University of Latvia SPIE Student Chapter

Annual report

(January, 2014)

The chapter was established in August 2004.

University of Latvia

Raina Blvd. 19, Riga, LV-1586, Latvia

Advisor: Professor Janis Spigulis, director of Biophotonics Laboratory, Institute of Atomic

Physics and Spectroscopy, janispi[@]latnet.lv

List of current members

Nr. Name Surname Officers Expiration date of membership

Remarks

1 Jelena Aleksejeva 11/02/2014

2 Lasma Asare 02/27/2015

3 Amina Bekina 12/19/2014

4 Martins Bruvelis 06/04/2014 New member

5 Daiga Cerane 12/10/2014

6 Aleksandrs Derjabo 03/24/2015 New member

7 Inesa Ferulova 06/13/2014

8 Ugis Gertners Secretary 11/02/2014

9 Andris Grabovskis 01/14/2015

10 Jurgis Grube 01/15/2015

11 Raitis Grzibovskis 01/31/2015

12 Dainis Jakovels 03/04/2015

13 Varis Karitans 03/19/2014

14 Edgars Kviesis-Kipge 03/19/2014

15 Marta Lange 12/10/2014

16 Natalija Lesina 01/09/2015

17 Ilze Lihacova 3/19/2015

18 Edgars Nitiss Vice-President 12/31/2014

19 Karola Panke 12/10/2014

20 Anete Pausus 01/09/2015

21 Tatjana Pladere Treasurer 10/21/2014 New member

22 Kaspars Pudzs 8/15/2014

23 Inga Saknite President 11/02/2014

24 Janis Smits 10/21/2014 New member

25 Sandis Spolitis 06/13/2014

26 Andis Supe 06/13/2014

27 Ieva Timrote 09/16/2014

28 Renars Truksa 01/09/2015

29 Aleksejs Udalcovs 06/13/2014

30 Eriks Zaharans 06/13/2014

31 Janis Zaharans 06/13/2014

32 Elmars Zarins 11/02/2014

33 Brigita Zutere 12/10/2014

Officers:

President: Inga Saknite (SPIE ID: 3380499, inga.saknite[@]gmail.com);

Vice-President: Edgars Nitiss (SPIE ID: 3255818, edgars.nitiss[@]gmail.com);

Secretary: Ugis Gertners (SPIE ID: 3273637, gertners[@]gmail.com);

Treasurer: Tatjana Pladere (SPIE ID: 3575657, tmbox[@]inbox.lv);

33 members in total. 4 new members have joined the chapter.

5 members have recently graduated and finished their studies: Kaiva Jurasevska, Varis Karitans

and Edgars Kviesis-Kipge finished their PhD studies, and Janis Lesins and Liga Zake finished

their Master studies.

Chapter activities

1. Organization of international student conference

One of the main chapter activities was the organization of 9th International Young Scientist

conference “Developments in Optics and Communications 2013” (DOC 2013) during April 10 –

12, 2013 in Riga, Latvia. More than 100 participants from 6 countries participated. The book of

abstracts can be found here:

http://www.osa-latvia.lv/DOC_History/DOC_2013_Book_Of_Abstracts.pdf

During the conference, a Welcome party was organized. During the Welcome party, KHET

Laser game tournament was being held.

Thanks to the SPIE Visiting Lecturer Program, it was possible to invite professor Ifor Samuel

from University of St Andrews, Scotland, who gave a great lecture “Organic semiconductors:

lighting up the future”.

2. Joint SPIE and OSA student chapter seminars

Since September 2013, SPIE University of Latvia student chapter began organizing educational

seminars for students in cooperation with University of Latvia OSA Student Chapter. The

seminars take place every two weeks. The lecturers are chapter members, researchers and

academic staff who present their research, tell about innovations related to Optics and Physics,

and share their professional experience and ideas from different international conferences they

have attended. The seminars provide an opportunity for students to learn about different fields of

Physics, to take part in discussions and to get new ideas for their research.

Seminar topics:

November 26, Zellu 8 (room F219), 17:00 - "Magnetic field visualization by laser induced

fluorescence of dark and bright atoms" by Iļja Feščenko;

November 12, Zellu 8 (room F219), 17:00 - "Rotating wave approximation" by Artūrs

Ciniņš;

October 29, Zellu 8 (room F219), 17:00 - "OSA student chapter leadership conference" by

Uldis Kalniņš;

October 15, Zellu 8 (room F219), 17:00 - "Density matrices" (continue) by Linards Kalvāns;

October 1, Zellu 8 (room F219), 17:00 - "Density matrices" by Linards Kalvāns.

