Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University Hosts Haub Visiting Scholar Professor Maciej Nyka

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University had the honor of hosting Professor Maciej Nyka, Chair of the Department of Economic Law and Environmental Protection at the University of Gdańsk in Poland. Professor Nyka is a 2024-25 Haub Visiting Scholar at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. He also holds the professor’s chair at the Division of Environmental Toxicology at the Faculty of Health Sciences within the Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine at the Medical University of Gdańsk and is a deputy head of the Space Sciences Commission at the Polish Academy of Sciences (Gdańsk Branch) – focusing on issues of space/space sector sustainability and legal instruments of management of space resources.

During his recent visit to Haub Law, Professor Nyka spent time collaborating and speaking with the Haub Law community. He began his visit connecting with the Pace | Haub Environmental Law faculty and staff at a luncheon. Later that evening, Professor Nyka was a guest speaker in Kerlin Distinguished Professor of Environmental Law, Associate Dean for Environmental Law Programs and Strategic Initiatives, Jason J. Czarnezki’s Natural Resources Law Class, where he presented a lecture titled: Managing natural resources in international environmental law – from sovereignty to responsibility. Professor Nyka is also author and co-author of numerous books and articles published in Poland and abroad. During his stay, Professor Jason Czarnezki and Professor Nyka also had the opportunity to discuss their joint research project on ensuring sustainability in the Baltic Sea.

“Last year, Professor Nyka was kind enough to host me at the University of Gdańsk in Poland, and I am honored to be able to do the same at Haub Law,” said Professor Czarnezki. “Professor Nyka brings with him a wealth of knowledge and opportunity for research and collaboration. He is at the forefront of research involving the intersection of the economy and the environment. On behalf of the Haub Law community, we are honored to have Professor Nyka as a Haub Visiting Scholar.” Throughout his visit, Professor Nyka also spent time touring New York City, including United Nations Headquarters, with both Pace University and Haub Law colleagues and also meeting with administration, faculty, and staff at Pace University’s downtown Manhattan and White Plains campuses.

“The innovative work that Pace | Haub Environmental Law has done and continues to do is inspirational,” said Professor Nyka. “The work that the Pace | Haub Law Environmental Program has done involving sustainability is groundbreaking and making a real impact. Collaboration between universities and scholars to confront the climate crisis is key to making a positive impact in halting the crisis in its tracks. I am honored to serve as the Haub Visiting Scholar, and I have a deep belief that this visit is just the beginning of intensive collaboration between Pace University and University of Gdańsk. Such collaboration would benefit students and academics, but is also crucial in facing modern environmental challenges. Both US and EU can and must learn from each other in this field.”

During his visit, Professor Nyka and Professor Czarnezki also met with Haub Law’s Associate Director Graduate Programs and International Affairs, Diana Ramirez about collaboration opportunities. “Haub Law is excited to partner with the University of Gdańsk, our first collaboration in this region of Europe. This partnership will allow students from both institutions to participate in exchanges and collaborate on academic projects."

During Professor Czarnezki’s 2023 visit to the University of Gdansk in Poland, he spent time meeting with the Rector of the University, Professor Piotr Stepnowski, as well as the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Administration, Professor Wojciech Zalewski, where many opportunities for research and organizational collaboration were discussed. Professor Czarnezki was also a guest at the University's monthly doctoral student seminar at the Economic Law and Environmental Protection Department, and gave a guest lecture on the evolution of environmental regulation in the United States. Visits to the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk and The Emigration Museum in Gdynia were also part of the agenda and gave Professor Czarnezki an opportunity to connect with his Polish heritage.

In their roles at Haub Law, Haub Visiting Scholars collaborate with faculty, guest lecture classes, and work closely with students in the Environmental Law Program and others. As previously announced, funding for the Haub Visiting Scholars was made possible by a gift from the Haub family in recognition of the essential role of environmental science, informatics and other technology and allied fields towards formulating environmental policy and law.