LATVIAN%20WOMEN%20IN%20SCIENCE

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LATVIAN WOMENIN SCIENCE

• Erna Karule, Gita Revalde, Aija Tale, Inta
  Muzikante

Institute of Atomic Physics and Spectroscopy,
University of Latvia Institute of Physical
Energetics, Latvian Academy of Sciences
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The surface area of Latvia is 64600 km2 . Is is
bordered by Estonia to the north (300 km),
Russian Federation to the east (300 km), Belarus
to the south-east (200 km), and Lithuania to the
south (600 km). The length of the Baltic Sea
coastline is 500 km.
The capital of Latvia Riga.
The state language - Latvian
The population is over 2.5 million, about 55 of
which are Latvians.
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www.lvzs.lv/en/science/centr.htm
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"Financing of science from the states budget was
0.21 from GDP in 2000 in Latvia. This value is
the lowest in comparison with other EU candidate
states. We are in the shameful last place in
respect to the states support to science. With
such amount of support there are no hope to keep
the present level in science and to have progress
in the future, there are no hope at all." (From
the speech of President of Latvia Dr. Vaira
Vike-Freiberga at the 2nd Congress of Latvian
Scientists at 14 august 2001, Riga, Lettonie)
 
1.2
1.0
Latvia
Estonia
Czech
0.8
RTD from GDP
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
1993
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2002
Year
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PROFESSOR ELZA KRAULINA (1920 - 2002) the first
woman - habilited doctor (professor) in Optics
in the Baltic states E. Kraulina
was born in 1920 in Sloka, Latvia. Shortly after
Elza's birth her family moved to Riga. In the
school time, Elza attended the well known N.
Draudzinas gymnasium. In 1939 Elza Kraulina
started to study in the University of Latvia, at
the Department of Mathematics and Natural
sciences. The Second World War interrupted her
studies in 1941. After the war Elza Kraulina
continued studies parallel to her work as the
redactor in the newspaper "Cîòa". Elza graduated
from the University of Latvia in 1947. After two
years she left good paid position in the
newspaper and proceeded the following carrier
only with physics. Her PhD studies she carried
out at the University of St. Petersburg from 1949
to 1952. The supervisor of the doctor thesis of
E. Kraulina was famous physicist S. E. Frish. She
investigated the second type collisions in
fluorescence of Sodium and Mercury vapour
mixture. After graduating the doctor studies,
Elza was employed as an assistant in the
University of Latvia, on the Department of
Physics and Mathematics from 1952-1953, as a
senior teacher from 1953-1956, as a docent from
1956-1973. From 1956 to 1959 Elza Kraulina was
the Dean of the Department of Physics and
Mathematics, from 1958 to 1967 - the Head of the
Chair of Experimental Physics. She gave lecture
courses in general Physics, Applied Optics,
Spectral Analysis and Atomic Spectroscopy. Elza
combined the teacher's responsibilities at the
Department of Physics with an active scientific
work. In that time, only 2 physicists in the
Department of Physics had scientific degree, Elza
Kraulina and theoretician P. Kunin. Elza was
initiator and founder of the Laboratory of
Spectroscopy in Riga (now Institute of Atomic
Physics and Spectroscopy). From 1967 to 1979 Elza
Kraulina was the Head of the Laboratory of
Spectroscopy. The beginning of this laboratory
was very difficult. States financing was given
first only for three scientific staffs, not for
equipment. There was also a big lack of qualified
researchers. The physics students started to work
in the laboratory under the leadership of Elza.
After some time, the first contract was concluded
with the Optical Institute in St. Petersburg.
Thus it gave the possibility to buy the
equipment, and the serious scientific work could
be started. In fact, Elza was the founder of the
experimental spectroscopy in Latvia. Elza
Kraulina investigated processes in the metal
vapour phase for their use as active medium for
lasers.
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Experiments were made in mixtures of
Hg with Na, Cd, Zn, In, Tl, Cs. Elza defended her
thesis of second dissertation in St. Petersburg
on 1971. The tittle of the habilitation's work
was "The excitation energy exchange in the
sensibilised fluorescence in the metal vapour
mixtures". She was the first physicist - woman,
who obtained the habilited doctor (USSR doctor)
degree at the University of Latvia and in the
optics - the first in the Baltic countries
(Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) . In 1973 Elza
Kraulina earned the name of the professor. Elza
Kraulina was supervisor of many PhD students.
Elza Kraulina has more than 100 publications, she
was editor of 15 collections of scientific
papers. More than 30 industrial projects were
realised under the Elza's leading. Elza was
famous and well known in the society of
physicists in Latvia and abroad. In 1978 Elza
organised the international conference on Atomic
Physics in Riga. Since 1958 she was the leader of
Scientific Council of Spectroscopy at the Academy
of Science in Latvia, and the member of the
Scientific Council of Spectroscopy in USSR. Elza
was awarded with many honorary diplomas and
titles for her work, one of highest was Order of
Lenin (the highest order in former USSR).
Privately Elza was responsive, responsible,
vital, gentle to her colleagues, always helpful
in all difficult situations of life.
Some of her publications and books 1. E.
Kraulina, Estimation of the absolute
cross-sections in collisions of second type from
fluorescence of Na and Hg vapour mixture, Optics
and Spectroscopy, V17, 1964, p. 464-466. 2.
E. Kraulina, A. Lezdiòð, J. Silinð, Absolute
