Sławomir Ostrowski

Brainstormer, Business adviser, Business leader, Business mentor, Connector, Doctor, Educator/Teacher, Engineer, Entrepreneur, Idea generator, Life mentor, Project manager, Scientist, Technologist

Like many innovators, my mission is to bridge the worlds of academia and industry — both in research and in real-world business practice. I am currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Informatics in Management, Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdańsk University of Technology. In 2018, I earned my PhD in Economic Sciences in the discipline of Management Science, and earlier I completed my integrated Master’s–Engineering studies in Management with a specialization in IT Technology Management (2011) at the same faculty. Research and professional focus Since 2013, I have been deeply involved in Project Management education, serving as the President of the Pomeranian Regional Group of IPMA Poland. I am also the Vice-Chairman of the Pomeranian Voivodeship Labour Market Council, where I contribute to shaping regional employment policies and strategies for workforce development. My research interests include Project Management, Service Design, Design Thinking, and Smart Cities. I have participated in the European project Start_V-AR, focusing on building a European training network in the field of virtual and augmented reality. I am also engaged in DIGIMPACT.eu — a European initiative supporting digital transformation, innovation, and entrepreneurship in higher education, developing educational tools, mentoring programs, and cross-sector collaborations, while addressing challenges such as urban mobility and crisis response. Specialization in Artificial Intelligence In recent years, my academic work has increasingly focused on the role of Artificial Intelligence, especially Generative AI (GenAI), in project management. My published paper, “Using GenAI in IT Project Management: Case Studies, Insights and Challenges”, explores real-world use cases from companies that have leveraged GenAI to boost project efficiency, optimize resources, and enhance stakeholder communication, while also highlighting challenges such as data quality and algorithmic bias. This work reflects my ongoing commitment to exploring AI’s transformative role in management. Passion and practice Beyond academia, I work as a Project Manager in the automotive industry — a sector that merges my long-standing personal passion with professional expertise. I hold certifications as a Project Manager and as an Internal Auditor for integrated management systems. Leadership and community engagement I am passionate about supporting young talent and academic initiatives. I serve as the academic supervisor of the Interfaculty Student Research Group Project Management (Międzywydziałowe Koło Naukowe Project Management Politechniki Gdańskiej), which engages students in organizing conferences, competitions, and other high-impact events. One of the group’s recent flagship initiatives — led by student leaders Jakub Kopiczyński and Grzegorz Kowalik — was the organization of TEDxPolitechnika Gdańska, held on November 25, 2023, and November 23, 2024. These events brought together innovators, thought leaders, and creative minds to share ideas worth spreading, while also giving students hands-on experience in managing complex, large-scale projects. This year, together with the entire Research Group, I am the main organizer of the next edition of TEDxPolitechnika Gdańska, which will take place on November 15, 2025. Outreach and educational activities I am an active member of the academic and student community, with experience in doctoral and student organizations, scientific circles, and associations. I have organized numerous seminars, training sessions, conferences, and congresses dedicated to emerging technologies, project management, design thinking, and soft skills development.

I am passionate about empowering people to turn their ideas into reality. Whether it’s mentoring students, leading research in AI-driven project management, working with international partners on VR/AR education projects, or guiding policy as Vice-Chairman of the Pomeranian Voivodeship Labour Market Council, I find energy in connecting people and disciplines. I’m deeply committed to lifelong learning, innovation, and creating platforms — like TEDx — where diverse voices can inspire action. At heart, my passion is about shaping a future where technology serves humanity, not the other way around.

The future of innovation lies at the intersection of technology, creativity, and human-centered design. We need to bridge the gap between emerging technologies like Generative AI and the real problems people face — from managing cities smarter to transforming education and designing sustainable services. My idea worth spreading is that project management, when combined with service design and AI, can become a universal language — enabling diverse teams across cultures and industries to co-create solutions faster, fairer, and more effectively. Technology is powerful, but its true potential is unlocked when guided by empathy, ethics, and inclusive collaboration.

ai, Artificial intelligence, Design thinking, Labour market, pm, project management, service design, Services

TED, for me, represents the perfect intersection of ideas, people, and action. My journey began when, as the academic supervisor of the Interfaculty Student Research Group Project Management at Gdańsk University of Technology, I mentored students Jakub Kopiczyński and Grzegorz Kowalik in organizing TEDxPolitechnika Gdańska in 2023 and 2024. Seeing students transform their visions into world-class events reaffirmed my belief in the power of knowledge-sharing to create change. This year, I am leading the organization of the 2025 edition of TEDxPolitechnika Gdańska, building an even stronger platform for “ideas worth spreading” in our region. TED is not just an event for me — it’s a mindset I live by in research, business, and education.

Many people know me as a project manager and academic, but few realize I’m also highly skilled at bringing together people from completely different worlds — academia, business, and non-profits — and turning their collective ideas into concrete, high-impact projects. I excel at designing processes where creativity meets precision, whether it’s structuring a large-scale event like TEDx, building an international research consortium, or guiding a student team toward winning a competition. I’m also unexpectedly good at solving complex problems under extreme time pressure — and keeping a sense of humor while doing it. What often surprises people even more is my deep, lifelong connection to the automotive world. My parents run our family-owned car service business (www.anro.info), so from an early age I was immersed in engines, tools, and the culture of precision craftsmanship. My father was also a rally driver, so you could say fuel runs in my veins. This background has given me not only extensive technical knowledge, but also the mindset of speed, adaptability, and performance that I bring into every project I lead.