Pre-Conference: From Research to Decision-Making

Research published – social impact achieved?

How does research-based knowledge find its way into decision-making and public debate?

The INVEST Conference pre-conference will take place on 6 May 2026 at 15:00–17:45 in the Tauno Nurmela Hall, Main Building, University of Turku. The pre-conference will focus on societal impact in concrete terms: how does published research become societal change? How does research-based knowledge move into policymaking, legislation, public services and broader societal discussions?

Opening words

Maija S. Peltola, Vice Rector, University of Turku

Speakers

Pigga Keskitalo, Professor, University of Lapland, Member of the Strategic Research Council
Keskitalo’s research focuses on Arctic education, Indigenous pedagogy, sustainable development and socially just teacher education. She examines how education systems respond to the unique conditions of the Arctic, including long distances, linguistic diversity and rapid societal change.

She currently leads an Academy of Finland–funded project on Sámi language distance education for young children (ADVOST) and is actively engaged in international research collaboration, and is involved in  the NordForsk-funded project Building Bridges of Shared Capacity between Scientists, Policymakers, and Communities (CAP-SHARE, 2024–2027), which develops models for effective capacity sharing in biodiversity preservation and climate resilience. The project promotes cooperation between communities, scientists, and policymakers, with a particular emphasis on intergenerational knowledge, Indigenous perspectives, and youth participation in policy processes.

 

Pasi Moisio is a Research Professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and Principal Investigator of the THL-INVEST Flagship. He is also Chair of the Social Security Committee and a Docent at the University of Turku.

Moisio’s expertise lies in social policy, welfare state development, social protection, poverty, income inequality and intergenerational socioeconomic mobility. His work combines high-level academic research with policy advising, and he has played a central role in major national social policy reforms, including serving as Committee Secretary for Finland’s Comprehensive Reform of Social Protection (SATA).

He is one of the editors of Beyond the Nordic Welfare State, a book presenting a renewed welfare state model developed within the INVEST Flagship. The volume outlines a forward-looking framework for strengthening social investment, equality of opportunity and long-term societal sustainability.

Moisio holds a Doctorate in Political and Social Sciences from the European University Institute in Florence and has over two decades of experience in research and science-based policy advisory work.

 

Andre Sourander, Professor of Child Psychiatry, University of Turku, and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University

The focus of Sourander’s work for the last 30 years has been to identify early psychosocial and biological risk factors for the causes of mental health disturbances, as well as to find keys to the development of selective interventions focused on children at risk.

Facilitator

Sanna Herkama, Senior Researcher, University of Turku / INVEST

Herkama has studied the psychosocial well-being of children and adolescents, with a particular focus on school bullying as well as the implementation of evidence-based interventions in schools and healthcare settings. Her research examines especially the fidelity, usability, and sustainability of these interventions. She has published studies on developing bullying‑prevention practices in schools, understanding what helps programs that support students’ well‑being succeed in practice, and on parent training programs.

Welcome to explore how research can move beyond publication and contribute to lasting societal impact.