ANNUAL REPORT

Annual Report of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters for 2010

OLLI MARTIO

The year 2010 was one in which Finland’s universities and other institutions of higher education set about adapting themselves to the requirements of the new administrative model prescribed for them. The traditional system of university posts was abolished and their holders, who had had a status comparable to that of civil servants, were offered ordinary contracts of employment. New opportunities have been created for researchers, including the “tenure track” model. It is hoped that the administrative changes will may it possible for the universities to develop in a more independent manner than before, but as yet there are no visible signs of a lightening of the administrative burden placed on the shoulders of the research staff, even though it is acknowledged that serious research work calls for the expenditure of a great deal of time.

Changes are also to be expected in the manner in which the universities and their research are financed, for which purpose the Ministry of Education and Culture has set about replacing the traditional quantitative system of assessment with one that takes account of the quality of the research and teaching. Thus many members of the Academy of Science and Letters have been involved in the task of drawing up the necessary quality criteria. It must be admitted that quantitative criteria have not proved satisfactory in all respects as a basis for financing, and that quality is far more important in an academic or scientific context.

The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters took part in the general discussion of academic matters in many ways during 2010, the 103rd year of its history. A working group headed by Professor Timo Vesala completed the Academy’s first statement of opinion on the question of The use of peat for energy purposes in autumn 2010. When work on this document began in 2008, at the instigation of the chairman at the time, Kari Raivio, a second topic was also to the fore, Shooting incidents in schools, the statement on which is due to be published early in 2011. The model for these statements of opinion was taken from the surveys and reports issued by academies of science in other countries for the use of governments and other decision-making bodies. Such surveys usually adopt a national viewpoint, and their purpose is to put forward critical appraisals of research results and publish them in a readily understandable form. The Academy will make it a custom to announced the publication of these statements in connection with its monthly meetings, as we the case when that on The use of peat for energy purposes was launched on 8th November 2010.

The Academy Club for Young Scientists continued to be active in 2010. Like the statements of opinion, this, too, is modelled on activities pursued by academies of science in other countries. The idea is to improve the visibility of science by giving young people a chance to put forward their views on current problems for general discussion rather than keeping them within a small circle of researchers working in the same field. There are relatively few opportunities of this kind open to young people nowadays, and the opinions and critical comments of those engaged in scientific research have not carried the weight that they should. Thus the Young Scientists’ Club sets out to train young people to respond to this challenge. The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters began these meetings in 2009, when club members were chosen for the academic year 2009–2010. The groups within the Academy then made proposals for new club members in spring 2010 and these met for the first time in autumn 2010. Altogether the Academy Club for Young Scientists met nine times in 2010, always in the Väisälä Room on the Academy premises. The discussions, which have been made available on the Academy’s web pages, show that the club has found its own characteristic way of working by comparison with similar activities in other countries, and it is to be hoped that this format will carry it forward for a long time to come.

The Academy’s principal activities in 2010 consisted of regular meetings consisting of lectures or panel discussions, the publication of journals and monographs and the distribution of grants and prizes. Every effort has been made to keep the sums awarded in grants at the same level as earlier in spite of the difficult economic situation. The Vilho, Yrjö and Kalle Väisälä Foundation, the Eino Jutikkala Fund and the Mathematics Fund continued to function under the auspices of the Academy, which was also responsible for administering the Emil Öhmann Foundation and the Hilkka and Otto Brusiin Foundation. The research scholar occupying the three-year Jutikkala Professorship, at present Professor Maria Lähteenmäki of the University of Eastern Finland, is supported out of the Eino Jutikkala Fund.

A new directory of members of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters was published in spring 2010. These directories are produced in practice every third year, the previous one having come out in 2007. Many of the names of the Finnish universities and particularly their departments altered at the beginning of 2010, and attempts were made to ensure that the new names were included in the directory. A list of members is also available on the academy’s web pages.

