News

International life sciences conference “The COINS 2025” will take place on March 17^th - 20^th in Vilnius University Life Sciences Center. 

The Arqus Alliance of European Universities invites its community to apply for the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP), which is based on Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). This multidisciplinary program will encompass various fields of knowledge, engaging professors, students at different academic stages (Bachelor’s and Master’s), and university staff. The programme starts at the beginning of March.

The program will delve into the causes and effects of climate change, exploring how citizens can and must mobilise to tackle these challenges and foster climate resilience.

The 2024 Annual Review of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) includes highlights from the major experiments at CERN. The lead contributor to one of them is Dr. Mindaugas Šarpis, a researcher in Vilnius University Faculty of Physics and the head of CERN LHCb Vilnius - a research group for experimental particle physics.

The Association of Spanish Scientists in the Baltic Countries (ACEBaltic) was established to strengthen links between scientists from Spain, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Dr. Carlos Viscasillas Vazquez, a researcher at the Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, has become a member of ACEBaltic's board.

The 68th International Conference for Students of Physics and Natural Sciences "Open Readings 2025" will take place from May 13 to 16, 2025, at the National Center for Physical Sciences and Technology. The organizers invite prospective speakers to register by February 17, 2025.

On the birth anniversary of Prof. Algis Petras Piskarskas (1942–2022), the Vilnius University (VU) Foundation, in collaboration with the VU Faculty of Physics, announced the recipient of the Prof. A. P. Piskarskas Postdoctoral Fellowship. The inaugural named fellowship was awarded to Dr. Balys Momgaudis, a researcher at the VU Laser Research Center. The talented laser physics researcher was awarded a €20,000 named fellowship.

Two members of the Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy of the Faculty of Physics have taken new roles in the European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE) for the 2024–2027 term.

Patrik Ščajev, a senior researcher at the Faculty of Physics of Vilnius University (VU), in collaboration with colleagues from the US, has published an article in the prestigious journal "Advanced Energy Materials". The research team applied an innovative method that has been advanced at VU and offered new insights into replacing silicon in the creation of more efficient and affordable solar cells.

The 68th International Conference for Students of Physics and Natural Sciences “Open Readings 2025” presents its first invited speakers!

In the wake of collaborations between national European research centers, a new course promoted by EuroCC Italy and EuroCC Lithuania has been established: “HPC Molecular Modelling“, scheduled from February 19th to 21st, 2025, in streaming mode.

Dr. Carlos Viscasillas Vázquez, Vilnius University, Faculty of Physics, Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy (ITPA), researcher undertook an academic visit to Lund University as part of the Erasmus+ for Teaching program.

A delegation from the Faculty of Physics visited CERN this week.

The 68th International Conference for Students of Physics and Natural Sciences “Open Readings 2025” invites its prospective participants to register!

Philanthropists Irena and Algirdas Juozapavičius have allocated €1.3 million from the inheritance of their late son to the Vilnius University (VU) Foundation. In memory of their son, a €1 million sub-fund named after Mantvydas Juozapavičius (1976–2023) has been established within the VU Foundation. One hundred thousand euros each has been allocated to the VU Life Sciences Center sub-fund, the Professor Algis Petras Piskarskas sub-fund, and to strengthen other VU Foundation initiatives. 

Juozapavičius family reception with the Rector of Vilnius University. From left to right: Justinas Noreika, Irena Juozapavičienė, Prof Rimvydas Petrauskas, Mykolas Juozapavičius (photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius)

In the webinar SIESTA: a DFT code for large scale computational materials science in HPC environments, SIESTA founder Pablo Ordejón will share insights into the challenges and opportunities of computational materials science. He will explain how SIESTA, the tool he developed, enables the modelling of large atomic systems and how it adapts to today's and tomorrow's HPC environments. You will also learn about the further development of SIESTA and its application in scientific computing.

In celebration of World Photonics Day, The Vilnius University Foundation, together with the VU Faculty of Physics, announces a competition for the Prof. Algis Petras Piskarskas (1942-2022) Named Postdoctoral Fellowship, honoring one of the most renowned scientists in the country, known as the father of Lithuanian lasers.

The goal of the newly established postdoctoral fellowship is to provide financial support to talented and promising researchers who seek to begin or continue their academic work at the VU Faculty of Physics Laser Research Center. The competition winner will receive a two-year postdoctoral fellowship worth 20,000 EUR, funded by the investment returns of the Prof. A. P. Piskarskas Endowment Subfund, established in 2023, and targeted donations.

