The general meeting of the members of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences of 20 December 2018 summed up the Academy’s activities of this ending year. A minute of silence at the beginning of the event was dedicated to the memory of Professor Antanas Tyla, a member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, an outstanding Lithuanian historical scholar, and an honorary doctor at Vytautas Magnus University. This was followed by the Presidium of the Academy and members of scientific divisions extending their birthday wishes to the academicians Kęstutis Strupas and Zenonas Norkus on the occasion of their 60th birthday, to Antanas Andrijauskas who turned 70, to Antanas Surgailis on the occasion of his 75th birthday, and to Jurgis Vilemas celebrating his 80th birthday.
Tomas Daukantas, Chancellor of the Ministry for Education and Research of the Republic of Lithuania, awarded the Meilė Lukšienė Prize to Ramutė Teresė Bruzgelevičienė, an associate professor at the Academy of Education of Vytautas Magnus University, for her monographs and applied research into the conception of education in Lithuania from 1988 to 2014. Ramutė Teresė Bruzgelevičienė is a researcher, a journalist, and an active participant in the educational reform of the re-established Republic of Lithuania. The laureate was congratulated by Prof. Jūras Banys, President of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, the Vice President Prof. Zenonas Dabkevičius, and Mr Visvaldas Matijošaitis, Mayor of the City of Kaunas.
The award of the Meilė Lukšienė Prize was followed by the honouring of the laureates of the Science Prizes of the City of Kaunas. This year, they went to Professor Laima Šinkūnaitė of Vytautas Magnus University for her research into sacral heritage of Kaunas, and to Professor Rymantas Jonas Kažys of Kaunas Technology University and a full member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences for the design of ultrasound measuring and diagnostic technologies for extreme conditions and for his contribution to the nurturing of the ultrasound research school. In his congratulatory address, Visvaldas Matijošaitis pointed out that the “Island of Science” (“Mokslo sala”) Centre for the Dissemination of Science and Technologies, which is to be built in Kaunas in the near future, would stimulate young people’s interest in science and thus boost the numbers both of promising scientists and members of the academy of sciences.
Nowadays even sporting victories cannot be achieved without scientists‘ assistance and most advanced technologies. This was emphasised by Ms Daina Gudzinavičiūtė, President of the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania, before signing the agreement of cooperation between the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences and the Lithuanian Olympic Academy. It was signed by Prof. Jūras Banys, President of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, and Mr Artūras Poviliūnas, President of the Lithuanian Olympic Academy. According to him, this document will assist Lithuanian athletes in achieving their best results, in communicating with researchers from sport-related fields, and at the same time will promote health and fitness in society, because the nation’s good health is a key priority.
On 20 September 2018, the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences approved the regulations of the Young Academy and set to the task of establishing the Young Academy of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. On 5 October, the election to the positions of the Young Academy members was announced, and professionally active young scientists with significant research results to their names were elected to the Young Academy. At this General Meeting of the Members of the Academy of Sciences, membership certificates were awarded to the first ten members of the Young Academy: Dr Olga Matianica-Stankevič and Dr Donatas Murauskas in the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr Mangirdas Malinauskas and Dr Edvinas Orentas in the Division of Mathematical, Physical, and Chemical Sciences, Dr Juozas Kupčinskas and Dr Vaidas Palinauskas in the Division of Biological, Medical, and Geosciences, Dr Diana Marčiulynienė and Dr Jurga Miliauskienė in the Division of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, and Dr Mindaugas Gedvilas and Dr Darius Gudeika in the Division of Technical Sciences.
At the end of the meeting it was resolved to hold the election of full and foreign members of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences on 14 February 2019. The meeting closed with a Christmas musical programme performed by a chamber trio – Raimonda Janutėnaitė (mezzo-soprano), Viktorija Zabrodaitė (flute), and Violeta Vaičiulienė (piano).
Rolandas Maskoliūnas and Andrius Bernotas
Organising Department of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences
