Researcher Spotlight 2026

Extraordinary personalities and their achievements

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Researcher Spotlight: Ieva Leimane

Mg. soc. sci. Ieva Leimane 

Researcher and Project Manager at the Sustainability Research Unit of the Bioeconomy Department at the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics

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Latvia’s Diaspora Scientists Database Unites Researchers Worldwide

 

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researchLatvia: Your Gateway to Latvia's Science

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research in Latvia

in brief

We are building a stable and strong national research environment, enabling international and public-private partnerships to emerge.

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why Latvia

Latvia's research policy is developed in order to create the maximum number of opportunities both in the research and education system and in the business environment.

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mission

We believe that a culture of knowledge offers the best opportunities for creating and sustaining a strong civil society in a world that is constantly changing.

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research spotlight

public health

RSU and RTU to Reveal What Happens in the Human Body During Extreme Physical Exertion in a World-Class Study

On 1 and 2 August, Latvia will host a stage of the UTMB World Series, Gauja Trail by UTMB, for the first time, bringing together Latvian and international ultra-endurance runners. At the same time, participants in the 50 km and 100 km races will become part of a scientific study that is unique worl…

Rīgas Stradiņa universitāte

July 30, 2026

social sciences

Little Order, Plenty of Directness. What Do Inscriptions, Symbols and Scratches in the City Tell Us About Society?

The city is in constant conversation. It communicates not only through official signs, advertisements, architecture and informational notices, but also through spontaneous inscriptions, scratches, symbols and notes that appear on walls, bus stops, fences and other surfaces in the urban environment…

Anete Liepiņa, Valts Valters Kronbergs, lsm.lv

July 30, 2026

achievements research

Horizon Europe Twinning Call Results Announced – Seven Latvian Projects Selected for Funding

Of the 1,905 applications submitted, the 179 highest-rated were selected for funding, resulting in a success rate of 9.4% at the application level. The number of projects initially expected to receive support from the European Commission (approximately 210) differs from the number actually funded b…

Latvian Council of Science

July 29, 2026

social sciences

Study: People Are Willing to Pay More for In-Person Cultural Experiences Than for Digital Content

Since the pandemic, digital culture has become an integral part of the cultural ecosystem, yet it has not replaced the in-person experience. A new study by the Latvian Academy of Culture shows that people are willing to pay much more for in-person culture than for the same content in digital form.&…

Anete Ašmane-Vilsone (LSM cultural journalist and programme presenter)

July 29, 2026

research experience stories of researchers

The OECD invites scientists and early-career researchers to participate in the OECD–EU Research and Development Careers Survey!

The OECD invites scientists and early-career researchers to participate in the OECD–EU Research and Development Careers Survey!Take ten minutes to help shape the future of research and development careers. You are one of millions of R&D professionals around the world shaping science and in…

OECD

July 28, 2026

natural sciences

Latvia’s Relief – a Vast Ice Age Archive. What Are University of Latvia Scientists Studying in It?

Although glaciers are now retreating mainly in mountainous and polar regions, the most rapid disappearance of glaciers in the territory of Latvia occurred at the end of the last Ice Age. Latvia’s present-day relief is like a vast Ice Age archive, preserving evidence of how the Scandinavian Ice Shee…

Kristaps Lamsters (Latvijas Universitātes Eksakto zinātņu un tehnoloģiju fakultātes Ģeoloģijas nodaļas asociētais profesors un vadošais pētnieks)

July 28, 2026

science communication

The Traveling Exhibition “Research Latvia 2026” on display at The Institute of Agricultural Resources and Economics and at The Ogre Central Library

The travelling exhibition “Research Latvia 2026”, created by the Ministry of Education and Science, offers a unique opportunity to discover 12 outstanding Latvian scientists and their contributions to the development of society and research. In May, the travelling exhibition and the science calenda…

researchLatvia

July 27, 2026

social sciences researcher science communication

RSU researcher Anna Žabicka defends her dissertation at the University of Vienna following several years of research and eight months of living in a residential care home

What really happens in a residential care home? What is everyday life like for people in a place that society often views only through stereotypes? To find answers to these questions, social anthropologist and researcher at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) Anna Žabic…

Rīgas Stradiņa universitāte

July 27, 2026

research entrepreneurship

RTU, together with the company “Kinetics Nail Systems”, is launching a new initiative – industrial scholarships for bachelor’s and master’s students

Riga Technical University (RTU) and the company “Kinetics Nail Systems” are launching a new initiative – a scholarship programme for bachelor’s and master’s students in the “Materials Engineering” and “Materials Science and Nanotechnology” study programmes at RTU’s Faculty of Natural Sciences and T…

Riga Technical University

July 24, 2026

research

A new climate education project will help Latvian schools, municipalities, and society better understand the risks of climate change

The University of Latvia (UL), in cooperation with the Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre (LEGMC), has begun implementing the European Commission-funded climate education project “H-Extremes-LV: From Classroom to Community, Adapting to Hydrometeorological Extremes in Latvia”. Its a…

Latvijas Universitāte

July 24, 2026

upcoming events

Face-to-face event

Riga Technical University invites visitors to explore science and technology during the Riga City Festival

2026-08-01

12:00 pm

Uzvaras parks, Aleksandra Grīna bulvāris 15, Zemgales priekšpilsēta, Rīga

Lecture

Summer School 2026: Open Lecture Programme

2026-08-06

All day

Madonas novadpētniecības un mākslas muzejs; Skolas iela 12, Madona, Madonas novads

Face-to-face event

Youth Opportunities Festival “KOPUMS”

2026-08-12

All day

Olimpiskais centrs, Stacijas iela 30, Rēzekne

Face-to-face event

University of Latvia to Invite Young People to Experiment and Meet Researchers at the “KOPUMS 2026” Youth Opportunities Festival

2026-08-12

1:00 pm

Olimpiskais centrs, Stacijas iela 30, Rēzekne

top videos

July Researcher Spotlight: Līga Lepse

As a Head of Scientific Board, Leading Researcher at the Agrotechnical Research and Variety Evaluation Department at the Institute of Horticulture (IH) Dr. agr. Līga Lepse, where she has dedicated several decades to researching vegetable cultivation technologies and plant breeding. Her work addresses questions of growing global importance – how to produce healthy, high‑quality vegetables while protecting the environment and using resources responsibly.

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June Researcher Spotlight: Jānis Ozoliņš

Ph. D. Jānis Ozoliņš is a Leading Researcher at the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia. As a leading researcher at the Institute of Literature, Folklore and Art of the University of Latvia (UL ILFA), PhD Jānis Ozoliņš also serves on the Institute’s Scientific Council, contributes to international research organisations, and teaches at the Art Academy of Latvia as a lecturer and doctoral thesis supervisor. His academic profile reflects a deep engagement with contemporary cultural processes and the role of the humanities in understanding society.

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May Researcher Spotlight: Edgars Butanovs

Ph. D. Edgars Butanovs, Lead researcher at the Thin Films Laboratory of the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia and head of the Semiconductor Thin Film Nanotechnology Group, PhD Edgars Butanovs focuses on developing ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor coatings – materials with the potential to transform high-power electronics and next-generation energy systems. His research explores how these advanced thin films can improve efficiency, reduce losses and enable new applications in optoelectronics, sensing and renewable technologies.
 

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