Kazimieras Simonavičius (in some sources Kazimieras Semenavičius, pol. Cazimierz Siemienowicz), undeservedly forgotten, one of the most prominent scientists of the XVII century Lithuanian Grand Duchy, whose ideas, works and solutions are related to engineering, science of warfare and the most relevant topics of today, such as creativity, entrepreneurship, innovations, communication and quality of nonstandard decisions.

Since childhood K.Simonavicius was interested in the art of artillery and achieved impressive results in this area later, with his inventions being ahead of the time. Kazimieras Simonavičius studied mathematics, mechanics, hydraulics, architecture, optics, and tactics at Vilnius and Amsterdam universities. While studying in the Netherlands, he designed and built fortifications, worked as an artillery engineer. It is supposed, that when he returned to Lithuania, approx. in 1648 King Vladislav IV appointed him as the Deputy Commander of the Royal Artillery of the Lithuanian and Polish army.

The work of Kazimieras Simonavičius The Great Art of Artillery. The first part (lat. Artis Magnae Artilleriae Pars prima) was published in Latin in Amsterdam in 1650 and translated into French (1651), German (1676), English and Dutch languages (1729), and in the XX century the book was also translated into Polish (1963). The book was the main manual of artillery in Europe for about two hundred years after it had been published. It presented the standards for manufacturing missiles, fire-balls and other pyrotechnics products. The title of the book implies that the second part of it was also being planned by the author. Unfortunately, the second part, which was supposed to discuss fortification, warfare and artillery, was not published.

Kazimieras Simonavičius was an erudite, a person with an extraordinary education, already in those times mentioned over 200 different sources in his work. He referred to other authors and quoted them respectfully, what in the XVII century was a rare fact, because scientists mostly used to steal each other’s ideas and discoveries, i. e. presented them as their own.

The new University with its focus on modern society and reflecting requirements of a dynamic environment to meet the quality standards, chose Kazimieras Simonavičius as a personality, whose ideas made him be ahead of the times and the way of society’s thinking. Kazimieras Simonavicius University has set the same above mentioned goals and is committed to achieve them.