INVEST Conference 2026

For the 3rd time we gather in Turku for
INVEST Conference 2026:

Building equal societies: from scientific findings to societal transformation

6–8 May 2026

The international conference brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to explore how science can shape fairer, more resilient societies.

Meet our Keynote Speakers:

Kathryn Paige Harden

Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas
Director of the Developmental Behavior Genetics lab and co-directs the Texas Twin Project

Kathryn Paige Harden is internationally recognized for her pioneering work on genetics, behavior, and social inequality. Her visit marks her first appearance in Finland, offering a rare opportunity to hear one of the leading voices at the intersection of psychology and social policy.

Philip N. Cohen

Professor of sociology and a demographer at the University of Maryland

Philip N. Cohen is a leading scholar of family sociology, inequality, and social change. He is also known for his influential work in public sociology and for advocating open, transparent, and impactful research communication.

Fields of Study

The INVEST Conference is an interdisciplinary conference. For example, your research may represent one of the following disciplines:

Citizenship and resilience
Demographic research
Implementation
Individual and societal consequences of crises and disasters
Labour markets and economic well-being
Mental health and mental disorders
Methodological approaches and openings
Migration and integration
Peer relations and youth vulnerabilities
Publich health and social care
Social experiments and interventions
Social inequality
Social well-being and quality of life
Sociogenetic research
Urban and housing studies

Pre-conference Workshop

A pre-conference workshop,

Research Published – Social Impact Achieved?

will further highlight practical tools for ensuring knowledge leads to lasting impact.

Time: 6th May 2026 15:00-17:45
Place: Main building of the University of Turku, Tauno Nurmela auditorium
Fasilitator: Sanna Herkama, Senior Researcher, University of Turku

Keynote Speakers:

Pasi Moisio, Research Professor, Docent at the Finnish Institute of Health and Welfare

André Sourander, Professor of Child Psychiatry at the University of Turku and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the Columbia University.

Pigga Keskitalo, Professor, specifically Arctic perspectives in Education at University of Lapland, Finland; Member of the Strategic Research Council in Research Council of Finland

From left: Pasi Moisio, André Sourander, Pigga Keskitalo

INVEST is a joint research centre of the University of Turku and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare and a research flagship of Research Council of Finland. INVEST aims at providing Finland and other societies with a new model of welfare state that is more equal and economically, demographically and socially more sustainable.