Type: International Document INT 96-50 **NSF/Europe** Report No. 84 July
1996 **Science in Lativa**

Exposure: Public NSF

Org: INT

Date: 1/2/97

Delete: 1/2//98

Replaces: None

The National Science Foundation\'s offices in Tokyo and in Paris
periodically report on developments abroad that are related to the
Foundation\'s mission. These documents present facts for the use of NSF
program managers and policy makers; they are not statements of NSF
policy.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

E[UROPE]{.smallcaps} O[FFICE]{.smallcaps}

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

2, avenue Gabriel

75382 Paris cedex 08, France

Tel: +33 (1) 43.12.21.08 - Fax: +33 (1) 43.12.29.04

NSF/Europe Report No. 84 July 1996

**Science in Latvia**

This report is based on a visit to Latvia from 15 to 18 May 1996 by Dr.
Norbert M. Bikales, Head of the Europe Office of the National Science
Foundation. This visit was one of several to the Baltic States. The
reader is also referred to NSF/Europe Report No. 82 which deals with a
general description of science in the three Baltic States, and Reports
Nos. 83 and 85 which describe more specifically science in Estonia and
Lithuania, respectively. For further information or comments, please
contact the NSF/Europe Office at the above address or at
nbikales@nsf.gov by e-mail.

**General Background**

Latvia is situated on the Baltic Sea between Estonia to the North and
Lithuania to the South. Its population of ca. 2.5 million has a strong
Russian minority. Unlike Estonian, the Latvian language is of
Indo-European origin, with some similarity to Lithuanian. Although
Latvia was under Russian domination for centuries, German influence has
also been considerable. The capital, Riga, is Latvia's major scientific,
political, and cultural center. The country's two major institutions of
higher learning, the University of Latvia and the Riga Technical
University, are both in Riga.

Latvia achieved its independence from Russia after the First World War,
but then lost it again during the Second World War. Its present form of
government resulted from the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Renewed independence also brought an array of extremely difficult
economic problems, resulting from the virtual collapse of Latvia's
industry - which had been geared to serve the needs of the Soviet
Union - and the loss of its former markets. High inflation (currently
about 20% per year) coupled with a calamitous series of bank failures
also added to the country's woes. The decline of the economy now seems
to have been arrested, and the country appears to have begun a slow
recovery. Latvia is in the midst of a profound reorganization of its
national life to achieve its major political goal, close integration
with the West. The new national currency, the *lats* (plural *lati*), is
convertible at a rate of about 0.56 to the U.S. dollar.

**New Science Policy**

Latvia has about 5,000 scientists, not all of whom are active full-time
at the present. Most researchers worked in institutes of the Academy of
Sciences during the Soviet era. Beginning in 1990, the Latvian
government promulgated a series of laws to bring its scientific activity
out of the Soviet mold. Of greatest significance has been the
transformation of the Latvian Academy of Sciences from a virtual
ministry of science into a high-level honorary and advisory body. The
research institutes, formerly governed by the Academy, were made
autonomous, first under the aegis of the Latvian Council of Science, and
now under the Ministry of Education and Science. About 2100 persons are
employed by these institutes, including about 1700 with a doctoral
degree. Another major change has been a radical shift to a merit-based,
competitive grant system, in lieu of the Soviet-style, top-down
allocation of research funds to institutes.

A principal concern has been the necessity to shrink the excessively
large science and engineering structure to something more closely
fitting today's needs. \[Reportedly, there were some 35,000 persons
employed in scientific and engineering activities in 1989, including
17,000 researchers; Academy institutes still had about 4600 employees in
1991.\] Although the science institutions are contracting, a conflicting
requirement is to encourage young people to go into science and to find
attractive jobs to keep them working in Latvia. This has not been easy.
Because of the general economic problems and the resulting low payment
for pensions, older scientists tend to stay in institutes and
universities longer than they would under more normal circumstances; for
example, of the 111 faculty members at Riga Technical University, 25 are
older than 65. As a result, the current average age of Latvian
scientists with doctoral degrees is an astonishing 54! The Latvian
Council of Science has instituted some countermeasures, notably enhanced
support for the 100 best doctoral students in universities and
institutes (by raising the stipend from about \$34 to about \$160 per
month). Additional measures are being taken to reduce or even reverse
the brain drain to the West, by creating some professorships for
especially talented young scientists working in areas of high national
priority, and opening positions for younger persons by making retirement
financially somewhat more appealing. Latvian science also tries to
maintain links with its more prominent emigrés, e.g., by election to the
Academy of Sciences as foreign members (there are currently 65 foreign
members compared to 74 full members).

