“Before that, I had been to Lithuania three times – when I was eight, twelve, and when I reached adulthood. While studying for my bachelor’s degree in the USA, I felt my knowledge of the Lithuanian language weakening. Eventually, I realized that I had always wanted to live here, to see what life in Lithuania was like. Moreover, I wanted to strengthen my connection with my family,” Ieva recounts.
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The girl returned to Lithuania in 2024 and soon joined the Lithuanian diaspora’s young professionals program “Bring Together Lithuania”. During it, she completed a summer internship for Lithuanians abroad, which became an important step in her professional path. This experience led Ieva to her first job in Lithuania – she joined the “Kurk Lietuvai” initiative and started working at the “Investuok Lietuvoje” agency.
From Life Sciences – to the World of Data
Ieva had three years of experience in clinical research in the USA, so she calls the projects implemented in Lithuania a natural continuation of what interests her. One of them is the creation of a regulatory sandbox (regulatory sandboxes) system adapted for the Lithuanian life sciences sector. A regulatory sandbox is like a “testing environment” where companies, under institutional supervision, can test innovations in real-world conditions.
“During the project, I communicated with various stakeholders. During the discussions, it became clear that the biggest challenge for small companies arises when they already have a prototype – they often lack knowledge, finances, or opportunities to further develop the innovation. One of the possible solutions is closer cooperation with, for example, university laboratories, when conducting research or developing products,” says the VU student.
The girl also delved into the field of the microbiome. The human microbiome is the totality of microorganisms living in our body. This growing field of research is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of chronic and other diseases.
“After many discussions with researchers, companies, and professors, we concluded that this field requires greater and separate funding, especially for long-term projects, as microbiome research is characterized by a long impact period,” she states.
Although Ieva’s projects are related to life sciences, while studying for her master’s degree at the VU Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, she is delving into a new field – data science. She calls this field promising – such specialists, according to the interviewee, are needed for business, health, and other sectors.
Captivating Lithuanian Community Spirit
Ieva says she would like to become a data scientist, but she has not yet decided whether to build her career and future life in Lithuania or the USA: “The problem is that part of my family – my parents, sisters, and brother – are in the USA, and the other part of my family is in Lithuania.”
However, according to Ieva, that is a question for the future – for now, she is spending time with her family, improving her Lithuanian language skills, and exploring Lithuania. The girl says she loves hiking, so this summer she is preparing to cross Lithuania via the pilgrim route Camino Lituano.
“Nature is very important to me,” says the American-Lithuanian, adding that she is fascinated by how culture in Lithuania is closely connected to nature. This, according to Ieva, is illustrated by festivals such as Jorė or Rasa.
The VU student is happy that she managed to improve her Lithuanian language over almost two years of living in Lithuania: “Last year, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to speak Lithuanian in this interview. When I arrived in the country, I was very afraid to speak, I knew my language wasn’t perfect, but I realized that to speak better, I had to try. Daring to speak was a big challenge.”
When asked what differences she sees between Lithuanians and Americans, Ieva says she notices a greater sense of community in Lithuania. “In Lithuania, I feel a stronger common sense of love for one’s country. Although there is division in every country, I think there is more of it in the USA,” states Ieva.
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