Academy Award

The most prominent recognition from the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters is the Academy Award which is awarded annually to a distinguished member of the Academy for life’s work.

The aim of the Academy Award is to recognize the scientific careers of especially distinguished members. The prize was established to be “awarded for especially meritorious scholarly work” – The Finnish Academy of Science and Letters has awarded the Academy Award since 1945. The value of the prize is 30.000€.

Prize winners

2024 Markku Kulmala – Atmospheric Science

2023 Lea Pulkkinen – Psychology

2022 Sirpa Jalkanen – Immunology

2021 Ilkka Niiniluoto – Philosophy

2020 Riitta Hari – Neuroscience

2019 Raimo Tuomela – Philosophy

2018 Eva-Mari Aro – Biology

2017 Marjatta Hietala – History

2016 Markus Pessa – Physics

2015 Pertti Kansanen – Education

2014 Markku Leskelä – Chemistry

2013 Tapani Valkonen – Sociology

2012 Pekka Hautojärvi – Physics

2011 Risto Näätänen – Psychology

2010 Vaheri Antti – Medicine

2009 Ylikangas Heikki – History

2008 Kajantie Keijo – Physics

2007 Rissanen Matti – English philology

2006 Kauranen Pentti – Chemistry

2005 Suviranta Antti – Jurisprudence

2004 Visakorpi Jarmo – Medicine

2003 Kemiläinen Aira – History

2002 Nyyssönen Aarne – Forest mensuration and management planning

2001 Pesonen Pertti – Social science

2000 Martio Olli – Mathematics

1999 Honko Lauri – Folkloristics

1998 Saxén Lauri – Medicine

1997 Tommila Päiviö – History

1996 Lehto Olli – Mathematics

1995 Virtaranta Pertti – Finnish and Finno-Ugric languages

1994 Miettinen Jorma K. – Chemistry

1993 Allardt Erik – Sociology

1992 Granö Olavi – Geography

1991 Jutikkala Eino – History

1990 Jalas Jaakko – Botany

1989 Ikola Osmo – Finnish language

1988 Laasonen Pentti – Mathematics

1987 Kuusi Matti – Folklore

1986 Järvi Osmo – Medicine

1985 Pirinen Kauko – Church history

1984 Toivonen Sulo – Biology

1983 Itkonen Erkki – Finno-Ugric studies

1982 Mikola Peitsa – Forest biology

1981 Sovijärvi Antti – Phonetics

1980 Nurmikko Veikko – Chemistry

1979 Suolahti Jaakko – History

1978 Saxén Erkki – Pathology

1977 Vilkuna Kustaa – Ethnography

1976 Sahama Thure – Geochemistry

1975 Väänänen Veikko – Romance philology

1974 Suomalainen Esko – Genetics

1973 Posti Lauri – Baltic-Finnish languages

1972 Inkeri Kustaa – Mathematics

1971 Salonen Armas – Mesopotamian culture and Sumerian

1970 Kilpi Sulo Taavetti – Chemistry

1969 Koskimies Rafael – Literature

1968 Kujala Viljo – Botany

1967 Honkasalo Brynolf – Jurisprudence

1966 Heiskanen Veikko Aleksanteri – Geodesy

1965 Korhonen Arvi – History

1964 Ilvessalo Yrjö – Forest mensuration planning

1963 Katara Pekka – Germanic philology

1962 Keränen Jaakko – Research of magnetism

1961 Itkonen Toivo – Sami language and culture studies

1960 Suomalainen Paavo – Zoology

1959 Kettunen Lauri – Baltic-Finnish languages

1958 Kotilainen Mauno Johannes – Botany

1957 Räsänen Martti – Turkic languages

1956 Auer Väinö – Geography

1955 Maliniemi Aarne Henrik – History

1954 Väisälä Vilho – Meteorology

1953Puukko Antti Filemon – Theology
Reenpää Yrjö – Medicine

1952
Rapola Martti Olavi – Finnish language
Saalas Uunio – Entomology

1951Väisälä Yrjö – Astronomy
Långfors Arthur – Romance philology

1950Jaakkola Kaarle Jalmari – History
Järvi Toivo Henrik – Biology

1949Tarkiainen Viljo – Literature
Myrberg Pekka Juhana – Mathematics

1948
Granö Johannes Gabriel – Geography
Äyräpää Aarne Elias – Archeology

1947
Ramstedt Gustaf John – Altaic languages
Bonsdorff Ilmari – Geodesy

1946
Harva Uno Nils Oskar – Finno-Ugric linguistics
Eskola Pentti Eelis – Geology

1945
Komppa Gustaf – Chemistry
Tallgren Aarne Michael – Archeology