Latvian science policy will now be oriented toward two main objectives.
The first will bring fundamental changes: it is the integration of
research carried out by both the former Academy institutes and the
institutions of higher education, so as to produce a unified national
science structure. A system of laws and regulations is being promulgated
to this effect. Already, three former Academy institutes have been
transferred to the University of Latvia. The second goal will be to
redirect research so as to help the country in its economic, cultural,
and social evolution toward a Western model. Among the areas scheduled
to receive emphasis will be energy, the environment, and transportation.

**Latvian Council of Science**

The Latvian Council of Science now has the major responsibility for the
direction and funding of Latvian scientists and their institutions. The
Council consists of 20 members, 14 of whom are elected for three years
as heads of disciplinary commissions, the remainder being
representatives of the parliament, the cabinet, the Latvian Academy of
Sciences, the Board of Rectors of Universities, the Association of
Latvian Scientists, and the Latvian Academy of Agricultural and Forestry
Sciences. The disciplinary commissions provide the all-important focal
point for review of grant proposals for merit; they consist of 172
experts including 78 from universities, 77 from institutes formerly
directed by the Latvian Academy of Sciences, and 17 from other
institutes. Whether election is the best way to select persons to carry
out peer review is now being discussed, and at least a partial
broadening to include additional experts is likely. An unusual feature
in peer review is that commissions assign *percentages* of their budget
to each successful proposal, because the actual amount of money to be
made available by the Government may not be known until late in the
year.

The Latvian Council of Science controls 5.8 million lati in 1995, which
is ca. 80% of the country's science budget. About 55% of the budget is
disbursed for the support of grants. The Council has a powerful role in
deciding the distribution of funds within the various disciplines. It
also provides matching funds for international projects. The Council's
current Chairman is Prof. Ivars Kn_ts, the Vice-Rector of Riga Technical
University, who is a specialist in biomechanics. The Vice-Chairman is
Dr. Aivars Tab_ns, who was an intern at NSF in 1994 to learn American
practices.

**Ministry of Education and Science**

The Ministry of Education was broadened in 1992 to include not only
education at all levels but also science through its Department of
Higher Education and Science, staffed at present with seven persons.
Renamed as the Ministry of Education and Science, it currently has the
responsibility of drafting the national budget for science and to
propose changes in the law. The Ministry controls about 10% of the
science budget, mainly for market-oriented activities and
infrastructure. It also administers the ca. 10% of the science budget
that is provided by other ministries. Since July 1994, the Ministry has
supervisory responsibility for the institutes formerly belonging to the
Latvian Academy of Sciences (25 currently: 6 in biology, 6 in physics, 6
in the humanities, 3 in chemistry, and 4 others), but most of the
institutes' funding is obtained through the Latvian Council of Science.
In 1995, the Saiema (Parlia­ment) established the additional position of
State Minister of Higher Education and Science, presently occupied by
Dr. P_teris Cimdinš, a well-known ecologist who is also chairman of the
biology-ecology commission of the Latvian Council of Science. This has
led to specu­lation that the Ministry will seek to increase its role in
science funding - a function now largely reserved to the Latvian Council
of Science.

