Academician of Science title goes to Jantunen, Koskenniemi, Penttilä

Three highly distinguished scientists received the Academician of Science title this year, said the Ministry of Education and Culture in a press release on Thursday.

President Sauli Niinistö has awarded the title to Professor Heli Jantunen, Professor Emeritus Martti Koskenniemi and Research Professor Merja Penttilä.

Based on nominations made by the Academy of Finland, the President may confer the honorary title of Academician (of Science) to highly distinguished Finnish or foreign scientists and scholars.

The title of Academician, last awarded in 2020, can be held by no more than sixteen Finnish scientists and scholars at a time.

Professor Heli Jantunen has served at the University of Oulu as Professor in Technical Physics since 2004 and as Director of the Microelectronics Research Unit since 2008. She has won international recognition for her research in electronic materials, particularly her pioneering work in the field of electroceramics. Professor Jantunen’s most outstanding research and application achievements are in the area of low-temperature cofired ceramics.

Professor Emeritus Martti Koskenniemi has been Professor of International Law at the University of Helsinki since 1994. He is the founder and director of the Erik Castrén Institute of International Law and Human Rights since 1997. Koskenniemi is one of the world’s leading international law scholars. Over the past thirty years, he has contributed to the theoretical discussion within the framework of international law in many ways. His main areas of research interest include the history of international law, state succession, human rights and the fragmentation of international law.

Merja Penttilä has been Research Professor for Biotechnology at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland since 1999. Since the beginning of 2016 she has also served as a part-time Professor of Synthetic Biology at Aalto University. Merja Penttilä’s major research interest is the development of new production processes that replace fossil raw materials. Her specific focus is on so-called cell factories, microorganisms that are engineered to produce biobased products for energy, health, materials and other applications.