The Millennium Technology Prize reflects Finland’s humane approach
The spring 2018 is exciting for the global scientific community as the next Millennium Technology Prize will be awarded late May. The International Selection Committee has finished its work and they will soon present the winning candidate of one million euros to the Board of Technology Academy Finland (TAF) that will then take the final decision.
”The level of the nominations was once again extremely high. There were many candidates that reach the highest top-level”, says Päivi Törmä, Academy Professor of Aalto University and Chair of the International Selection Committee of the Millennium Technology Prize.
The criteria are tough for being a top candidate. The Millennium Technology Prize is awarded for innovations that have already approved their extensive positive impact on people’s lives and on sustainable development. Amongst the previous winners there are innovations like ethical stem cell research, blue LED light and cost-efficient solar cells.
Professor Törmä highlights the great value of the Millennium Technology Prize for Finland.
“Finland is a human-oriented country of high technology. The technology prize aiming for global well-being reflects our values and strengths in a great way”, she says.
Global challenges, global prize
The last time the Finnish Millennium Technology Prize was awarded, in 2016, a record number of 79 innovations were nominated. This was twice as much as the previous time in 2014. This year the number of nominations has stayed at the same high level with 72 nominated innovations.
The majority of the suggestions come outside Finland and the whole World is represented. Last year also the Finnish scientific community submitted a record number of nominations – and this year the level has stayed high.
One of the principles of the Millennium Technology Prize is its global nature. The prize can go anywhere in the World.
”The international prize highlights the idea that great global challenges must be resolved globally, together”, says the Chair of the Selection Committee, Päivi Törmä.
The 2018 Millennium Technology Prize will be awarded in Helsinki on 22 May 2018. Follow us:
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Photo: The International Selection Committee of the Millennium Technology Prize: Sir Peter Knight, Hanna Viertiö-Oja, Päivi Törmä (Chair), Hans-Joachim Freund, Ayao Tsuge, Craig R. Barrett, Tero Ojanperä and Ari Ahonen. Jonathan Knowles is absent. Photo: Technology Academy Finland.
