Neuroscientist credits Italy studies, professor's push for career path

Karolina Armonaitė, a neuroscientist at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), never dreamed of a scientific career as a child, believing it was for "special people." Her path to neuroscience began later, sparked by studies in Lithuania, an Erasmus+ internship in Rome, and unexpected encouragement from a physics professor to pursue a doctorate.

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It seemed that people involved in science were special, and I didn't consider myself one of them.

Armonaitė, who grew up near the small town of Kintai in the Šilutė district, learned to seek opportunities even when they were scarce. She recalls limited extracurricular activities in her hometown but actively participated in events and competitions. While she found her childhood town "gloomy," she now values her upbringing surrounded by nature, which fostered independence and simplicity.

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The most important thing is not where you come from, but curiosity and the desire to find your own path.

Her fascination with physics and how the world works, particularly the launch of the CERN particle accelerator in 2008, ignited her scientific curiosity. Despite initially choosing a more "practical" direction with bachelor's studies in health sciences and a master's in health management, she realized her true passion lay in academic work and complex questions. The turning point was her Erasmus+ internship in Italy, where a physics professor's push to apply for a competitive doctoral program in a new field ultimately led her to neuroscience.

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Living in a smaller town, there weren't many opportunities for extracurricular activities, but I tried to actively participate in various events, competitions, and initiatives.