The Night of Science is celebrated in Helsinki on Thursday, January 9, 2025, featuring nearly fifty science-related events throughout the evening and night.

The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters will participate with its own programme, hosted at the Society’s premises on Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 7 A in Kaartinkaupunki, Helsinki.

As part of the programme, the editors of the Society’s scientific publications will engage in discussions with authors on topics such as:

▪️ How the Soviet Union used the Kalevala to influence the relationship between Soviet Karelia and Finland during 1940–1956.

▪️ How ordinary people became involved in alcohol smuggling networks during the Prohibition era.

The authors will present their research, offering unexpected perspectives on both historical and contemporary societal issues.

In addition to the discussions, attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the Society and explore its premises during the evening.

The programme is in Swedish and English and the event is open to the public and requires no registration.

We warmly welcome you to attend!

Programme:

6:30 PM–7:00 PM: Contested Heritage: Kalevala, Pan-Finnism, and Soviet Karelia

Professor Jan Sundberg and Dr. Takehiro Okabe, both from the University of Helsinki, discuss Okabe’s work Taming Greater Finland. This study explores how the Soviet Union used pan-Finnism and the Kalevala to exert influence over Soviet Karelia and shape its relationship with Finland. Okabe’s research uncovers complex cultural exchanges and resistance among Finns, Karelians, and Veps, offering fresh insights into Finnish-Soviet relations during 1940–1956.

7:00 PM–7:10 PM: Discussion

7:10 PM–7:15 PM: Break

7:15 PM–7:45 PM: Lars Westerlund: Dolda nätverk – Småfolket och spritsmuggling under förbudstiden
Professor Lars Westerlund (Åbo Akademi) presenterar sin bok “Vem var spritsmugglarna? Då småfolket blev företagare”, som ger en djupare inblick i förbudstidens spritsmuggling och de vanliga människor som drev verksamheten. Tillsammans med professor Stig-Olof Londen (Aalto-universitetet) utforskas nya perspektiv på denna unika och ofta missförstådda period i Finlands historia.

7:45 PM–8:00 PM: Discussion

Welcome to join our January meeting!

Join us for inspiring scientific presentations, commemorative speeches and engaging discussions. The meeting is open to the public, registration is not required.

Programme:

Lecture by Professor Emeritus Hannu K. Riikonen: “Kiistelty klassikko. V.A. Koskenniemen tuotannon ja toiminnan uudelleenarviointi”

V. A. Koskenniemi (1885-962) tunnetaan parhaiten runoilijana, mutta hän oli paljon muutakin: Suomen johtavia kirjallisuuskriitikoita vuosikymmenten ajan, Goethen tutkija, matkakirjailija, Turun yliopiston professori ja rehtori sekä akateemikko. Erityisesti läheisten Saksan-suhteittensa sekä sota-ajan poliittisen kirjoittelunsa takia hänestä tuli myös hyvin kiistelty hahmo. Oman kiinnostavan alueensa Koskenniemen kirjallisessa tuotannossa muodostavat kaupunkien kuvaukset, joihin professori Hannu Riikonen keskittyy esitelmässään ”Oulusta Pariisiin: V. A. Koskenniemen kaupunkeja”. Hannu K. Riikonen on Helsingin yliopiston yleisen kirjallisuustieteen emeritusprofessori.

Lecture by Professor Marja-Liisa Helasvuo: “Mistä puhutaan, kun puhutaan minusta? Merkitysten rakentaminen yhteistyönä”

Marja-Liisa Helasvuo on toiminut Turun yliopiston suomen kielen professorina vuodesta 2005. Hän suoritti filosofian tohtorin tutkinnon Kalifornian yliopistossa Santa Barbarassa Yhdysvalloissa vuonna 1997. Tutkimuksessaan hän on keskittynyt kielioppiin vuorovaikutuksessa. Marja-Liisa Helasvuo valittiin Suomen Tiedeseuran jäseneksi vuonna 2023.

Lecture by Professor Kim Strandberg: “Affektiv polarisering kring värderingsfrågor i Finland”

Kim Strandberg är professor i statskunskap vid Åbo Akademi sedan år 2019. Han avlade politices doktorsexamen vid Åbo Akademi år 2006. Hans forskning rör politisk opinion, demokratiforskning och politisk kommunikation. Kim Strandberg invaldes i Vetenskaps-Societeten år 2023.

