W. Peter Janicki *61

Peter Janicki, a retired social-science research analyst with the U.S. Information Agency, died May 19, 2009, of Alzheimer’s disease at home. He was 80.

Born in Poland, he and his family escaped invading German and Russian armies during World War II. In England, his father, a Polish Air Force pilot, joined the Royal Air Force and died flying reconnaissance missions. In 1948, Janicki, his mother and brother came to the United States.

He served two years in the U.S. Army in Germany during the Korean War, after which he received a bachelor’s degree from Centre College in Kentucky in 1957. Janicki then earned a Ph.D. in psychology from Princeton in 1961. In 1962, he joined the faculty at Dartmouth and taught for two years.

Janicki moved to the U.S. Information Agency in 1964 as a social-science analyst, retiring in 1988 as a senior research adviser. He conducted, around the world, focus groups and public-opinion surveys measuring international attitudes toward American culture and policy and the effectiveness of U.S. propaganda media.  

Janicki is survived by Wanda, his wife of 53 years; two daughters; five grandchildren; his brother; and his mother (age 102).

Graduate memorials are prepared by the APGA.