On February 11, Mykolas Romeris University (MRU) will host an event initiated by the Association of Spanish Scientists in the Baltic Countries (ACEBaltic) to commemorate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

It aims to be an inspiring milestone for women and girls to progress in their scientific vocation with determination, as well as an awareness of the importance of authorities, institutions, academia and society working together to achieve one of the significant challenges of our days: making the scientific community a more prosperous, inclusive and equal space.

The event will bring together relevant personalities from the institutional and scientific world - H. E. Ms. María Nieves Blanco Díaz, Ambassador of Spain to Lithuania; Dr. Regina Valutytė, Vice-Minister of Education, Science and Sport of Lithuania; Dr. Eva Ortega-Paíno, Secretary General for Research of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain (will participate remotely); Dr. Cristina Bajo-Santos, molecular biology scientist, winner of the L’Oréal-UNESCO Award for Young Talented Women in Science (2023); and Dr. habil. Gražina Tautvaišienė, President of the Lithuanian Physical Society and Vice-President of the International Astronomical Union (IAU).

The celebration will start with an institutional and academic. A welcome speech will be pronounced by Prof. Dr. Inga Žalėnienė, Rector of MRU, member of the board of the European Women Rectors Association (EWORA) and Vice-President of the International Association of Universities (IAU).

This will be followed by the presentation of the international exhibition AstrónomAs, which portrays the career of outstanding women in astronomy. Dr. Edita Stonkutė (Vilnius University), will speak on behalf of the Baltic women scientists highlighted in this exhibition, most of whom will be present at the event. A cocktail lunch will be served, concluding with a commemorative cake.

In the afternoon, a career discovery workshop will be held in the MRU Lab building for high school students (under previous registration). Female researchers and university students will lead the session to foster closer communication and provide young students with credible role models close to their age. This activity aims to engage the participants through creative and participatory dynamics, inspiring and helping them explore various scientific career paths.

All academic community members are invited to join.

This event is part of ACEBaltic’s action plan for 2025. The collaboration of MRU, the Embassy of Spain, the Foreign Educational Action of the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of Spain, and the Ramón Areces Foundation has been invaluable in executing it.