Seven new UEF Research Fellows have started at the University of Eastern Finland this autumn. They are Andrei Beliaev from the Department of Chemistry, Lena Englund from the School of Humanities, Virva Hyttinen-Huotari from the Department of Health and Social Management, Sidra Iftekhar from the Department of Technical Physics, Maykel López Rodríguez from the A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, Sami Nikkonen from the Department of Technical Physics, and Elias Ylä-Herttuala from the A.I. Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences.
The University of Eastern Finland has used the UEF Research Fellow recruitment model since 2021. In this model, researchers receiving a good score (5-6) but not selected for funding by the Research Council of Finland will be invited to apply for the UEF Research Fellow positions. The requirement is that their funding for the Academy Research Fellow projects have been applied for to the University of Eastern Finland.
With the UEF Research Fellow recruitment model, the university wants to promote the careers of talented researchers. The first UEF Research Fellows were appointed in June 2022, and new UEF Research Fellows have started their three-year term on 1 September 2024.
University recruits new UEF Research Fellows in summer 2025 – training available for Academy Research Fellow applicants
The University of Eastern Finland will recruit seven UEF Research Fellows from well-performing Academy Research Fellow applicants also in summer 2025. The Academy Research Fellow positions will be open in the winter call 2025 of the Research Council of Finland, which starts in October 2024 and ends on 8 January 2025.
The university will support and train Academy Research Fellow applicants. Training is available in October-November 2024. In addition, Research Funding Coordinators in Faculties give comments on research plans of the applicants. Registration into the trainings:
- Philosophical Faculty and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies: Further information and registration by 30 September in the Kongressi system.
- Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology and Faculty of Health Sciences: Further information and registration by 4 November in the Kongressi system.
Trainings are available for the Academy Research Fellow applicants when the site of research is University of Eastern Finland.
Research topics from health promotion to narratives of migration
The research of the UEF Research Fellows starting this autumn focuses on topics such as health and well-being technologies, health promotion, photonics and materials research, and Nordic narratives of migration.
The research project of Andrei Beliaev, entitled Precise Tuning: Advancing Ionic Pairs for Optoelectronics, addresses the global need for responsible resource usage. This research focuses on developing novel photofunctional materials for advanced photonic applications, such as organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and electrochemical cells.
Lena Englund’s research project is entitled Shifting the Historical and Political Paradigm in Nordic Narratives of Migration (ParaMig).
Virva Hyttinen-Huotari studies the evaluation of technologies and guidelines supporting older people to live at home. The aim is to integrate health economics and implementation science methodologies in developing an evaluation framework for assessing the implementation process and cost-effectiveness of interventions. In addition, the study will evaluate the applicability of the framework empirically, focusing on assistive technologies that support older people to live at home and physicians' adherence to clinical care guidelines.
The research project of Sidra Iftekhar is entitled Next-Generation Adsorbents for Robust Preconcentration and On-Site Quantification of Metals in Low-Grade Waters.
Maykel López Rodríguez studies the mechanisms that regulate cholesterol transport and distribution in adipose tissue and the physiological consequences of these to systemic metabolism in health and diseases. The results will provide information that may help to implement novel strategies for treating obesity and related metabolic diseases.
The research project of Sami Nikkonen is entitled Evaluating sleep and improving recovery through sleep quality in intensive care units.
The research project of Elias Ylä-Herttuala is entitled From protein level knowledge through novel diagnostic MR-imaging, novel contrast agent and targeted gene therapy to combine these tools simultaneously to create an MRI-theranostic for Cardiac Inflammatory Diseases.
The university’s Research Funding Specialists will assist researchers in the preparation of their Academy Research Fellow applications:
Philosophical Faculty: Lena Fayt, lena.fayt@uef.fi
Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology: Ulla Karhunen, ulla.karhunen@uef.fi, and Riitta Tegelberg, riitta.tegelberg@uef.fi
Faculty of Health Sciences: Maria Rikala, maria.rikala@uef.fi, and Oskari Uski, oskari.uski@uef.fi
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies: Katri Kostiainen, katri.kostiainen@uef.fi, and Saija Miina, saija.miina@uef.fi.
Further information on UEF Research Fellow positions:
Anu Liikanen, Director of Research Services, University of Eastern Finland, anu.liikanen@uef.fi