The Board of the Estonian Academy of Sciences has elected three new research professors for the period 2025–2027.
Gert Hütsi, Senior Research Fellow at the National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Andres Krumme, Tenured Associate Professor at Tallinn University of Technology and Head of the Laboratory of Biopolymer Technology, and Hannes Palang, Professor of Human Geography at Tallinn University, were elected.
Gert Hütsi's study focuses on the formation and evolution of supermassive black holes, primordial black holes, and the large-scale structure of the universe. Andres Krumme's research offers an environmentally sustainable solution for expanding the production of cellulose-based bioplastics. Hannes Palang's project aims to find out how urbanization and urban lifestyles on the one hand, and an increasingly English-oriented everyday culture on the other, have influenced and transformed landscape-related vocabulary, concepts and understanding.
The competition brought together 26 researchers from various fields of research.
The support for a research professor is 70,000 euros per year. This position enables a distinguished researcher to lead research in a scientific and development institution or university, supervise doctoral students, and focus on specialized research.
The position of research professor was established in 2002. A total of 24 researchers have been appointed to this position. In addition, six researchers have been selected as theme-based research professors since 2022. Of all the research professors, four were members of the academy at the time of their appointment, and seven others have since been elected as academy members.
For more information, visit the Academy's website.