All researchers who have defended their doctoral dissertation in the field of laser physics no earlier than 2.5 years ago, and who are currently working or planning to work at the VU Faculty of Physics Laser Research Center, are invited to participate in the competition. In case of success, the winner will be expected to actively participate in the scientific activities of the VU Faculty of Physics, supervise student theses, prepare research projects, teach, and more.

The application period begins on October 21, 2024, and ends on November 22, 2024. The competition results will be announced by December 31 of this year. More information and the application form can be found on the VU Foundation’s website.

The Žabolis family, patrons of Vilnius University (VU) and the city of Vilnius, entrepreneurs, and VU alumni Reda and Alvydas Žabolis, have donated 100,000 euros to the named Prof. Algis Petras Piskarskas Endowment Subfund, which was established last year. This subfund aims to promote and support research in laser physics.

"Talent development at VU’s Faculty of Physics is the foundation of Vilnius' photonics ecosystem," said Alvydas Žabolis, one of the founders and contributors to the VU Endowment Fund.

In April 2023, the company "Light Conversion" and the Piskarskas family established this named subfund, which received an additional 100,000 euros in the same year from the family of Prof. A. P. Piskarskas' student and colleague, Dr. Algirdas Juozapavičius. With the latest contribution from the Žabolis family, the subfund’s value has risen to 500,000 euros.

"Prof. A. P. Piskarskas, known as the 'Father of Lithuanian Lasers,' not only made Nobel Prize-level discoveries in the field of light phenomena, but also significantly contributed to Lithuania being called the 'land of lasers' today. It is highly symbolic that the returns from the fund, accumulated by the professor's students, colleagues, family, and the fund's founders, will finally be used for the named Prof. A. P. Piskarskas scholarships, which will be awarded to laser science talents at Vilnius University's Faculty of Physics. I am confident that young people encouraged in the fields of natural and technological sciences will create greater added value for Lithuania and the world," said Prof. Dr. Aidas Matijošius, Dean of VU’s Faculty of Physics

The first named Prof. A. P. Piskarskas scholarships for talents in laser physics are scheduled to be awarded in December of this year.

Since 2016, the Žabolis family and their companies have donated more than 300,000 euros to the VU endowment fund, 100,000 euros to Prof. A. P. Piskarskas' subfund, and more than 125,000 euros towards targeted VU projects, Foundation management, and strengthening of its activities.

On 10 October, the Senate of Vilnius University (VU) conferred the title of Honorary Doctor of Science on three distinguished scholars at a solemn meeting of the Senate held at the Church of St. Johns. Hans Kjeldsen, Professor of Aarhus University (Denmark) awarded Honorary Doctorate for his outstanding work in the field of the asteroseismic studies of stellar structure and in recognition of his close scientific bonds with Vilnius University.

Since 1999, he has been working closely with researchers at the Institute of Theoretical Physics and Astronomy (ITPA), Faculty of Physics. Together they organised and lectured at the Summer Schools organised by the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, and carried out asteroseismological research. The joint scientific work with Prof. H. Kjeldsen and members of his research group continues to this day.

Professor Kjeldsen's research focuses on asteroseismic stellar studies. He was the first person in the world to discover solar-like oscillations in another star, and it is now widely used in stellar structure studies and age determination. “This method of studying stars has been implemented on NASA's Kepler space mission. For his outstanding scientific leadership and exemplary creativity and dedication to Kepler's orbital operations and science, the Professor was awarded the NASA Group Achievement Award. Kjeldsen also serves on the research teams of many other space missions (CoROT, NASA TESS, Delphini-1, STEP and ESA PLATO) and has published over 280 scientific papers“ – said Professor Aidas Matijošius, Dean of the Faculty of Physics of Vilnius University.

During the ceremony Professor Kjeldsen mentioned that cooperation with Vilnius University is not only continuing, but also getting stronger. He mentioned how much he appreciates the open attitude of his colleagues in Lithuania, joint efforts, and expressed his satisfaction with the results achieved together. “All of us working in asteroseismology – including the Vilnius group – have a bright future ahead", he said.

“We are very happy that our colleague and friend Prof. Hans Kjeldsen is inaugurated as an Honorary Doctor of our Vilnius University. Everyone who has worked with or learned from him during the 25 years of cooperation knows Hans as an exceptional expert in many scientific fields and a very friendly person. With his support, Lithuanian astronomers entered the forefront of stellar asteroseismic research and exoplanet research. In the future, we plan to jointly achieve even more significant scientific results for Lithuania, Denmark, and the world.” – ITPA Professor Gražina Tautvaišienė spoke warmly of her long-standing colleague.

Professor Daniel Petit (France) and Professor Anna Pikulska-Radomska (Poland) were also inaugurated as honorary doctors of Vilnius University at the ceremony.