The scholarship amounts to 7,000 euros and is intended to support the continuation of her research. Vanda Haferberga was awarded the fellowship in the category of Doctor of Humanities and Social Sciences for her research project on Early Neolithic pottery technologies, provenance and distribution in present-day Latvia. The project aims to investigate the diversity, origins and distribution of Early Neolithic pottery technologies in this region. To achieve this, an interdisciplinary approach will be applied to pottery assemblages, combining macroscopic, microscopic and chemical analyses. Fieldwork to identify clay deposits will be carried out to assess how raw materials influenced technological choices and to support interpretations of provenance.
Alongside Vanda Haferberga, Arta Bārdule and Aļisa Ponkratenkova also been named as recipients of the 2026 Fellowship in Latvia. Arta Bārdule received the fellowship for her research “Impact of reducing tillage intensity of organic matter-rich agricultural soils on greenhouse gas emissions”, whilst Aļisa Ponkratenkova received hers for “Preparation and 3D printing investigation of binary and ternary biopolymer blends and biocomposites”.
The aim of the scholarship is to promote the pursuit of excellence among young female scientists, to publicise their achievements and to encourage talented female students to choose a career in science. LAS President Ivars Kalviņš emphasizes that the scholarship provides significant support to the most outstanding young female scientists at the start of their careers, whilst Dace Resele, UNESCO LNC Secretary-General, points out that women’s contribution to science is still not sufficiently represented, which is why it is essential to provide young female researchers with both financial support and confidence in the significance of their ideas and work.
The award ceremony for the laureates of the competition “Women in Science Baltic Fellowship 2026” will take place in Tallinn, Estonia, on October 1, 2026.
The University of Latvia warmly congratulates Vanda Haferberg on her success!
This material has been prepared based on the publication by The Academy of Sciences of Latvia.
, University of Latvia (UL), has become laureate of the “Baltic Fellowship for Women in Science 2026”. She has been awarded the Fellowship for the study “Early Neolithic Pottery in the Territory of Latvia: Technology, Origins and Distribution”.){kind=link}