On August 25, 2021, I received a surprising email with the invitation to be one of the twelve scientists that the Latvian Ministry of Science features during 2022. It’s a big honor, so naturally, I jumped on the opportunity.
Below is the video that the team of the Ozols Ir made about my work on asphalt recycling and the Peer Recognized book series. Here are the interviews with the other eleven amazing Latvian scientists.
Besides the interview, I had to endure a 5-hour photo shoot. During it, the photographer Maris Locmelis kept reminding me to “look like yourself”. Considering that it took him about 500 shots to get one that he considered acceptable, I assume most of the time I do not look like myself at all 🙂
Here is a behind-the-scenes video of the photoshoot. At one point I counted and there were 11 people simultaneously working in the photo studio to get my video, photographs, and the interview done. Apparently, it’s quite tough to deal with scientists.
I have to say thanks to my friend Ineta Didrihsone Tomasevska who convinced me that my suit should be recycled into pillows rather than worn in a photoshoot. At this point, her husband Janis Tomasevskis stepped in and lent me his suit for the day.
In the picture, you see our dressing-up session three hours before the photoshoot with my biggest helper and godson Alberts. James Bond-style, obviously.
I am glad that I finally managed to “look like myself” because this photo in a form of a poster is on display in the Latvian National Library together with the other scientists that are featured this year. We are a total of twelve because there is also a calendar.
Here are all the posters at the library. Since my family name starts with “Z”, I am already used to being the last one in the row.
The library is a great-looking building at the very heart of the capital Riga, so I’m very proud to be there, right beside the entrance.
The opening event was organized in a traditional Covid’19 style – on Facebook. At first, the science minister of Latvia Anita Muizniece said kind words, and then the moderator showed a story about each of the scientists, followed by a short interview. Here is mine. The full opening event video with all the 12 participants is available here.
Thank you to the great team that made it all possible
- Latvian Ministry of Science and Education and its relentless team consisting of Inta Pedina, Laura Buzinska, and Anna Skane who made it all possible.
- The communications agency Ozols IR and the person bringing everyone on the same page Inga Beitina.
- The photographer Maris Locmelis who tried effortlessly (and finally managed) to get a good looking shot of me. It’s an objectivelly challanging task.
- The director of the video Kristaps Mozgirs and his team for making me look like James Bond.
- The interviewer Guna Zvirbule who at times seemed to know more about asphalt than I do.
- The moderator of the opening event, Valdis Melderis.
- And all the people who worked behind the scenes.
Of course, the biggest congratulations to the fabulous researchers who are featured this year:
- Dr. chem. DACE RASIŅA, Latvijas Organiskās sintēzes institūts;
- Dr. silv. ĀRIS JANSONS, Latvijas Valsts mežzinātnes institūts “Silava” un Latvijas Lauksaimniecības universitātes Meža fakultāte;
- Mg. phys. ANTRA GAILE, Rīgas Tehniskās universitātes (RTU) Augstas enerģijas daļiņu fizikas un paātrinātāju tehnoloģiju centrs, Eiropas Kodolpētniecības centrs (CERN);
- Dr. art. INESE SIRICA, Latvijas Mākslas akadēmijas Mākslas zinātnes nodaļa;
- Ph. D. JĀNIS LAZOVSKIS, RTU Rīgas Biznesa skola;
- Dr. philol. ILZE KAČĀNE, Daugavpils Universitātes Humanitāro un sociālo zinātņu institūta Kultūras pētījumu centrs;
- Dr. nat. tech. KRISTAPS KĻAVIŅŠ, RTU Materiālzinātnes un lietišķās ķīmijas fakultāte, Baltijas Biomateriālu ekselences centrs;
- Dr. med. RŪDOLFS CEŠEIKO, Rīgas Stradiņa universitātes (RSU) Rehabilitācijas fakultāte;
- Ph. D. KRISTĪNE OĻEIŅIKA, Hārvarda Universitātes Bostonas Bērnu slimnīca, RSU;
- Dr. sc. admin. HENRIJS KAĻĶIS, Latvijas Universitātes Biznesa, vadības un ekonomikas fakultāte;
- Dr. sc. comp. LINDA GULBE, Ventspils augstskolas inženierzinātņu institūts «Ventspils Starptautiskais radioastronomijas centrs», Elektronikas un datorzinātņu institūts;
- Dr. sc. ing. MĀRTIŅŠ ZAUMANIS, Šveices Materiālu un tehnoloģiju institūts Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology).
Why are events like this important in the career of a scientist?
It’s because of the rolling slowball phenomena that start with recognition from other scientists and end with better research. See an article that I wrote about it here.
