Justas Grinkevicius, who hails from the city of Klaipėda, graduated from one of Klaipėda’s prestigious high schools – “Klaipėdos ąžuolyno” – before entering KTU. Grinkevicius says that his best achievements at school were in the exact sciences, i.e., mathematics, physics and chemistry. Biology also did well. Taking into account which sciences are the easiest for him to understand, it didn’t take long for the alumnus to start considering engineering sciences. In 10th grade, Justas focused more on biological sciences, but after a seasonal job at Klaipėda University Hospital, in the Department of Pathology, he came to the conclusion that he wouldn’t be interested in such a field of work. According to the alumnus, this gave him the motivation to study chemistry, which became more and more interesting the further he went. We asked Justas Grinkevicius himself to tell us his success story.
– Was it easy to choose what to study after school?
– After school, it was easy to decide on my field of study, as the modules I took in Year 10 pointed me in the direction of engineering. After looking at various engineering degree programs, there were a few that stood out for their wide variety of modules, and I didn’t want to choose a very narrow field of study at that time.
– Why did you choose Chemical Technology and Engineering?
– There were two main choices when it came to going to university: chemical technology and engineering or pharmacy. As I was more attracted to engineering, I chose the first option.
– Why did you choose to study chemical engineering at KTU?
– At the beginning of the 12th grade, I already knew that I would study in Kaunas. At that time, many of my friends had already started studying at KTU, so one of the reasons was to choose Kaunas, then the university, and only then the study program.
– What was your first impression of going to university after school?
– Before I went to university, I had a mental picture of what things should look like at university. I expected it to be very difficult from the start, but once I started, it was the opposite. The introduction to the lectures was quite clear, as was the introduction to the whole procedure. There was no stress at the beginning of the course, I was very surprised by the comfort.
– What stuck out and surprised you most about studying chemical engineering?
– During my studies, I remember very much the interaction with my lecturers. It was very different from school. The lecturers were very motivating and very easy to communicate with. My course mates and I would often drop in to talk about our future prospects as chemical engineers, and it was easy to arrange various trips to the chemical industry with the lecturers.
– What would you do differently now if you had to go back to the first course again?
– If I had to go back to the first course again, I would do everything the same as before, because everything went very smoothly from the very first lectures.
– Tell us about some of the extra activities you did while studying?
– When I started to study at university, I wanted to be more involved in university activities. In my first year, I joined the student’s representation of the Faculty of Chemical Technology, and I was also the deputy group elder.
– How is the knowledge you have gained at university useful in your daily and professional life? Do you apply it often?
– At KTU University offers a wide range of knowledge in various fields. I have applied a lot of it in my hobbies and work. At KTU, I learned how to find reliable sources of information from the Internet. I have come to the conclusion that such analytical knowledge can be applied to selecting the right information for each day’s current affairs.
– What was the start of your professional career and what were the most important moments at that time?
– After my bachelor’s studies, I started working as a production operator at UAB Orion Global PET, a company that produces PET plastic pellets. In this position, I had to apply a considerable part of the acquired knowledge about the processes taking place in the chemical industry.
– While working as a production operator at UAB Orion Global PET, I realized that I wanted to expand my engineering knowledge, so I enrolled in master’s studies in chemical engineering, purposefully continuing the professional path of a chemical engineer.
– What advice would you give to those who are starting to study and those who are already studying?
– Before enrolling or entering KTU University, I would advise to set specific goals for yourself, choose a field and work purposefully to achieve what you most want. Don’t lose motivation and enjoy the process, and the result will come by itself!
Linkedin account of Justas Grinkevicius: http://bit.ly/3VLhr9w
More information about Bachelor of Chemical Technology and Engineering studies: http://bit.ly/3XIFisT
More information about Master’s studies in Chemical Engineering: http://bit.ly/4bmoqvr