January 2016 NUI Galway Scientist Is Honoured With World Class Research Award In Lithuania

A Research Fellow from the School of Physics and Centre for Climate Change and Air Pollution Studies at NUI Galway has received an award for ‘World Class Research Excellence and Collaborative Efforts with Lithuania’.

The award was presented to Dr Darius Ceburnis from NUI Galway by the Minister for Education and Science of Lithuania, Minister A. Pitreniene, who said: “It is a great pleasure to congratulate Lithuanian scientists who have achieved research excellence and maintained connections with their homeland, acting like true ambassadors by representing their country in the global scientific community and supporting Lithuanian colleagues in establishing scientific networks.”

This national award was introduced by the Ministry of Education and Science in Lithuania several years ago to recognise and strengthen relations with Lithuanian scientists abroad. Dr Ceburnis received his award for excellence in research services provided to his home country and for shared collaborative publications with Lithuanian colleagues, and the outreach and support of young scientist visits to Ireland and NUI Galway.

Dr Darius Ceburnis, who is among the top 1% of cited authors in the geosciences discipline, joined the Atmospheric Research Group at the Department of Experimental Physics at NUI Galway in 2001, now called the Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies (C-CAPS) where he has been working to date.

The NUI Galway researcher provides critical technical and research support for Mace Head Atmospheric Research Station in Carna, Co. Galway, which has significantly contributed towards the Station becoming the top atmospheric research infrastructure in the world. He provided critical scientific information during the Volcanic Ash crisis in 2010, highlighting the stations capabilities of providing 24/7 observational data.

Darius Ceburnis graduated from Vilnius University, Lithuania in 1992 and received his PhD degree in Natural Sciences in 1997 from the Institute of Physics in Lithuania. He received a Young Scientists Award from the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences in 1999 before joining NUI Galway in 2001.

Dr Ceburnis co-founded the Lithuanian Community in Ireland and also co-founded the Association Futura Scientia journal for the promotion of scientific reform in Lithuania. He sits on expert panels evaluating proposals for the Lithuanian Science Council. His research excellence has been recognised with a Lithuanian National Science Award in 2012, the most prestigious award in the country.

For more information about NUI Galway’s Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies visit: http://www.nuigalway.ie/c-caps/

ENDS