Myths and truth: what really determines success in a job interview?

Researchers from the Faculty of Transport Engineering at VILNIUS TECH - Prof. Dr. Olegas Prentkovskis, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mykola Karpenko, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Paulius Skačkauskas - together with colleagues from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Dr. Eng. Krzysztof Towarnicki and Habilitated Dr. Eng. Michał Stosiak, have received international recognition. The researchers were awarded a recognition diploma by the Polish Federation of Engineering Associations (abbreviation: NOT; Polish: Federacja Stowarzyszeń Naukowo-Technicznych „Naczelna Organizacja Techniczna”) for their joint Polish patent titled “Hydraulic Lifting Valve with Compensation of External Mechanical Vibrations.” The award was granted in the competition “For Outstanding Achievements in Engineering,” organized by the NOT Council, which honors the most significant engineering accomplishments of the year. The developed hydraulic lifting valve is intended for use in various hydraulic systems, particularly in drive systems operating under conditions of external vibrations. Such vibrations are typical in machinery, mobile equipment, and special-purpose vehicles. According to the Dean of the Faculty of Transport Engineering, Prof. Dr. Olegas Prentkovskis, this recognition reflects the high level of research and its practical relevance “This award demonstrates our researchers’ competence and their ability to develop innovative engineering solutions applicable in industry. International collaboration and the advancement of technological innovation are among the Faculty’s strategic priorities.” These scientific achievements strengthen VILNIUS TECH  position in the international field of engineering and transport research and promote further collaboration with foreign academic and industry partners.

Simplicity, functionality, durability, and the ability to meet real consumer needs – this is the direction industrial design is moving in. In the noise of information and solutions, value is created not by an elaborate form or an abundance of technology, but by the ability to solve specific problems accurately. Design experts explain what drives this change, how the role of the designer is evolving, and what competencies the market requires. "Less is being created, but better, so that the product can be used longer and maintained more easily," says Assoc. Prof. Mindaugas Užkuraitis, Head of the Department of Design at the Faculty of Architecture of VILNIUS TECH University. According to him, this direction is related to the increasingly established logic of "Frugal Innovation," where products with as many functions as possible are replaced by precise, justified, and clear value-creating solutions. "'Frugal Innovation' essentially teaches discipline – to select what truly creates value and what is just a superfluous layer. This is not just about the desire to save – it is a conscious design process that often requires even more creative and analytical work. We see this design direction all over the world; it is related to sustainability, limited resources, and changing consumer expectations," he explains. In Lithuania, according to the speaker, the direction of frugal design may not always be explicitly identified by this term, but evaluating the solutions of recent years reveals a clear trend towards rationality. Solving Real Problems This shift inevitably changes the very purpose of design. Lukas Misiūnas, a lecturer at the Department of Design at the Faculty of Architecture of VILNIUS TECH University, argues that design should not exist for its own sake. "In recent years, there has been a growing discussion in the design field that design should return to its essence – solving real human problems. For a long time, the design discourse strongly emphasized visual expression and distinctiveness, and today, a significant number of solutions are born from following trends circulating on social media," he shares. According to him, this creates a paradox: for example, the good design principles of the German industrial design legend Dieter Rams are often referenced, but in reality, only their aesthetic interpretation is adopted. "However, D. Rams constantly emphasized that good design must first and foremost be functional, understandable, and help a person solve specific problems. In other words, design should not exist just for the sake of design," emphasizes L. Misiūnas. According to the lecturer, design often moves away from real human needs when the connection with the context in which the object will be used is lost in the design process. "Contemporary designers, using artificial intelligence tools and platforms like Instagram or Pinterest, have access to a huge amount of visual examples and can see thousands of solutions in a few minutes. This can be inspiring, but at the same time, there is a danger of starting to create based on existing images, rather than real situations in which people act. In this case, the design process is turned upside down: instead of the object arising from the needs of human activity, it arises from aesthetic references," he describes the situation. According to L. Misiūnas, aesthetics in itself is not a problem, as it has always been an important part of design. The problem arises when aesthetics becomes the starting point, not the result. "In