The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters warmly invites you to a one-day symposium on AI in Research: Possibilities and Challenges.

Date: February 13, 2025

Location: Tieteiden talo (Kirkkokatu 6, Helsinki)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the landscape of research, presenting opportunities and challenges across disciplines. From accelerating data analysis to providing new tools for exploration and innovation, AI is reshaping how we approach scientific inquiry. However, this transformation also brings ethical, methodological, and practical dilemmas that require thoughtful consideration.

The Symposium, conducted in English, will provide insights into the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and academia by bringing together experts from diverse fields that will foster dialogue on the multifaceted impacts of AI in science, the humanities, and beyond.

Who should attend and why?

Whether you are a researcher, policymaker, or a curious participant, this symposium offers a timely discussion on AI’s potential in research and how we may navigate its future.

To secure your participation, we kindly request that you fill in this registration form by February 3, 2025. You can also participate in the event remotely, link to the live stream.

PROGRAMME:

09.15–09.45 COFFEE (Provided on Site)

09.45–10.00 Mats Gyllenberg & Susanne Wiedmer – Opening Words

Chair: Peter Söderlund
10.00-10.30: Minna Ruckenstein – The Inconsistencies of AI Futures 10.30-11.00: Pii Telakivi – The Hybrid Thinker: How AI Shapes Reasoning and Decision-Making
11.00-11.30: Carl-Gustav Lindén – AI and the Disinformation Landscape 11.30-12.00: Johan Lundin – Could AI Provide Global and Equitable Access to Medical Diagnostics?

12.00–13.30 LUNCH (Not Provided by the Organizers)

Chair: Pauline von Bonsdorff
13.30–14.00: Linda Mannila – AI Literacy 14.00–14.30: Bo Gustafsson – The Challenge of Restoring the Baltic Sea: Learning From the Past to Find Solutions for the Future 14.30–15.00: Veronika Laippala – AI in the Humanities and Social Sciences: An Efficient but Unreliable Research Assistant?

15.00–15.30 COFFEE (Provided on Site)

Chair: Dan Lindholm
15.30–16.00: Sasu Tarkoma – Deep Learning Software
16.00–16.30: Mikael Collan – Things to Take into Consideration When Using AI in Research

16.30–17.00 DISCUSSION (Moderator: Erik Bonsdorff)

17.00–17.10 Mats Gyllenberg & Susanne Wiedmer – Closing Remarks

The Social Sciences Division of the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters is organizing a seminar in collaboration with the Trade association for Finnish-Norwegian business relations (NOFI) and the Finnish-Swedish Chamber of Commerce (FINSVE). The seminar will be held on March 19, 2025, at Handelsgillet, Kasarmikatu 23, Helsinki. More details will be published soon.

Welcome to attend our monthly meeting!

The meeting is open to the public and no registration is needed. Welcome to join in person or online.

You can also follow the live stream through this link.

Lecture by Hannes Lohi: ”Geenimetsällä parhaiden ystävien kanssa – koirien ja kissojen geeniutkimus”.

Lecture by Antti Mäkitie: ”Humant papillomvirus (HPV) och huvud- och halscancer”.

The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters, in partnership with the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters is organizing a symposium titled ”Sápmi Sameland med en mångtydig kulturautonomi” on October 22–23, 2024 in Oslo. The Society will cover the travel costs of its members. Further details will be provided at the start of fall.

The symposium aims to gather scholars to explore the Sami community’s journey toward recognition and their role as an institutional actor in public decision-making. While all three nations have attained this goal, the pace and extent of delegated strength have varied. The key question revolves around the implications for control over lands, populations, and livelihoods.

A commemorative speech for Sten Berglund will be delivered by Professor Emeritus Jan Sundberg.

Lecture by Professor Kari Rummukainen ”Gravitaatioaaltoja maailmankaikkeuden alkuhetkiltä”.

The meeting is open to the public and no registration is needed. Welcome to join in person or online.

Link to the live stream.

Commemorative speech for Jorma Keski-Oja is held by Antti Vaheri.

Lecture by Miska Luoto “Luonnonmaantiede ja ekosysteemimallinnus”.

Lecture by Emilia Kilpua “Aurinkomyrskyt”.

Professor Jessica Rosenholm gives a presentation on the topic ”Nanomedicin – små läkemedel, stora möjligheter”.

Jessica Rosenholm was awarded the Professor E.J. Nyström Prize in 2024.

