Irmantas Šaltupis from the Klaipėda district was very active in primary school. The alumnus says that he attended dances for several years. In the 3rd grade, he started to study at a music school. He studied there for seven years, during which he played the accordion. After graduating from music school, Irmantas taught himself to play guitar and piano, but the alumnus emphasizes that this activity didn’t become his significant hobby. I. Šaltupis received his secondary education at Gargždai “Vaivorykštės” Gymnasium, and before that, he graduated from Endriejavas Primary School. The alumnus remembers that for several years he was involved in acting activities with his classmates, and after graduating from the music school and before moving to the gymnasium, he attended arm bending classes for a year. I. Šaltupis says that it was not very difficult to make a decision about where to study after finishing high school, because chemistry and the Russian language were the most attractive subjects at school. In the tenth grade, Irmantas began to focus only on sciences related to the field of chemistry. This direction seemed to him one of the easiest and most interesting. Currently, Irmantas Šaltupis works at PC “ORLEN Lietuva” company. This is his first official job. We asked Irmantas Šaltupis to tell us about his success story.
– What subjects did you do best at school?
– In general, I did well in all subjects at school. I enjoyed biology, Lithuanian, mathematics, and art classes. Other activities were also on my list. I was most attracted to chemistry and the Russian language. English was the hardest for me. Some such gaps accompany me to this day. In high school, when I created the desired lesson plan, I started to study purposefully and consistently. From the beginning, I knew which subjects were most important to me. In high school, I paid the most attention to chemistry. I’ve actually been interested in this science since the eighth grade when it first appeared on the curriculum. I had a very good teachers in primary school. They also contributed to the fact that I began to like chemistry.
– Was it easy to choose what to study after school?
– Choosing what to study wasn’t that difficult. Already in the tenth grade, I was exploring my options for what I could study after finishing the twelfth grade and passing the state matriculation exams. Since I liked chemistry, I focused solely on pursuing this direction. I had no doubts about my decision, because I simply didn’t have another alternative list of options. In the tenth grade, I knew which state matriculation exams to take. Even about them I didn’t hesitate for long. I passed the Russian, English, mathematics, Lithuanian and chemistry exams.
– Why did you choose Chemical Technology and Engineering and Chemical Engineering study programs?
– The choice was intuitive. I was already thinking about these study programs in the tenth grade, so I wanted to check the websites of various Lithuanian universities. In them we can find descriptions of certain study programs. I cared about it that’s why I was very interested in it. I really liked the descriptions of these study programs. I was interested in the offered study modules and the sufficiently wide possibilities of creating a study plan when choosing alternative modules. For these reasons, I didn’t even consider other options when I was in high school. In the eleventh and twelfth grades, I studied purposefully, knowing that I would apply only in to these study programs.
– Why did you choose to study Chemical Engineering at KTU?
– I have been interested in the Chemical Engineering study program at Klaipėda University for a long time. I had the opportunity to enroll in Klaipėda University right up until the application deadline. Thinking about entering Kaunas University was difficult. The biggest fear was the long distance from home and the fact that Kaunas was a completely foreign city. During the last days of applying, a friend recommended studying in Kaunas. After considering the pros and cons of such an option, I changed the priority of my options before applying for admission. In total, I submitted two applications for undergraduate studies. The requests were as follows: I submitted Chemical Engineering at Klaipėda University as the second number, and Chemical Technology and Engineering at Kaunas University of Technology as the first number. I entered this study program, which was marked with the first number.
– The experience gained during my undergraduate studies at KTU left positive impressions and memories both when communicating with KTU teachers and with the academic group. My knowledge base was significantly enriched while studying at the KTU Faculty of Chemical Technology, because the material presented by the lecturers during the modules was and is very useful. There was no thought of choosing another university for master’s studies. I wanted that my further studies to take place at a university to which I was already used to the environment and culture.
– What was your first impression of starting university after school?
– The first impression wasn’t what I expected. Everything was completely new to me: an unfamiliar city, a new environment and lack of friends. It made a big impact. In the first year of my studies, I experienced negative emotions. These feelings were caused by the fact that I was quite a reserved person. There was no motivation to do any extracurricular activities, I just wanted to get home as soon as possible. From the very first year, I was more focused on studying than on typical student life, as I was committed to achieving the best possible academic results. I always pursued this goal consistently. A turning point occurred in the second half of my second year, when I began to dedicate a bit more time to activities outside of university. However, at the same time, the quarantine began, which limited my environment and made me more withdrawn, focusing once again on my studies. Essentially, I’m a perfectionist and want to do everything as well as possible, but from the very beginning, the studies seemed difficult. After the first weeks, there was even an idea to drop everything and choose another field of study. In the end I decided not to. In these days I’m happy with this decision.
