On a rainy Thursday evening the first Lithuanian Science Fair began. An interdisciplinary fair showed the diversity of research and studies that Lithuanians at Oxford do. The event gathered undergraduates, graduates, and research fellows to present their academic interests that ranged from political science, to history, biochemistry, mathematics, linguistics, and epigenetics.
There was something to learn from each discipline. A senior research fellow focusing on media and democracy in central and eastern Europe, Dr. Ainius Lasas1 started the evening. However, he did not give a presentation, but began the event with a provocative discussion about democracy and media in Lithuania. He asked the audience to re-imagine democracy where the legal system works for the people, where corruption is minimized, and the elections are fair.
There was something to learn from each discipline. A senior research fellow focusing on media and democracy in central and eastern Europe, Dr. Ainius Lasas1 started the evening. However, he did not give a presentation, but began the event with a provocative discussion about democracy and media in Lithuania. He asked the audience to re-imagine democracy where the legal system works for the people, where corruption is minimized, and the elections are fair.
In "Cekuolis" style,2 Dphil history student Donatas Kupciunas contrasted history with science. He said that both of them engage in traveling in time. But whereas scientists travel to the future, historians travel to the past. Indeed, Karolis Leonavicius who is a DPhil candidate at the Oxford Interdisciplinary Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership, brought us to the future where there is an HIV vaccine invented. But from time traveling, Andrius Vaicenavicius gave us a taste of how mathematics can help with fortune telling business. Since most of the people in the audience admitted that they played the "he loves me, he loves me not" game, Andrius showed us a little trick about how mathematics can help us to determine our love lives. DPhil in sociolinguistics student Skaiste Aleksandraviciute scrutinized our language patterns, and convinced us that language is ever changing and adapting to new contexts. According to her, there is little need to obsess about language 'purity' preservation. And lastly, Dr. Skirmantas Kriaucionis, a researcher at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research surprised us with his new discovery in DNA.
Thanks to engaging presentations, delicious (and unconventional) snacks that Pijus bought, and energetic curator Andrius, the evening was a great success. It is certainly to become a tradition at Oxford.
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1 To read A. Lasas commentary, please refer to:
http://www.delfi.lt/news/ringas/lit/alasas-balsu-pirkimas-ir-spengianti-partine-tyla.d?id=59764629
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-14/lithuania-votes-as-austerity-fallout-points-to-government-ouster.html
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2 To learn more about this style, please refer to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayFP9DLBpHw),
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1 To read A. Lasas commentary, please refer to:
http://www.delfi.lt/news/ringas/lit/alasas-balsu-pirkimas-ir-spengianti-partine-tyla.d?id=59764629
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-14/lithuania-votes-as-austerity-fallout-points-to-government-ouster.html
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2 To learn more about this style, please refer to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayFP9DLBpHw),