The Academy has representatives in many national and international scientific organizations and its members are frequently corresponding members of academies in other countries. The weight that the Academy carries is to be seen most clearly in the confidence placed in its members, many of whom occupy important positions in higher education policy bodies in Finland or abroad. The Academy’s official collaboration with academies in other countries and joint international bodies representing these is channelled nowadays through the Academies Section of the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies.

Governing Board

The vice-chairman, Sirpa Jalkanen, was elected chairman of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters at the Annual Meeting on 12.4., and Jorma Sipilä was elected vice-chairman. Olli Martio continued as secretary-general of the Academy and chairman of the Publishing Committee, Erkki Koskela as treasurer, Erkki Hollo as secretary of the Section of the Humanities and Olavi Nevanlinna as Secretary of the Section of Science. Eva-Mari Aro, Risto Nieminen and Raija-Leena Punamäki continued as ordinary members.

Member, Position, Term of office

Arto Mustajoki, chairman, 2008–12.4.2010
Sirpa Jalkanen, vice-chairman, 2008–12.4.2010; chairman, 12.4.2010–2012
Jorma Sipilä, vice-chairman, 12.4.2010–2012
Olli Martio, secretary-general, 2009–2014;
chairman, Publishing Committee 2009–2014
Erkki Koskela, treasurer, 2009–2014
Erkki Hollo, secretary, Section of Humanities, 2009–2014
Olavi Nevanlinna, secretary, Section of Science, 2009–2014
Eva-Mari Aro, ordinary member, 12.4.2010–2011
Risto Nieminen, ordinary member, 12.4.2010–2011
Raija-Leena Punamäki, ordinary member, 12.4.2010–2011

The Governing Board held seven meetings in the course of the year.

Publications

The Academy continued to publish under the titles of Annales Academiae Scientiarum Fennicae and Folklore Fellows’ Communications in 2010 as in previous years, with the secretary-general Olli Martio acting as chairman of the Publishing Committee and editor-in-chief of the two Mathematica series, Jaakko Hämeen-Anttila as vice-chairman of the committee and chief editor of the Humaniora series, and Matti Saarnisto as chief editor of the Geologica-Geographica series. Pekka Hakamies was elected at the Annual Meeting on 12.4. to replace Anna-Leena Siikala as chief editor of Folklore Fellows’ Communications(FFC) and a member of the Publishing Committee. Dr. Mika Koskenoja acted as the committee’s secretary. The committee was responsible for coordinating the Academy’s publishing activities as a whole, including the Mathematica, Mathematica Dissertationes, Geologica-Geographica, Humaniora and FFC series.

A total of 51 papers were published, amounting to 2911 pages, as follows:

  • Mathematica 42 papers 682 pages
  • Mathematica Dissertationes 2 papers 111 pages
  • Geologica-Geographica 1 paper 39 pages
  • Humaniora 4 papers 1371 pages
  • FFC 2 papers 708 pages

Also published during the year were:

  • Vuosikirja – Year Book 2009 155 pages
  • FF Network magazine, 2 issues 56 pages
  • Directory of Members2010 123 pages
  • Statement of opinion on the use of peat for energy purposes 70 pages

The Publishing Committee met twice during the year. The joint publications committee of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters and the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, in which Prof. Olli Martio of the Academy continued as chairman and Prof. Leif Nordberg of the Society of Sciences and Letters as vice-chairman, did not hold any meetings.

The Academy received 130,000 euros in government assistance for its publishing work, and incomes from the sale of publications amounted to 28,328.64 euros. Distribution of the Academy’s publications on an exchange basis took place through the Exchange Centre for Scientific Literature run by the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies. The Academy had 612 overseas exchange partners at the end of 2010.

Staff and administration of assets

The Property Management Group which advises the Governing Board on financial matters, monitoring the development of its assets and the controlling its investment portfolio, consisted of the chairman, vice-chairman, treasurer and secretary-general together with Erkki Hollo and Antti Tanskanen. The group met on three occasions during the year, on 18.5., 11.10. and 8.11. Investments are in the hands of Nordea and Union Bancaire Privée. The Academy’s funds are invested chiefly in Finnish listed companies, and the value of these investments increased over the year in response to the general pattern of economic growth. The strategy for their administration was revised in autumn 2010 with a view to ensuring an even yield of dividends.

