Coffee with a Professor! Assoc. Prof. Elżbieta Szymańska inspires students of the Faculty of Engineering Management to travel

Coffee with a Professor – inspiring meetings between students and academic teachers

Studying at Bialystok University of Technology is not only about lectures and exams, but above all about building relationships and discovering passions that stay with you for life. Dialogue between students and academic teachers is fostered by “Coffee with a Professor” – a series of informal meetings where, over a cup of coffee and in a relaxed atmosphere, students can get to know the mentors they usually see behind the lectern.

Meeting with Assoc. Prof. Elżbieta Szymańska, DSc, PhD

On 20 January 2026, students of Bialystok University of Technology set off on an extraordinary journey entitled “Travels with Figurines”. The meeting was hosted by Assoc. Prof. Elżbieta Szymańska, DSc, PhD, who has been affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering Management and the Tourism and Recreation study programme for nearly 20 years. The Professor showed that a shared passion is the best way to bridge the distance between lecturer and student.

From a meteorite to Sumerian deities

This was not a typical presentation, but a captivating journey through time. Prof. Szymańska opened her “suitcase of memories”, revealing a map of human civilisation.
She presented participants of “Coffee with a Professor” with her unique collection of items gathered over many years. These intriguing figurines – as she admitted – are meant to spark curiosity and inspire future entrepreneurs in the tourism industry.

As she spoke about each exhibit, she guided students through successive stages in the development of human civilisation – from meteorites and trilobite fossils dating back 460 million years, to an exceptionally valuable figurine of the Sumerian god Enlil. She also introduced the cultures of the Caribbean, Vietnam and Thailand.
The stories were accompanied by flavours from the most distant corners of the world. Prof. Szymańska invited participants to taste exotic delicacies such as dried crickets, traditional Moroccan amlou paste, and damlasakizi receli jam – an authentic flavour of Turkey. The tasting was complemented by lotus flower tea, served in Thailand, as well as black tea with clubmoss – a delicacy from Bhutan.

Travel broadens the mind

During “Coffee with a Professor”, students asked about experiences from distant journeys and plans for the future.

Although Prof. Szymańska has already visited almost all continents, she openly admits that she still dreams of travelling to Chile – a country that fascinates her with its mystery. At the same time, much to the encouragement of Tourism and Recreation students, she emphasised that although the world is breathtaking, Poland remains the most beautiful place on earth for her.

– You can never see the whole world – said Assoc. Prof. Elżbieta Szymańska with a smile. – What matters is nurturing childlike curiosity and the desire to discover the “fairy tale” unfolding around us – one we can reach for at any moment.

“Coffee with a Professor” at the Faculty of Engineering Management of Bialystok University of Technology once again proved that our university is a place full of inspiration, where sharing experience and passion comes naturally.

Author: Monika Rokicka

“Coffee with a Professor” is implemented as part of the WINGS PB – Support, Integration, Education, Guarantee of Success with BUT project, financed under the European Funds for Social Development 2021–2027 programme from the European Social Fund Plus.

See the photo gallery from “Coffee with a Professor” on 20 January 2026.