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Dr. Nerijus Maliukevičius serves as an Assistant Professor at Vilnius University's Institute of International Relations and Political Science, where he conducts research and teaching within the Department of Political Behavior and Institutional Studies. His expertise centers on information warfare, strategic communication, and Russian geopolitical strategies, with extensive publications analyzing disinformation campaigns targeting Baltic and European states. Maliukevičius' research interests focus on Information Warfare , Russian Studies , and Propaganda Countermeasures , examining how technological advances reshape conflict dynamics. His work investigates Kremlin influence operations across media ecosystems, emphasizing social resilience frameworks and psychological defense mechanisms against hybrid threats. Key contributions include foundational studies on Russian information geopolitics and contemporary analyses of operations like Ghostwriter that exploit digital vulnerabilities in democratic societies. His publication trajectory reveals a strategic evolution from theoretical frameworks (2002-2008) toward actionable counter-strategies, with recent work prioritizing social resilience metrics and Nordic-Baltic defense coordination. This shift reflects escalating geopolitical tensions following Crimea's annexation and Ukraine's invasion, where his analyses of Russian media tactics have gained critical policy relevance across NATO and EU institutions. Maliukevičius has secured major research funding including the IARPA-funded SAGE project (2016-2019) for geopolitical forecasting and Lithuania's national disinformation study (2021). He regularly advises governments through high-impact presentations at NATO StratCom CoE, NED forums, and Lublin Triangle initiatives, translating academic insights into operational countermeasures against active measures. As co-leader of Vilnius University's Politics of Technology Research Group and Belarus Research Group, he directs collaborative investigations into AI-driven disinformation and authoritarian influence networks. His teams develop early-warning systems for hybrid threats while training next-generation analysts through specialized courses like Information Warfare and Strategic Political Communication.

• Information Warfare
• Russian Studies
• Propaganda and Disinformation
• +4 more

Linas Kojala is a lecturer at Vilnius University's Institute of International Relations and Political Science (VU IIRPS) and serves as the Director of the Center for Geopolitical and Security Studies. He is also a Non-Resident Fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute (USA) and a Millennium Fellow at the Atlantic Council (USA). His research focuses on US and Russian foreign policy, European integration, security studies, and global economy. Kojala has received notable accolades, including the Titanium Award (2023) and selection as a Munich Young Leader (2023), alongside a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship (2017-2018). Education : BA/MA in Political Science/European Studies (VU TSPMI), Postgraduate Diploma in Global Business (Oxford), MBA (Cambridge) Key Publications : Explored topics in Russian identity narratives, soft power in the Baltics, Ukraine conflict impacts, and EU-Russia relations through role theory Kojala’s media commentary appears in CNN, BBC, Politico, and Berlingske, and he consistently ranks among Lithuania’s top 3 most influential public figures.

• European Studies
• International Relations
• US Foreign Policy
• +4 more

Eglė E. Murauskaitė is a Senior Faculty Specialist at the University of Maryland and a Senior Non-Resident Fellow with the Vilnius Institute for Policy Analysis. She lectures at Vilnius University and Kaunas University of Technology, focusing on international security, gray zone warfare, and unconventional threats. Her work spans academic research, government consulting, and crisis simulations design across Europe, the U.S., and MENA. Education: Master of International Relations (Security Studies, Summa Cum Laude, Sciences Po Paris 2012), Bachelor of Economics (SSE Riga 2008). Research Areas: Nuclear security, WMD proliferation, crisis communication, emotion studies, and interdisciplinary approaches to security challenges. Leadership: PI for DoD Minerva projects on Western assistance in Ukraine and emotions in adversarial campaigns; lead for ICONS Project simulations. Scientific Awards: Senior non-resident fellow at Vilnius Institute for Policy Analysis. Her recent publications analyze Ukrainian resilience, Russian nuclear rhetoric, and foreign fighter risks. She also contributes to public discourse via the NYLA Update podcast and National Drama Theatre discussions.

• International Security
• Gray Zone Warfare
• Nuclear Security
• +5 more

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ramutė Rachlevičiūtė is an art historian and curator at the Vilnius Academy of Arts (VAA), where she has lectured since 1991 on topics including Western Modernism, Russian avant-garde, Lithuanian art of the 20th century, and Soviet art. She contributes to interdisciplinary research and publishing projects, and is affiliated with the Institute of Art Research and the Art and Research Department at VAA. Education: MA in Art Criticism from Vilnius Academy of Arts (1978), PhD in Art Criticism (2012) Her research focuses on surrealism in Lithuanian art, female identity in visual culture, autobiographical narratives in art, and Soviet-era artistic movements. She has led multiple funded projects examining artists' biographies and cultural memory. Recent publications analyze themes like surrealism's intersections with eroticism, futurist traditions in Lithuania, and muralist art's political significance during the Soviet period. These works reflect her expertise in avant-garde studies, gender theory, and visual cultural analysis. Scientific Awards Culture and Art Award by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (2021) As president of AICA Lithuanian Section (2004-2018), she organized 9 conferences on female creative spaces. She has curated 50 exhibitions, including 10 national-level art institutions, and serves as an expert for the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport.