The Academy controls properties belonging to the Vilho, Yrjö and Kalle Väisälä Foundation, the Eino Jutikkala Fund and the Mathematics Fund. The Academy’s office and the meeting room of its Governing Board are on the first floor at Mariankatu 5, in premises owned by the Väisälä Foundation, which, together with the Kordelin Foundation, the Finnish Literature Society and the Niilo Helander Foundation, also owns the Wuorio Building at Unioninkatu 30 in the city centre of Helsinki, which is at present leased out on a long-term basis, mostly to Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken. The secretary-general, Olli Martio, has a seat on the board of the Unioninkatu 30 property company.

The Väisälä Foundation also owns, together with the Emil Öhmann Foundation, some 550 m 2 of office space in a building erected in 2001 in the Ruoholahti district of Helsinki and administered by the housing company Asunto Oy Helsingin Bulevardin-aukio. The premises have been leased on a long-term basis to the Traffic Accidents Board. The Eino Jutikkala Fund owns an apartment of 72 m 2 in Eira, and the Mathematics Fund has two apartments in Töölö, of size 183 m 2 and 20.5 m 2 .

Helena Vanhala, MBA, chartered accountant, and Risto Tainio acted as auditors of the Academy’s accounts and administrative procedures in 2009, with Veli Vanhanen, MBA, chartered accountant, and Pertti Haaparanta as their deputies. The auditors’ report and a financial statement are to be found as appendices to this Yearbook.

The head of the Academy’s office was Eija Jussila, with Minna Isoksela as office secretary and Nina Rapelo as part-time research assistant with additional responsibility for the layout of the series of statements of opinion. The treasurer was on sick leave for the period 4.10.2010–15.4.2011, during which time his duties were taken care of by the secretary-general.

Meetings

The Academy held its meetings in the traditional manner on the second Monday of each month in the House of the Estates. Attendances were good, with an average of 100 persons present. No meeting was held in January, and the March meeting took the form of a seminar on The Influence of Science within Society, arranged jointly with the University of Helsinki and the Academy of Finland.

8 th February Joint meeting

  • Prof. Elina Ikonen: Challenges for cholesterol research
  • Prof. Kaisa Nyberg: Encryption techniquesas sources of security

12th April Annual Meeting

  • Prof. Antti Vaheri: On viruses and cells
  • Presentation of the Academy Award for 2010 to Prof. Antti Vaheri
  • Four prizes were awarded for doctoral theses

11th May Excursion to Tallinn

  • Visit to the University of Tallinn and the KUMU art gallery
  • 79 Academy members and spouses took part in the excursion

13th September Welcoming of new members

  • Prof. Ritva Serimaa: The hierarchical organization of materials
  • Prof. Rune Stenbacka: Socio-economic efficiency: branch-specific regulation or general supervision of competition?
  • Presentation of membership diplomas

11th October Presentation of the Eino Jutikkala History Prize and scholarships from the Eino Jutikkala Fund, the Emil Öhmann Foundation and the Hilkka and Otto Brusiin Foundation

  • Prof. Riitta Hjerppe: Finland’s economic development and its fluctuations, 1860–2010
  • Presentation of the Eino Jutikkala History Prize to Prof. Riitta Hjerppe
  • Presentation of grants from the Jutikkala Fund and the Öhmann and Brusiin Foundations

8th November Panel discussion on “The use of peat for energy purposes ”

  • The panel members were Veikko Marttila, head of environmental affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Jaakko Silpola, managing director, representing the Association of Finnish Peat Industries, Risto Sulkava, chairman of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, and Prof. Harri Vasander and Prof. Timo Vesala of the University of Helsinki.
  • The meeting also marked the publication of the first volume in the Academy’s series of statements of opinion, on The use of peat for energy purposes: benefits and drawbacks.

