corp.). In 1997 he acquired Business Software Diploma in Berkeley Education & Training Center, Philadelphia, PA. In 2002 he accepted an invitation to teach at Widener University, Mechanical Engineering Department in Chester, PA and Community College of Philadelphia in Physics Department and Mathematics Department. During 2004-2005 he also taught at Rutgers State University of New Jersey, Camden, in the Physics and Chemistry Department. He used his scientific knowledge and industrial experience to teach technical subjects, as well as physics and mathematics to graduate and undergraduate students.

During 1994-1996 he was President of the Catholic Intellectuals Union in Philadelphia, PA. This organization grouped the social life of new immigrants from Poland coming into the Delaware Valley. He also supported the Polish Language School organized at St. John's Cantius Church in Bridesburg, Philadelphia. In 2000 be become the co-organizer and first president of the USA Polonia 2000 Foundation, Philadelphia, PA. He was co-creator of Polish Socio-Cultural Monthly Magazine Teraz (Now) in 1997 where he published "Philadelphia, Philadelphia" a series of articles about the city (42 parts). He also presented "The sights of Philadelphia", a series of radio programs about the city (in 32 parts) broadcast by the Polish Radio Program "Kaleidoscope" in Philadelphia 2001-2005. In 2006 he started up to work at the Pinkowski Institute which in 2009 became the Poles in America Foundation, Inc. His work involves an enormous project of creating an on-line database of outstanding Poles that includes about 9,000 names (2009). The main part of this information was excerpted from works edited by Rev. Francis Bolek (1943) and Boleslaw Wierzbianski (1996) both titled "Who's Who in Polish America" and published in New York.
From: Resume (2010)