Earth resources and their sustainable use

The aim of the doctoral school “Earth resources and their sustainable use” is to provide advanced training for young scientists regarding resources available in Latvia, their diversity, accessibility, quality and properties, sustainable use and technological advancement, as well as the ways to explore new types of renewable resources. The main (but not limited) topics of interest are as follows:

• Investigation of the Earth resources of Latvia such as soils, mineral resources, gyttja (sapropel), peat, clays, ground waters;

• Studies of potential of new materials based on available natural resources applicable for construction industry, agriculture, urban agriculture;

• Sustainable reuse of industrial by-products and recovery of materials to promote circular economy.

Interdisciplinary approach of the doctoral school provides in-depth studies across such scientific fields as environmental science, geography, geology, chemistry, biology, ecotoxicology, climatology and circular economy. The doctoral school is providing lectures and trainings to supplement generic skills of young researchers in natural sciences by managing cooperation among the experts and practitioners at research institutions and related business enterprises in Latvia and abroad. Participants of the doctoral school for their scientific research can freely use laboratories and equipment at the modern newly built Academic Centre for Natural Sciences of the University of Latvia.

Over the time, within the doctoral school collaboration between the PhD students in environmental science at the University of Latvia and Riga Technical University has developed into the discussion series IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results & Discussion) where PhD students and post-doctoral researchers can exchange their opinion and knowledge on up-to-date subjects with the experts of natural sciences and related industries.

The head of the doctoral school “Earth resources and their sustainable use” is professor Maris Klavins (maris.klavins@lu.lv); technical secretary Dr. Zane Vincevica-Gaile (zane.gaile@lu.lv; +371 26523248).