The learning and recreational space at the Faculty of Physics of Vilnius University has been renovated with the assistance of LIGHT CONVERSION.
Many people working in companies engaged in the development of laser technologies are well acquainted with the corridors and classrooms at the Faculty of Physics of Vilnius University (FP VU). After all, many of them graduated from the Faculty.
Four, and often more, years of study turn the Faculty facilities into something more than just a place to acquire knowledge. Whether co-studying for lectures and exams late into the night or sometimes simply engaging in lengthy discussions with others who think just like you – the facilities at FP VU can accommodate all sorts of activities.
Cooperation between the Faculty and LIGHT CONVERSION has produced a new learning and recreational space tailored to the needs of the students. The historical relief designed to commemorate 400 years of Vilnius University now watches over a slew of ergonomic sofas, computer tables with a number of extra power sockets for charging computers, and phones installed nearby. From now on, even gaps between lectures will not seem as lengthy, and getting ready for credit will most probably be done much more efficiently.
Aiming to improve learning conditions for students
The FP VU building in the Saulėtekis district was built back in 1978 and has seen numerous repairs and renovations ever since. The renovations and the funding earmarked for them typically focus on overhauling and modernizing classrooms and labs, while recreational and self-study spaces usually receive a rather modest amount of attention.
Until now, we only had a single recreational space for students. The common areas on other floors are equipped with run-of-the-mill benches, tables, chairs, with the occasional padded bench resurrected to live a second life here and there. Now, with the assistance of Light Conversion, the Faculty has renovated the space on the second floor, where we have all the main classrooms and most of the classes take place. I hope that this well-lit space with its new, sturdy padded benches that can be arranged in many ways, computer tables, and additional power sockets will become a place where students can interact comfortably before and after their lectures, prepare for lectures, or simply enjoy what we have now. Being able to study and socialize here at the University and have the support of our partners and friends from businesses such as Light Conversion, which is also the grantor of dedicated scholarships, is very important, especially today, as we see the atrocities happening in the world and many of us still find it difficult to believe that they are happening for real, says Dr. Olga Rancova, Vice Dean for studies at FP VU.
Martynas Barkauskas is CEO of LIGHT CONVERSION and also a graduate of the Faculty. He is currently one of its professors, teaching a course to masters students at FP VU. As such, he is well aware both of the needs of the students and the possibilities of the Faculty. In his words, improving the learning conditions for the students is an aim pursued both by LIGHT CONVERSION and by the Faculty.
Close cooperation
The company has a special feeling for the VU Physics Faculty, which is the alma mater of many of LIGHT CONVERSION’s employees and where several of its staff members work as teachers.
During the first lockdown in 2020, financial assistance from LIGHT CONVERSION was used to prepare models of carryout lab work for the teaching laboratories. The models included lab work equipment safely tucked away in convenient packages for students to take home. As the classes increasingly took place online, the students were able to perform their lab assignments from the convenience of their home.
The femtosecond laser manufacturer also motivates students with its dedicated LIGHT CONVERSION Scholarship aimed at promoting student research at Vilnius University in the area of developing ultra-short pulse laser technology. The eligible recipients of the scholarship are bachelor students at the FP VU who participate in research conducted by the VU Laser Research Centre.