3. Organization of School for Young Physicists of Latvia

Several chapter members participated in organizing the School for Young Physicists of Latvia.

Once a month during the whole school year, school children from all over Latvia can come to

Riga and learn about different fields of physics by interesting lectures and laboratory work,

including the fields of optics.

4. Summer school in Horvatia

Ieva Timrote participated in Late Summer School in Dubrovnik, Horvatia, which was organized

during October 7-10, 2013.

5. Participation in organization of international conference in Riga, Latvia

University of Latvia SPIE student members – Inga Saknite, Dainis Jakovels, Inesa Ferulova,

Edgars Kviesis-Kipge, Amina Bekina – participated in the organization of the 1st international

conference “Biophotonics – Riga 2013”.

6. Other activities of chapter members

Chapter members Inesa Ferulova, Dainis Jakovels, Amina Bekina, Andris Grabovskis, Lasma

Asare and Inga Saknite participated in the European Conferences on Biomedical Optics 2013 in

Munich, Germany, from 12th to 16th May. They also attended different networking events.

Chapter president Inga Saknite attended SPIE Photonics West 2013 by receiving SPIE Travel

grant in 2012. During the conference, she attended different events like SPIE Student chapter

meeting, Women in Optics panel and other events. She did a presentation at SPIE Student

chapter meeting about the international student conference “Developments in Optics and

Communications 2013”.

Most of chapter members participated in the annual “Science Night” event by explaining

interesting Optics experiments to the general public who can visit most of the research

institutes in Riga during this evening.

Chapter vice-president Edgars Nitiss has been organizing excursions for school students at

Institute of Solid State Physics in Riga. In 2013, he managed to do lead around 7 excursions to

more than 150 people.

Chapter member Natalija Lesina has been organizing interesting lectures and for school students

and general public at the Riga Photonics Centre that is located in the Institute of Atomic Physics

and Spectroscopy.

Grants and awards

University of Latvia SPIE student chapter offered a travel grant for its members to participate

in the student conference “Open Readings 2013” in Vilnius, Lithuania, to increase the

collaboration between both student chapters. 5 members participated in the conference –

Brigita Zutere, Marta Lange, Jelena Aleksejeva, Karola Panke and Inga Saknite. A meeting

with the participation of both chapter members was held during the conference.

10 chapter members received European Social Fund scholarship.

Marta Lange and Brigita Zutere received SPIE Travel Scholarship to attend “SPIE Optics &

Photonics 2014” in San Diego, USA.

Marta Lange received OSA Network of Students (IONS) travel grant to attend the IONS

conference in Armenia.

Scientific activities of chapter members

Chapter members are involved in scientific research on such disciplines as atomic and molecular

spectroscopy, optical materials, vision science, bio-photonics, communications and non-linear

optics.

Some examples of projects that chapter members are working on:

Development of polymer electro optic modulator prototype;

Electromagnetic Field Mapping and Population Switching by Coherent Manipulation of

Laser-Dressed Rydberg States;

Visual search task estimation in Latvian school-age children;

Materials and their structures for tandem solar cells;

Waste Heat to Electrical Energy via Sustainable Organic Thermoelectric Devices;

Development of a multimodal skin imaging device.

Some of the scientific publications of chapter members:

Saknite, I., Kviesis, E., Spigulis, J., “Water detection in skin by dual-band

photodiodes,” Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 9032, Paper Nr. 9032O (2013);

E. Nitiss, M. Rutkis, M. Svilans, Electrooptic coefficient measurements by Mach Zender

interferometric method: application of Abeles matrix formalism for thin film polymeric

sample description, Optics Communications, 286 (2013) 357–362;

Edgars Nitiss, Eduards Titavs, Karlis Kundzins, Andrej Dementjev, Vidmantas Gulbinas

and Martins Rutkis, Poling Induced Mass Transport in Thin Polymer Films, J. Phys.

Chem. B, 2013, 117, 2812−2819;

Vilitis, O., Titavs, E., Nitiss, E., Rutkis, M., Chromophore poling in thin films of organic

glasses. Setup for corona triode discharge, Latvian Journal of Physics and Technical

Sciences, 2013, 50 (1), pp. 66-75;

E. Nitiss, J. Busenbergs, M. Rutkis, Optical propagation loss measurements in electro

optical host - guest waveguides, Proc. SPIE 8772, Nonlinear Optics and Applications

VII, 87721L (May 8, 2013); doi:10.1117/12.2017226;

S. Popova, K. Pudzs, J. Latvels, A. Vembris, Light emitting and electrical properties of

pure amorphous thin films of organic compounds containing 2-tert-butyl-6-methyl-4H-

pyran-4-5 ylidene, Optical Materials 36, 2, 2013, 529-534

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.optmat.2013.10.025;