• Art History
• Surrealism in Art
• Russian Avant-Garde
• +5 more

Prof. Tomas Janeliūnas is a Research Professor at the Department of International Relations, Vilnius University Institute of International Relations and Political Science (IIRPS). He has taught at IIRPS since 2003 and served as department head from 2013–2018. His research spans International Relations , Foreign Policy Analysis , Security Studies , and Energy Policy . PhD in Political Science (Vilnius University, 2006) Editor-in-Chief of Politologija (2009–2020) and Lithuanian Foreign Policy Review (2007–2014) Contributor to IQ journal (2010–2019) His research projects include: Grybauskaitė’s Doctrine (2018–2019) on Lithuanian foreign policy Energy Union Priorities (2019–2020) in Central/Eastern Europe NATO’s Northeast Quartet (2018) for Baltic-Polish defense Russian Development Scenarios (2015–2016) for regional security His publications and projects focus on small state foreign policy , energy security , and military cooperation in the Baltic region. He has also served as an expert for the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) and Lithuania’s Parliamentary National Security Committee.

• International Relations
• Foreign Policy Analysis
• Security Studies
• +1 more

Dr. Mantas Martišius is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Communication, Vilnius University, specializing in the Centre for Journalism and Media Research. His work focuses on information warfare, propaganda dissemination, political communication, and media studies. He holds a PhD in Information Warfare from Vilnius University (2007), with a dissertation analyzing the impact of information warfare during the Second Chechen War. His research explores topics such as Russian information warfare tactics, media market transformations, and the role of media in conflict zones. He has contributed to peer-reviewed journals like Informacijos mokslai and Žurnalistikos tyrimai . Martišius frequently engages in science promotion, discussing media literacy and information warfare on platforms like LRT Radijo and Bernardinai.lt . He has served on doctoral defense committees for studies addressing topics like the influence of Russian media on Baltic perceptions and the analysis of Soviet-era films in Lithuanian media. His work emphasizes the societal impact of media narratives and the need for critical media literacy in combating misinformation.

• Information Warfare
• Propaganda Dissemination
• Political Communication
• +3 more

Arvydas Kumpis is a Lecturer at Vytautas Magnus University, holding positions at both the Centre for Asian Studies and the Department of Cultural Studies within the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy. He earned his Doctor of Sciences degree in 2020 and has been actively contributing to academic research on East Asian politics and societies. Dr. Kumpis specializes in research areas including: Nationalism in Japan Far-right movements in East Asia Identities in East Asian contexts Zainichi Koreans studies Historiography of East Asian ethnic minorities His research primarily focuses on the intersection of nationalism, identity politics, and minority rights in Japan, with particular attention to the Zainichi Korean community. Kumpis has examined how historical revisionism, economic factors, and media representations shape contemporary far-right movements in Japan. His work demonstrates how online activism has transformed into street-level political movements, particularly examining organizations like Zaitokukai and their impact on Japanese society. Dr. Kumpis has published extensively on Japanese politics and East Asian studies, with publications spanning from 2014 to 2024. His research shows a clear progression from historiographical analysis of Zainichi Koreans to contemporary examinations of right-wing activism in Japan. His work bridges historical context with current political developments, providing valuable insights into the evolution of nationalist discourse in modern Japan. He is proficient in multiple languages including Lithuanian (native), English (very good), Japanese (good), and has basic knowledge of Russian, Latin, and Polish, which supports his research on East Asian societies.

• Nationalism
• Far-right movements
• Japanese politics
• +3 more

Šarūnas Liekis is a Lithuanian historian and political scientist serving as Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy at Vytautas Magnus University since 2010. He holds a Habilitated Doctorate (2005) and has expertise in ethnic relations, minority issues, and international relations. His career includes roles as Director of the Vilnius Yiddish Institute (2001–present), member of the Central Election Commission (2021–present), and advisor to the Lithuanian government on minority affairs (2003–2010). Notable works include A State Within a State? Jewish Autonomy in Lithuania 1918–1925 (2003) and Casablanca of the North: Refugees and Rescuers in Kaunas, 1939–1940 (2017). His research focuses on Baltic history, Lithuanian-Polish relations, and Soviet narratives. Education: PhD in Social Sciences (1997), studies at Oxford, Brandeis University, and the Jewish University of Jerusalem. Publications span 74 works including books on minority politics, EU relations, and historical conflicts. Awards include Lithuania's Officer's Cross of the Order of Gediminas (2023). He has led national projects on heritage and state-building, and his academic contributions address historical memory and contemporary governance challenges.

