Prof. Tomasz Borecki is a professor of forest sciences, an expert in the field of forest management, and the author of over 190 studies on contemporary forestry.

Since 1979, he has been associated with SGGW, during 1996-2002 he acted as the vice-rector, and then in the period of 2002-2008 the rector of the SGGW.

He had many important functions. Prof. Borecki was a member of the Conference of Rectors of Academic. Schools in Poland for 3 terms (2002 – 2012), and its vice-president in 2005-2008, the chairman of the Conference of Rectors of Agricultural and Life Sciences Universities (2002-2005), the chairman of the Conference of Rectors of Warsaw Universities (2002-2005), the director of the Institute of Contemporary Civilisation Problems (2008-2020), and deputy chairman of the Central Committee for Degrees and Titles (2013-2016).

He is a doctor honoris causa of the Lviv National Agrarian University in Dubliany and SGGW, Warsaw.

In 2010-2015 he was a social advisor of rural affairs to the President of the Republic of Poland. On April 19, 2021, he became a member of the Ethics Committee at PAS. The Science Ethics Committee at the Polish Academy of Sciences is selected from candidates nominated by the entire scientific and academic community. In the 2019-2022 term, the chairman of the Committee is prof. dr hab. n. med. Andrzej Górski, and the deputy chairman is prof. dr hab. n. med. Janusz Limon.

The Committee members:

• dr hab. Osman Achmatowicz
• dr hab. Wiesław Banyś
• dr hab. Andrzej Białynicki-Birula
• dr hab. Andrzej Grzywacz
• dr hab. Tadeusz Luty
• dr hab. Piotr Węgleński
• dr hab. Jan Woleński

It is worth noting two other members of the Committee are also former employees of SGGW: prof. Osman Achmatowicz, long-term secretary of the Central Committee for Degrees and Titles, and prof. Andrzej Grzywacz, dean of the Faculty of Forestry (1990-1993) and vice-rector of the SGGW in 1984-1990.

The Science Ethics Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences expresses opinions on cases concerning violations of the science ethics principles by employees of universities, academic units of the Academy and research institutes, in particular in proceedings conducted by disciplinary boards.

Upon its own initiative, it may refer cases to the relevant disciplinary boards with a recommendation to conduct investigation procedures.

The Committee also conducts activities aimed at popularizing standards of scientific research reliability.

On June 25, 2020, the General Assembly of the Polish Academy of Sciences adopted the Committee’s Code of Ethics for Researchers (3rd edition), containing recommendations on how to deal with scientific data, research procedures, publishing practices, reviewing and giving opinions.

When developing that version of the Code, members of the Science Ethics Committee took into account the suggestions made by the scientific and academic community.