Lihacova, A. Derjabo, J. Spigulis," A multispectral imaging approach for diagnostics of

skin pathologies ", Proc. SPIE 8798, Clinical and Biomedical Spectroscopy and Imaging

III, 87980X (2013);

Derjabo, I. Cema, I. Lihacova, L. Derjabo, 980nm laser for difficult-to-treat basal cell

carcinoma, Proc. SPIE 8803, Medical Laser Applications and Laser-Tissue Interactions

VI, 88030B (2013);

D. Jakovels, I. Lihacova, I. Kuzmina, J. Spigulis, " Evaluation of skin melanoma in

spectral range 450-950 nm using principal component analysis ", Proc. SPIE 8803,

Medical Laser Applications and Laser-Tissue Interactions VI, 88030C (2013);

U. Gertners, J. Teteris, Photo-induced Mass Transport in Thin Films of Amorphous

As2S3, Physics Procedia, Vol.44, (May 2013), 45 – 51;

J. Teteris, M. Reinfelde, J. Aleksejeva, U. Gertners, Optical field-induced mass transport

in soft materials, Physics Procedia, Vol.44, (May 2013), 151 – 158;

Timrote I., Reinvalde A., Zirdzina M., Pladere T., Krumina G. – “Visual Search Task and

Moving Peripheral Noise”. Perception, 2013, Vol.42, p.369;

Timrote I., Reinvalde A., Zirdzina M., Pladere T., Krumina G., “Eye movements change

according to peripheral information”, Perception, 2013, Vol. 42 Supplement, p.217;

Pladere T., Timrote I., Krumina G. “Training saccadic eye movements using visual

search task”, Journal of Eye Movement Research, 2013, Vol.6, (3), p. 495.

Participation in conferences:

R.Grzibovskis, A.Vembris. Photoelectrical properties of pyranyliden fragment containing

compounds in thin films. 9th International Young Scientist Conference „Developments in

Optics and Communications”. Riga, April 10-12, 2013, Book of Abstracts, p.62;

R.Grzibovskis, A.Vembris, K.Pudzs, Photoelectrical properties of pyranyliden fragment

containing compounds, Advanced Study Institute NATO (ASI NATO) “Nanomaterials

and Nanoarchitectures” and 13th European Conference on Organised Films (ECOF13),

30th June - 7th July and 8th - 12th July, 2013, Cork, Ireland, Book of Abstracts, p.18;

E. Nitišs, A. Tokmakovs, M. Rutkis, Assessment of material refractive index near

absorption band using kramers-kronig relations, International Young Scientist

Conference “Developments in Optics and Communications 2013”, Riga, Latvia, April

10-12, 2013, Abstracts, p. 52;

K.Pudzs, A.Vembris, Charge carrier mobility in thin films of glass forming pyranyliden

derivatives, 9th International Young Scientist Conference „Developments in Optics and

Communications” Riga, April 10-12, 2013, Book of Abstracts, p.64;

K.Pudzs, A. Vembris, Charge carrier mobility in thin films of glass forming low

molecular organic compounds, International Conference on Functional materials and

Nanotechnologies FM&NT 2013, April 21 – 24, 2013, Tartu, Estonia, Book of Abstracts,

p 227;

K.Pudzs, A.Vembris, , Determination of charge carrier mobility in amorphous thin films

of low molecular weight organic derivatives, 9th International Conference on Organic

Electronics ICOE 2013, June 17-20, 2013, Grenoble, France, CD, p PC40;

K. Pudzs, A. Vembris, E.Zarins, V.Kokars, Determination of charge carrier mobility in

thin films of indandione group containing azobenzene compounds, 15th International

Conference–School “Advanced Materials and Technologies”, August 27-31, 2013,

Palanga, Lithuania, Abstracts, p. 94;

Vembris, R. Grzibovskis, K. Pudzs, B. Turovska, Energy structure and photoelectrical

properties of glass forming pyranyliden derivatives in thin films, International

Conference on Functional materials and Nanotechnologies FM&NT 2013, April 21 – 24,

2013, Tartu, Estonia, Book of Abstracts, p 267;

R. Grzibovskis, A. Vembris, K. Pudzs, Photoelectrical properties of pyranyliden

fragment containing compounds, Advanced Study Institute NATO (ASI NATO)

“Nanomaterials and Nanoarchitectures” and 13th European Conference on Organised

Films (ECOF13), 30th June - 7th July and 8th - 12th July, 2013, Cork, Ireland, Book of