fact, many of the best design solutions are born not in the studio, but by observing real use. When a designer sees how people work, cook, play sports, or use certain tools, a much more specific understanding of what really works and what just looks good emerges," he says. Both Creator and Researcher Užkuraitis agrees that as the concept of design changes, the role of the designer inevitably changes as well. "Today, a designer can no longer be just a 'creator of form.' He becomes a researcher, an analyst, sometimes even a strategist. One has to understand not only the object but also the context – how, where, and why it will be used. There is no less creativity – it just changes direction. Fewer spontaneous searches for form, more meaningful solutions. In essence, creativity becomes the ability to solve complex things simply," he believes. This also redraws the design process itself, which must inevitably be based on research, experimentation, and feedback from the user. "The designer creates not for an abstract audience, but for a real person whose daily life is full of small and large challenges – from uncomfortable tools to complex user experiences. The designer's task is not only to create an aesthetic object but also to help reduce these daily frictions. Good design is often manifested precisely in the fact that it imperceptibly facilitates human activity – makes it simpler, clearer, or more effective," says L. Misiūnas. It is in everyday solutions, according to him, that the greatest potential of design lies. "Everyday problems are often not very obvious because people just get used to them. Therefore, it is important for a designer to be able to notice what users themselves already consider a normal part of their daily life: small inconvenient details, extra steps, unnecessary complexity," he shares. In his opinion, curiosity and the ability to observe are very important for this. "For young designers, it is often worthwhile to start with activities they are familiar with – sports, cooking, or technology, where it is clear what tools are needed to achieve a result. In such situations, design arises not from an abstract pursuit of aesthetics, but from a specific need," advises L. Misiūnas. Another necessary skill, according to the specialists, is the ability to quickly test ideas. "Prototyping, testing, observing user reactions allow us to understand whether the solution really helps. Design is rarely born as a single correct solution – more often it is an iterative process in which the solution gradually approaches what is truly useful to a person," explains L. Misiūnas. A Necessary Balance of Decisions According to M. Užkuraitis, several essential criteria must be taken into account in the process of creating industrial design: functionality, materials, durability, price, and aesthetics. However, the most important thing is the whole: "All these criteria are important, but they never work in isolation. Functionality is the foundation – if the thing doesn't work, everything else loses its meaning. Then come materials, durability, price, aesthetics – and this is where the real design begins. Because design is essentially a balance of decisions. Sometimes you have to sacrifice one aspect for another, but a good product is one in which those compromises are invisible to the user." Misiūnas adds that when it comes to modern design, value is created not by the object itself. Design works as a system consisting of the product, related services, the context of use, and the entire user experience. "The object in this system is just one link. For example, a kitchen tool can be perfectly designed in terms of form and function, but the real value comes when it allows a person to more easily achieve the desired result – to cook food, share it with others, and create a social experience. Therefore, the designer's job today increasingly means not only creating a product but also understanding the entire product-service-experience system. In essence, design can be understood as a discipline of tool creation, which creates means that allow people to act, achieve results, and have desired experiences," he emphasizes. According to Užkuraitis, a designer does not have to become an expert in all fields, but it is important for him to see the bigger picture: to understand technology, to feel the person, to talk to business, and to think about the impact on the environment. L. Misiūnas emphasizes that it is important for a designer to realize that the center of human life is not the object itself, but the experience. Objects exist to help achieve a certain result, and results create experiences that form emotions and a sense of satisfaction. "If we look at this process as a sequence of actions, it looks something like this: a person is engaged in a certain activity or hobby, in it, he seeks a result, to achieve the result he needs a method, and for the method – a specific tool. The tool allows to achieve the result, the result creates the experience, and the experience forms emotions. It is at this point that design appears," says the lecturer. However, in order for such a tool to be created, the designer must understand the entire chain: from human activity and its desired results to the experience that this result creates. "Only by understanding this whole cycle can one create not only an aesthetic but also a truly meaningful design solution that a person needs," he says. L. Misiūnas