**Funding of Science**

The funding of science in Latvia is in a period of great difficulty,
reflecting the general economic plight of the country. In 1997, science
is expected to receive about one percent of the government budget, or
7.3 million lati. The source of some of the R&D funds has changed since
independence, in so far as industry, being itself in dire straits, has
become only an insignificant factor in science funding. Thus,
essentially all funding originates from the Government, supplemented by
foreign contributions. As a function of the GDP, science receives only
0.38% now, whereas the corresponding figure was about 1.6% in 1990.
Furthermore, the GDP is itself much lower than before independence,
about one half, owing to the economic difficulties already described. It
has been estimated that each researcher in Latvia receives only about
\$4,000 in funding which includes salary, compared to about \$190,000 in
France or even \$27,000 in Hungary. Relatively little funding is
directed to market-oriented research (8% of the science budget), which
probably reflects the weak state of the market economy up to now.

Beginning in 1989, Latvian funding of science was converted from the
support of entire institutes to one based largely on competition for
individual grants through peer-reviewed proposals. The funding for
science through the Latvian Council of Science (some 80% of the total
provided by the Government) supported 779 projects active in 1995, or
some 70-80% of the projects that were proposed. Because of this emphasis
on research by indi­viduals, the institutes now have to obtain their
funds for operations by different mechanisms, primarily through overhead
charges on grants; support for institutional infrastructure accounts for
only about 3% of the research funding.

The unfettered grant system, attractive as it may be for encouraging
quality and initiative, also has the disadvantage of spreading resources
in an uncoordinated way - something that a small country like Latvia can
ill afford. A significant change will, therefore, be instituted
beginning in 1997: the proportion of the funding distributed to
individuals through grants will fall sharply (from 55% of the science
budget to 30%) so that 25% of the budget can be directed to coordinated
national programs and certain priority areas. Proposals for funding by
either mechanism will still be subject to competitive peer review. This
new approach is likely to build on the priorities existing since 1995,
namely national resources and environment; public health; Latvian
language, history, culture, etc. ("Letonica"); social develop­ment; and
last, but not least, competitiveness of Latvian science and industry.

Salaries in Latvia are low: only about 120 lati per month for a
professor, 100 for a doctoral-level researcher, and 50-65 for an
assistant.

**Evaluation of Research**

In 1992, the Danish Research Councils conducted a thorough evaluation of
Latvian research, down to the level of individual groups. This
exhaustive survey, by 19 expert panels, was an invaluable service to
Latvian science. Its friendly but objective and impartial tone helped
Latvia define the changes that needed to be made. The report commends
Latvian science for some really excellent activities, but also points to
deficiencies in a number of groups as well as failings inherent in the
then-existing system. The more general conclusions and recommendations
are of special interest. They include: the integration of research and
teaching, as is practiced in the West; the relocation, if possible, of
geographically isolated institutes to universities; the shrinking of
research institutes to fit currents needs and finan­cial capabilities;
the selection of a proper balance between basic and applied research;
special measures to enable the best, internationally recognized teams to
survive this period of crisis; an emphasis on international
collaborations and contacts, including the use of English and greater
reliance on the Internet; the abandonment of a tradition of life-long
engagement in a single topic of research; and the creation of special
institutes, on the Danish model, to transfer knowledge from research
laboratories to users. Latvia has begun to put several of these
recommendations into practice, notably the greater integration of
research and teaching.

The Ministry of Education and Science has just completed an internal
evaluation of its research institutions. As a result, a small number
will be named Centers of Excellence. These Centers will conduct science
at an internationally recognized level in an area of high national
priority, have integrated research and university-level teaching, and
develop solid international cooperations.

**Some Latvian Research Centers**

Latvian science has many noteworthy activities, especially in molecular
biology and bio­technology, materials science (including polymer
mechanics) and solid-state physics, organic and medicinal chemistry, and
informatics. Funding for applied research is now double that for basic
research, but the reduced number of individual grants beginning in 1997
will be focused more on basic problems.