13th December Presentation of prizes and grants from the Väisälä Foundation

  • Prof. Peter Hästö: Inhomogeneous partial differential equations and image processing
  • Prof. Janne Ruokolainen: Responsive block copolymer nanoparticles and nanofibres
  • Presentation of the Väisälä Prizes to Professors Peter Hästö and Janne Ruokolainen
  • Presentation of grants awarded by the Väisälä Foundation

Membership

The Annual Meeting on 12th April elected 23 new Finnish members and 5 new external members. The new members elected to the Section of Science from Finland were Professors Eija Kalso (University of Helsinki), Maarit Karppinen (Aalto University, School of Technology), Pekka T. Männistö (University of Helsinki), Esa Mäntysaari (MTT/University of Helsinki), Petri Pellikka (University of Helsinki), Asla Pitkänen (University of Eastern Finland), Annamari Ranki (University of Helsinki), Heikki Ruskoaho (University of Oulu), Tuula Salo (University of Oulu), Rainer Salomaa (Aalto University/School of Technology), Ritva Serimaa (University of Helsinki), Hilkka Soininen (University of Eastern Finland), Teemu Teeri (University of Helsinki), Hely Tuorila (University of Helsinki) and Harri Vasander (University of Helsinki). The new external members were Professors Erik W. Grafarend (University of Stuttgart) and Arto Nurmikko (Brown University).

The new members elected to the Section of the Humanities were Professors Heikki Halila (University of Helsinki), Ville Lukkarinen (University of Helsinki), Heikki Paloheimo (University of Tampere), Anssi Peräkylä (University of Helsinki), Hanna Snellman (University of Jyväskylä), Rune Stenbacka (Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration), Olli Tahvonen (Forest Research Institute) and Kirsi Vainio-Korhonen (University of Turku). The new external members were Professors Richard Eldridge (Swarthmore College), Linda Hutcheon (University of Toronto) and Suzanne Romaine (Oxford University).

The Academy mourned the deaths of the following Finnish members in the course of the year: Niilo Kärki, Eeva Martikainen, Fritz P. Niinivaara, Leena Peltonen-Palotie, Pellervo Saarinen, Seppo Suhonen and Yrjö Vasari. News was also received of the deaths of the following external members: Hanns Malissa, Bruce Mitchell, Hugo Sjörs, Valeria Troitskaya and Aksel Wiin-Nielsen.

The Academy had 643 Finnish members and 195 external members at the end of the year. The sections’ membership quotas remained unchanged at 194 places in the Section of Science and 139 in the Section of Humanities.

Grants and prizes

The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters Award for 2010, a sum of 15,000 euros, was presented to Antti Vaheri in recognition of his significant achievements in medical research.

About 1.2 million euros was awarded in grants and prizes by the Vilho, Yrjö and Kalle Väisälä Foundation, which is one of the largest distributors of awards in Finland in its own fields of interest: mathematics, physics, astronomy, geophysics and meteorology. A total of 316 applications were received, representing an overall sum of about 5.5 million euros. The proposals were of a high standard, and it was possible to make awards to 78 applicants, about a fourth of the total. These included post-graduate research grants, mostly of 21,000 euros each, made to 57 persons for full-time work over a period of one year leading to the production of a doctoral thesis, amounting altogether to over 1.1 million euros. Personal scholarships, post-doctoral grants and funding for the inviting of visiting researchers to Finland were awarded to a total of over 115,000 euros. The grants and awards went to 9 universities and research institutes in Finland, in addition to which eight recipients were carrying out their research abroad.

For the eleventh time, the Academy awarded its Väisälä Prizes to distinguished researchers in the fields supported by the Väisälä Foundation who are still at an active stage in their career. This time the Governing Board decided to award two such prizes, of 15,000 euros each, to

  • Peter Hästö, professor of mathematics, University of Oulu, and
    Janne Ruokolainen, professor of physics, Aalto University

The Eino Jutikkala Fund distributed grants for research in the humanities for the third time. Altogether 319 applications were received, covering all the branches of study falling within the scope of the Section of the Humanities and amounting to a total sum of about 6.5 million euros. Eventually 21 awards were made, totalling 436,000 euros. These included grants to 17 postgraduate students who each received 21,000 euros to enable full-time work for a year towards a doctoral thesis, three grants for half a year and one post-doctoral scholarship. These awards went altogether to six universities in Finland and to four scholars working in universities abroad. The current occupant of the Jutikkala Professorship, a three-year research position financed out of the fund, is Maria Lähteenmäki, who took the position up at the Department of Geographical and Historical Studies, University of Eastern Finland, on 1.8.2010.