illustrates this approach with his conceptual project "KALDI Family Coffee." The project's name comes from the legend of the Ethiopian shepherd Kaldi, who is said to have been the first to notice the effect of coffee beans when his goats became unusually energetic after eating the berries. This story is considered the symbolic beginning of coffee culture. Over the centuries, coffee has become not only a drink but also an important social tradition. "KALDI Family Coffee" is a coffee machine designed for a shared coffee ritual in the family or at gatherings of loved ones. "In a larger group, it is difficult to prepare coffee for everyone at the same time – the machine allows serving up to nine cups at once, so that everyone gets it at the same time and at the same temperature. The object is created as a central element of the table, so not only the function but also the social experience is important. The machine works mechanically, without electronics, so it is more reliable and easier to maintain. In this case, design is a tool that allows creating a shared experience, not just performing a function," shares L. Misiūnas. Design Principles in the Study Process Such market changes also shape how future designers are trained. M. Užkuraitis says that in VILNIUS TECH studies, attention is paid not only to form but also to function and user needs – students of the Industrial Product Design program are taught to create well-founded ideas, test them, and adapt them to the market. "We very consciously use project-based learning. Students not only create form – they analyze the user, test, make prototypes, think about production. It is important that the solutions are based not on the principle of 'beautiful - not beautiful,' but on real benefit: 'why it works this way.' And that 'why' becomes an essential part of design," says M. Užkuraitis. He explains that the Industrial Product Design study program aims for students to be able to integrate design and engineering principles, understand market needs and trends, create environmentally friendly, ergonomic solutions, and implement projects from idea to final product. "A large part of the projects takes place in cooperation with companies – students receive real technical tasks and work as small design teams. So far, this is mostly the development stage: prototypes are created, solutions are tested, they are coordinated with partners. This is a very important experience because students see what the real process looks like: with restrictions, deadlines, compromises. And although the final implementation is still pending, the process itself is already very close to what happens in the industry," he summarizes. How these principles are applied in practice is shown by student works. One of the examples is the bus stop concept EXO by third-year students Dovydas Stančius, Enida Kaminskaitė, and Laura Palčiauskaitė. The idea of the course project, prepared in cooperation with JUDU and Vilnius City Municipality, is to create a more comfortable environment for people waiting for the bus. "Developing this urban equipment object, we aimed to take into account the real needs of users. We ourselves use public transport every day, so the project was shaped by the desire to improve the waiting experience. For the shape of the stop, we were inspired by the structures of mollusks, which we refined into a clear, segmented modular system. It is adapted for industrial production and is easily integrated into the city's infrastructure. The two-support solution simplifies installation, and rainwater is directed within the internal structure, eliminating superfluous external details. The project also forms an additional waiting area – a space at the back of the stop," say the authors. The modern forms of the EXO stop, according to them, are not just decorative – they are structurally sound and create an impression of lightness in the urban environment. All solutions are focused not only on user comfort – they are easy to install and maintain.

Before moving to Lithuania from Sakartvelo, Shorena Gudzhabidze already had a clear vision of what a modern study environment should look like. That vision was influenced by listening to the stories of students from universities across Europe, whom she met while participating in her school’s STEM academy. The Civil Engineering programme at Vilnius TECH ticked all the boxes, and it didn’t take long for her to decide and move abroad. This is a story about one young engineer who discovered her passion at the crossroads of architecture and engineering.  The road to Vilnius As a high school student, Shorena participated in international engineering competitions—including Intel ISEF and ECUSYS—where she met students from universities all over Europe. “Hearing firsthand about their labs, courses, and research environments genuinely raised my expectations for what a university experience could be,” she recalls.  When it was time to decide where to study, Vilnius TECH emerged through her school’s Alumni network. The Civil Engineering programme met all her requirements. Shorena applied, received a scholarship, and made the move. “At that point, it felt like a straightforward decision,” she says. Learning to think like an engineer Soon, Shorena realised that Civil Engineering is larger than most people think. “What surprised me most wasn’t the difficulty — it was the scope,” she explains. “A bachelor’s degree is about training your mind to think in a certain way. For me, that was engineering thinking — learning how to approach problems, break them down, and develop solutions.” Two experiences had the greatest impact on her. The first was her thesis project: “It was the moment when four years of knowledge finally came together into something clear. You don’t fully realise how much you’ve learned until you have to use it all at once.”  