Time limitations permitted only relatively brief visits to a few
research centers, which included several institutes formerly run by the
Latvian Academy of Sciences as well as universities. Additional written
information was also provided by my hosts on these and some other
centers**.**

**Biomedical Research and Study Centre.** The BMC, under the dynamic
leadership of Professor Elmars Grens, is one of the leading laboratories
in Latvia. It was founded in 1993 by merging various activities as part
of a reorganization to enhance Latvian biological research. Although the
previous components were under the direction of the Latvian Academy of
Sciences, the Centre is now an autonomous part of the University of
Latvia. Its relatively young staff of 35 scientists, 24 assistants and
graduate students, and a dozen undergraduates moved in 1994 to a modern
building in a Riga suburb. The building also houses Grendex-Diagnostica,
a small biomedical start-up venture of Grendex - a Latvian
pharmaceutical company - with the Biomedical Research and Study Centre.
The BMC takes pride in being the only institute in Latvia that has an
international advisory board, which was established to help end the
isolation from Western science. The BMC has several areas of emphasis in
its research: structure of viruses and protein antigenic determinants;
genome structure and organization, and molecular mechanisms of gene
activity; biotechnology of biologically active proteins; construction of
new antigens and diagnostic tools, based on gene and protein
engineering; and biomedical approaches and techniques.

The Biomedical Research and Study Centre's budget was some 260,000 lati
in 1994, about half of which came through a dozen international grants
from the EC, the Karolinska International Research and Training Program
and others, as well as contracts with biotechnology companies.

**Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology.** This institute,
likewise, was created from former Academy institutes and is now
affiliated with Riga Technical University. Its 70 researchers are
concerned more with applied subjects: the biosynthesis of organic
substances including polymers, food technology, biodegradation of toxic
organic substances, etc.

**Institute of Polymer Mechanics.** Polymer mechanics was one of the
strengths of Soviet science and the Institute of Polymer Mechanics in
Riga was one its pillars. Formerly run by the Academy of Sciences, its
current staff numbers about 140, including 40 with doctoral degrees -
compared to about 300 employees before independence. Of its budget of
250,000 lati, half is received from the Latvian Council of Science, the
remainder coming from European Commission grants, commercial contracts,
and rentals of space. The Institute, under the direction of Dr. Juris
Jansons and Prof. Vitauts Tamu_s, has programs in deforma­tion and
failure, composite structures and filled materials, environmental
degradation, and nondestructive testing. Recently, Prof. Yuri
Tarnopol'skii reported modeling the design of thick-walled composite
rods to be used in torsion, e.g., for aerospace and automotive
applications. In an attempt to compensate for the disappearance of a
large polymer industry from Latvia, the Institute is broadening its
activities to structures built of other materials, notably concrete. One
aim is to be certified as a qualified testing laboratory by the European
Commission. The Institute may change its name in the near future to
something like the Institute for Mechanics of Materials, or simply
Institute of Materials.

**Institute of Polymer Materials.** This institute, founded in 1994 by
Prof. M_rti_š Kalni_š, is part of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering of
Riga Technical University. Its staff of 26 persons, most holding
doctoral degrees, is housed in a rather modern building. The Institute
accepts about 7-10 students every third year and graduates mostly
bachelors and masters. The main emphasis of its research is on control
and optimization of surface and boundary phenomena, such as adhesion,
with special emphasis on composites. Additional themes are biodegradable
polymers and recycling. The Institute has collaborative work with
several foreign institutions, including the 3M Company in the United
States, and has received about \$150,000 per year from the EC TEMPUS
program which has been used to buy a variety of much-needed
instrumentation, which is beginning to replace the older Soviet
equipment still in evidence.

**Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry.** This former Academy
institute is closely tied to a vital national activity, since about 44%
of Latvia is covered by forests. Located in Riga, it has about 110
employees (down from 344 in 1991), including 37 with doctoral degrees
(formerly 84). Somewhat over half of its funding is through grants from
the Latvian Council of Sciences. The Institute has a fairly traditional
program in wood as a material, pulp and paper processes (including
enzymatic bleaching, Prof. Arnis Treimanis), lignin, cellulose,
polysaccharides, tall oil, biomass and fermentation (Prof. Uldis
Viesturs), and remediation of pollution. It also sells some products and
instruments it developed. Perhaps most notable is the recent
qualification of the Institute to carry out certain tests on wood
products according to Western (i.e., DIN) specifications, examples being
for insect or fungus attack and formaldehyde emission. This new activity
may earn the Institute some funds needed to upgrade its programs,
equipment, and facilities.

