Researchers’ Night at LSIWC: What to See and Experience
On 25 September from 17:00 to 22:00, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry will open its doors to visitors of Researchers’ Night, offering an opportunity to explore laboratories and the Pilot-Scale Hangar, meet researchers, and take part in a range of hands-on activities related to wood, biomass, biocomposites and other materials.
This year’s unifying theme of Researchers’ Night is “Discover the Nature of Science!”, inviting visitors to not only observe science, but also explore, experience and try it for themselves.
School groups will have an opportunity to take a guided tour of the institute from 14:00 to 16:00, visit laboratories and learn more about the research carried out there. Advance registration is required by emailing laima.vevere@kki.lv.
Explore the Work of Our Laboratories
In the laboratories, visitors will be able to see how polyurethane foams and paper are produced, learn about the potential uses of birch and mycelium biocomposites, as well as explore extracts from different biomass sources and try to identify them by smell.
Visitors will also be able to see carrot freeze-drying, explore innovative biomass panels developed as part of a research project, learn more about what prebiotics are and even taste them. Wood can also be examined under a microscope, offering a closer look at its structure.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore biotechnology and microorganism cultivation by viewing a 5-litre bioreactor containing an artificial medium with coloured water for demonstration purposes and learning more about the researchers’ projects.
The world of bees will reveal some of its secrets too. In the “Hive Detective” game, visitors will be challenged to find out who is a friend, thief, neighbour, enemy or liar from the bees’ perspective. Successful detectives will have a chance to receive a special jar of LSIWC honey. Visitors can also take a closer look at different honeycombs and discover why their cells can differ, as well as learn why researchers use sensors and scales in beehives and what they can learn from them.
How Much Can a Piece of Wood Tell You?
Researchers’ Night will also feature activities where visitors can identify tree species and annual growth rings, as well as recognise different wood samples used in construction materials. It will be an opportunity to look at wood not only as a familiar material, but also to discover the information hidden within it.
Discover Science Together with Our Partners
The Researchers’ Night programme will also feature Latvian State Forests (LVM) and the “Latvijas Koks” Association. At the LVM stand, visitors will meet Cūkmens and have the opportunity to try various activities related to forests and nature, including testing soil acidity. The “Latvijas Koks” Association will invite visitors to construct a Kārlis Johansons model and test its strength in a breaking experiment, using the “Lietkoku čemodāns”.
See you at Researchers’ Night 2026! All activities are free of charge.
