University of Tartu awarded four early-stage researchers at the Independence Day ceremony

Today, at the ceremony and concert dedicated to the anniversary of the Republic of Estonia in the University of Tartu assembly hall, the Peeter Tulviste memorial fund prize, the Ernst Jaakson memorial fund scholarship and the Lennart Meri award for research and for master’s thesis were presented.

The University of Tartu Foundation awards nearly 150 scholarships each year, amounting to about 324,000 euros. Aune Valk, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs of the University of Tartu, is genuinely happy for the awardees and truly grateful to the University of Tartu Foundation and everyone who has donated to these dignified funds. “With these scholarships and awards, we recognise young researchers on the one hand and also honour the memory and contribution of the people whose names these funds bear,” said Valk.

Valk added that motivating the best is especially important now that the state has discontinued the payment of achievement stipends. “For that, it is crucial that the university’s alumni, entrepreneurs and others who care about supporting the brightest in Estonia’s academic circles find a way to donate to the funds of the University of Tartu Foundation,” added the vice rector.

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The Professor Peeter Tulviste memorial fund prize was awarded to Research Fellow in Theoretical Philosophy Uku Tooming, whose research focuses on understanding the cultural nature of humans. His work is interdisciplinary – in his philosophical studies, he considers the findings of cognitive science and neuroscience. As a young researcher, he stands out by having his research published in prestigious journals. The 5,000-euro prize aims to support students or staff of the University of Tartu who actively participate in society, contribute to its advancement and interpret the cultural nature of humans. Read more about the awardee on the university website.

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The Ernst Jaakson memorial fund scholarship of 18,000 euros was awarded to Research Fellow in Materials Science Kristjan Kalam. His research focuses on magnetically or electrically active nanoscale layers of solid materials. For instance, he studies memory materials made of iron and hafnium oxide thin films. Memory materials are used to produce memories for computers and smart devices. The Ernst Jaakson memorial fund aims to support Estonian doctoral students, researchers and lecturers who continue their studies or research abroad. The idea of the scholarship is to raise a strong new generation of the University of Tartu scientific community. Read more on the university website.

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The Lennart Meri award for research went to Timo Aava, who defended his doctoral degree in history at the University of Vienna in 2023, analysing debates over cultural autonomy and the functioning of this idea in the early 20th century. The doctoral thesis helps to better understand why, in 1925, a hundred years ago, the Estonian Parliament adopted the cultural autonomy law, one of the most minority-friendly legislation in interwar Europe. The thesis gives valuable information about the history of national minorities, the Estonian intellectual history, and its connections with the rest of Europe. The amount of the prize is 6,000 euros.

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The Lennart Meri award for master’s thesis went to Hegle Pärna, who defended her master’s thesis in law last year on copyright issues arising during the development of generative artificial intelligence. The topic has been particularly relevant in recent years, as the development of generative artificial intelligence involves using large datasets that also contain copyrighted works. However, the clarity of the current legal framework in this area has been lacking. The amount of the prize is 4,000 euros. Read more about the Lennart Meri awards on the university website.