The second was her mentor, Dean Dr Remigijus Šalna. “What I learned from him was professionalism in the truest sense — deep expertise and a genuine attention to detail. In engineering, and in any technical field, the difference between good work and great work often lies in the details. That’s something I carry with me.” Living in dormitories, adapting to a new country, and overcoming the challenges of starting an independent life also left their mark. “There were moments that felt truly overwhelming,” Shorena admits. “But looking back, that’s just part of starting an independent life, and those moments shaped me as much as anything else.” Between studies and early career  By her third year, Shorena’s curriculum required a professional internship. She chose Staticus — one of Europe’s largest façade contractors — despite façade engineering not being part of her career plans. It didn’t take long for that to change. “You’re exactly at the crossroads of architecture and engineering,” she says. “And it turned out to be more compelling than I expected.”  Shorena was employed before she finished her studies. Balancing her final-year coursework with a professional role was challenging, but Shorena sees it practically: “That’s where you learn real-time management, not just the theoretical kind. You quickly figure out your priorities because you have no choice. I wouldn’t call it easy, but I would say it’s worth it.” Joining the Staticus team initially meant having limited domain knowledge. However, engineering education provided her with the essential tools to fill that gap. “What my studies truly gave me — and what mattered more in that scenario — was an engineering mindset. The ability to examine something unfamiliar and work through it methodically.”   The moment of pride: the Landspitali project  Shorena spent her first three years at Staticus as a 3D Design Engineer specialising in Building Information Modelling (BIM). She developed complex façade models in Revit and created parametric building components used directly in manufacturing and installation. Her project portfolio expanded to include the Oxford Life and Mind Building Campus, Høsnord Hospital in Denmark, and the Hero project in Lithuania.  But one project stands out the most: Landspitali, a 30,000 m² hospital in Reykjavik, Iceland. “The challenges it posed were on a whole different level,” Shorena says. “Beyond the massive scale, Iceland’s extreme weather and seismic activity added layers of engineering complexity that most projects don’t face.” The façade alone included static seismic testing to meet American AAMA standards — a first for Staticus. “Seeing how a project of that complexity gets coordinated and delivered across different disciplines teaches you things that smaller projects simply can’t.”  Taking a fresh direction After three years, Shorena experienced a surprising career shift. She took on the role of Product Manager at Staticus XD — the company’s all-in-one, cloud-based façade project management platform designed to offer full project visibility and seamless collaboration from bid to handover.  “Construction and façade engineering, in particular, remains a rather traditional industry — many processes could be smarter, more connected, and more transparent, but they still aren’t,” she explains. “That gap is actually exciting when you’re in a product role because the potential is huge.” What motivates her is seeing real impact: when something the team produces genuinely changes how someone in design, production, or project management performs their role. She also mentions that the role draws on everything she has developed. “It’s not a role where you can fake one or the other — the engineering background or the product thinking. I find that combination truly interesting to work in.”  The right call If you ask Shorena where she sees herself in five years, she’ll answer honestly. “If you had asked me the same questions three to five years ago, my reply would have been completely different from where I actually ended up. I didn’t picture myself in product management or façade engineering, and yet here I am, and it all makes perfect sense now.” The advice she would share with her younger self — and any student facing similar challenges — is grounded in that hard-won self-awareness: “I believe the one thing that carried me through was always trusting myself and my abilities. Not that there weren’t difficult moments — there were many — but I never truly lost that core confidence that I’d figure it out. Trust yourself sooner and more often than you might feel natural. The rest usually falls into place.”  For students from Sakartvelo or elsewhere considering the leap to study abroad, her message serves as both a warning and an invitation: “It’s probably the hardest decision you’ll ever make — and also the best one. Both can be true at the same time. There will be moments when you’re homesick and question everything. But you’ll stay — because deep down, you’ll know it’s the right call.” 

