VGTU and CERN’S meeting matures vision of partnership

April 10, 2015
The delegation of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) met the leaders of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (from the French language: Organisation européenne pour la recherche nucléaire, known as CERN) and discussed the possibilities of cooperation.
 
Alfonsas Daniūnas, the Rector of VGTU, Asta Radzevičienė, the Vice-Rector for International Relations and Antanas Čenys, the Vice-Rector for Research, met Rolf-Dieter Heuer, the Director General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN, and Rudiger Voss, the Head of International Relations of the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN, as well as the leaders of laboratories and research centres. The representatives of VGTU visited several CERN laboratories and research centres, and learnt about their recent scientific and experimental activities going on at the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
 
"CERN is world famous for its projects in the field of physics. Taking into consideration their interest in technical universities, we hope that the contacts, established during the visit, will grow into a strong partnership not only in physics but also in the field of engineering," – said A. Daniūnas, the Rector of VGTU. During this visit, they discussed cooperation activities between Lithuania and CERN and programmes of internships as well as other projects. One of the planned projects in the nearest future is the "CERN Campus" in Vilnius, to be organized by Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, together with the Ministry of Education and Science and the Academy of Sciences of Lithuania. During the camp, CERN experts, researchers and scientists will share their experiences with students of information technologies and computer science.
 
The CERN laboratory is the world's largest particle physics laboratory, which at the beginning of April, after a two year‘s break restarted their ‘‘Big Bang‘‘ Large Hadron Collider. On September 29, 1954, twelve countries signed the CERN Treaty. Currently, CERN unites twenty-one member state; however, it has the cooperation agreements with more states, Lithuania among them, too. More than six-hundred universities and institutes around the world are using CERN's facilities and data. More than ten thousand visiting scientists from one hundred thirteen countries have already carried out CERN'S research and experiments.
 
The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Lithuania to the United Nations Office and other international organisations in Geneva and Ambassador Rytis Paulauskas organized the visit to CERN for the Lithuanian delegation, headed by Svetlana Kauzonienė, the Vice-Minister of Ministry of Education and Science of Lithuania. During the trip to Switzerland, they planned to visit the headquarters of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). All these institutions act as a platform for discussions with the State and academic institutions for the promotion of education and research, technological development, research and innovation implementation, commercial application, vocational training and other areas.
 
Photo credit: CERN

Galerija

Related news

New doctoral dissertation
New doctoral dissertation
VILNIUS TECH Library invites you to follow the published new dissertations. The dissertation „Resistance of technological waste-modified concrete to freeze–thaw cycles and alkaline corrosion“  („Technologinėmis atliekomis modifikuoto betono atsparumas užšaldymo ir atšildymo ciklams bei šarminei korozijai“) prepared at VILNIUS TECH by Edvinas Pocius. The dissertation was prepared in 2021–2026. Scientific consultant – Prof. Dr Džigita Nagrockienė. The dissertation was defended at the public meeting of the Dissertation Defence Council of the Scientific Field of Materials Engineering in the Aula Doctoralis Meeting Hall of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University at 10 a.m. on 8 June 2026. The dissertation investigates concrete modified with glass processing waste, concrete sludge, and a crystallizing additive. The goal is to develop concrete that is resistant to freeze–thaw cycles and alkali–silica reaction (ASR) by replacing part of the cement with glass waste and sand with concrete sludge. By selecting the optimal amount of technological waste, the aim is to improve the basic properties of concrete while maintaining its resistance to freeze–thaw cycles and alkali–silica reaction. The tasks addressed in the work include the analysis of glass processing waste and concrete sludge, evaluating their impact on the properties of the cement paste. After determining the recommended waste content, the physical and mechanical properties of the modified concrete are investigated, focusing on resistance to freeze–thaw cycles and alkali–silica reaction. This research sequence aims to substantiate the basic properties and resistance to freeze–thaw cycles and alkali–silica reaction of the newly developed material. The dissertation consists of an introduction, three chapters, general conclusions, a list of references, a list of the author‘s scientific publications, and a summary in English. The Introduction discusses the research problem and relevance, describes the object of research, formulates the aim and tasks, and outlines the research methodology, scientific novelty, practical significance, and statements for defence. The First Chapter discusses active mineral substances, their formation and use in concrete production. It discusses the generation of concrete sludge and glass waste, as well as the impact of their use on the physical and mechanical properties and durability of concrete. The durability of waste-modified concrete and the assessment of carbon dioxide emissions are also described. Conclusions are formulated, and the objectives of the dissertation are refined at the end of the chapter. The Second Chapter presents the materials used, their properties, and their formation. It describes the research methods and equipment chosen to investigate the structure and properties of the concrete and to calculate its CO2 emissions. The Third Chapter substantiates recommended dosages of glass waste and concrete sludge and their effects on cementitious systems. Glass waste was found suitable for cement replacement, and dry sludge for fine aggregate. An environmental impact assessment was also performed. Five scientific articles were published on the dissertation topic in the Web of Science database, Science Citation Index Expanded, peer-reviewed publications with a citation index. Doctoral dissertation readers can search via VILNIUS TECH Virtual Library.
More