**Ventspils International Radioastronomy Centre.** A visible reminder of
the Soviet occupation of Latvia, the giant antennas from the former
military space communication center at Ventspils are now abandoned. The
site was examined by American specialists who found that the antennas
themselves, their mechanical components, and the associated power
facility are in relatively good condition, but that some electrical
equipment had been removed. The Latvian Academy of Sciences is seeking
to place the 32-meter fully steerable parabolic centimeter-wave-range
antenna and its 16-meter millimeter-wave-range companion into use as an
international center for radioastronomy under the direction of Prof. E.
Bervalds. The cost of restoring the site was not made available to us -
there is need for computers and detectors - but there clearly is much
interest on the Academy's part in developing international
collaborations to make this center viable.

**International Help and Cooperation**

Latvian scientists receive considerable benefit from the country's
associate membership in the European Union. At last count, the European
Commission (EC) provided funds through the PECO program (7 projects),
the COPERNICUS program (24 projects), the EUREKA program (3 projects),
and the TEMPUS educational activities. A **Baltic Innovation Relay
Centre** to be funded by the EC is being set up; it will include the
Latvian Research Network - LATNET, whose share will be 148,000 ECU over
two years (see NSF/Europe Report No. 83). The Nordic countries have been
especially helpful to Latvian science in a variety of ways, as has the
Soros-funded International Science Foundation which until 1995 provided
life-saving injections of funds. The Volkswagenstiftung, the Howard
Hughes Medical Insti­tute, the NATO science programs, the U.S. National
Research Council, and others have also provided assistance. It has been
estimated that foreign help adds another fifth to the science funding
provided by the Latvian Government.

Although there are many opportunities for collaboration with American
scientists, and an intern from Latvia was in the NSF offices to
encourage that outcome, no applications have yet been received for
grants under the auspices of the NSF Division of International Programs.
A principal handicap has clearly been a lack of information. From what I
have seen, the biological sciences and polymeric materials are two areas
that should be worthy candidates for collaborative research, but
undoubtedly there are others.

**Outlook**

Latvia has undergone wrenching changes since its independence. Among the
many problems that are facing scientists today are low salaries, old
equipment, neglected and energy-inefficient buildings, lack of money for
international travel and for subscriptions to journals, difficulties in
transferring former Academy institutes to universities, inadequate
libraries, lack of information on science-related activities (which the
Riga office of USIS is trying to remedy), and little experience with
knowledge transfer to industry. Peer review has created problems of its
own, and the proper balance between individual and coordinated research
and between basic and applied research still has to be found.

From what I have been able to observe, Latvian science has taken very
seriously its goal of transforming itself into a Western-style system,
and notable changes have been effected in this direction. A competitive
grant system with peer review has been established, significant steps
have been taken toward the integration of research and teaching by
affiliating former Academy institutes with universities, and attention
is being given to the obvious necessity of encouraging and retaining
young scientists. Publication of research results in international
journals has been a priority, as have international collaborations. Many
key documents, including those originating from quasi-governmental
bodies like the Latvian Council of Science and the Latvian Academy of
Sciences, are now published in English. There is also recognition that
the limited means available dictate the need to provide focus and
coor­dination to the nation's science and technology effort. The new
Centers of Excellence will provide a new mechanism to encourage science
that is both of high quality and of national importance.

With enough determination, Latvian science will continue to make good
strides.

This report was prepared primarily for the use of NSF management and
staff. The opinions and conclusions presented are those of the author
and do not necessarily reflect NSF policy.

**References**

*Latvian Research - An International Evaluation*. The Danish Research
Councils, Copenhagen, 1992, 695 pp.

*Latvian Academy of Sciences Yearbook 1995,* Proceedings of the Latvian
Academy of Sciences, Riga, 1995, 148 pp.

