Success stories

The impacts of the Academy of Finland’s long-term funding of leading-edge scientific research can be seen in the research careers of successful Finnish researchers and in the results of their research projects. The Academy of Finland collects and publishes regularly success stories about researchers and research projects in its Finnish-language popular science website www.tietysti.fi. Some of these success stories have been compiled into a book published by the Academy, Stories about Science (2012, in English and Finnish).

Stories about Science is a compilation of interviews with both early-career and more senior researchers, and is intended to introduce the very best of Finnish science and research and some of the most memorable moments and achievements of Finnish scientists working in different disciplines. The book showcases some of the success stories of Finnish science and presents the Academy’s role in them. As the interviews show, research can indeed contribute to improving health, technology, nature conservation and culture on a broad scale.

One of the showcased scientists is Academy Professor Ilkka Hanski, who explains the impacts of the research done at his Centre of Excellence in Metapopulation Research as follows: “The loss of biodiversity is not just a problem in and of itself, but it’s also a reliable indicator of other major changes, such as the consequences of continuing human population growth and the escalating exploitation of natural resources.”

Seppo Hentilä, Professor of Political History, in turn describes the modern role of researchers in popularising science: “Researchers are duty-bound to present their results in a way that can compete for the general public’s attention.”

The book is edited by Communications Specialist Leena Vähäkylä. To order a copy, send a message to viestinta@aka.fi.