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.
“I would like to thank Prof. Piskarskas’ family and the other sub-fund supporters for this prestigious recognition. I started working at the VU Laser Research Center more than 12 years ago, while still a first-year undergraduate student, and this decision has been one of the best in my life. With the expertise and support of the center’s professionals, I naturally transitioned from undergraduate studies to a master’s program and later earned a doctoral degree. I am confident that this is just the beginning of my journey – the future holds even more growth, development, and new discoveries for me,” said the awardee, Dr. B. Momgaudis.
According to the researcher, winning the prestigious fellowship will pave the way for initiating new studies at the VU Laser Research Center, focusing on high-energy particle generation and acceleration using laser sources. Ongoing projects will be continued, and teaching will be further enhanced in topics such as "Solid-State Lasers" and "Laser Applications in Medicine, Diagnostics, and Material Processing." Additionally, students will be trained, their work supervised, and assistance and consultations provided. Scientific activities at the center of excellence will continue, along with efforts in science popularization and project proposal writing.
The purpose of the newly established postdoctoral fellowship is to provide financial support to talented and promising researchers aiming to begin or continue their academic careers at the VU Faculty of Physics' Laser Research Center. The postdoctoral fellowship is funded by the returns on investments from the €0.6 million endowment sub-fund named after Prof. A. P. Piskarskas and targeted contributions. The sub-fund was established in 2023 by the Piskarskas family in collaboration with the company "Light Conversion", with significant contributions from the Žabolis and Juozapavičius families.
Prof. A. P. Piskarskas began his work at the VU Faculty of Physics in 1968. In 1983, he defended his doctoral dissertation in physics and mathematics and, in the same year, became the scientific director of the VU Laser Research Center. Known as the father of Lithuanian lasers, he is one of the country’s most prominent scientists and played a significant role in earning Lithuania the title of the "land of lasers." The professor dedicated considerable effort to the strategy for high-tech development and worked to ensure the international competitiveness of Lithuania's laser industry.