Heikki Helanterä and Roger Norum invited as members of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters

Heikki Helanterä studies the evolution and social structures of social insects, particularly the genetics and behaviour of ants. His primary research focus is Formica ants, especially their social evolution and genetics.

Helanterä combines approaches to reach a multi-faceted view on social evolution. He works on genomics and transcriptomics, behaviour, chemical ecology and theoretical and conceptual approaches to evolution. He also examines the evolution of sociality within the broader framework of so‑called evolutionary transitions.

Helanterä carries out theoretical, philosophical and empirical analyses on the similarities and differences between transitions in complexity, such as evolution of multicellularity and evolution of superorganismal insect societies.

Roger Norum is an internationally recognised scholar of social anthropology whose work examines the interconnections between environment, mobility, and social relations, particularly in Arctic and Asian contexts.

His research explores how nature is experienced, imagined, and commodified, often in regions that are central to policy yet peripheral in practice.He focuses on strengthening expertise in citizen science and migration studies and leads several international research consortia and networks.

At the University of Oulu, he leads initiatives that strengthen transdisciplinary research collaboration, and also directs international research consortia and networks for early-career scholars.

Membership in the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters is granted to distinguished scholars in recognition of sustained, high‑level research. It is one of the most prestigious academic honours in Finland, and membership is for life.

This year, all together 36 new members were elected.

The announcement is available on the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters website.