From KF Exchange Program to Minister of Science Award: Dr. Krzysztof Kutak’s Research Journey
We are proud to celebrate Dr. Krzysztof Kutak, a Kosciuszko Foundation Exchange to the U.S. Program alumnus and one of the recipients of the 2026 Minister of Science Award.
In 2022, Dr. Kutak spent three months at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) through the Kosciuszko Foundation Exchange Program. During his stay, he pursued research on proton entropy and developed a highly productive collaboration with physicists at BNL.
Reflecting on his KF exchange program experience, Dr. Kutak says:
“The research topic I worked on during the fellowship concerned the problem of proton entropy, which can be both calculated theoretically and measured by analyzing the products produced in proton–electron collisions. This problem brings together concepts from quantum information theory and particle physics.
Before leaving for the fellowship, I published a paper whose results indicated that the hypothesis that entropy can be associated with the proton was correct. During my stay at BNL, I established a highly productive collaboration with physicists from Brookhaven National Laboratory: Prof. Dmitri Kharzeev, one of the authors of this hypothesis, and Zhoudunming Tu, an experimental physicist. Together, we wrote two publications in which we presented an analysis of experimental data and confirmed the hypothesis that entropy can be associated with the elementary constituents of the proton.
These papers are now widely cited. An important part of the fellowship was also the opportunity to present my research findings in the United States. I delivered four talks at different universities, which attracted considerable interest. This increased my visibility within the scientific community and facilitated the establishment of further collaborations.”
Dr. Kutak’s experience illustrates the lasting impact of international academic exchange. His time in the United States not only enabled him to advance his research, but also connected him with leading scientists, resulted in joint publications, and provided opportunities to present his work to new audiences.
The collaborations and connections established during the KF Exchange continued to contribute to his scientific development and international research profile.
Today, we are delighted to see Dr. Kutak recognized with the 2026 Minister of Science Award—an achievement that reflects his continued contribution to science and research.
Apply for the KF Exchange to the U.S. Program HERE
Dr. Kutak’s story is one example of what international exchange can make possible.
The Kosciuszko Foundation Exchange Program to the United States supports Polish scholars and artists who wish to conduct field or archival research, work in laboratories, complete artistic projects or residencies, or teach at US institutions.
Each year, the Foundation awards approximately 40 scholars with grants and fellowships totaling more than $600,000. Awardees have the opportunity to conduct research and pursue academic projects at leading US universities and research institutions, including Stanford University, MIT, Harvard University, Yale University, UC Berkeley, Columbia University, UCLA, Duke University, and Cornell University.
The program welcomes applicants from all academic disciplines.
Eligible applicants include Polish citizens who are PhD students, academic scholars, advanced postdoctoral fellows, instructors, assistant professors, researchers, and artists.
The Kosciuszko Foundation Exchange Program to the US is made possible through the generous support of individuals committed to strengthening scholarly, scientific, and cultural exchange between Poland and the United States.
Apply HERE. Application deadline: November 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM EST.