Eino Jutikkala History Prize, a sum of 15,000 euros, was presented to Riitta Hjerppe.

Since 2009 recipients of grants have come under the provisions of the statutory pensions and occupational accident insurance legislation. The necessary insurance arrangements have been made with the agricultural pensions office MELA. The insurance payment is included in each grant and the recipient then registers directly with the pensions office.

Post-doctoral prizes of 5,000 euros each were awarded to four outstanding young researchers who had submitted doctoral theses in the year 2009:

– Antti Kemppainen, Ph.D., University of Helsinki, mathematics
– Sami Lakomäki, Ph.D., University of Oulu, cultural anthropology
– Mianna Meskus, D.Soc.Sc., University of Helsinki, sociology
– Arri Priimägi, D.Sc. (Tech.), Aalto University, School of Technology, physics

The Mathematics Fund has regularly distributed grants for the arranging of high-level mathematical conferences in Finland and for foreign travel. In 2010 it distributed grants to a total of 15,767 euros. The purpose of the fund, set up in 1979 with capital obtained from the surplus remaining after the organizing of the International Mathematical Union conference ICM-1978, is to support Finnish mathematical research. It is administered by a board of trustees elected for a five-year term from among the members of the Academy’s mathematics group. The trustees in 2010 were Academician Olli Lehto, Prof. Olli Martio, secretary-general of the Academy (as chairman), Prof. Olavi Nevalinna, Prof. Seppo Rickman and Academician Arto Salomaa. The fund received a substantial input of capital in 2009 from the estate of the late Prof. Ilppo Louhivuori. This consisted mainly of his own home, so that the realization of the capital was still in progress during 2010.

Academy Club for Young Scientists

Many academies of science elsewhere in the world have begun to arrange activities for promising young researchers, with the idea of making the academies better known to young people. One frequent problem for academies of science is the high average age of their members, and in many cases the rapid rise in life expectancy has not been taken into account in their membership quotas. The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters is an exception, in that it distributes its grants predominantly to young scientists and not to its own members and is thus well-known among young researchers, especially those working in the fields supported by the Väisälä Foundation and more recently by the Jutikkala Fund. The activities of most academies of science in other countries that are directed towards young people consist of the arranging of conferences and of opportunities to make statements on matters concerning research infrastructure and funding and to act for a fixed period as “junior members” of the academy in question.

The Club for Young Scientists started by the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters on the initiative of Arto Mustajoki in 2009 is distinctive in that it offers young researchers the opportunity to discuss their work and present their ideas on current problems in their fields of study in the presence of colleagues who are engaged mainly in other fields. This trains them to face up to modern society, in which improving the visibility of science and those working in it is one of the major tasks for the academies. The members of the club are chosen for one academic year at the suggestion of the Academy’s subject groups. The Club for Young Scientists met 9 times during the year 2010, in the Väisälä Room on the Academy’s premises, and the resulting papers and discussions may be seen on the Academy’s web pages. Those taking part in the academic year 2009-2010 were:

