On February 28, 2025, The Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS) held a ceremony to recognize scientists and research groups whose work was among the twelve most significant scientific achievements in 2024.
In his address to the 2024 laureates and all those present, LAS President Ivars Kalviņš emphasized, "We can be proud of the fact that the achievements of Latvian scientists, given the available funding, are truly outstanding. Moreover, each year, the collaboration between our scientists and their international colleagues grows stronger, forming powerful international research teams that not only explore fundamental problems of the composition of the material world but also focus increasingly on innovative solutions that pave the way for future technologies and products."
President Kalviņš also expressed his satisfaction that most of the competition's winners were involved in goal-oriented, interdisciplinary research, including projects whose results have already been applied in practice. He thanked the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) and other cooperation partners for their continued support.
Jānis Paiders, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Science for Human Capital, Science, and Innovation Development, in his congratulatory speech, stated, "Our country must find the key to make science a priority in our society, elevating it to the level where it can be seen as equal to the national economy, driving progress forward. I hope that one of the research ideas honoured today will eventually serve as the foundation for a significant, commercially successful product or service, and we will recognize that the roots of this success were planted here and now. There is power in Latvian science!"
Lana Frančeska Dreimane, Director of the Department of Higher Education, Science, and Innovation at the Ministry of Education and Science, representing one of the ministry's policy areas—the space sector—had the honour of congratulating the researchers of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry for their applied research, "European launcher Ariane-6 first flight with cryogenic insulation material developed in Latvia." "July 9, 2024, when the European Ariane-6 rocket was launched, was a significant date in the history of research and industry achievements in the Latvian space sector. Decades of research culminated in exceptional collaboration between researchers, industry, and the European Space Agency. May our researchers continue to soar to such great heights!" wished L. F. Dreimane to the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry researchers.
The twelve winners of the competition represent diverse fields, including natural sciences, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, humanities and social sciences, and agricultural sciences.
