Visit of Latvian Delegation

Following a successful Partner Day in Riga this June, European Spallation Source (ESS) hosted a delegation from Latvia on its premises in Lund on 2-3 November 2016. The meeting provided an effective platform to explore collaboration opportunities between Latvia and ESS.

During the visit, Ms. Anita Depkovska of the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science participated in the 24th Meeting of the Administration & Finance Committee (AFC) as a guest. As an Advisory Committee for the European Spallation Source ERIC Council, AFC oversees all major administrative and financial functions of the organisation and gives advice and recommendations for decisions to the Council.

In parallel with the AFC meeting, Dr. Andris Sternberg and Dr. Anatoli Popov of the Institute of Solid State Physics of the University of Latvia (ISSPUL), and Dr. Kaspars Tars of the Biomedical Research and Study Center held bilateral meetings with the ESS Science Directorate. ESS management and staff briefed the scientists from Latvia about the ESS instrument program, status of in-kind contributions, and possibilities for neutron research in the field of life science. Representatives from ISSPUL shared the details about Latvia's participation in large-scale research infrastructures, including those that operate as European Research Infrastructure Consortiums (ERICs), and also provided a thorough overview of Latvian research activities at neutron and synchrotron centers.

Both sides agreed to organise an ESS visit to Riga in early 2017 to support informed discussion about in-kind and scientific collaboration opportunities and to engage larger scientific community in Latvia.