Eva-Mari Aro is a pioneer in photosynthesis research. In honour of her remarkable research, the University of Turku is organising the EMA2024 symposium, which has brought more than 150 researchers from around the world to Turku. The event kicked off on Sunday 8 September with a plenary lecture and portrait unveiling.
Academician Eva-Mari Aro is one of the world’s leading photosynthesis researchers and her work has had a huge impact on photosynthesis research worldwide.
The ongoing EMA2024 International Symposium, organised by professor Yagut Allahverdiyeva-Rinne (University of Turku) and professor Cheryl Kerfeld (Michigan State University; Lawrence Berkeley, National Lab, USA) has brought more than 150 photosynthesis experts and students from around the world to Turku to celebrate Aro's remarkable life's work and to hear about the latest advances in photosynthesis research.
The symposium kicked off on Sunday 8 September with a ceremony open to the public, where Aro delivered her plenary lecture and a portrait of Aro was donated to the University of Turku's collection by the Faculty of Technology. The portrait is a photography portrait, and the artist is Mikko Kaaresmaa.
Eva-Mari Aro's photography portrait (by Mikko Kaaresmaa) was donated to the University of Turku's collection at the EMA2024 symposium. Photo: Esko Keski-Oja.
Rector Marjo Kaartinen thanked Eva-Mari Aro for her outstanding research career. Photo: Esko Keski-Oja.
The portrait was received by the Rector of the University of Turku, Marjo Kaartinen, who thanked Aro for her long-term work and significant influence.
"Aro has done a very impressive life's work and has achieved great respect as a researcher. Throughout her career, she has set an important example for all younger researchers, and especially for women aiming to advance in their careers. Fortunately, progress has been made and it is no longer as rare for a woman researcher to succeed as it was in the early days of my career, but during my research career, Aro has been an important role model for me as well," said Kaartinen.
During her research career Eva-Mari Aro has discovered and characterized various fundamental photosynthetic mechanisms across a wide range organisms, from cyanobacteria to plants, including the ecologically and economically significant evergreen conifer spruce, which is important to Scandinavia and other northern countries.
Aro delivered a plenary lecture with the topic “Struggling with photosynthetic light reactions for 50 years”. Photo: Esko Keski-Oja.
During the opening ceremony of the EMA2024 symposium, Aro gave a plenary lecture, where she looked back on the different stages of her career and the development of the field of photosynthesis research over the past five decades.
"I feel priviliged to have been given the opportunity to work on photosynthesis, the most important process for our existence and environmental sustainability," Aro said.
Aro also thanked and highlighted the importance of the work of her research team, her colleagues and collaborators in advancing photosynthesis research.
Aro's exceptional contributions to science have earned her numerous international awards, and she holds honorary doctorates from several universities both in Finland and abroad. In 2017, Aro was awarded the title of Academician. She is also a Foreign Associate Member of the US National Academy of Sciences and a Foreign member of the Royal Society. As an advocate for nature-inspired sustainable energy solutions, Aro has promoted the advancement of CO2-neutral technologies derived from natural and artificial photosynthesis at the European level. She has been actively involved with the European Academies of Sciences Advisory Council (EASAC), serving a member and later a vice president. In this role she contributed to providing science-based guidance to inform decision making in EU Commission and Parliament.
The four-day conference program will continue this week and the programme will offer interesting discussions on enhancing photosynthesis to boost crop resilience and efficiency under climate change and on developing living cell factories for sustainable bioproduction.
Around 150 experts in photosynthesis research from around the world, including the United States, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and Europe, are currently meeting in Turku for the EMA2024 symposium. Photo: Esko Keski-Oja.
