Prof. Richard Pipes was a Polish American academic who specialized in Russian history, particularly with respect to the Soviet Union, who espoused a strong anti-communist point of view throughout his career. In 1976 he headed Team B, a team of analysts organized by the Central Intelligence Agency who analyzed the strategic capacities and goals of the Soviet military and political leadership. Pipes was the father of American historian and expert on American foreign policy and the Middle East, Daniel Pipes.

On 17 September 2013, the Centre for East European Studies organized the 90th Anniversary of prof. Pipes (together with professors Zbigniew Wójciek and Piotr Wandycz celebrating the Jubilee). In 2017, the book „Historia est testis temporum”, dedicated to prof. Pipes was published by Centre for East European Studies

Professor Pipes was also a lecturer at the Eastern Studies and the Eastern Summer School.