• History
• Political Science
• Minorities
• +3 more

Egor Isaev is a Visiting Lecturer in the Academic Department of Social Sciences at the European Humanities University (EHU). He holds an AFA in Film Directing from Moscow Film School (2019) and an M.A. in Public History from the University of Manchester, UK (2013). His teaching focuses on Digital Cinema, History of Cinema, Screenwriting, and Documentary Filmmaking. His research interests center on the Politics of Memory, Public History, History in Media, and Digital Cinema. He has published extensively on topics like Russian historical films, cultural trauma, and the intersection of cinema with political and social issues. Notable works include Cinematography (2021), The Militarization of the Past (2020), and analyses of post-Yugoslav cinema. Isaev is an active documentary filmmaker, producing works such as The Fronier (2021), Teens and Kittens (2021), and Zinc (2021). His films address contemporary social issues, human rights, and pandemic crises. He has collaborated with organizations like Mediazona and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. His academic contributions span interdisciplinary public history, museum studies, and the politics of affect. He has participated in international conferences and co-authored influential papers on cultural heritage and institutional crises.

• Digital Cinema
• Public History
• Politics of Memory
• +3 more

Pozdnyakov Vyacheslav Mikhailovich is a Professor and Deputy Dean for Research at the Faculty of Extreme Psychology, Department of Scientific Foundations of Extreme Psychology, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education (MGPPU). He holds the academic title of Professor and the degree of Doctor of Psychology. He is actively involved in editorial work, serving on the boards of journals such as Modern Foreign Psychology , Psychology and Law , and Extreme Psychology and Personal Safety . Research Interests: His work spans penitentiary psychology , legal psychology , extreme psychology , professional burnout (especially among educators and law enforcement), psychological monitoring , resilience , and emotional intelligence in correctional settings. His research emphasizes practical applications in criminal justice and public service systems. Publication Trends: His recent publications (2020–2023) focus on burnout prevention, psychological resilience in convicts, health-preserving behaviors, and psychological training for extreme situations. These works reflect a consistent focus on mental health, organizational behavior, and applied psychology in high-stress environments. Scientific Awards: Honorary Employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia Advising and Grants: While specific students or grant funding are not listed, his extensive co-authorship with researchers like Maltseva T.P., Cherkasova M.A., and Kornilova T.V., and editorial leadership in major publications, indicate active mentorship and research collaboration. His involvement in monographs and textbooks suggests leadership in curriculum development and academic dissemination. Labs and Teams: Though no formal lab is named, his role in the Department of Scientific Foundations of Extreme Psychology and his co-authored works on psychological monitoring and training imply leadership in research teams focused on correctional and emergency psychology within MGPPU and affiliated institutions like the Vologda Institute of Law and Economics of the FSIN of Russia.

• Penitentiary Psychology
• Legal Psychology
• Extreme Psychology
• +7 more

Giedrius Prunskus is an Associate Professor at the Singing Department of the Music Academy within Vytautas Magnus University . His academic career spans research, supervision of graduate theses, and contributions to vocal pedagogy. Research Interests: Vocal performance, ethics in musical theater, choral singing, vocal hygiene, stage anxiety, and pedagogical methods. Key Article Trends: Focused on practical and ethical challenges in vocal arts, balancing technique with emotional and physiological factors, and adapting to post-pandemic performance realities. Supervised Theses: Examined topics like soprano vocal fatigue, self-assessment in performers, musical theater ethics, and attention techniques for preschool music education. Languages: Native Lithuanian, fluent in Polish and Italian, advanced German and Russian, basic French and Spanish. Professional Reach: ORCID 0000-0002-0894-9064; active in academic advising and research from 2020 to 2025.

