Riga Technical University (RTU) has granted the Award «Scientist of the Year» to three RTU researchers. The Award «RTU Scientist of the Year 2016» has been awarded to Karlis Agris Gross, Leading Researcher of the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry. The honorary title of «RTU Young Female Scientist of the Year 2016» has been received by Kristine Salma-Ancane, Leading Researcher of the Institute of General Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Materials Science and Applied Chemistry, while «RTU Young Scientist of Year 2016» has been awarded to Sandis Spolitis, Assistant Professor of the Institute of Telecommunications, Faculty of Electronics and Telecommunications.
K. A. Gross has been awarded the prize for research in materials science. His most important studies are related to the development of biomaterials used in implant materials. His research activities also focus on the investigation of physical and mechanical processes of other materials and their interaction. The scientist is the editorial board member of several international scientific journals and important international associations, as well as expert of the State Committee of Science of the Republic of Armenia and FP7 project «Small to Medium Enterprise». K. A. Gross is notable for a particularly high citation level of publications (Hirsch index – 29). He supervises Doctoral and Master Theses, and delivers study courses «Writing Scientific Articles according to International Standards» and «Academic Writing» at RTU.
K. Salma-Ancane is a Leading Researcher at RTU Rudolph Cimdins Riga Biomaterials Innovation and Development Centre. This year, she has been granted the L’Oreal Latvian Scholarship «For Women in Science» for research in materials science. Her research activities are related to the development of bone implant materials, which would facilitate the healing and recovery process of osteoporotic bone fractures, whilst ensuring a curative effect on bone tissues affected by osteoporosis. Doctoral, Master and Bachelor Theses, as well as pupils’ scientific research papers are elaborated under the guidance of K. Salma-Ancane. She is the expert of the Latvian Council of Science in Materials Sciences and General Chemical Technology. K. Salma-Ancane is a board member of the Latvian Materials Research Society and a Chair of «Biomaterials» section. She is a representative of Latvia to the Council of European Ceramic Society, member of the European Ceramic Society and member of the Association of Latvian Young Scientists.
S. Spolitis investigates technologies with regard to energy efficiency of optical communications network and improvement of transmission speed. In the future, the communications technologies would allow transmitting larger Internet traffic volumes to a larger number of users in a cost-efficient manner. S. Spolitis is the Head of Fiber Optic Transmission System Laboratory of RTU Institute of Telecommunications. In terms of high scientific level and technical support, it is the only such laboratory in the Baltic States. S. Spolitis is a committee member of international scientific conferences «International Workshop on Fiber Optics in Access Networks – FOAN» and «Advances in Wireless and Optical Communications – RTUWO». He is a co-author of three Latvian patents. In 2015, S. Spolitis was granted the Werner von Siemens Excellence Award for his Doctoral Thesis «Development and Evaluation of High-Speed Optical Access Systems».
Award «RTU Young Scientist of the Year» has been granted since 2006. RTU Young Scientist evaluation criteria include the number of scientific publications, participation in conferences, number of Master Theses defended under the supervision of the applicant, number of tutored Doctoral students, amount of raised funding, as well as other achievements and organizational activities at scientific events and institutions. Award «RTU Young Scientist of the Year» is traditionally granted within the framework of annual international scientific conference of RTU.
