Ene-Margit Tiit received lifetime achievement award for popularisation of science

On 12 November, at the Estonian Research Council’s annual science communication conference, the traditional science popularisation awards and special prizes were presented to those who speak about science in an inspiring way.

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A prize fund of 36,000 euros was divided among the winners in five categories. The Tiiu Sild memorial lifetime achievement award for long-standing and systematic popularisation of science and technology was granted to Ene-Margit Tiit, Professor emerita in Mathematical Statistics, the founder and long-time leader in the field of mathematical statistics in Estonia, who has made complex statistics understandable to the wider population.

She has shaped the concept of statistical literacy and taught the public to interpret data critically. Ene-Margit Tiit has guided public discussions on topics such as birth rates, family policy, inequality, and regional development. Through her work, she has influenced policymaking and introduced data-driven thinking into society.

“Ene-Margit Tiit, with her consistent dedication and sincere desire to make Estonia a better place, has given a human dimension to dry statistics,” said Anu Noorma, Director General of the Estonian Research Council. “Her bold writings and presentations highlighting the shortcomings have helped society understand that figures are not merely numbers, but they reflect people’s lives and well-being. She has enriched the Estonian language with precise and clear professional terminology, and thanks to her, words like valim (sample) and üldkogum (population) have entered our everyday vocabulary.”

The achievements of University of Tartu employees were also recognised in the following categories.

Science and technology communication via printed media

• The main prize went to Raivo Mänd, Professor emeritus of the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Tartu, for the book series “Elusolendite käitumise evolutsioonilis-bioloogilised põhiprintsiibid, nende roll inimkäitumises ja seos ühiskonna ees seisvate eksistentsiaalsete probleemidega”, which introduces the evolutionary origin of behaviour and its impact on the problems of human society, and “Noppeid ühe Eesti loodusteadlase eluteelt”, in which the author shares his journey in scientific research, inspiring young people to pursue a research career.
• The second prize was presented to Erik Abner, Research Fellow of Functional Genomics at the University of Tartu Institute of Genomics, for the book “Eesti kivistised. Algaja fossiiliküti abiline”, which fills a long-standing gap in the popularisation of Estonian palaeontology and inspires young people to explore science. Written in plain language and richly illustrated, the book has quickly gained popularity and has been adopted as teaching material in schools and nature education centres. Triin Olvet edited the book, and Sander Olo was the scientific editor.

Activities / series of activities communicating science and technology

• The main prize was awarded to the University of Tartu’s University of the Third Age and its leaders: Tiia Ristolainen, Head of the Lifelong Learning Centre; Mari Suurväli, initiator of the programme; and Viire Sepp, programme manager. Over the past 15 years, nearly 10,000 continuing education learners aged 60 and above have participated in the University of the Third Age. Last year, more than 4,300 senior learners took part in the programmes, both in-person and online. Today, the University of the Third Age operates in 19 regions across Estonia.

Best researcher, journalist or teacher communicating science and technology

• The main prize was awarded to Koit Timpmann, who will celebrate his 80th birthday next year. Despite his age, he remains actively involved in the University of Tartu Institute of Physics, where he enriches lectures with demonstration experiments and delivers numerous talks to primary and secondary school students. His well-planned and skilfully presented experiments reveal the beauty of physics and help make complex phenomena easier to understand.
• The second main prize went to a charismatic researcher Maria Murumaa-Mengel, Associate Professor of Media Studies at the University of Tartu Institute of Social Sciences. She promotes digital literacy, develops innovative science communication formats, and trains various target groups. Her human-centred and research-based explanations help people understand information disorder and the impact of social media. Murumaa-Mengel is an esteemed ambassador of science communication, who is capable of conveying complex topics precisely and attractively, making her one of Estonia’s most influential popularisers of science.
• The second prize was granted to Eero Uustalu, Specialist at the Department of Physics Education, Institute of Physics at the University of Tartu. For over 20 years, he has inspired thousands of young people to discover the beauty of physics. As a travelling educator, he has organised practical workshops in more than 50 schools across Estonia, making abstract science tangible. The Olympiad tasks he has prepared have helped Estonian students win medals at international competitions.

In addition to the national science popularisation awards, special prizes were presented.

Tartu Observatory and ESERO Estonia gave the Linnutee Täht (Milky Way Star) award to Erkki Piisang, physics teacher at Tallinn Nõmme Gymnasium, for promoting natural and exact sciences. The award was presented by Heli Lätt, Head of ESERO Estonia and Antti Tamm, Director of Tartu Observatory.

The Estonian science communication award aims to acknowledge individuals who promote science in Estonia and enhance activities that communicate science and technology to the general public. The award is financed by the Ministry of Education and Research and has been issued by the Estonian Academy of Sciences and the Estonian Research Council since 2006. All winners have the right to use the title and logo of a nationally recognised science communicator.

See all recipients of science communication awards on the website of the Estonian Research Council.

Watch a recording of the conference on the ETAG YouTube channel.