Behind the Laboratory Doors: LSIWC Invites You to Researchers’ Night 2026

On 25 September, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LVKĶI) will invite visitors to take a closer look at the daily work of scientists, explore the institute’s laboratories, and discover how wood and other biomass can be used to develop new materials, products and technologies. The event will take place as part of European Researchers’ Night 2026, whose unifying theme this year is “Discover the Nature of Science!”

During Researchers’ Night, visitors will have the opportunity to explore laboratories, meet scientists, ask questions, and take part in various activities and experiments. It will be a chance not only to learn more about research, but also to see first-hand how scientific solutions are developed and how wood can be used in far more ways than one might traditionally imagine.

School groups will have the opportunity to take part in guided tours of the institute from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., offering a closer look at the laboratories and the research carried out there. Advance registration is required by contacting laima.vevere@kki.lv.

LSIWC’s research covers three main areas: wood and wood-based materials with improved properties for construction, biorefining, and green chemistry and biotechnology. The institute’s research uses wood, wood-processing by-products and other biomass to obtain chemical compounds and end products, including cellulose, paper, sorbents and composite materials, as well as biofuels and bio-oil. Research in green chemistry and biotechnology focuses on developing new products and polymers from wood and plant-based biomass.

All activities during the event will be free of charge. More information about the Researchers’ Night programme at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry will be available soon.