  • Jan Hjort, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (geomorphology)
  • Antti Honkela, Docent, Helsinki University of Technology (bioinformatics)
  • Markus Jokela, Docent, University of Helsinki (developmental psychology, genetics, neurology)
  • Anti Karttunen, Ph.D., University of Joensuu (surface chemistry)
  • Emilia Kilpua, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (space physics)
  • Leena Kolehmainen, Ph.D., University of Joensuu (Germanic philology)
  • Mirjami Paso, LL.D., University of Joensuu (EU law)
  • Tuukka Raij, D.Med.Sc., Helsinki University of Technology (brain research)
  • Pajari Räsänen, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (literature)
  • Janne Saarikivi, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (Finno-Ugric languages)
  • Mikko Salo, Docent, University of Helsinki (inversion problems)
  • Mika Sillanpää, D.Sc.(Tech.), University of Helsinki ((low-temperature physics)
  • Oula Silvennoinen, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (Finnish history)
  • Anu Sironen, Agrifood Research Finland (MTT), (genetics)
  • Janne Tukiainen, D.Soc.Sc., University of Helsinki (economics)
  • Miia Turpeinen, Docent, University of Oulu (pharmacology)
  • Maija Turunen, University of Helsinki (church and social studies)
  • Kristiina Vuori, Ph.D., University of Turku (animal physiology)

The new members chosen for the academic year 2010-2011 were:

  • Ante Aikio, Ph.D., University of Oulu (Finno-ugric etymology)
  • Jani Hakkarainen, Ph.D., University of Tampere (philosophy)
  • Johanna Kallio, Ph.D., University of Eastern Finland (chemistry, biomolecular structures)
  • Petteri Kaski, Docent, Helsinki University of Technology (theoretical data processing science)
  • Sari Katajala-Peltomaa, Ph.D., University of Tampere (history)
  • Kalle Kytölä, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (mathematics/theoretical physics)
  • Mari Lehtinen, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (Romance philology)
  • Aleksi Lehtonen, D.Sc. (Agr. & For.) (silviculture)
  • Tuomas Leinonen, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (evolution biology)
  • Hanna Renvall, D.Med.Sc., Helsinki University of Technology (brain research)
  • Ilona Riipinen, Ph.D., University of Helsinki (atmospheric sciences)
  • Matti Sarvimäki, D.Sc. (Econ. & Bus.Admin.), Aalto University, School of Economics, Government Institute for Economic Research and London School of Economics (economics)
  • Piia Seppänen, Ph.D. (Educ.), University of Turku (education)
  • Filip Tuomisto, D.Sc. (Tech.), Helsinki University of Technology (physics)
  • Kaius Tuori, Docent, University of Helsinki (legal history)
  • Hanne von Weissenberg, D.Theol., University of Helsinki (Old Testament exegetics)

Statements of opinion

Preparations for a new series of publications devoted to statements of opinion began during the Academy’s centenary year in 2008, the model being taken from corresponding series of reports produced by academies in other countries. These publications may take many forms, from brief surveys amounting to just a few pages to detailed investigations running into hundreds of pages. The purpose will always be the same, however, to provide critical surveys of topics of current interest on which research has yielded new significant information. The reports will be published both electronically, on the Academy’s web pages, and in book form. The aim will be to produce concise volumes of 30–70 pages each that are intended to be read by the “general public”. It will also be possible through the web pages to provide feedback on the content of each report.

Topics for these surveys can be put forward by Academy members for approval by the Governing Board, which will then appoint a person to take responsibility for assembling a group of experts to compile the report. Comments will be sought from external experts before the reports are published.

The first of these statements of opinion, on The use of peat for energy purposes, was compiled by Prof. Timo Vesala (University of Helsinki, chairman of the group), Prof. Yrjö Haila (University of Tampere), Prof. Jouko Korppi-Tommola (University of Jyväskylä), Liisa Kulmala, M.Sc. (Agr. & For.) (University of Helsinki), Annalea Lohila, Ph.D. (Meteorological Institute), Maarit Raivonen, D.Sc. (Agr. & For.) (University of Helsinki), Prof. Rauno Ruuhijärvi (University of Helsinki) and Prof. Ilkka Savolainen (Technical Research Centre) and was published in connection with the panel discussion on the same topic on 8.11.2010.

A second statement of opinion, on Shooting incidents in schools, is due to be published in spring 2011. The group responsible for this is chaired by Prof. Raija-Leena Punamäki (University of Helsinki) and has Prof. Kirsi Tirri (University of Helsinki), Docent Petri Nokelainen (University of Tampere) and Prof. Mauri Marttunen (National Institute for Health and Welfare) as its other members.

