At Researcher’s Night, RSU, UL and RTU invite to discover science behind sport

How to measure your strength and reaction speed? What can artificial intelligence contribute to sports science? And how can the knowledge generated by researchers help improve human health and athletic performance? On Friday, 25 September, as part of the European Researchers’ Night, researchers from Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU), Riga Technical University (RTU) and the University of Latvia (UL) will invite to explore the science behind sport through practical and engaging activities.

This year’s Researchers’ Night slogan, ‘Discover the Nature of Science!’, encourages not only to observe science, but also to experiment, explore and ask questions to scientists. During the Researchers’ Night activities, visitors will also have the opportunity to learn about the research results and practical significance of the state research programme Sports project #IMRSportsLV or Innovations, Methodologies and Recommendations for the Development and Management of the Sports Sector in Latvia.

The project’s lead researcher, RSU Assoc. Prof. Dace Reihmane emphasises that the Researchers’ Night provides an opportunity to show the public how diverse the modern sports science is and how directly its findings are linked to people’s everyday lives:

‘Sports science is not merely about professional sport and high performance. It helps us understand how people move, how the body responds to physical exertion, how to maintain health, and how to make the training process more effective and safer. At the Researchers’ Night, we want to showcase this research in a practical way – to let everyone try things out, take measurements and understand how scientific data can be transformed into knowledge that we can use in our everyday lives.’ 

Researchers from RSU, RTU and the UL are working together on solutions and recommendations for the development of Latvia’s sports sector as part of the state research programme Sports project #IMRSportsLV. Researchers’ Night offers a chance to explore some of the methods, technologies and insights used in research outside the usual laboratory setting. For the third year, the project’s researchers will also take part in the Researchers’ Night, with their activities featured in the programmes of the Researchers’ Night at RSU, RTU and UL.

European Researchers’ Night 2026 will take place on 25 September at more than 40 locations across Latvia, and participation in the events is free of charge. Prior registration may be required for some activities.

About the project

State Research Programme (SRP) is a state-commissioned programme for conducting scientific research in a specific priority area, with the aim of generating new knowledge, skills and innovations. It supports both high-quality fundamental research and policymakers by providing research-based recommendations for improving public policy.

Learn more about the #IMRSportsLV project