Virpi was given the inaugural Phoenix Award from the Turku Finnish University Society on Friday in recognition of and encouragement for her consistently creative and internationally high-quality research. 

The Phoenix Award was distributed for the first time and the ceremony was held at the centenary celebration of the Turku Finnish University Society at the Old Academy Building on Friday, 3 October 2017. The award was handed by the vice chair of the board and the chair of the science award committee Pekka Vallittu. The justifications for the award state that Lummaa has successfully internationalised and strengthened high-quality scientific research in Turku.

Lummaa's research at the University of Turku started with her doctoral dissertation in 1999 and continued with great success in esteemed European universities. Virpi Lummaa was appointed as the Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Turku in 2017 and as Academy Professor for the period of 2016-2020.

For more information, please visit The Turku Finnish University Society and University of Turku
 

Other News

The research group spent three intense days having a brilliant Project Meeting in Tampere, Finland in August 2016. The venue was the most beautiful place by the lake, surrounded by the pristine Finnish nature. A perfect venue for the best conference ever! Special thanks to our hosts Jenni and Esko.
Photos from the Project Meeting in Kesämaa, Finland, August 2016. Photos by Esko Pettay / Wild TechPhotos Oy.

Virpi Lummaa's Group: Project meeting in Finland, August 2016. Photo by Esko Pettay

Virpi Lummaa is an outstanding evolutionary biologist and her work has led to significant advances in our understanding of the ecological causes and evolutionary consequences of variation in reproductive success and longevity. Her research on humans, based on detailed pedigrees, and birth and death records, revealed the selection pressures shaping life history in pre-industrial populations, and in so doing allowed for the first rigorous, scientific examination of human behavioural ecology. These findings have revealed the complex trade-offs shaping recent human evolution.
The Scientific Medal, Britain's zoological Oscar, is awarded to scientists with up to 15 years postdoctoral experience for distinguished work in zoology.

Virpi Lummaa Scientific Medal 2016 Zoological Society of London