International activities

The Academy’s international activities have very largely taken place under the auspices of the Academies Section of the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies, the chairman of which is Olavi Nevanlinna.

The secretary-general took part in the meeting Towards Young Academies across Europe in Madrid on 8.–9.2. The meeting was concerned with the models adopted by academies in various countries for activities aimed at young researchers, and the secretary-general was able in this connection to explain the work of the Academy Club for Young Scientists.

A meeting in connection with the solar wind sail project supported by the Academy’s Väisälä Foundation was held on the Academy’s premises on 15.2. The Finnish participants were the secretary-general, Pekka Janhunen and Tuija Pulkkinen from the Meteorological Institute and representatives from the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation. The Estonians present were Ene Ergma, speaker of the Estonian Parliament, and a representative from the Estonian Embassy. Discussions were held on possible cooperation over the development of a solar wind sail.

The secretary-general was present at the 250th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters on 11.–16.3.

Kristiina Vuori, a member of the Academy Club for Young Scientists, took part in the meeting Towards a European Young Academy Workshop held in Turkey on 25.–28.3.

The secretary-general took part in a Baltic Conference on Intellectual Co-operation in Vilnius on 4.–5.11., the theme of which was Science and Society. The first of these conferences had been held in Lithuania in 1935, when the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters was represented by its chairman, A. Långfors. The secretary-general read a paper entitled Science publishing – the viewpoint of a small publisher.

The chairman took part in the 300th anniversary celebrations of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Uppsala on 12.–14. 11.

Other activities

The Academy’s representatives on the board of the Federation of Finnish Learned Societies were Ilkka Niiniluoto and Olli Martio, with Matti Saarnisto and Olavi Nevanlinna as their deputies, respectively. There were 256 societies operating in various fields affiliated to the Federation at the end of the year. The Academy was represented at the Federation’s spring meeting on 26th March by Erkki Hollo and at the autumn meeting on 4th October by Ilkka Niiniluoto. Arto Mustajoki was the Academy’s representative on the Science Forum organizing committee.

Sirpa Jalkanen and Olli Martio attended the annual meeting of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters on 29th April, and Erkki Koskela was the Academy’s representative at the shareholders’ meeting of Vaisala Oyj on 25th March.

The Academy was represented on the governing board of the Alfred Kordelin Foundation by Markku Leskelä, with Juhani Päivänen as his deputy, and by Simo Knuuttila, with Jouko Vahtola as his deputy, in the foundation’s science section by Matti Saarnisto and Marjatta Hietala, with Marja Makarow and Erkki Hollo as their deputies, respectively, in the popular education section by Kirsi Tirri, with Leena Syrjälä as her deputy, in the literature section by Hannu Riikonen, with Leila Haaparanta as his deputy, and in the arts section by Arto Haapala, with Prof. Pekka Korvenmaa as his deputy.

The Academy’s representative on the board of the Sodankylä Observatory was Heikki Nevanlinna, with Risto Nieminen as his deputy. The representative on the board of the Helsinki University Museum Foundation was Juhani U. E. Lehtonen. Satu Apo represented the Academy on the governing board of the Kalevala Institute, with Annikki Kaivola-Bregenhøj as her deputy until 31st July and Sirkka Saarinen thereafter .

Olli Martio was chairman of the trustees of the Mathematics Foundation, the other trustees being Olli Lehto, Olavi Nevanlinna, Seppo Rickman and Arto Salomaa.

The following members served on Academy of Finland research councils in the year 2010: Aila Lauha and Matti Sintonen on the Council for Culture and Society, Erkki Oja, Helena Aksela, Tuija Pulkkinen and Lassi Päivärinta on the Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering, Jaakko Kaprio on the Council for Health, and Jouni Häkli on the Council for the Biosciences and the Environ­ment. Of these, Aila Lauha and Erkki Oja acted in the capacity of chairman.

 

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