About us

The researchers in The History of Science in Finland are responsible for carrying out interviews with scholars as well as planning and carrying out project’s publications.

Stefan Nygård, the project leader, is a university researcher and associate professor in European history at the University of Helsinki. His previous research includes work on centre–periphery relations in European intellectual history (Decentering European Intellectual Space, 2018), the political history and philosophy of the concept of debt (The Politics of Debt and Europe’s Relations with the ‘South’, 2020), the author’s profession (Skrivandets villkor och gemenskap, 2019), Finnish–Swedish cultural relations after the Second World War (Finland and Sweden on Hanaholmen, 2025), as well as the history of philosophy (Henri Bergson i Finland, 2011). His international activities include fellowships at European University Institute in Italy and the École normale supérieure in France.

Ahto Apajalahti, Master of Arts, is a doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki. His research interests include the history of science, the Cold War era and cultural history.

Sophy Bergenheim is a historian-social scientist (Doc.Pol.Sc.), and she is specialised in the societal history of knowledge, science and ideas, as well as the histories of Nordic welfare states and civil societies. Sophy’s research at the University of Helsinki and Aalborg University have examined, among others, non-governmental expert organisations’ activities and roles of in relation to Finnish and Danish public and social policy.

Hanna Linberg holds a Title of Docent in Nordic history, with a special focus on the history of science, minorities and the welfare state. In her dissertation, she studied the role of gender in Finnish social policy research during its early years. After earning her doctorate, Hanna participated in the writing of Åbo Akademi University’s 100-year jubilee publication. Currently, she is leading the project Minoritetsvälfärd och reproduktion: Professionaliseringen av den finlandssvenska befolkningsfrågan 1945–1990 (Minority welfare and reproduction: The professionalisation of the Finland-Swedish population issue, 1945–1990; funded by the Society of Swedish Literature in Finland & the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland). In her project, Hanna studies the development of disability care for Swedish-speakers in Finland after the Second World War.

Heikki Mikkonen earned his doctorate in history at Tampere University. In his dissertation, he studied the ideational history of economic growth, particularly from the perspective of Finnish economic associations. The book National Wealth, Income and the History of Economic Growth (Routledge) based on the dissertation was published in 2025. After his doctoral research, Heikki has worked in a sociology project at the University of Helsinki, which analysed the appeal to and rejecting of expert knowledge in Finnish political debates. In addition, he has studied the compilation of statistics on longevity and the history of the Finnish Statistical Society. Heikki is the secretary and board member of the Finnish Society for the History of Science and Learning.

Katariina Parhi earned her doctorate in the history of science and ideas at the University of Oulu. She also holds a Title of Docent in criminology at the University of Helsinki. In addition to the history of science project, Katariina participates in two other projects: as Academy Research Fellow and PI for a research project on the history of psychiatry in Finland, as well as a project on Finnish correctional labour facilities that combines scientific research and artistic photography.

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