Scientific Committee
Gatis Bazbauers works as a Professor at the Institute of Energy Systems and Environment, Faculty of Electrical and Environmental Engineering at Riga Technical University (RTU). He also holds the position of Deputy vice-rector for research at RTU. He also worked as a managing director in the energy company “Vattenfall Latvia” (1995-2007) and as a project manager in the private energy consulting company “EEE” (1992-1993). Education: Diploma in industrial thermal engineering from RTU in 1990, Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from MIT in 1995, Doctor of science degree in engineering from RTU in 1999, and bachelor’s degree in business administration from RTU in 2002. His main current research interests are system dynamics modeling of energy systems, energy system analysis and planning, energy economics and policy development, sustainable energy systems, district heating systems, and cogeneration. Gatis Bazbauers is a member of the System Dynamics Society and the Council of Latvia’s District Heating Association.
is the Head of a Section at the European Bioinformatics Institute of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory – an intergovernmental research organization and Europe’s flagship life sciences laboratory. He got his PhD in theoretical computer science from the University of Latvia in 1987. Brazma has led and participated in many international research projects on topics ranging from building new biology data resources, to applications of machine learning in bioinformatics and cancer data analysis, and has published over 200 scientific papers.
Earned her PhD in microbiology in the University of Latvia, Faculty of Biology. Has studied electrochemistry, fuel cell design in Renewable Energy School in Iceland. Research experience in the Institute of Solid State physics (ISSP UL) since 2008, joint project cooperation with Riga Technical University. Research experience in Aarhus University, University of Akureyri and University of Vienna. In the Faculty of Biology and in the Institute of Solid State physics (ISSP UL) since 2008, developing bachelor, master and doctoral thesis. Biophysical research direction focused on the production of bio-hydrogen and research with hydrogen production. Scientific, Regulatory and Public Affairs manager in L’Oréal. Worked in radio Naba as radio host, as communication assistant in the European Commission Representation in Latvia and was co-leading local scientific podcast “Sargiet galvas!”.
Jānis Grabis is a professor at the Riga Technical University since 2008. He has worked as a researcher at University of Michigan-Dearborn, University of Rostock and Stockholm University. He has published in leading scientific journals such as European Journal of Operational Research, Omega, Computers & Industrial Engineering and Software and Systems Modeling. The main research areas are Digital Transformation, Enterprise Integration, Simulation and Information Technology project management
Anda is the national expert in health sciences at Latvian Council of Science. Anda is the member of Coordinating Commission for Limiting the Spread of HIV Infection, Tuberculosis and Sexually Transmitted Infections at the Ministry of Health of Latvia. Anda is also the national drug related infectious diseases expert at Reitox national focal point of European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. In 2020-2021 she was a member of the academic expert group cooperating with the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia on COVID-19 issues.
Her research interests mainly cover bio-behavioral research on HIV, hepatitis, STIs and also SARS-CoV-2 infection among different target groups – people who inject drugs, men who have sex with men, female sex workers, Roma people and general population as well as the mathematical modeling of HIV and COVID-19 infections.
She has been leading or participating in around 40 national and international research projects. Anda is author or co-author of around 40 peer-reviewed articles. She has worked at World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe as an external consultant on HIV prevention among key and vulnerable populations and as a technical assistant on the immunization and prevention of vertical transmission of hepatitis B in Europe.
I have almost 30 years experience in open field vegetable research. The main topic of the research currently is introducing of sustainable growing technologies in horticulture in order to meet greening demands and simultaneously ensure high crop productivity. Maintenance and research of vegetable plant genetic resources is a field of my scientific interest as well. I see collaboration and multidisciplinary approach as the key factors for successful research.
Indra is an early career academic and a political theorist, as well as an independent policy analyst and consultant. In her research, Indra focuses on democratic theory, citizenship, deliberative methods, participation, public policy, civil society and activism.
Indra holds degrees from Glasgow, UCL and Sheffield universities, and has recently been working as an academic teacher at University of Sheffield and as a Social Science Curriculum Lead at Sheffield University International College.
Julia Melkers is ASU Foundation Professor of Public Policy and Management in the School of Public Affairs and Director of the Center for Organization Research and Design (CORD). Her research portfolio addresses the careers, research capacity and outcomes of academic scientific and other knowledge-based professions.
Her work has been funded by the ASV Nacionālās Zinātnes fonds, Nacionāl, and several foundations. Dr. Melkers has extensive experience of more than two decades in advising and evaluating large interdisciplinary scientific teams. She is the U.S. co-editor of the Journal of Research Evaluation (Oxford University Publishers).
She holds an honorary visiting appointment at INGENIO [CSIC], University Polytechnic Valencia, Spain, and she participated in the Fulbright Specialist Program in Latvia. Prior to joining ASU, she was a Professor of Public Policy and Director of the Research on Careers in Science lab at Georgia Institute of Technology. She earned the Ph.D in Public Administration from Syracuse University.
Zanda Rubene is a professor at the University of Latvia since 2010, since 2020 the vice-dean of Sciences of the Faculty of Pedagogy, Psychology and Arts.
More than 100 scientific publications, author of 2 monographs, co-author in 3 collective scientific monographs. She has published in scientific journals such as "Paedagogica Historica: International Journal of the History of Education", "Frontiers of Education", "Sustainability" special issue "Digital Technologies for Sustainable Education".
Research directions: digital transformation of education, digital childhood, transversal competencies, critical thinking, scientific literacy.
Janis Stirna has received a degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Computer and Systems Sciences from the Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden in 2001. In 2015 he was promoted to full professor at Department of Computer and Systems Sciences, Stockholm University. Research interests include enterprise modelling and requirements engineering methods and tools, capability management as well as modelling and management of digital business ecosystems. He is author or co-author of more than 100 research publications and reports and 4 text books on enterprise modelling. He currently chairs the IFIP Working Group 8.1 Design and Evaluation of Information Systems.
Paul Stradins is Principal Scientist at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, USA. Since receiving his doctorate from Latvian Institute of Physics, followed by post-PhD work at the University of Chicago, AIST laboratory in Japan, and NREL, he has worked in photovoltaics and silicon (crystalline, amorphous, quantum dots), light-induced degradation, hydrogen in silicon, optics and devices of black silicon, silane-based functionalization of surfaces for DNA attachment, silicon-film based neutron detectors and memory devices, and solar cells including tandems. At present, he is leading industrially relevant, scientifically oriented Si Photovoltaics program at NREL. His current interests include new approaches to silicon PV, verified by advanced characterization techniques (such as EPR for cell degradation and EBIC for nanostructured passivated contact studies), novel pasivated contacts for next generation PV, advanced PV tandem cell concepts, silicon as anode material for Li ion batteries.
