02.05.2025 Grants and prizes

Professor Krista Varantola Receives the Academy Award 2025

The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters awarded its annual Academy Award (30,000 euros) on Friday, 25 April 2025. The award was granted to Krista Varantola, a pioneer in linguistics and an influential figure in science. The Academy Award is an acknowledgement of lifetime achievement in sciences, and it is the most prominent recognition awarded by the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.

Professor Krista Varantola has had a diverse career in science, serving as a researcher, a director of scientific work, and an influential figure in the scientific community.

Pioneer in linguistic research

Varantola worked as Professor of English Language and Translation at the University of Tampere from 1989, where she later also served as Dean, Vice Rector, Rector and Chancellor.

“Partially planned coincidences and the opportunities they have offered have propelled my career forward. Studying English was a conscious choice, and during my studies, I was particularly drawn to linguistics and phonetics. My work after graduation made me think about the special features of technical English. I was interested in pursuing postgraduate studies, but that remained a wish for some time. I got a permanent position at the Turku Language Institute, and my desire for postgraduate studies grew even stronger,” says Krista Varantola, relating the early stages of her research career.

Krista Varantola defended her doctoral thesis in English language studies in 1985 at the University of Turku. The beginning of her career coincided with a period of technological advancements that had a major impact on both society and science. Varantola’s scientific work is, indeed, characterized by an interest in the language and modes of expression used in the field of technology. In the beginning of Varantola’s research career, digital humanism was making its way to international linguistics. Extensive electronic text collections, or corpora, provided researchers with large quantities of authentic language data and opened up a whole new dimension for research. Varantola applied new methods of corpus research to solve key questions particularly in translation studies and the work of translators.

Varantola’s output includes over 80 publications, which, in addition to methods in corpus linguistics, deal extensively with translation studies and the use of language in special fields, particularly technical communication and technical terminology. She served for many years as a member of the board of the Finnish Centre for Technical Terminology and as a member of the Government’s Science and Technology Policy Council.

Varantola’s diverse range of research topics and her positions in society reflect her broad understanding of the significance of language. “Language and communication research teaches you to read texts in depth and understand things such as how language is used to try to influence people and how vague concepts and buzzwords can obscure the message,” says Varantola, describing the scope of linguistics.

Becoming an influential figure in science

Having begun her career as a researcher, Krista Varantola gradually made her way into influential positions in science administration and research policy – roles in which she could have a broader impact on the entire field of science. “My career has been twofold. When I gave administrative tasks my finger, they ended up taking my whole arm. However, collaboration in science administration and science policy has given me an understanding of the importance of international cooperation and the reconciliation of different ways of thinking,” says Varantola.

During her career, Varantola has held several significant expert and honorary positions in the Finnish and international scientific community, which have given her opportunities to promote science and influence research opportunities and research environments on a broad scale, even outside her own discipline. These include positions of trust at the Research Council of Finland and the Council of Finnish Academies. Varantola served as chair of the Council of Rectors of Finnish Universities towards the end of her term as rector, being the first woman to hold this position. After retiring from her position as chancellor of the University of Tampere, she chaired the board of the University of Jyväskylä.

Krista Varantola has served as a board member of several international organizations. These include NordForsk and the Nordic Advisory Committee on Higher Education (HÖGUT) under the Nordic Council of Ministers, the European University Association (EUA), the European Women Rectors Association (EWORA), and the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities (ALLEA). From 2006 to 2011, Varantola also served as chair of the Nordic Centre founded by Nordic universities at Fudan University in Shanghai.

Advocating for research integrity

Varantola is particularly known for her long-standing work as a promoter and advocate of research integrity. She was chair of the Finnish National Board on Research Integrity from 2010 to 2019 and continued as a permanent expert member of the Board until this year. She has also long been involved in developing research integrity practices in international organizations, including the ENRIO network and ALLEA. During her time at ALLEA, Varantola played a key role in drafting the European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity. This is the European Commission’s ethical guideline for science, and commitment to it is a prerequisite for EU research funding. “An approach and mindset that ensures research integrity is the foundation of reliable scientific work, and I hope to continue to be involved in the development of this field,” says Varantola.

Krista Varantola

Professor Emerita of English Language and Translation at Tampere University
Chancellor Emerita and Rector Emerita of Tampere University
Researcher in translation studies, lexicography, and language use in special fields, particularly technical communication and technical terminology
Conferred an honorary doctorate by the University of Helsinki in spring 2023
Member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters since 2005