Maarja Merivoo-Parro studies the role of Finnish aid during Estonia's independence - awarded in international research competition

MSCA Research Fellow Maarja Merivoo-Parro was awarded a prize at the prestigious Falling Walls Lab MSCA competition. This earned her a place in the international final in Berlin in November.

Maarja Merivoo-Parro is delighted to be part of a passionate group of researchers. Photo taken during the competition.

Published

24.10.2025

(This text is translated by DeepL.)

MSCA (Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions) postdoctoral researcher (2024-2026) Maarja Merivoo-Parro researchers the nature of the seemingly spontaneous humanitarian aid from Finns to Estonians in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as Estonia emerged from Soviet rule.

Merivoo-Parro was awarded a prize in the prestigious Falling Walls Lab MSCA competition. Falling Walls Labs MSCA is an international pitching competition that offers Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) grantees the opportunity to present their projects and innovative ideas to the scientific communityin the form of a short three-minute presentation. In the presentations, researchers will explain how their research helps break down barriers in science and society.

There were over 100 applicants to the competition, and in the end 17 participants made it to the final, 3 of whom were announced as winners. The event took place in Denmark as part of the Danish Presidency of the EU. Falling Walls Lab competitions are organised at national and local level around the world. Next up for Merivoo-Parro is the global final in Berlin on 6 November.

"The competition was part of a conference on the future of research in Europe and it was a very interesting experience. I am grateful to be part of this passionate group of researchers," comments Merivoo-Parro.