Tatjana Pladere, a leading researcher at the University of Latvia, has been awarded the Optica Ambassador title — a distinction granted by the international professional society Optica (formerly The Optical Society of America) in the fields of optics and photonics, reports Labs of Latvia.

Each year, ten early-career leaders worldwide are selected for the Optica Ambassador cohort, and Tatjana Pladere is the first representative from the Baltic States to receive this recognition in the programme’s 11‑year history.

Tatjana Pladere is the Head of the Optometry and Vision Science Department at the University of Latvia’s Faculty of Science and Technology and a leading researcher whose scientific interests include visual perception mechanisms, near-eye display technologies, and methods for their assessment.

In 2021, she earned her doctoral degree in physics and astronomy with the dissertation “Assessment of Visual Effectiveness on the Volumetric Multi-Plane Display”. Alongside her academic work, she is actively involved in international professional organizations, promotes science communication, and supports early‑career researchers. In January of this year, Tatjana Pladere received the University of Latvia Excellence Award “Young Scientist of the Year 2025”, recognizing her leadership, impact, and achievements in vision science. 

Optica describes Tatjana Pladere as a researcher who combines scientific excellence with strong community leadership and the ability to build bridges across diverse professional environments.

Optica was founded in 1916, it has grown into a global community of more than 220,000 professionals from over 175 countries.

The 2026 Optica Ambassador cohort includes early-career professionals from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, India, and Latvia.

Seen a mistake?

Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor

Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor

Tell us about a mistake