– What surprised you the most while studying Chemical Engineering?
– While studying Chemical Technology and Engineering, and then continuing my studies in the Chemical Engineering study program, I was always surprised by the fact that the university staff and professors were very kind. It is pleasant to remember that I was able to form and maintain warm and professional relationships with the community of the Faculty of Chemical Technology at KTU. The benevolence of the teachers, mentoring and help in case of various problems – all this helped to better remember the new subjects taught and not to repeat the mistakes that were made before.
– What would you do differently if you were to become a first-year student again?
– I would try to optimally allocate the available free time that should be used outside the university. More socialization would have helped to chase the negative emotions away. Making new contacts, getting to know the city, joining some extra university activities, finding a balance between studies and personal life, without compromising the results of studies, would ultimately benefit any student. It is important to emphasize that I would probably additionally evaluate the possibility of going abroad for part-time studies.
– How is the knowledge gained at the university useful in everyday and professional activities? Do you apply them often?
– The knowledge acquired at the university is always useful or at least allows more detailed information searches to be directed in the right direction. It must be admitted that when faced with a specific problem in practice, the only theoretical knowledge available until then doesn’t always help, many things need to be relearned, but this is not bad. In this way, conditions are created for improvement and growth. Knowledge acquired using AutoCAD, Aspen package programs is very useful in professional activities. The material of the modules of chemical engineering, petroleum studies is useful in practice or at least leads to a more correct decision making.
– What was the beginning of your professional path, and what have been the most important jobs in your career?
– My first official workplace was PC “ORLEN Lietuva.” I started to work at this company on February 21, 2022. During the final semester of my bachelor’s studies, I completed my mandatory internship at PC “ORLEN Lietuva.” During the internship, I received a job offer and the opportunity to stay on and continue working. I didn’t hesitate long. I evaluated the offer along with the circumstances at that time. I accepted the offer and have no regrets about it. I have been working at the company for three years now. In the long term, I plan to continue working here to gain new skills and experience. Over the past years, I have worked as a process engineer in the “Technology Development” and “Technology Documentation Management” groups.
– During the first three months of work, I completed a production internship in the atmospheric distillation unit for crude oil. I was an operator of the technological equipment. During this time, I became familiar with the operating principles of the equipment, had the chance to see the apparatuses forming the unit in action, and learned about other oil refining processes. During the capital repair period, I had the opportunity to see some of the operating equipment from the inside. This helped solidify the theoretical knowledge I gained at university.
– In the “Technology Development” group, I had the opportunity to contribute to the technological development of ongoing projects. In the “Technology Documentation Management” group, I became acquainted with work related to chemical substances and mixtures, including the preparation and review of safety data sheets and other similar activities. I also learned how to apply relevant Lithuanian legal acts, European Council regulations, and directives in a specific field of activity, and how to provide necessary data to interested parties based on legislation. Additionally, I gained experience in coordinating the update of technological regulations. Since the beginning of June, I have started working in a new position as a Sustainability Engineer.
– What advice would you give to those who starting their studies and those who are already studying?
– To those who starting their studies, I would say not to be afraid of making mistakes and learning from them, because mistakes are inevitable. Often, mistakes and subsequent corrections make it easier to grasp information and handle similar situations more effectively in the future. It is also important to find a balance between studying and personal interests. For those who already studying, they likely know best how they learn most effectively and what study methods work best for them. Some of those students may find it helpful to start tasks early and complete them systematically toward their goals, while others may achieve excellent results by prioritizing shorter-term goals and working with a sense of enjoyable urgency. My advice is for everyone to discover their own approach to studying that leads to satisfying and rewarding outcomes.
Irmanto Šaltupio LinkedIn account: https://bit.ly/4cHEI2I
More information about Bachelor of Chemical Technology and Engineering studies: https://tinyurl.com/yzxpmwku
More information about Master’s studies in Chemical Engineering: https://tinyurl.com/msuxfp3d
