On April 7, representatives of the European Space Agency (ESA) visited the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia. The visit aimed to establish closer ties between the two institutions for future cooperation. The ESA delegation consisted of Karol Brzostowski, Engineering support for PECS, AM and NMS, Country Officer for Latvia, Slovenia; Stephen Airey, Head of New, Associate and Cooperating States Section; and Dāvids Štēbelis, ESA Industrial Coordinator in Latvia.
During the visit, the guests met ISSP UL’s scientists and management. They got acquainted with the laboratories, main research directions, implemented projects, cooperation partners, infrastructure, and the R&D opportunities offered by the Institute. The guests also learned about ISSP UL’s previous cooperation experience with ESA, including challenges and mutual points of interest. In the end, the possibilities of future cooperation between ISSP UL and ESA were discussed.
After the visit, Steven Erie said that he was pleased with the successful visit and the meaningful discussions with the representatives of ISSP UL. He was glad that ISSP UL already had one successful ESA project. The researchers involved in implementing this project could provide valuable advice to their colleagues who were only planning to submit project proposals to ESA calls. The guests appreciated both the upgraded infrastructure of the ISSP UL and the high-class scientists - the main preconditions for close and growth-oriented cooperation between ESA and ISSP UL in the future.
Andris Šternbergs, the ISSP UL’s Deputy Director for Science, appreciated ESA’s competence and interest as well as emphasized that getting acquainted with the environment and infrastructure, direct communication, and meeting people, which has not been possible for the last two years due to Covid, was the most productive way to promote cooperation. He also appreciated ESA’s competence and interest in the ISSP UL.
