Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWMWhen Dr. phil. Dovilė Čibiraitė-Lukenskienė thinks back to her beginnings, she realizes one thing above all: she loves a challenge! This was already the case at school, when a teacher advised her against studying physics: »It's too difficult!«
If It’s Difficult, It’s a Case for Dovilė
This Article Is Taken from Our Book »Forscherinnen im Fokus – Wir schaffen Veränderung« (»Female Researchers in Focus – We Create Change«)
»Challenge accepted!« Dovilė proved the opposite and studied »Physics and Management of Modern Technologies« at Vilnius University in Lithuania. Her bachelor's degree was followed by a master's degree – »too difficult« not at all! But she was far from satisfied: the doctorate was to be the crowning glory. To do this, Dovilė went to Germany on a Marie Curie scholarship and completed her doctorate at Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main! Dovilė is proud of what she has achieved: »I have never regretted the path I took. I knew it would be difficult, but I also knew that nothing was more interesting for me.« She still follows this principle today: she does what is difficult if it is interesting and something new for her.
Research Trips Are No Interruption
What looks like a straight line and a steep career path is just that. But to achieve this goal, Dovilė didn't just hide behind her books. On the contrary: she seized every opportunity to travel that came her way and focused on the opportunities for herself. Her success proves her right. A four-month Erasmus stay in Hanover, a further three months in Frankfurt am Main, research stays in Madrid and Dublin and now working as a research assistant at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM in Kaiserslautern – it was all worth it! Because all her experience, she says, has made her more creative and open to new ideas.
Dovilė spent three years at the Fraunhofer ITWM in Kaiserslautern as a dedicated researcher. Today, she contributes her knowledge and expertise as a scientific researcher at the Center for Physical Sciences and Technology (FTMC) in her home country of Lithuania.
Having Fun While Doing It
In her opinion, what is absolutely essential is to enjoy the work. It was her interest in real-time imaging in the field of millimeter waves and terahertz radiation that led her to Fraunhofer; her curiosity and networking from previous years still help her today in her collaboration with colleagues. »If the work isn't fun, maybe it's not the right thing,« she says. So bury your head in the sand? Not if Dovilė has her way. »Even if it's difficult to embark on a new path, I would always do it. You should follow your passion!«
Commitment to Equal Opportunities
Dovilė makes no secret of the fact that she will have to continue working hard in the future to achieve her goals. This also applies to her current and future colleagues who choose the path of science for themselves. To ensure that neither a self-chosen (re)path nor gender play a role in this, Dovilė has been elected Equal Opportunities Officer (BfC) at her institute. The common goal of all institutes is to increase the proportion of female employees in applied research and to strengthen and promote equal opportunities for women and men in the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. »Challenge accepted!«
On the Right Wavelength
The work of Dovilė and her colleagues in the »Materials Characterization and Testing« department helps the industry to bring only functional and flawless products into circulation. Electromagnetic waves, which enable non-destructive testing, are essential for this.
The scientists use different methods and processes for this. In Dovilė's case, this involves real-time imaging using terahertz radiation, which is located between infrared radiation and microwaves. For a long time, this was very difficult to generate. Even today, the production of transmitters and receivers is still considered a challenge – especially when they also need to be compact and as economical as possible. However, if successful, the radiation can be used in various areas.
From Recycling to Space Travel
The areas of application for the imaging processes are very diverse. Dovilė is interested in climate-friendly solutions to problems using terahertz radiation, whether for space or dealing with bulky waste: reusable rockets or wood as a raw material – everything helps to conserve the limited resources of our planet.
To find out whether bulky waste is suitable for further use without touching it, Dovilė and her colleagues from various institutes of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft use visual, near-infrared, thermographic and terahertz imaging. Various sensor technologies detect different properties of the materials without damaging them.
The recorded images are then sent to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), more precisely to the Institute of Industrial Information Technology (IIIT). There, the researchers process the data and train neural networks. In this way, the system learns step by step to recognize on its own which material is suitable for a second use and which is not. The aim is to train the AI so that the different materials are sorted directly so that wood and non-ferrous metals, for example, can be sent back into the recycling cycle.
Theory and Practice Count at the Institute
At the Fraunhofer ITWM, research is consistently carried out in order to further improve terahertz radiation with its current methods, processes, transmitters and receivers and thus make it indispensable for many other areas of application. In addition to theory, practice counts: the researchers advise companies, carry out suitability tests and feasibility studies, undertake contract measurements, develop software and hardware and build both individual components and complete systems that are required for material testing. This keeps things exciting and just right for Dovilė, which is now in charge of numerous projects with customers or other institutes.