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Researcher Spotlight: Edgars Kuka

Ph. D. Edgars Kuka, Researcher at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry. Edgars Kuka is a researcher at the Wood Degradation and Protection Laboratory of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry.

His work is dedicated to understanding how various environmental factors, including moisture, microorganisms, and solar radiation, affect the properties of wood materials and how innovative solutions can extend their service life, making the use of biomaterials broader and more sustainable. His research promotes more efficient use and protection of wood as an environmentally friendly material.

Dr. biol. Ingrīda Andersone, Head of the Experimental Hydrobiology Department

Ingrīda Andersone is working at the Institute for 30 years, since its establishment. Most of this time has been devoted to studying underwater habitats and marine ecosystems. Her work involves analysing living resources, biodiversity and the human impact on the Baltic Sea, with particular attention to ecological processes beneath the water surface.

Mg. art., Mg. soc. D. Baltiņa is Director of the National Library of Latvia.

The scientist is also a lecturer at the Latvian Academy of Culture, former Secretary General of the UNESCO National Commission of Latvia, an internationally recognized cultural heritage expert with extensive experience at UNESCO. Her professional interests focus on the role of libraries in societal planning, well-being and development. Since 2018, she has led the Special Collections Department of the National Library of Latvia, developing scientific research work and the organization and management of special collections, leading the largest research projects and grants, for which high national and international recognition has been received, ensuring international representation at UNESCO, CERL, LIBER, Europeana, cooperation with other world libraries, and leading the National Library of Latvia event series "500 Years of Latvian Books".

Ph.D. Baiba Tjarve is Deputy Director and Leading Researcher at the Institute of Culture and Arts, Latvian Academy of Culture.

The scientist actively participates in national and international research projects, including European research collaboration networks and State Research Programs. B. Tjarve has participated in numerous applied research projects in the cultural sector, accumulating significant experience in cultural consumption, cultural management, audience development, and participation issues. Her research helps strengthen the foundation for cultural policy development in Latvia and provides practical recommendations to municipalities and cultural institutions for the development of the cultural environment.

Dr. sc. ing. Sergejs Gaidukovs  Riga Technical University, Tenured Professor in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology.

Professor Sergejs Gaidukovs specializes in research on biomass polymers and promotion of a sustainable environment, contributing to the development of polymer science through his research work.Together with his colleagues, he has developed a technology to turn biomass waste from renewable forestry and agricultural biomass, its waste and by-products of production into sustainable bioplastic products – biodegradable plastics. In 2021, the Latvian Academy of Sciences has named it an important achievement in applied science. In 2024, he received the RTU award "Scientist of the Year".

Dr.  phil. Raivis Bičevskis is a tenured professor at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Latvia, specializing in social philosophy within the field of philosophy, ethics, and religion. He also serves as the Head of the Department of Philosophy and Ethics at the University of Latvia and is a widely recognized philosopher both in Latvia and internationally.

His research interests are focused on social and political philosophy, continental philosophy, phenomenology, hermeneutics, and the influence of Heidegger’s philosophy on contemporary thought. R. Bičevskis also examines the interaction between philosophy and society, as well as ethical issues and the development of cultural philosophy.

Ph. D. Oskars Java  Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Director and Researcher at the Socio-Technical Systems Engineering Institute.

Oskars Java specializes in imitative modeling. Since joining Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences in 2018, he has been actively involved in the development of its research environment as a scientific project manager and the right hand of the Vice-Rector for Science. In order to promote the preparation of doctorates that meet the current requirements, Oskars has initiated and coordinates the creation of a new international doctoral program together with Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, St. Pelten University of Applied Sciences (Austria) and Setúbal Polytechnic Institute (Portugal).

Art. D. Ansis Rozentāls  Art Academy of Latvia, Docent, IT Specialist, Painter

Ansis Rozentāls is one of the first to obtain a professional doctoral degree in the spring of 2024, graduating from the Professional Doctoral Studies of the Latvian Academy of Arts with his doctoral thesis "Interpretation of the landscape in the modern context – painting solutions and creative practice". Since 2009, he has been regularly participating in group exhibitions, in 2021 he received the "Latvian State Forests" scholarship in art, and in 2018 – the artist Valdemārs Tone scholarship. He has participated in painting the facades of several buildings in Riga. Actively paints in plein airs and participates in foreign projects. In his works uses classical painting as the primary element of his creative activity.

Mg. sc. comp. Karina Šķirmante is a leading researcher at the Ventspils University of Applied Sciences Institute of Engineering "Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre" (VSRC) and a lecturer at the Faculty of Information Technology (ITF), a candidate for a doctoral degree in the doctoral study programme "Natural Sciences (Physics, Astronomy and Mechanics)" of the University of Latvia. Karin's research areas cover high-performance computing and data processing, especially in space technology projects, and she has also participated in modeling comet activity in the radio frequency band, facilitating the observation of comets with Irbene radio telescopes. Karin played an important role in developing the EMORI emotion tuning app, which won the prestigious Red Dot Design Award for her innovative approach to mental health support.