The global pandemic has placed science in the spotlight as never before. In the busy square in front of the Riga Central Station, a large-scale open-air exhibition “Science Inspires!” invites the passersby to slow down and learn about 50 creative and inspiring personalities of today’s Latvian science. The exhibition consists of photo portraits and descriptions of 25 female and 25 male researchers. To get to know both researchers and the scientific fields they represent, the exhibition visitors are invited to use a QR code reader application on their phones thus getting access to a three-minute video story on each of the scientists.
In the exhibition, researchers from 17 scientific institutions of Latvia, including the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, reveal the versatility of the scientific fields. A leading researcher from the Laboratory of Ferroelectric Materials Dr. Phys. Marija Dunce is among the science personalities people can find about in the exhibition. In her video researcher states her scientific mission: “My personal scientific mission is to improve the environment of this world; let science and technology go ahead, but let it not be at the expense of the environment; let technology become more complex and interesting, but let it become more simple in the implementation process.”
With “Science Inspires!” exhibition, the organizers emphasize that the development of Latvia is based on creation of new knowledge and the ability to use it competently. With their relentless curiosity, constant interest, restless passion and ambition scientists are the part of the society that expands our culture of knowledge, shapes our worldview, encourages continuous self-development and sustainable future of Latvia.
At the opening of the exhibition, the Minister of Education and Science of Latvia Anita Muižniece emphasized, “With this exhibition, we want to address the public and invite everyone to look into the vast and amazing world of science! Science is not just medicine and pharmacy, which are, of course, especially relevant industries today. Scientists and researchers help teachers save their voice, dispel historical myths, discover unknown species, obtain resources from waste, make artificial intelligence translate, draw maps and plan roads. We can proudly say: science creates, surprises, and propels! ”
The exhibition "Science Inspires!" has been organized within the framework of the project “Integrated national level measures for strengthening interest representations for research and development of Latvia as part of European Research Area” implemented by the Ministry of Education and Science.
