Four Philanthropic Families Who Laid the Foundations of Lithuania’s Laser Industry Donate €1 Million

The Danielius, Piskarskas, Juozapavičius, and Sirutkaitis families have donated €1 million to the Vilnius University (VU) Foundation. The philanthropic fund’s managed portfolio has grown to €25 million.

Justinas Noreika, Dr. Romualdas Danielius, Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, Irena Juozapavičienė, Mykolas Juozapavičius, Habilitated Dr. Prof. Valdas Sirutkaitis (photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius)

The families of Lithuanian laser industry pioneers, Dr. Romualdas Danielius, Prof. Valdas Sirutkaitis, Prof. Algis Petras Piskarskas (1942–2022), and Dr. Algirdas Juozapavičius (1948–2025), jointly decided to strengthen the country’s first philanthropic university endowment fund, which they helped establish in 2016, with an additional €1 million.

The laser and laser systems manufacturing company Light Conversion, founded by these philanthropists, became one of the founders of the VU Foundation a decade ago, helping to establish a modern tradition of academic philanthropy in Lithuania. Over ten years, the public has supported the foundation, its sub-funds, and projects more than 5,000 times. The foundation’s activities are supported by dozens of philanthropic families as well as more than 50 companies and organizations.

Dr. Romualdas Danielius (photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius)

“Vilnius University is the origin of our company and the alma mater of many of our employees. By supporting the university, we aim to contribute to the development of young talent and the creation of a sustainable environment for innovation,” said Dr. R. Danielius on behalf of the patrons.

According to VU Foundation CEO Justinas Noreika, the philanthropic contribution will supplement unrestricted capital, whose investment returns are allocated to funding talented early-career VU researchers. Each year, the VU Foundation awards incentive scholarships of up to €30,000, paid in installments over 2–3 years.

Habilitated Dr. Prof. Valdas Sirutkaitis (photo by Ugnius Bagdonavičius)

“The names Danielius, Piskarskas, Juozapavičius, and Sirutkaitis are firmly embedded in the history of Lithuanian physics and Vilnius University. These names are associated with the beginning of laser research and the laser industry in Lithuania. World-class scientific discoveries were accompanied by an equally significant breakthrough in global business. The laser company Light Conversion, founded by them, became one of the founders of the Vilnius University Foundation, and now these families are strengthening the initiative of academic patronage with a new substantial contribution,” said VU Rector Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas.

Since 2020, nearly two dozen researchers from Lithuania and abroad, representing various scientific fields and having completed doctoral studies at prestigious universities, have already been funded. According to J. Noreika, additional funding creates better conditions for attracting talented researchers to Lithuania.

Prof. Algis Petras Piskarskas (1942-2022) and Dr. Algirdas Juozapavičius (1948–2025)

Dr. Romualdas Danielius is a physicist (PhD), known for his research in ultrashort laser physics, nonlinear optics, and ultrafast spectroscopy. He has made significant contributions to the development of parametric light generators and femtosecond laser technologies. For this work, he has been awarded the Lithuanian Science Prize (1994), the Council of Ministers’ Prize (1988), and the Officer’s Cross of the Order “For Merits to Lithuania” (2021). Together with his wife Eglė, he also established the Prof. Jonas Kazlauskas sub-fund at the VU Foundation to support philological research and supports other initiatives.

Prof. Algis Petras Piskarskas (1942–2022) was a physicist, a member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, and a pioneer of laser science in Lithuania. He led the VU Laser Research Center and made significant contributions to the development of ultrashort lasers and nonlinear optics. For his scientific achievements, he was awarded the Lithuanian Science Prize (1984), the St Christopher statuette (2003), the Officer’s Cross of the Order of the Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania (1999), and the Commander’s Cross of the Order “For Merits to Lithuania” (2019), as well as other national and international awards, including the Alexander von Humboldt Prize (1992) and the EPS Quantum Electronics Prize (2001). The Piskarskas family has established a sub-fund in his name at the VU Foundation to support laser physics.

Dr. Algirdas Juozapavičius (1948–2025) was a physicist (PhD) and one of the pioneers of the laser industry. He served as the long-time head of “Light Conversion” (1994–2019) and made significant contributions to the development of Lithuania’s laser science and business. For his contributions, he was awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Order “For Merits to Lithuania” (2018) and the St Christopher statuette of the city of Vilnius (2018), and was named CEO of the Year by “Verslo žinios” (2018). The Juozapavičius family has established the Mantvydas Juozapavičius sub-fund at the VU Foundation and significantly supports other sub-funds, including the Lyceum Alumni Fund.

Prof. habil. Dr. Valdas Sirutkaitis is a physicist, habilitated doctor, and professor at Vilnius University. He has made significant contributions to research in ultrashort lasers and nonlinear optics, as well as to the development of the Vilnius laser school. He led the Laser Research Center and is one of the most active contributors to Lithuania’s laser science community, with nearly 300 scientific publications and experience in international research laboratories. He has been awarded the Officer’s Cross of the Order of the Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania (2004).