Z. P. Zagórski was born in 1926 in Poznan (Western Poland) in a family which traces their ancestors to a variety of countries of origin: different parts of Poland, of course, but also to Polish-Lithuania and Hungary. His first Christian name, typically patriotic/slavonic - Zbigniew appeared for the first time in Polish history in the 11th century, belonging to a prince, later beheaded for no loyalty to his king. The second name, Pawel is simply the Polish version of Paul. Living in the not quite quiet part of Central Europe he managed nevertheless to survive and even to complete his Sixth grade at the underground high school in Warsaw, in 1944. On the 1st August 1944 he was wounded, taking part in the Warsaw Uprising, as the member of Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa).
He obtained his Ph.D. in 1951 in the field of physical chemistry applied to chemical technology. In 1962, he got his habilitation (equivalent to D.Sc., or to the German Dr.Habil.) from the Polish Academy of Sciences, on the ground of thesis from the field of radiation chemistry considered to be a part of physical chemistry, and in the 1973 he got the full professorship, granted, after long as usuall procedure, by the Polish Government. From 1972 to 1976 held the position of Deputy Director to the General Director of the Institute of Nuclear Research, being responsible for nuclear chemistry and technology. That part of the old Institute has its own name of the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology now. Professor Zagórski has promoted 12 doctors of chemistry or technology, has published ca 150 papers - at the begining of his career in the field of electrochemistry, but later mostly from basic and applied radiation chemistry. During last years his interests are more and more connected with solid state radiation chemistry of solid state. He has spent several years on contracts in Universities and National Laboratories in U.K., Denmark and USA.
He is the expert of International Atomic Energy Agency and works on contracts with this Institution.
His hobby is, if time permits, the writing of popular articles in field of nuclear and chemical sciences, mainly in the Polish monthly "Wiedza i Zycie" (Knowledge and Life).