On February 24, 2023, the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL) celebrated its 45th anniversary. The event at the leading Latvian and also Baltic material science research center was honored by many prominent guests, including the Minister of Education and Science of Latvia, Anda Čakša.
"Although we celebrate the anniversary of the ISSP UL on a date that does not associate with joy due to the recent events in Ukraine, I invite those present to celebrate this day and not let the aggressor steal our joy. But before that, I ask to hold a minute of silence in honor of the war’s victims,” the Director of the ISSP UL, Dr. Phys. Andris Anspoks, said in his opening speech.
The Minister of Education and Science, A. Čakša, greeted the ISSP UL director and the entire institute’s family, wishing them new achievements in the years to come. The Minister also noted that the ISSP UL implements international programs and has earned high evaluations during the international science assessment, which confirms the international competitiveness of the institute.
The ISSP UL plays an important role in developing the fields of material science and technologies in Latvia. Its outstanding and advanced research has led to the development of several innovative materials and technologies that have the potential to revolutionize the electronics, energy, and medicine industries.
Ieva Siliņa, Adviser to the Minister of Economics on innovation and digitization issues, emphasized: “The ISSP UL has a fundamental role in the transformation of the Latvian economy. Only excellent, modern science can create new technologies and innovations the world needs. The Ministry of Economics highly appreciates the institute's contribution to the country's growth and, for its part, undertakes to continue cooperation in the commercialization of innovation.”
At the event, representatives from the Latvian Council of Science, the Latvian Academy of Sciences, leading institutes and universities, various governmental and non-governmental organizations, and companies recognized the institute as an excellent research center in material science. The prominent guests thanked the ISSP UL for putting Latvia on the world map of scientific achievements.
The anniversary was filled with positive emotions. The ISSP UL’s former directors and researchers received special certificates of honor for their scientific achievements and contribution to the development and recognition of the ISSP UL.
The ISSP UL is an internationally recognized leader in material science and interdisciplinary research in the Baltic Sea region. It is one of the oldest research centers in Latvia, which serves as the basis for excellent science and deep-tech companies. The ISSP UL has changed with the times; its scientific competitiveness and the research and innovation ecosystem are being improved through the Horizon 2020 CAMART2 project of advanced material research and technology transfer. The project aims, together with project partners, world-class experts in the field of innovation and technology transfer, the consortium of the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), to establish ISSP UL as a significant advanced material research and technology transfer center not only of Latvia’s but also of European scale.
