University of Tartu nominated 38 researchers for national research awards

On 21 November, the University of Tartu senate decided to make nominations for the national research awards of the Republic of Estonia.

The university will nominate Professor Toivo Maimets, Professor Martin Zobel, Professor emeritus Peeter Torop, and Professor Tiia Tulviste for the lifetime achievement award for long-term excellence in research and development.

Nominees are submitted for annual awards in five fields of research for their best research works completed and published over the previous four years.

Medical and health sciences

Three researchers are nominated in medicine and health sciences:

• Associate Professor Triin Laisk for the series of works “Genetics of women’s health”;

• Professor Pille Taba for the series of works “Ageing of the nervous system and neurodegeneration: triggers, markers and influencing factors in Parkinson’s disease”;

• Professor Anneli Uusküla for the series of works “Application of big data and personalised medicine in population-based cancer prevention: development and validation of cervical cancer risk prediction models”;

Humanities

Two researchers have been nominated in the humanities:

• Professor emerita Helle Metslang for the series of works “Usage-based diversity of the Estonian language and its development”;

• Associate Professor Jane Padrik for the series of works “A multimethod perspective on constructional alternations”.

Natural sciences

Five researchers and three research groups were nominated in the field of natural sciences:

• Professor Viktor Abramov for his cycle of works “Generalisations of Lie and Poisson algebras and their applications in geometry and theoretical physics”;

• Research Fellow Kadri Runnel for her series of works “Synthetic conservation biology with DNA-based methods”;

• Professor Osamu Shimmi for the series of works “Cell-to-cell communication and signalling in organ formation”;

• Associate Professor Ülo Suursaar (head of the research group), Professor Alar Rosentau, Associate Professor Tiit Hang, with Hannes Tõnisson, Senior Research Fellow at Tallinn University, and Tiit Vaasma, Research Fellow at Tallinn University, for the series of works “Coastal development from postglacial rebound to modern climate twists”;

• Professor Kaido Tammeveski (head of the research group), Associate Professor Ave Sarapuu, Research Fellow Jaana Lilloja, Research Fellow Marek Mooste, Research Fellow Heiki Erikson, and Research Fellow Srinu Akula for the series of works “Novel nanostructured electrocatalysts for low-temperature fuel cells and zinc-air batteries”;

• Associate Professor Velle Toll (head of the research group), Associate Professor Hannes Keernik, Specialist Jorma Rahu, Research Fellow Heido Trofimov, Professor Piia Post and Research Fellow Tanel Voormansik for the series of works “Detection of cloud glaciation due to anthropogenic air pollution”;

• Professor Kaspar Valgepea for the series of works “Systems-biological research of the metabolism of gas-fermentation bacteria”.
  

Agricultural and veterinary sciences

Four researchers were nominated in the field of agricultural and veterinary sciences:

• Professor Maarja Öpik, Research Fellow Tanel Vahter, Associate Professor Inga Hiiesalu-Vahter, and Research Fellow Siim-Kaarel Sepp for the series of works “Soil biota research for the sustainable use of Estonian agricultural soils”.
  

Social sciences

In the social sciences, five researchers with four cycles of research are nominated.

• Professor Eiki Berg for the series of works “Agency of de facto state under changing international order”;

• Professor Andero Uusberg for the series of works “Mechanisms underlying cognitive emotion regulation”;

• Professor Anneli Kaasa for the series of works “Cultural differences: theoretical interpretation and measurement, sources and impact”;

• Professor Kati Orru and Associate Professor Sten Hansson for the series of works “Vulnerability in emergencies: analysis and solutions”;