March 22nd marks World Water Day, an annual reminder of one of humanity's most vital resources – fresh water. However, today the conversation is increasingly not just about water scarcity, but also its quality. One of the less visible, yet extremely dangerous threats is landfill leachate. The World Bank estimates that around 2.1 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated globally each year, a figure that could exceed 3 billion tonnes by 2050. In Lithuania, about 1.3 million tonnes of municipal waste are generated annually. This scale has a direct impact on human health and the environment: the soil, the air, and especially the water. Landfill Leachate – A Threat to Fresh Water and Human Health Leachate is the wastewater produced as water percolates through the waste in landfills. It accumulates various hazardous organic and inorganic pollutants that can enter the groundwater, posing a danger not only to nature but also to human health. According to Dr. Saloua Biyada, a scientist at the VILNIUS TECH Civil Engineering Research Centre and the Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, this problem has long been underestimated. Only in recent years has the understanding grown that untreated leachate can have long-term consequences for both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. "Leachate is one of the most complex and dangerous problems of landfills. Its pollutant composition is constantly changing, which is why traditional treatment methods often become ineffective. Water should sustain life, not threaten it, so leachate treatment must become one of the top environmental priorities today," emphasizes the scientist. Why Don't Conventional Solutions Work? The leachate treatment methods used to date face serious challenges. Chemical methods are not sufficiently effective and can cause additional pollution, while advanced technological solutions like reverse osmosis often require a lot of energy and are expensive. "The biggest problem is that most of the treatment methods applied in Lithuania have more disadvantages than advantages, as they are focused on only one parameter. For this reason, such methods are relatively unreliable – the leachate itself is unstable and complex, so comprehensive solutions are needed," says Dr. S. Biyada. VILNIUS TECH Scientists Are Developing a Prototype Landfill leachate is characterized by particularly high concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrogen, and chlorides. The leachate treatment methods currently used in Lithuanian landfills have their shortcomings. These methods are designed to remove a specific pollutant indicator, making them ineffective – especially given the unstable composition of leachate. For this reason, VILNIUS TECH scientists began to search for a solution that would allow them to affect several pollution indicators at once. "In search of more effective solutions, the university's scientists have united and, using the infrastructure of the newly established Competence Centre for Smart and Climate-Neutral Manufacturing Processes, Materials and Technologies, have committed to solving the challenges of leachate in Lithuanian landfills in a consolidated manner," says Simonas Barsteiga, the director of the competence centre. Currently, scientists from the VILNIUS TECH Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, together with the startup "Clean4Planet, MB," are developing an innovative leachate treatment method based on biological processes. "Microorganisms have an exceptional ability to break down even the most complex organic substances. They adapt to changing conditions, making them a very promising, ecological, and cost-effective solution for leachate treatment," explains scientist Dr. S. Biyada. The use of a microbial consortium in biological treatment systems allows for the simultaneous treatment of several pollution parameters in a single system without chemical additives. "The world of microorganisms is a very promising area of research where, upon achieving significant results, it would be possible to solve not only the problem of leachate but also many other challenges related to water and environmental pollution," adds the scientist. [caption id="attachment_108836" align="alignnone" width="671"] 'Figure illustrates the prototype combined biological and physical treatment developed to overcome the challenge associated with leachate in Lithuania'[/caption] Combined Treatment Methods Are Needed for Landfill Leachate In developing a combined treatment prototype, not only is the ability of microorganisms to break down persistent substances being utilized. The project also uses biofilters made from recycled mineral materials that act as adsorbents (due to the silicon aluminum in their composition) and absorbents (due to the biofilm formed during treatment). These adsorbents are being developed together with the VILNIUS TECH Institute of Building Materials and the Faculty of Environmental Engineering. The adsorbent created by three female scientists – Dr. Ina Pundienė, Dr. Jolanta Prackevičienė, and Prof. Dr. Aušra Mažeikienė – will help ensure that the treated leachate complies with Lithuanian wastewater discharge regulations. The combined technology is currently being tested in laboratories, but it will soon be possible to test it under real conditions at Lithuanian landfills. The new prototype will sustainably address the challenges associated with leachate pollution, especially the removal of nitrogen and chlorides, and the treated leachate will be reusable for various other purposes. "This is a real circular economy model that aligns with the long-term 2050 vision of the European Union and Lithuania, and the approach of promoting a global circular and well-being economy where nothing is thrown away, and all by-products serve as raw material for new production. This will undoubtedly help to restore our environment and protect nature and people from pollution," states Dr. S. Biyada. On World Water Day, VILNIUS TECH scientists emphasize that awareness alone is not enough. "If we want to preserve our freshwater resources, we must move from words to actions – to develop technologies and implement sustainable solutions, and this can only be achieved by working together," says Dr. S. Biyada.