A prestigious scholarship for a researcher from SWPS University
Dr. Kamil Janowicz has been awarded a Fulbright Senior Award scholarship for the 2026/2027 academic year. This year, 59 candidates applied for the program, 23 were invited to the interview stage, and only 18 ultimately received the scholarship.
See the list of Fulbright Senior Award laureates
A researcher specializing in identity and parenthood
Dr. Kamil Janowicz works at the Center for Research on Personality Development, where he studies various aspects of parenthood and the factors that shape identity development. He led the research project “Maternal Gatekeeping and Parental Identity”, funded by the National Science Centre. He also runs the popular science blog Father_ing, where he shares research-based insights and his own experiences related to parenthood.
Read Dr. Janowicz's full bio
Fulbright Program and Fulbright Senior Award
The Fulbright Program is the largest academic and cultural exchange program of the United States, carried out in cooperation with more than 160 countries worldwide. The program provides scholarships for individuals at different stages of education and professional careers, from diverse backgrounds and across all fields of science and the arts. Since 1946, more than 400,000 people have received a Fulbright scholarship.
The Fulbright Senior Award — renamed this year as the Fulbright Polish Scholar Award — is a scholarship program that enables researchers affiliated with Polish academic and research institutions to carry out independent research or combined research-and-teaching projects at institutions in the United States. Fellowships last from three to ten months and are intended for scholars who hold a doctoral degree or higher at the time of application.
Six-month research and teaching trip to the USA
As part of the Fulbright Program, Dr. Kamil Janowicz has been awarded a scholarship for a six-month research and teaching stay at the University of Connecticut (UConn) in Storrs. The fellowship will take place in the first half of 2027.
During his stay in the United States, Dr. Janowicz will conduct:
- cross-cultural research on the relationship between parental identity and parental gatekeeping, together with Prof. Kari Adamsons from the Department of Human Development and Family Sciences
- courses on father support and parental gatekeeping.
Dr. Janowicz has also received PLN 198,332 under the so-called national component of the grant, co-funded by the National Science Centre. The funding will support further research conducted in collaboration with U.S. partners after the scholar returns to Poland.
Research on parents' attitudes, behaviors, and identity
The research planned as part of the Fulbright scholarship builds on projects our researcher has been conducting at the Center for Personality Development Research, including work carried out under the MINIATURA grant funded by the National Science Centre (NCN), as well as projects supported through internal funding programs at SWPS University, such as the Institute of Psychology competition and the Research Development Fund.
Study 1 aims to identify the most common types of parental gatekeeping and assess the prevalence of these behaviors at the population level. By analyzing data from 2,000 parents, the study will capture cultural differences through a comparison of parental attitudes in Poland and the United States.
Study 2 focuses on couple dynamics. Dr. Janowicz will examine 350 couples to explore how engaging in and experiencing gatekeeping behaviors influences the development of parental identity among mothers and fathers. The study will use a longitudinal design, involving two waves of data collection over time.
Custom-designed courses for American students
During his stay in the United States, Dr. Janowicz will teach two courses for students at University of Connecticut.
Supporting Contemporary Fathers in Practice and Policy Making
In this course, our researcher will discuss the challenges, needs, and ways of supporting contemporary fathers — both at the systemic level and in everyday psychological, counseling, and psychoeducational practice. The course will draw on research findings, Dr. Janowicz’s decade of professional experience working with fathers, and his collaboration with non-governmental organizations.
Parental Gatekeeping – Theory, Research and Practice
This course will focus on parental gatekeeping — a situation in which one parent controls or limits the other parent’s involvement in childcare.
Dr. Janowicz will discuss:
- theoretical frameworks explaining the phenomenon
- its causes and consequences
- research methods used to study it
- key findings from existing research
- practical guidance on how to address parental gatekeeping in psychological practice.
We wish Dr. Janowicz a fruitful research collaboration at University of Connecticut. Receiving a Fulbright scholarship is not only a significant personal achievement, but also a reflection of the high standard of research conducted at SWPS University and the university’s strong position within the international academic community.