This year’s recipients of the Alfred Kordelin Prize, awarded to meritorious contributors, are Olli Vapalahti, Professor of Zoonotic Virology; Stefan Moster, translator; and the Faktabaari. Each prize winner receives €50,000.
Olli Vapalahti has conducted impactful research of the highest quality on zoonotic diseases, such as nephropathia epidemica, the zika virus disease, the coronavirus disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, and avian influenza. The topics of his internationally renowned research have included both global viral diseases and viral diseases that are typical in Finland.
“The multidisciplinary nature of Vapalahti’s approach makes solutions to the most complex health questions attainable. Vapalahti also has the ability to generate knowledge fast in support of political decision-making, and to explain difficult matters calmly, clearly, and understandably.” “The multidisciplinary nature of Vapalahti’s approach makes solutions to the most complex health questions attainable. Vapalahti also has the ability to generate knowledge fast in support of political decision-making, and to explain difficult matters calmly, clearly, and understandably.”
“Vapalahti’s systematic research into various zoonotic virusdiseases highlights why we need long-term basic research. We often fail to see what the opportunities for applying basic research in practice are; also, basic research is not often perceived to be trendy. When the coronavirus pandemic broke out, non-experts both average citizens and political decision-makers were instantly made aware of the importance of Vapalahti’s research. Vapalahti’s response to the multidisciplinary challenges created by the situation has been excellent and exemplary.”
Vapalahti is a member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters.
Stefan Moster’s achievements as a translator of Finnish fiction into German are exceptionally extensive. He has promoted Finnish literature and boosted its visibility in the German language area in an invaluable manner. Faktabaari, a politically unaffiliated fact checking service established in 2014, operates online and provides a unique guarantee against the growing volumes of disinformation.
With the Alfred Kordelin Prize, the Foundation wishes to celebrate individuals, working groups and collectives who perform important work in our society, and create the conditions for a better future. The Foundation has awarded similar recognitions of achievement since 1920.
Read more: Alfred Kordelin Foundation