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.