*Funded Research Projects for the Year 1994*, Latvian Council of
Science, Riga, 1995, 81 pp.

J. Kristapsons and E. Tjunina, "Changes in the Latvian Research System,"
*Science and Public Policy* **22**, (5), October 1995.

*Scientific Research Activities*, Riga Technical University, Riga, 1995,
45+9 pp.

*Biomedical Research and Study Centre - Progress Report (1991-1994),*
University of Latvia, Riga, 1994, 86 pp.

**Appendix - People and Places Visited in Latvia**

**Latvian Council of Sciences**

Prof. Ivars Kn_ts, Chairman

Pro-Rector, Riga Technical University

Ka\_\_u iela 1

LV-1658 Riga, Latvia

Tel: +371 (2) 225 918

Fax: +371 (7) 820 376

E-mail: knets@k1.rtu.lv

Dr. Aivars Tab_ns, Vice-Chairman

Turge_eva iela 19

LV-1524 Riga, Latvia

Tel: +371 (7) 227 110

Fax: +371 (7) 821 153

E-mail: atabuns@ac.lza.lv

**Latvian Academy of Sciences**

Turge_eva iela 19

LV-1524 Riga, Latavia

Prof. T_lis Millers, President

Tel: +371 (7) 225 361

Fax: +371 (7) 228 784

E-mail: lza@ac.lza.lv

**Ministry of Education and Science**

Va\_\_u iela 2

Riga LV-1098, Latvia

Dr. Atis Kapenieks, Deputy Director

Department of Higher Education, Science and Research

Tel: +371 (7) 225 260

Fax: +371 (7) 243 126

Dr. Valdis Egle, Head

Division of Science & Research

E-mail: egle@izm.gov.lv

**Biomedical Research and Study Centre**

University of Latvia

Kirhensteina 1

LV-1067 Riga, Latvia

Prof. Elmars Grens, Director

Tel: +371 (2) 427 117

Fax: +371 (2) 427 521

E-mail: elmars@grens.lu.lv

**Institute of Polymer Mechanics**

Aizkraukles 23

LV-1006 Riga, Latvia

Tel: +371 (2) 551 145

Fax: +371 (7) 820 467

Dr. Juris Jansons, Director

E-mail: jansons@edzi.lza.lv

Dr. Arnis Rieksti_š, Researcher

E-mail: rieks@pmi.lza.lv

Professor Yuri Tarnopo_skii

**Institute of Polymer Materials**

Riga Technical University

14, Azenes str.

LV-1048 Riga, Latvia

Prof. M_rti_š Kalni_š, Director

Tel: +371 (2) 616 918

Fax: +371 (7) 820 094

E-mail: polmater@paul.cclu.lv.

**Institute of Wood Chemistry**

Dzerbenes iela 27

LV-1006 Riga, Latvia

Dr. J_nis Dolacis, Director

Tel: +371 (7) 553 063

Fax: +371 (7) 310 135

E-mail: koks@edzi.lza.lv

Prof. Arnis Treimanis

Tel: +371 (7) 551 559

Prof. Arnolds Alksnis

Tel: +371 (2) 553063

Dr. Bruno Andersons, Sr. Res. Associate

Prof. Peteris Erins, Scientific Council

**EuroFaculty**

Raina bulv. 19

LV-1586 Riga, Latvia

Tel: +371 (7) 229-434

Fax: +371 (7) 782 0260

Prof. Toivo Miljan, Director

E-mail: tmiljan@lanet.lv

**Embassy of the United States of America**

7 Raina Boulevard

LV-1510 Riga, Latvia

Ms. Constance Phlipot, First Secretary

Tel: +371 (2) 222 349

Fax: +371 782-0047

Mr. Philip R. Ives, First Secretary

American Center

Smilšu iela 7

LV-1050 Riga, Latvia

Tel: +371 (7) 820 277

Fax: +371 (7) 820 077

E-mail: Philip@mail.usis.bkc.lv