Abstracts, p. 18;

U. Rubins, I. Diebele, J. Spigulis, L. Valeine, “Software for multimodal skin image

analysis,” BioPhotonics and Imaging Conference BioPIC13, 25-27 March, 2013,

BioPic13, p.71-72;

D. Jakovels, I. Diebele, I. Kuzmina, J. Spigulis, „Application of principal component

analysis in multispectral imaging data for assessment of skin”, Developments in optics

and communications 2013, Riga, Latvia, April 10-12, 2013, Book of abstracts, p.44;

Bekina, U. Rubins, J. Zaharans, I. Diebele, J. Spigulis, L. Valeine, A. Berzina, „Skin

chromophore mapping for diagnosis of skin malformations,” Developments in optics and

communications 2013, Riga, Latvia, April 10-12, 2013, Book of abstracts, p.112;

Lihacova, A.Derjabo, J.Spigulis, “A multispectral imaging approach for diagnostics of

skin pathologies,” European Conferences on Biomedical Optics, Munich, Germany, May

12-16, 2013, p.30;

Bekina, U. Rubins, I. Lihacova, J. Spigulis, L. Valeine, A. Berzina, “Skin Chromophore

Mapping by Modified Video-microscope”, European Conferences on Biomedical Optics,

Munich, Germany, May 12-16, 2013, p.28;

D. Jakovels, I. Lihacova, I. Kuzmina, J. Spigulis, “Evaluation of Skin Melanoma in

Spectral Range 450-950 nm Using Principal Component Analysis,” European

Conferences on Biomedical Optics, Munich, Germany, May 12-16, 2013, p.47;

Derjabo, I. Cema, I. Lihacova, L. Derjabo, “980nm Laser for Difficult-to-Treat Basal

Cell Carcinoma,” European Conferences on Biomedical Optics, Munich, Germany, 2013,

p.47;

J.Spigulis, I.Lihacova, D.Jakovels, I.Kuzmina, A.Lihachev, U.Rubins „Non-contact

Optical Skin Assessment for Dermatology and Anaesthesiology,” Progress In

Electromagnetics Research Symposium (PIERS), Stockholm, Sweden, August 12-15,

2013, Program, p.63;

A.Bekina, U.Rubins, I.Lihacova, J.Zaharans, J.Spigulis, “Skin chromphore mapping by

means of a modified video-microscope for skin malformation diagnosis,” 2013

Optics+Photonics, San Diego, California, USA, August 25-29, 2013, Technical Program,

p.204;

D.Jakovels, I.Lihacova, I.Kuzmina, J.Spigulis, “Application of Principal Component

Analysis to Multispectral Imaging Data for Evaluation of Pigmented Skin Lesions,”

Biophotonics- Riga 2013 (1st International Conference), Riga, Latvia, August 26-31,

2013, Programme, p.3;

I.Lihacova, A.Derjabo, A.Bekina, J.Zaharans, J.Spigulis, “Development of Multispectral

Imaging Method for Skin Pathology Diagnostics,” Biophotonics- Riga 2013 (1st

International Conference), Riga, Latvia, August 26-31, 2013, Programme, p.6;

U.Gertners, J.Teteris, Optical-field Induced Surface-relief Modification in Amorphous

As2S3 Films, 5th International Conference on Amorphous and Nanostructured

Chalcogenides (ANC6), Brasov, Romania, June 24-28, p. 201;

U.Gertners, Z.Gertnere, E.Poanina, J.Teteris, Optical-field induced volume- and surface-

relief formation phenomenon in thin films of vitreous chalcogenide semiconductors,

SPIE Optics + Photonics 2013, San Diego, ASV, August 24-29, 2013;

Timrote I., Reinvalde A., Zirdzina M., Pladere T., Krumina G. “Eye movements change

according to peripheral information”, 36th European Conference on Visual Perception

(ECVP) 2013, Bremen, Germany, August 25-29, Abstracts, p.62;

Pladere T., Timrote I., Krumina G. “Training saccadic eye movements using visual

search task”. 17th European Conference on Eye Movements (ECEM), Lund, Sweden,

August 11-16, 2013. Abstracts, p.492;

Timrote I., Pladere T., Reinvalde A., Zirdzina M., Krumina G. “Perceiving latin letters on

a visual search task”. 9th International Symposium of Cognition, Logic and

Communication: Perception and Concepts. Riga, Latvia, May 16-18, Abstracts, p. 31;

Timrote I., Pladere T., Jakovleva J., Krumina G. “Visual search task estimation in

Latvian school - age children”, Trieste Symposium on Perception and Cognition, Trieste,

Itālija, 2013, November 28-29.

