European Science Foundation names University of Helsinki's Marja Makarow its chief executive

Citation

(2008), "European Science Foundation names University of Helsinki's Marja Makarow its chief executive", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 38 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2008.01738bab.007

European Science Foundation names University of Helsinki's Marja Makarow its chief executive

Article Type: Food facts From: Nutrition

The European Science Foundation announced Professor Marja Makarow will succeed Dr John Marks to be its Chief Executive; making her the first woman to take the top post in the science organisation's 33-year history. Over the past decade Makarow, who is an active scientist in the field of molecular cell biology, has been in positions of trust serving a number of national and intergovernmental research funding and research performing organizations in Europe. In Finland she is a member of the National Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy reporting to the Ministries and Parliament. She is also the Vice-Rector for Research and Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Helsinki. "I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to be able to concentrate completely on the promotion of research and its impact for society", said Makarow. Professor Makarow is joining ESF at a time when the European science community is at a crossroad with the consensus recognising that Europe has clear weaknesses in common platform and pan-European collaboration when it comes to scientific activities due to the fragmented nature of the continent.

The European Science Foundation, which is based in Strasbourg, France, is an association of 75 member organisations from 30 European countries. Since its inception in 1974, it has co-ordinated a wide range of pan-European scientific initiatives.