On February 13, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH) conferred the title of Honorary Doctor upon Professor Hartmut Pasternak, Habilitated Doctor, of the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU, Germany). He is a distinguished scientist in the field of steel and composite structures, a long-standing leader in the academic community, and an active partner of VILNIUS TECH.
 

The Honorary Doctorate was granted at the initiative of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, in recognition of his exceptional merits to engineering science, his significant contribution to international academic cooperation, and his long-term, consistent partnership with VILNIUS TECH.
 

"This is a particularly important event for us – in the entire history of the university since 1990, we are conferring this title for the 33rd time. We highly value Prof. Dr. H. Pasternak’s friendship with VILNIUS TECH, as well as his merits to engineering science and his active pedagogical activity.
 

The Professor is our long-term partner, a talented mentor to doctoral students, a developer of standards and regulations, constantly interested in civil engineering achievements in Lithuania, a promoter of our country's bridges, and a loyal co-author – we are grateful to you that Lithuanian engineering wisdom is heard in international journals and conferences," said University Rector Romualdas Kliukas in his congratulatory speech.
 

According to Prof. H. Pasternak, this is not only an academic acknowledgment but also a symbolic sign of cooperation between VILNIUS TECH and the scientist.
 

"The conferring of the Honorary Doctor title is a great and truly exceptional honor. For me personally, it means recognition and appreciation. It is a sign of the special bond between VILNIUS TECH and myself, which we should cherish in the future as well," says the Professor.
 

Internationally Renowned Scientist and Expert
 

Prof. H. Pasternak is one of the most prominent specialists in steel and composite structures in Europe. From 1993 to 2020, he headed the Chair of Steel and Timber Structures at BTU, and from 2016 to 2019, he served as the Head of the Institute of Civil Engineering at BTU. In 2021, he was elected a full member of the Brunswick Scientific Society (BWG) in Germany for his scientific achievements.
 

The Professor is an active member of the European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS) Technical Committee 8, contributing to the solution of stability issues in steel structures and the development of European standards. He also participated in European Commission project working groups "Crane supporting structures" and "Web openings," COST C25 activities, and more than 15 international projects (DAAD, RFCS, DFG, AiF, DVS, etc.).
 

Since 1999, Prof. H. Pasternak has been one of the editors-in-chief of the scientific journal Bauingenieur (indexed in the Web of Science database), overseeing the field of steel structures. He also serves on the editorial boards of many international scientific journals, including the Journal of Civil Engineering and Management and Engineering Structures & Technologies published by VILNIUS TECH.
 

During his academic career, the Professor has published more than 270 scientific publications, co-authored five books in German and English, and supervised 24 defended doctoral dissertations.
 

Practical Experience and International Recognition
 

In addition to his academic activities, Prof. H. Pasternak is a recognized expert in structural engineering. Since 1995, he has been appointed as a checking engineer (expert) in the field of structural engineering and has performed expertise for complex, internationally known construction projects, including the CargoLifter airship hangar, the Porsche pavilion, and the double-curved roofs of the AKC Wolfsburg and the Schierke Feuerstein arena.
 

Prof. H. Pasternak is constantly interested in civil engineering achievements in Lithuania and participates in various field trips. After visiting the newly built innovative pedestrian bridge across the Nemunas in Alytus (the White Rose Bridge), the Professor requested a publication about this structure for the journal Bauingenieur in order to publicize new and innovative Lithuanian bridges.
 

The Professor also actively participates in international conferences worldwide – from Europe to Australia and South Africa – as a member of scientific committees and a keynote speaker.
 

Long-standing Partnership with VILNIUS TECH
 

Prof. H. Pasternak has been collaborating with VILNIUS TECH for more than two decades. He was one of the initiators of the partnership between VILNIUS TECH and BTU and coordinated institutional cooperation for about 20 years, including under the Erasmus program.
 

The Professor has visited VILNIUS TECH ten times, delivering lectures to students of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and sharing the latest knowledge on innovations in steel structures. Recent lectures include "Outstanding Steel Buildings in Germany – Some Engineering Aspects" (2023) and "Use of Bonded Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) for Reinforcement and Renovation of Fatigue-Damaged Steel Structures" (2024).
 

From 2004 to 2023, Prof. H. Pasternak was a member of the scientific committee and a guest speaker at the VILNIUS TECH international conference "Modern Building Materials, Structures and Techniques" (MBMST), where he delivered seven keynote speeches.
 

At his initiative, five publications by VILNIUS TECH scientists were published in the journal Bauingenieur, and in 2022, a joint article with VILNIUS TECH researchers was published in the journal Applied Sciences. There are plans to continue joint publications in the near future.
 

Prof. H. Pasternak actively contributes to the education of young VILNIUS TECH scientists – he participated in the defense councils of six doctoral dissertations, and this June, he was a member of the defense council for three more doctoral students. His expert insights and international experience significantly contribute to strengthening the quality of studies and research at the university.