• Vocal Performance
• Music Education
• Ethics in Musical Theater
• +4 more

Dr. Konstantinas Andrijauskas serves as Associate Professor of Asian Studies and International Politics at Vilnius University's Institute of Political Science and International Relations (IIRPS), where he has taught since 2010 after defending his doctoral thesis on Sino-Russian relations in 2014. His academic trajectory includes senior visiting scholar positions at Fudan University (Shanghai, 2011), Zhejiang University (Hangzhou, 2013), and Columbia University (New York City, 2017) as a Fulbright Scholar, reflecting his transnational research engagement across Europe, Asia, and America. Academic Background PhD in International Relations, Vilnius University (2014) Research Expertise : Dr. Andrijauskas investigates the political systems and international relations of Asia and the Post-Soviet space , with specialized focus on China's domestic and foreign policies and non-European cultural frameworks . His interdisciplinary approach bridges political science with civilizational analysis, examining how cultural factors shape geopolitical dynamics in Central Eurasia and East Asia, particularly through the lens of China's expanding global influence and Sino-Russian strategic interactions. Publication Trends : His scholarly output (2013-2021) reveals consistent thematic progression from China's economic penetration in post-Soviet regions toward nuanced analyses of Sino-European relations, culminating in recent studies on deteriorating Sino-Lithuanian ties. Parallel work explores civilizational clashes in Eurasia and cultural dimensions of Asian geopolitics, demonstrating methodological diversity across political science, history, and cultural studies. Professional Recognition Fulbright Research Fellowship (2017) Affiliations and Impact : As Associate Expert at the Eastern Europe Studies Centre and member of both the China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe consortium and European Association for Chinese Studies, he contributes to policy-relevant research on China's global role. His courses—including Asia-Pacific Studies and Central Eurasia Studies—train students in regional dynamics while his international conference participation across six continents amplifies Lithuanian scholarship on Asian affairs.

• International Relations
• Asian Studies
• Post-Soviet Studies
• +3 more

Prof. Dovilė Jakniūnaitė is a Professor at the Vilnius University Institute of Political Science and International Relations (TSPMI), where she has worked since 2003 and headed the Department of International Relations since 2019. Her research spans Foreign Policy Analysis Security Studies Border Theory EU Eastern Partnership Policy Feminist International Relations . Her research has been recognized with the Vilnius University Rector’s Award (2017) . She has led projects funded by the Research Council of Lithuania Bertelsmann Stiftung Horizon 2020 FP7 Marie Curie Actions on topics including border conceptualization, energy security, and post-Soviet conflicts. Her recent publications analyze Lithuanian-Russian relations Ukraine crisis EU-US dynamics under Trump Myths of European leadership , while her long-term contributions include foundational works on de facto states and territorial identity.

• Foreign Policy Analysis
• Security Studies
• International Relations Theory
• +6 more

Johannes Baks is a Professor at Vytautas Magnus University in the Faculty of Political Science and Diplomacy, specifically within the Department of Regional Studies. With an extensive publication record spanning from 1983 to 2024, his academic career demonstrates deep engagement with mental health policy, political science, and human rights issues, particularly in post-Soviet contexts. His multilingual capabilities include native proficiency in Dutch and English, with very good command of Russian and German, good French skills, and basic Lithuanian and Italian. Dr. Baks's research interests span mental health systems, political abuse of psychiatry, historical trauma, and human rights. His work frequently examines the intersection of political systems and mental healthcare, with special focus on Ukraine, Russia, and former Soviet states. He has made significant contributions to understanding punitive psychiatry, traumatic memory, and mental health responses during political crises and conflicts. The analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on mental health in conflict zones, particularly Ukraine following the Russian invasion. His work demonstrates a consistent focus on human rights violations within psychiatric systems, historical analysis of psychiatric practices, and innovative approaches to mental healthcare delivery during political repression. His research shows increasing international collaboration, with co-authors from numerous countries across Europe and Asia. Among his notable contributions is the 2024 Lancet Psychiatry Commission on mental health in Ukraine, which addresses the immense strain on Ukraine's mental healthcare system following Russian military actions. His work also includes critical examinations of how political dissidents have been pathologized through psychiatric diagnoses, particularly in authoritarian contexts.

• Mental Health
• Political Science
• Human Rights
• +5 more

Eduard Melnikau is a Professor at the Academic Department of Social Sciences of the European Humanities University (EHU). He holds a PhD in History from Leningrad State University (1982). His teaching focuses on Basics of Journalism , Basics of Media Literacy , and Political Communication and Public Policy . His research interests span journalism history, theory, and practice; mass communications; TV broadcasting; and the social role of media. Notable contributions include analyzing Russian propaganda strategies and Belarusian media sovereignty. He has authored over 200 articles in Belarusian and Russian journals, books such as Парадоксы медиа (2016), and co-authored legal frameworks like the 2005 Alternative Draft on Belarusian Radio and Television Law. Melnikau has also produced 166 episodes of the TV talk show Форум (Forum) on BESAT TV (2008–2015) and contributed to Mediakritika.by (2012–2013) with over 70 analytical articles. Recent Work: His 2021 article in OPUS Journal of Society Research explores communication strategies against Russian propaganda, while his 2020 chapter in Russian Hybrid Influence in Belarus addresses media threats to sovereignty. No scientific awards are explicitly mentioned in the text. He has no listed advisees or grants. His work emphasizes critical media analysis, independent journalism advocacy, and policy-oriented research.

• Media Studies
• Journalism History
• Political Communication
• +3 more