University of Tartu research fellow to lead science advice panel at the Young Academy of Europe

Last week, Helen Eenmaa, Research Fellow in IT Law at the University of Tartu and member of the Estonian Young Academy of Sciences, was elected President of the Young Academies Science Advice Structure (YASAS). With that, she also became a member of the board of the Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (SAPEA) consortium.

Helen Eenmaa's role as President of YASAS and board member of SAPEA is to ensure that the opinion of early-career researchers is increasingly taken into account in policymaking and seeking scientific advice. "To make the best decisions, it is important to involve researchers with the deepest understanding of the topic. These are often young researchers," said Eenmaa.

"Such a prestigious position is a recognition to Estonia's young researchers and our research organisations, expanding the opportunities of Estonian research and its visibility in the world," said Toomas Vaimann, President of the Estonian Young Academy of Sciences. The vote for Helen Eenmaa was unanimous, showing strong European support.

SAPEA plays an important role in research advice to the European Commission by providing, together with the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, independent research-based input to policymaking. The SAPEA consortium comprises six European academy networks: Academia Europea, ALLEA, Euro-CASE, FEAM, EASAC and YASAS.

The article was first published in Estonian on the web page of the Estonian Academy of Sciences.