Jan Fedorowicz
Dr. Jan Krzysztof Fedorowicz, Adjunct Professor in the Department of History of Carleton University, passed away on April 16. Over forty years, Jan authored studies in Polish history, from the foreign relations of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 17th and 18th centuries, to the general history of the mid-nineteenth century. His study of the Baltic trade earned him the Ellen MacArthur Prize in Economic History prize at Kings College, Cambridge, where he received his PhD. It was praised on publication for its mastery of documents, its ability to connect Polish sources and interpretations to mainstream literature, and its skillful weighing of the relative importance of ideology and economy in the making of foreign policy.
Jan taught for more than thirty years at Carleton, on a variety of topics, from surveys of Russian history to the current challenges of conducting business in Eastern Europe. His televised lectures on the history of the future, the history of technology, and the history of terrorism were much appreciated by undergraduate students who nominated him, in 2016, for a Capital Educators’ Award. James Miller, Chair of the Department of History, recalls that Jan “was always so enthusiastic and innovative in his efforts to expand the learning options of our students.” A consultant in policy, business and security, Jan trained many students in the skill of policy writing. Historian Jeff Sahadeo, Director of the Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS), recounts how many at the Institute will miss him: “Jan loved to teach and transmitted his energy so effectively to his students. I was happy to have known him.” Graduate students remember how supportive he was of their research and teaching. Dr. Egemen Ozbek, now Coordinator of the project “Academy in Exile” at the University of Duisburg-Essen, was a teaching assistant in his course on the history of future: “I was truly inspired by his passion to teach and the way he connected with the students. He was a great teacher and very kind soul.” Sandy Barron, a doctoral candidate in History, remembers how Jan “was very giving with his time in discussing what he thought of grad student research, and really supportive as the first prof I TA’d for at Carleton”.
We are deeply saddened by the loss of a most generous and dedicated colleague.
The Ottawa Citizen published an obituary on April 23.