Maria Figueroa at Environment and Society Panel 2020 in Finland

Maria Figueroa accepted the invitation to join an international expert panel evaluating grant applications for postdocs, academic research fellows and academy professors in Helsinki on the 5-6 March 2020. Professor Rik Leemans from Wageningen University chaired the review panel consisting of approximately 10 international experts. The panel had the task of evaluating 60 applications in the field of environment and society research representing two Research Councils, Research Council for Culture and Society and Research Council for Biosciences, Health and Environment.

 The Academy of Finland is the main public funding organization supporting basic research at universities and research institutes in Finland. The peer review of each research project by internationally recognized scientists is the basis of evaluation carried out in this panel. Panel review reports are confidential but applicants receive the panel review report on their application including the names of all panel members after the funding decisions are made. Maria Figueroa considered her participation in this expert panel as a unique and highly rewarding opportunity on three accounts:  the high quality of the research proposals submitted by Finish researchers, the wealth of knowledge brought together through the panel participants and, the efficient and warm support provided by the Academy of Finland which also facilitated observing principles for responsible science conduct in the proposals and thorough the entire process.