profiles

Marta Ochyra-Olchawa, Ph.D.

Degrees

• Ph.D. Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland, 2019
• A. American Studies, Institute of American Studies and Polish Diaspora, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland, 2008
• A. Balkan Studies, Institute of History, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland, 2007
• A. Political and International Studies, B. Janski College, Krakow, Poland 2004
• Summer School of Croatian Language and Culture, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia June-July 2010

Research Interests

• Polish Language, Literature, History and Culture
• Polish Diaspora and Bilingualism
• Polish School of Reportage
• Political Science and International Relations
• Cold War and Polish People’s Republic, PRL
• American and Balkan Studies

Professional & Community Affiliations

Loyola Service:

• Faculty reviewer of the annual Undergraduate Student FORUM, a competition of papers on Central and Eastern Europe
• Cooperation with the Jan Karski Educational Foundation in promoting the Karski legacy (https://www.jankarski.net/en/news/karski-the-beacon-of-hope.html) 

Service Outside Loyola:

• Lecturer at the School of Polish Language and Culture, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Summer 2024
• Polish language tutoring
• Member of the Polish Language School “Glossa”, Krakow
• Polish Language School of the Jagiellonian University, Burr Ridge, IL 2016-2018                           
• Certificate for completing the workshop “I read, and I like it!” for parents and teachers of bilingual children organized by the Jagiellonian University and the Academic Quality Council, Chicago 2016

Courses Taught

LITR 200 European Masterpieces:

• Polish Short Stories
• Polish Literature of the Cold War
• Post-World War II Polish Literature
• 20^th Century Conflicts in Polish Reportage

Polish Language:

• POLS 101 Elementary Polish
• POLS 102 Elementary Polish
• POLS 103 Intermediate Polish
• POLS 104 Intermediate Polish

Selected Publications

• "From Brussels to Sarajevo: Why Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina are Home to Islamic terrorists”, The Huffington Post, November 2016.
• “Triangle of the Future: NATO-Croatia-European Union,” Contemporary Transatlantic Relations, Janusz Cisek (ed.), Krakow 2010.
• “Islam in the Balkans: ethnic conflicts”, Maska, Krakow 2008.
• “Mohammed in the Balkans,” Per Aspera Ad Astra vol. IV, Krakow 2008.
• “Religious and Ethnic Changes in the Balkans during the Turkish Expansion,” Student Historical Notebooks 11, Krakow 2007.