intensities of thallium spectral lines in
fluorescence of the Hg and Tl vapour mixture,
Optics and Spectroscopy, V19, 1965, p.
154-156. 3. E. Kraulina, M. Arman, A. Lezdin, S.
Liepa, O. Sametis, M. Jansons, Excitation
processes in low energy atom - atom collisions,
In 6 Intern. Conf. of the physics of electronic
and atomic collisions, M.I.T. Cambridge, 1969, p.
595-597. 4. E. Krauliòa, S. M. Papernov, M. L.
Jansons, He-Ne 632,8 nm radiation induced
disintegration of caesium dimer, Chem. Phys.
Letters, V63, N3, 1979, p. 533-534. 5.
Sensibilised fluorescence of the metal vapour
mixture, Editor E. Kraulina, Riga, University of
Latvia, V1, 1968, p. 132. 6. Sensibilised
fluorescence of the metal vapour mixture, Editor
E. Kraulina, Riga, University of Latvia, V4,
1973, p. 161. 7. Electrodeless high-frequency
light sources, Editor E. Kraulina, Acta
Universitatis Latviensis, V573, Riga, University
of Latvia, 1992, p. 126.
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IRENA PLAVINA   IRENA PLAVINA is the
well-known physicist of Latvia. She is a
specialist in solid state (ionic crystal)
physics, in particular, in the fields of optical
spectroscopy of ns2 ions, radiation-induced
luminescence and defect formation, as well as in
photo-stimulated luminescence of doped alkali
halides and its applications (radiation storage,
recording, imaging, dose measuring). She is the
author or co-author of over 75 publications in
scientific journals and conference proceedings,
holds about 8 patents, over 40 communications to
scientific meetings.   IRENA PLAVINA is born
February 28, 1928 in Riga (Latvia). She was the
first daughter in a teachers family. Her parents
Elizabete and Kârlis Velmers gave both daughters
the highest education. IRENA graduated from the
Department of Physics and Mathematics of the
State University of Latvia (UL) in 1952. The
subject of her undergraduate degree was Effect
of electrolysis on the optical properties of
ionic crystals. Dr. L. Jansons introduced her
in the ionic crystal physics. After studies the
years of the obligatory work PLAVINA spent in
Frjazino, a small city near Moscow. She studied
in the Moscow University and graduated it as the
Candidate of Sciences which is equivalent to PhD.
Her thesis was On kinetics of photo- and
g-luminescence of some activated alkali
halides, advisor M.D. Galanin).   In 1958 PhD
I.PLAVINA started to work in the Institute of
Physics (IP) of the Latvian (former Latvian SSR)
Academy of Sciences (LAS). She initiated the
formation of a group of physicists to study the
luminescence of doped alkali halides. In 1959 in
this group were four women physicists I.PLAVINA,
M.Trinklere, B.Zunde (Bçrziòa), and A.Everte
(Tâle), among them were two recently graduated,
and one undergraduate student. The group was
growing and on its base emerged the research
Laboratory of Spectroscopy of Ionic Crystals
(LSIC). I.PLAVINA became the Head of it. The
very fruitful collaboration lasted for more than
30 years (1968-1991). I.PLAVINA has been advisor
to 2 undergraduate and 7 graduate students. In
1976 defending the thesis Fast luminescence
processes in the activated alkali halides, I.
PLAVINA got her highest degree Doctor of
Physics and Mathematics, and afterwards
scientific title of Professor in solid state
physics. In 1992 in independent Latvia after
nostrification she obtained the degree of Dr.
habil. Phys.  
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Under PLAVINAs leadership the LSIC changed into
a large research laboratory with modern equipment
for time-resolved spectral measurements over a
wide temperature range (LHeT, LNT, RT and higher
temperatures correspondingly cryostats and
furnaces UV, visible and IS-light, electron
beam, X-ray and other pulsed or continuous
radiation sources, He-Ne and excimer lasers,
optical prism and grating monochromators, PMT
with complex electronics, oscillographs, XY
recorders etc.), and for preparation of different
samples (monocrystal growth by the Stocbarger
and Kyropulos techniques, crystal surface
polishing, thin layer evaporation and powder
making). The fundamental studies were combined
with highly promising applications in UV
information recording and imaging. The research
in this direction was largely supported by
contracts with the institutions in the former
USSR, in Moscow and Leningrad (now St.
Petersburg). In period 1987-1992 two devices for
UV and X-ray energy recording were designed and
developed. They were image plates based on
KBrIn/PMT and using photostimulated luminescence
(PSL). For many years I.PLAVINA served as the
member of Scientific Council and at the
Dissertation Committee in the IP. In 1988 she was
presented the honorary title of scientist of
Latvia. In 1992 due to reduction in science
funding there were all-round staff reduction in
scientific institutions, retired all the oldest
researchers and all technical staff. In lab.
remained only 4 scientists. In 1992 IRENA PLAVINA
retired, partly due to illness. Head of the LSIC
became B. Bçrziòa. Along with other 4 solid state
laboratories, the LSIC was moved from IP of the
LAS to the ISSP of the LU. I PLAVINA has
arranged an experimental set-up at home, in her
solely one room, and is continuing her research.
In 1994, 3 from 4 reports she with co-authors
submitted to the conference (on Radiation
Protection and Dosimetry) in USA (Orlando,
Florida) were included as oral contributions. In
1997 I. PLAVINA was awarded by the title of
Scientist Emeritus. Since then she continues to
guide and take part in the projects without any
other payment. She is very active senior
researcher at the ISSP up to now. During all
her scientist career she had contacts with many
local and foreign colleagues. She has joint
papers with Latvian, Russian, Estonian,
Ukrainian, and Polish physicists. Her ideas
stimulated many experiments of Latvian, Estonian
and German scientists. Irena PLAVINA has two
children and four grand-children.