The meeting is open to the public and does not require prior registration. Warmly welcome!

The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters organizes an annual celebration for its members and invited guests.

Commemorative speech for Professor Sören Illman is held by Stig-Olof Londen.

Lecture by Indrė Žliobaitė “On the longevity of complex living systems”.

Lecture by Craig Primmer “Elämä on valintoja: geenien ja ympäristön vaikutus loheen”.

The meeting is open to the public and no registration is needed. Welcome to join in person or online.

Link to the live-stream

Welcome to attend the memorial seminar dedicated to Holger Thesleff, an extraordinary professor of Greek philology (1924–2023). The seminar will delve into Thesleff’s impact on research in the history of philosophy and ancient culture at the University of Helsinki. Additionally, it will explore his contributions as a researcher and member of the scientific community. The speakers at the seminar will include Thesleff’s students and researchers who are well acquainted with his teaching and research. The seminar is held in Metsätalo Hall 6 (Unioninkatu 40, 3rd floor). The seminar is in Finnish and organized in collaboration with KFY (Klassillis-filologinen yhdistys). We kindly ask you to register for the seminar by no later than February 29, 2024, using this registration form.

You can also follow the live stream, link to the live stream.

Program

Lecture by Jouko Rikkinen “Sienten kirjo muinaisissa meripihkametsissä”.

Lecture by Theo Kurtén “Atmosfärisk aerosolkemi: hur långsam förbränning gör ångor klibbigare (med hjälp av kvantmekanik och relativitet)”.

Commemorative speech for Professor Mårten Wikström is given by Ville Kaila.

Link to the live-stream

The event is open to the public and does not require registration.

Program:

Mats Gyllenberg: Tilaisuuden avaus / Välkomstord

Puheenjohtaja / Moderator: Hannu Riikonen

Matti Miestamo: Kielten erilaisuus ja samuus — ymmärtämisen edellytyksistä globaalissa perspektiivissä

Juha Janhunen: Att förstå språk i tid och rum

Helena Lehečková: Monikielisyys ja ymmärtämisen haaste – vem lär sig vems språk

Väliaika / Paus (17.40-18.00)

Puheenjohtaja / Moderator: Juhani Härmä

Arto Mustajoki: Kuinka voisimme ymmärtää toisiamme kun puhumme kaikki eri kieltä

Janne Saarikivi: Miten suomen kieltä voi ymmärtää? Universaaleja ja kulttuurispesifisiä leksikaalisia merkityksenkehityksiä ja niiden syitä

Johanna Isosävi: Miten suomalaiset ja ranskalaiset ymmärtävät toistensa kohteliaisuuden

Jan-Ola Östman: Förståelse handlar inte bara om språk – om integration till landsbygden

Recent decades have witnessed a profound transformation of the European and global research and higher education system. In this seminar, the topic is approached from the perspective of the history of knowledge. Johan Östling from the Lund Centre for the History of Knowledge (LUCK) will give a talk titled ”The Europeanisation of the Universities: Transforming Knowledge Institutions, c. 1985–2010”, followed by a comment by Marja Jalava (Tampere University). The discussion is moderated by Stefan Nygård (University of Helsinki). The event is hosted by the project History of Science in Finland, jointly supported by The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters and The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. The seminar will take place at The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters (Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 7 A 6, 4th floor) and online on Monday the 29th of January at 17:00 to 19:00.

Registration through this link.

The Night of Science is celebrated in Helsinki on Thursday, January 25, 2024, featuring nearly fifty science-related events throughout the evening and night. The Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters is participating in the Night of Science with its own program, held at the Society’s premises on Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 7 A in Kaartinkaupunki.

The editors of the Society’s scientific publications will engage in discussions with the authors regarding, among other topics, the fate of Kurkijoki during the Soviet era, the era of Sweden-Finland’s great power, and the names of women in ancient Rome. In addition to these intriguing discussions, attendees can become acquainted with the Society and its premises during the evening.

The program will be held in Finnish and Swedish.

The event is open to the public and does not require registration.

Program:

18.30–19.00: ’Lolo’ Krusius-Ahrenberg: En banbrytande kvinnas arv

Finska Vetenskaps-Societetens vice ordförande professor Jan Sundberg (Helsingfors universitet) inleder kvällen med en presentation om ’Lolo’ Krusius-Ahrenberg, som år 1960 blev den första kvinnliga medlemmen i Finska Vetenskaps-Societeten och efter vilken Societetens mötesrum har fått sitt namn.