Pladere T., Timrote I., Krumina G. “Training saccadic eye movements using visual

search task”. European Summer School on Eye Movements (ESSEM), Bonn, Germany,

2013, September 9-13, p.71;

Timrote I., Reinvalde A., Zirdzina M., Pladere T., Krumina G. “Visual Search Task and

Moving Peripheral Noise”. AVA meeting at Manchester, Great Britain, 2013, March 26,

p.369;

K.Luse, M.Ozolinsh, S.Fomins, A.Gutmane, „Evaluation of Pseudoisochromatic Plate

Colour Fading”, Abstr.Int.Conf. Advanced Materials and Technologies 2013, Palanga,

Lithuania, p.112. (2013);

K.Luse, M.Ozolinsh, S.Fomins, „Chromatic sensitivity variances along confusion lines

for congenital red-green colour deficient individuals”, Abstr.Int.Conf. ICVS 2013,

Winchester, UK, p.138, (2013);

S.Fomins, M.Ozolinsh, K.Luse, „Practical and theoretical evaluation of printed

pseudoisochromatic plates for congenital colour vision deficiencies”, Abstr.Int.Conf.

ICVS 2013, Winchester, UK, p.127, (2013);

K.Luse, Maris Ozolinsh, Sergejs Fomins and Ausma Gutmane, “Obtaining individual

chromatic sensitivity thresholds in case of congenital red-green color deficiency”,

Abstr.Int.Conf. AIC 2013, Gateshead, UK, p.239. (2013);

K.Luse, M.Ozolinsh, S.Fomins, A.Gutmane, B.Zutere „Individual chromatic sensitivity

threshold determination in case of red-green color deficiency”, Abstr.Int.Conf. DOC

2013, Riga, Latvia, p.78-79. (2013);

S.Fomins, M.Ozolinsh, K.Luse „Evaluation of the performance of printed pseudo-

isochromatic test to the existing color vision tests”, Abstr.Int.Conf. DOC 2013, Riga,

Latvia, p.152. (2013);

K.Luse, M.Ozolinsh, S.Fomins „Reflectance and multispectral evaluation of color vision

asessment plates”, Abstr.Int.Conf. FM&NT 2013, Tartu, Estonia, p.228. (2013);

B.Zutere, K.Luse „Usability of psychophysical experiment scheme in colour vision

deficiency characterization”. Abstr.Int.Conf.Open Readings 2013, Vilnius, Lithuania,

p.184. (2013);

Inga Saknīte, Edgars Kviesis, Jānis Spīgulis. stenda referāts „Water detection in skin by

dual-band photodiodes. „Biophotonics – Riga” 2013, August 26-31, Riga, Latvia.

Inga Saknīte, Dainis Jakovels, Jānis Spīgulis. „Noninvasive Imaging of Bilirubin and

Water in Skin by Spectral Imaging”; European Conferences on Biomedical Optics”

2013, May 12-16, Munchen, Germany;

Inga Saknīte, Valērijs Garancis, Liene Elste, Ēriks Zaharans, Jānis Zaharans, Oskars

Rubenis, Edgars Kviesis, Jānis Spīgulis; „Multi-spectral Imaging Device for Skin

Diagnostics”; „Open Readings” 2013, March 20-23, Vilnius, Lithuania.

Inga Saknīte, Marta Laņģe, Dainis Jakovels, Jānis Spīgulis. „Determination of

Chromophore Distribution by Spectral Imaging”. SPIE Photonics West, 2013, February

2-7, San Francisco, USA.

Planned activities for year 2014

1. Organization of 10th International Young Scientist Conference “Developments in Optics

and Communications 2014” in cooperation with University of Latvia OSA Student

Chapter and Laserlab III Training School for Potential Users “Laser Applications in

Spectroscopy, Industry and Medicine;

2. Organization of School for Young Physicists of Latvia;

3. Outreach activities for school students and general public;

4. Student chapter events for networking with other chapter members, as well as

collaboration with University of Latvia OSA Student Chapter – lectures, seminars,

meetings, organizing of the conference.

Financial information

Object Amount

USD

Total income 3750

Beginning balance in January 2013 1900

Thorlabs sponsorship for DOC2013 coffee breaks 410

SPIE funding 1100

ULSPIE membership fees 340

Total expenses 1850

Chapter members' visit to the student conference "Open Readings 2013" in Vilnius, Lithuania 150

International Young Scientist Conference “DOC 2013” 1100

Costs for ulspie.lv homepage upkeep 50

ULSPIE membership fees 340

Payment transactions 60

Food and snacks 150

Balance (1st January 2014) 1900