The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters can have at most 333 members under the age of 65 at any one time. The Academy has invited five top researchers from Tampere as new full members. A total of 33 researchers were invited as full members on April 25.
The Academy selects distinguished scientists for membership. Being invited is considered a prestigious achievement in a researcher’s career. Membership is for life.
The newly named full members now work at eight Finnish universities or research institutions. One of them works abroad.
The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, founded in 1908, is a general scientific society whose mission is to promote scientific research and serve as a link between researchers representing high-level science. The Academy also aims to promote evidence-based decision-making.
Here are the new researchers from Tampere:
Mircea Guina
Professor of Photonics and Director of the Optoelectronics Research Centre at Tampere University. He is one of Europe’s leading researchers in optoelectronics. Guina’s work has advanced the development of semiconductors, photonics, and quantum technology in Finland.
Katriina Aalto-Setälä
Professor of Physiology at Tampere University. In her research, she combines molecular biology with clinical cardiology. Among other achievements, Aalto-Setälä has demonstrated a connection between drug responses in patient-derived cells and clinical findings.
Juho Hamari
Professor of Gamification at Tampere University. He has played a key role in establishing gamification as an independent multidisciplinary research field. Hamari’s research combines economics, information technology, and human–technology interaction.
Matti Nykter
Professor of Bioinformatics at Tampere University and a leading expert in cancer genomics. His research focuses especially on the genomic mechanisms of brain and prostate cancers.
Olli Pyyhtinen
Professor of Sociology at Tampere University and an internationally recognized scholar in social theory. His work addresses issues such as waste, multispecies relations, and the concept of the gift.