FORTHEM Researchers Grand Prix 2026

It’s that time of year again! The leaves are falling, the nights are getting longer, there is a chill in the air, and The JYU FORTHEM Researchers Grand Prix IS BACK! Join us on Thursday at the Business Networking Day in Jyväskylä Paviljonki Convention Centre to watch 5 young researchers from JYU presenting their work and research aspirations on stage.
Group photo of the participants and jury of FORTHEM Researcher Grand Prix.
Researchers Grand Prix semifinalists and jury members 2025
Published
6.10.2026

As usual, each researcher will present a quick-fire four-minute “pitch” of their research, to explain their work and it’s intended impact for society. 

This year we have a broad mix of research fields, topics and international perspectives this year, with researchers representing the Department of Music, Art and Culture Studies, the Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, the Department of Psychology, presenting extremely interesting and groundbreaking research on a variety of topics.

The winner of Thursday’s competition will go forward to represent JYU, Jyväskylä. And Finland in the FORTHEM European final which will take place in Opole, Poland on the 21st October. And the JYU representative will be following in the footsteps of last years FORTHEM RGP Champion Jun Liu who triumphed in the 2025 final held in Dijon last year.

All presentations will be in English, and the event will start at 10:50 on Stage 2.

The RGP Semi-finalists

11:05–11:15 | 1. Nandhini Natarajan | Department of Music, Art and Culture Studies.    
Good Vibrations: Preceding Vibroacoustic Stimulation Modulates Brain Activity During Music Listening

11:15–11:25 | 2. Rakesh Gowdihalli Nagarajappa | Faculty of Mathematics and Science.
Hy-Value (Waste to green value)

11:25–11:35 | 3. Faranak Sabahi Goraghani | Humanities and Social Sciences/Music, Art and Cultural Sciences. 
The Sound of What Matters

11:35–11:45 | 4. Fatemeh Ahaninjan | Department of Psychology. 
Catching the Whispers: Detecting Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Before It’s Too Late

11:45–11:55 | 5. Leo Kuutti | The Faculty of Education and Psychology. 
The Things Between Us

Our judging panel this year consists of:

  • Nina Rautiainen, Business Development Services, City of Jyväskylä
  • Leena Sivula, Director of Research and Innovation Services, University of Jyväskylä
  • Timo Taskinen, Senior Specialist, Research and Innovation Services, University of Jyväskylä
  • Sanna Väisänen, FORTHEM institutional coordinator, University of Jyväskylä
  • Pirkko Melville Director (emerita), Central Finland Economic Development Centre
  • Jun Liu, Doctoral Researcher, Winner of the FORTHEM Researchers Grand Prix 2025, University of Jyväskylä
Michael Ormshaw
Michael Ormshaw
Research Funding Advisor