Academic Centre
"For the second consecutive year, we launch the new academic year with an informal meeting and networking event for the newly enrolled doctoral students. This year, we added pitches, or short-format stories about research, which gave participants the opportunity to have a glimpse into the diversity of research topics and an inspiration to take the stage themselves next year. Likewise, participants appreciated the networking experience, while noting that this skill needs to be developed. Stories of experience with the informal title “How to survive doctoral studies at UL and get a degree” are a valuable storehouse of advice for every student,” says the representative of the UL Doctoral School, event organizer Dr. geogr. Gunta Kalvāne.
Participants of FORTHEM “Researcher Grand Prix” local finals:
- Ance Rusova Lūse with a pitch “The wolf is fed and the goat is alive” or the study of circular economy principles;
- Rūdolfs Rubenis, who explores the history of UL and the impact of Baltic Germans on higher education;
- Maija Štokmane, who uses satellite imagery and machine learning algorithms to study the ecology of spiders;
- Imants Krēziņš with a story about measuring the efficiency of Business Incubator;
- Ineta Liepiņa, whose field of research is the ecology of cyanobacteria in the Gulf of Riga.
Pursuant to the decision of the jury, which consisted of Vice-Rector of UL for Research, Associate Professor Guntars Kitenbergs, FORTHEM Alliance communication expert Zane Svilāne, and board member of the Latvian Association of Young Researchers, doctoral student Raimonda Soloha, at the FORTHEM “Researcher Grand Prix” finals in Norway on November 6 this year, UL will be represented by Imants Krēziņš and Ineta Liepiņa. The audience award was won by Maija Štokmane.
Inspired by the Norwegian science festival “Forskningsdagene”, the first FORTHEM “Researcher Grand Prix” event will take place on 6 November at the University of Agder. Young researchers from five FORTHEM partner universities (Opole, Riga, Mainz, Jyväskylä, Agder) will compete for the FORTHEM “Researcher Grand Prix”, aiming to present their research in a new, entertaining and engaging way.
Each participant will have a four-minute opportunity to present the results of their research project to the jury and event attendees. The winner will be determined by a jury and audience vote (in person and remotely).
The event will be webcast.
More information about the FORTHEM “Researcher Grand Prix” can be found on the FORTHEM website.
 doctoral students “Doctorate = UL”, hosting the local finals of the FORTHEM alliance’s pitch competition. The winners Imants Krēziņš and Ineta Liepiņa will represent UL in the FORTHEM alliance pitch competition “Researcher Grand Prix” in Norway on November 6 this year. ){kind=link}