‘It is highly crucial to involve young people in research and decision-making that affects them. It is my hope that science and research would increasingly and boldly involve young people in their activities as a means of safeguarding the living conditions for future generations’, states Sofia Laine, recipient of the Academic of the Year recognition.
The Academic of the Year recognition was awarded to Sofia Laine, who holds the title of Docent in Youth Research. Laine works as a Research Professor at the Finnish Youth Research Society.
‘Through her active work, Laine has highlighted the significance of youth involvement in decision-making and research concerning the future. Laine’s extensive history at the Finnish Youth Research Society serves as encouraging proof that it is also possible for a researcher to establish a meaningful research career in the third sector’, says Tero Karjalainen, President of FUURT.
Laine earned her PhD in Social Sciences from the University of Helsinki, with a dissertation in Global Development Research, and holds the title of Docent in Youth Research at Tampere University. Additionally, Laine has a degree in Dance Movement Therapy and she has also worked as a science journalist. She combines her skills and education creatively, for example, by incorporating and developing artistic and bodily methods in youth research.
‘Creative movement for planetary wellbeing is one of my endeavours to act and research organically and multidimensionally, supporting different perspectives, orientations and positions, together with and among other living beings. Creative movement opens space for play and imagination. Both are essential in these times. This type of research often requires throwing oneself fully in and acting in the moment rather than adopting the role of observer or documentarian’, Laine explains.
Young people wish for more involvement in research and co-operation with researchers
Laine leads the planetary youth research programme at the Finnish Youth Research Society. Planetary youth research is a new framework proposal by Laine within the field of youth research. Planetary youth research examines young people and youth in relation to the carrying capacity of the planet as well as to climate change and its environmental impacts. It encourages youth research to evolve towards planetary sustainability, for example, by critically examining the obstacles to young people’s involvement in decision-making that will affect their future.
‘Many young people are highly aware of the severity of the climate and environmental crisis and feel that the current measures are inadequate. They will be living the longest with the decisions we make today regarding the climate and sustainable future. Laine’s work is an important example of how the involvement of young people in research and decision-making concerning them and their future can truly be impactful’, Karjalainen sums up.
This year, Laine has worked with, among others, NUOLI, the young people’s climate change and nature group operating under the Prime Minister’s Office. The task of the NUOLI group is to support the Ministries in the planning, implementation, and impact assessment of youth involvement and to ensure the preservation of the conditions for a safe and viable future for young people, future generations, and nature.
‘Societies have enormous time pressures to resolve the planetary imbalance with which today’s youth and future generations will have to struggle. At the initiative of the young people in the NUOLI group and to serve their need for information within their demanding representative task, we developed a survey for young organisational actors in the spring. Together, we have now analysed, written, and reported some initial results for young people as well as for scientific arenas. The survey results show, among other things, that young organisational actors desire more and diverse research collaboration with researchers, Laine says.
Photos: Sami Perttilä
The title of Academic of the Year comes with a 5,000 euro award granted by the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers each year to a socially active and commendable academic. We held a drawing for a Lippu.fi gift voucher among all those who nominated a candidate, and the winner has been notified personally. The decision on the Academic of the Year was made by the Board of FUURT at its meeting on 18 October 2024.