Fostering Future Scientists: LACISE Supports the ISSP UL Solar Cup 2025 Competition
Solar Cup 2025 participants
On May 24, the LACISE project actively contributed to the organization and success of the Solar Cup student competition, hosted by the Institute of Solid State Physics at the University of Latvia (ISSP UL). This event marked the seventeenth edition of the Solar Cup, an inspiring initiative designed to ignite interest in science, engineering, and renewable energy among students in grades 5–12, particularly encouraging the participation of girls in STEM fields.
Representatives from the LACISE project from the Energy Materials Laboratory played a key role in both organizing and conducting the competition. In line with LACISE’s core goal to raise awareness of STEM among young people, especially girls, the project proudly sponsored awards for outstanding teams in two categories: the best girls’ team and the most innovative vehicle design.
The event was officially opened by Andris Anspoks, Director of ISSP UL, who delivered inspiring words to motivate students, teachers, and organizers alike. Despite challenging weather conditions, thanks to the dedicated ISSP UL team, the event took place indoors at the institute, utilizing halogen lamps as the light source for model testing.
The competition showcased a variety of disciplines: boat models competed in a pool, while vehicle models raced on a specially designed track, testing their speed and power. Final scores combined results from three assessments: submitted sketches and videos, model performance, and a knowledge test covering the theoretical aspects of solar energy, encouraging students to deepen their understanding of STEM topics.
The overall winners were a girls’ team from Riga Iļģuciems Elementary School—“Emi and KaTe” (Katrīna Teivāne and Emīlija Emma Mendre, consulted by Normunds Teivāns). This team also received the LACISE award for the best girls’ team, highlighting the project’s commitment to promoting female participation in STEM. The podium was completed by R&M from Cēsis (second place) and MegaNightW from Riga 88th Secondary School (third place). The LACISE award for the most innovative model was presented to “Saules verķis” from RTU Engineering Secondary School, represented by Līva Krūza and Una Undīne Ungure, consulting teacher Virgīnija Vītola.
Team “Emi un KaTe” and representative of the "Saules verķis" team
Beyond vehicle disciplines, participants engaged in additional activities aimed at increasing their understanding of energy and energy efficiency, organized in collaboration with Elektrum and the Riga Energy Agency. Scientific experiments demonstrated by RTU Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology representatives captivated the audience. Attendees also had the opportunity to explore electric vehicles and see live demonstrations courtesy of the Electric Car Association of Latvia.
This year, the Solar Cup 2025 brought together 46 teams comprising 116 students and 32 teachers from across Latvia—from Ventspils and Liepāja to Cēsis, Valka, Ranka, Ilūkste, and Krāslava—demonstrating a growing interest in STEM education nationwide.
The LACISE project is delighted that events like these inspire young people, especially girls, to pursue careers in engineering and natural sciences. Encouraging the next generation of scientists and innovators is vital for scientific progress and a brighter, more sustainable future.
The organizers thank their partners—the Freeport of Riga Authority, Riga Energy Agency—and supporters, including SEB Bank, Elektrum, RIX Riga Airport, Electric Vehicle Association of Latvia, Brain Games, Magebit, the LACISE project, RTU Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, and many others.
Event organizers: ISSP UL and ISSP UL Foundation.
Winners of all categories and additional photos are available here.