Representatives from the 5G Techritory initiative Neils Kalniņš, director of the initiative, and Fēliks Neimanis, head of partnerships and agendas, visited ISSP UL to explore future collaboration opportunities. They also sought to understand ISSP UL’s short-term and long-term goals, primary research areas, and infrastructure capabilities.
The director of the ISSP UL, Dr. phys. Andris Anspoks warmly greeted the guests. Following introductions, he provided a brief overview of the institute. A significant portion of the meeting focused on the implementation of the "Smart Materials, Photonics, Technologies, and Engineering Ecosystem" project under the National Research Program "Innovation Fund - Sectoral Research Program," overseen by the ISSP UL. This project aims to develop solutions for smart optics and materials, microfluidics, microelectronics and sensors, robotics, the future IoT, and to enhance collaboration among leading Latvian research institutions.
Subsequently, accompanied by the director, the guests toured the institute, visiting the Spectroscopy, Optical Materials, and Energy Materials laboratories. In the Spectroscopy laboratory, the largest at ISSP UL, the 5G Techritory representatives were greeted by the laboratory head, Dr. phys. Anatolijs Šarakovskis, who explained the unit’s work involving various research methods related to optical, magnetic, and electron spectroscopy for characterizing mono- and polycrystals, glasses, thin films, nanomaterials, liquids, and gases.
The guests then proceeded to the Laboratory of Optical Materials, where Ph.D Aleksejs Zolotarjovs, the head of the laboratory, presented their work on studying optical phenomena in different materials. The tour concluded at the Energy Materials Laboratory, where researcher Dr. phys. Līga Grīnberga highlighted scientists’ achievements in lithium and sodium battery research, supercapacitors, hydrogen production and storage, ion-conducting composites and membranes related to energy storage, climate neutrality, and sustainable solutions.
Following the tour, discussions concerned potential collaboration opportunities between the ISSP UL and 5G Techritory, including the institute’s participation in the upcoming autumn forum. Experiences from the "Innovation Fund - sectorial research program" and plans for establishing an innovation development ecosystem in Latvia were shared.
The 5G Techritory platform is an initiative to bring together the key players in 5G development with the goal of developing a robust and aligned 5G Ecosystem in Europe and beyond. Once a year, the initiative convenes industry experts, business leaders, leading scientists, and policymakers at the 5G Techritory Forum to shape a roadmap for fostering a strong 5G ecosystem.
