International Conference on Environmental Studies and English BACK TO NATURE

 

 

On April 27th, the international conference "Back to Nature" was held at Prienai "Žiburys" gymnasium in cooperation with Lithuanian higher education institutions-Vytautas Magnus, Klaipėda, and Kaunas Forestry Environmental Engineering Universities,  Baltic Sea Project Schools, International Waste Management organization- Green Dot and Nemunas Loops regional park. The conference was also an integral part of the international Erasmus+ project " A European Green Goal: Clean Energy and Environmental Sustainability against Climate Change," which is why Climate Change was chosen as the theme for the conference.  Rasa Kučinskienė (a Biology and Chemistry teacher) and Vilija Gustaitytė (an English language teacher), the founders and initiators of this conference, were delighted to have had the opportunity to organize this international school conference, increasing students' motivation to engage in environmental issues, improving their research skills and developing their linguistic competencies as well as cooperation and the ability to learn from one another.

Students presented 24 research works in 3 work sessions not only from Lithuania: Vilnius, Kaunas, Šiauliai, Panevėžys, Alytus, Birštonas, Prienai, Garliavia,  Pilviškiai, but also from abroad: our Erasmus project partners from Italy, Spain, and France gladly agreed to share their work with us. We also had presentations given by students from Poland, Russia, and the UK. Highly experienced and qualified jury members evaluated the participants' presentations, and the four most scientific works were selected and awarded. This school year, the jury was composed of Associate Professor, Doctor Lina Ragelienė, Vytautas Magnus University, Department of Biochemistry;

Dr. Violeta Vaitkevičienė, Vytautas Magnus University, Department of Biochemistry;

Dr. Žydrūnas Preikša, Vytautas Magnus University, Faculty of Forestry and Ecology;

Dr. Agnė Šneiderienė, Klaipėda University, Department of Economics;

Renata Pavlavičienė, Chief specialist of the Education Department of Prienai District Municipality;

Raminta Časonė, Representative of the International Waste Management Organisation „Žaliasis Taškas"- Green Dot.

At the beginning of the conference, Dr. Agnė Šneiderienė (Lecturer at the Department of Economics, Klaipėda University) gave an informative lecture on how generations attitude towards climate change is changing.  Then, Gedy Matisen (International relations coordinator in Tartu Nature House; National Coordinator of the UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project in Estonia) gave an interesting talk on the results of the lichen bio blitz within the UNESCO ASPnet Baltic Sea Project.  Finally, Virginija Kriaučiūnaitė  (a Biology and English teacher methodologist at Vilnius Gabija Progymnasium) talked about how we can influence our students to discourage consumerism.

Before work in sessions started, all the participants watched a video, which presented a very creative and an environmentally-friendly clothing collection, "Second Life," created by a young designer of our gymnasium Ieva Stankevičiūtė. All outfits were modern and contemporary.

The second part of the conference was great fun for the students. Vaida Griškevičienė (Representative of the Green Dot Organization) organized the "Battle of the Brains." Meanwhile, teachers and guests could follow a lecture on Climate Change by Fons Joosten  (a programmer, IT specialist, philanthropist, and researcher from the Netherlands).

The jury recognized four best research presentations:

Climate Change Impact on Apulian Water Supply. Sara Sassanelli and Margherita Celenza (supervised by Serafina Vero and Cristina Mancini), Liceo Scientifico Edoardo Amaldi, Italy.

 

Air Pollution in Lithuania, Climate Change. Paulina Sabanskytė and Supria Didla (supervised by Vilija Gustaitytė and Rasa Kučinskienė), Prienai Ziburys gymnasium, Lithuania.

 

The Influence of Climate Change on Plants.  Kristijonas Raibužis and Monika Janušauskaitė (supervised by Rasa Kučinskienė and Jurgita Barkauskienė), Prienai Ziburys gymnasium, Lithuania.

 

The Investigation of the Impact of Invasive Plant Boxelder Maple Extracts on Nitellopsis Obtusa Cells. Anastasija Jasinskaja and Anželika Stepanovaitė (supervised by Svetlana Griško and Galina Vincukevičienė), Vilnius Pranciskus Skorina Gymnasium, Lithuania.

 

We sincerely thank all the participants, guest speakers and contributors and wish them to find time to enjoy even the smallest natural wonders because they are our source of inspiration.

 Vilija Gustaitytė and Rasa Kučinskienė,  Prienai Ziburys gymansium, Lithuania