19.00–19.30: Matka menneisyyteen – Kurkijoen kohtalo Neuvostoliiton aikana

Tohtori Netta Böök (Aalto-yliopisto) esittelee kiehtovan teoksensa, Talot pysyvät, ihmiset vaihtuvat, joka kuljettaa lukijan syvälle entisen Kurkijoen kirkonkylän tarinaan, Laatokan rannan rauhallisiin maisemiin. Haastattelijana toimii professori Stig-Olof Londen (Aalto-yliopisto).

19.30–20.00: Antiikin Rooman naiset: Nimiä ja identiteettejä

FT Tuomo Nuorluoto (Suomen Rooman-instituutti) ja professori Mika Kajava (Helsingin yliopisto) avaavat keskustelun antiikin Rooman naisten nimistä. Nuorluodon aihetta käsittelevä kirja Latin Female Cognomina. A Study on the Personal Names of Roman Women ilmestyy loppuvuodesta 2023.

20.00–20.30: Unohdettu kaunokirjailija ja valtiomies – Olof Hermelin Ruotsi-Suomen aikakaudella

Professori H.K. Riikonen (Helsingin yliopisto) valaisee unohtuneen suurmiehen, Olof Hermelinin, keskeistä roolia Ruotsi-Suomen suurvalta-aikakaudella. Olof Hermelin toimi Kaarle XII:n hovikirjailijana, Tarton yliopiston professorina ja ikuisti latinankielisillä runoillaan kaikki maamme kaupungit. Haastattelijana toimii professori Stig-Olof Londen (Aalto-yliopisto).

The meeting begins with a seminar where the Human Diversity project is presented.

16:15

•  Virpi Lummaa: Mitä Human Diversity on?
•  Mirkka Lahdenperä: Mitä Evolutionary Health on ja esimerkki tutkimuksesta.

16:30

• Päivi Onkamo: Mitä suomalaisten aDNA-tutkimus Suomessa on?
• Elina Salmela/Sanni Peltola: Mitä on arkeogenetiikka ja esimerkki tutkimuksesta.

16:50

• Päivi Onkamo/Outi Vesakoski/Georg Haggren: Muinaisesine tietokanta AADAsta.
• Ulla Moilanen: Arkeologinen proteiinitutkimus.

17:10

• Outi Vesakoski: Suomen kielellisestä menneisyydestä ja evolutiivisesta kielentutkimuksesta.

17:25

• Veronika Laippala: Mitä NLP-mäinen kielentutkimus on ja miksi siihen kannattaa panostaa Suomessa?
• Jenna Kanerva: Miten NLP-osaamisen soveltaminen Human Diversityn aineistoihin tuo esiin uutta tietoa.

Commemorative speech for Professor Nils Storå is given by Anna-Maria Åström

Commemorative speech for Professor Pirjo Sewón is given by Mats Gyllenberg

Commemorative speech for Professor Bengt Stenlund is given by Mikko Hupa

The meeting can also be followed via live stream, link to the live stream. 

Lecture by Mikael Fogelholm “Asiakasetukorttien keräämä ruokaostosdata tieteellisen tutkimuksen välineenä: LoCard tutkimus”.

Lecture by Eva Heiskanen “Kestävien kulutuskäytäntöjen leviäminen: latenttien verkostojen merkitys”.

Link to the live-stream

Commemorative speech for Professor Holger Thesleff is given by Mika Kajava.

Lecture by Minna Palmroth titled ”Avaruus on uusi musta”.

Lecture by Theo Kurtén titled ”Atmosfärisk aerosolkemi: hur långsam förbränning gör ångor klibbigare (med hjälp av kvantmekanik och relativitet)”

Link to the live-stream

Lecture by Karl-Erik Michelsen: Teollisuus -modernin yhteiskunnan tuntematon ilmiö

Lecture by Eeva Furman: Sotkuinen maailma tutkimuskohteena – kestävyystutkimuksen poluilla

Commemorative speech for Professor Per-Erik Saris is given by Per Saris

Commemorative speech for Professor Matti Klinge is given by Henrik Meinander

Lecture by Eero Castrén: Aivojen muovautuvuus

Lecture by Erika Löfström: Doktorandhandledning – vad spelar den för roll?