Veronika Kalmus awarded the title of academician in sociology

On 3 December 2025, the General Assembly of the Estonian Academy of Sciences elected new members. In the field of sociology, Professor of Sociology at the University of Tartu, Veronika Kalmus, was named an academician.

Professor Veronika Kalmus, sociologist at the Institute of Social Studies and Programme Director of the Sociology PhD curriculum, is an internationally recognised scholar in sociology and media studies. Her interdisciplinary research addresses, among other themes, mediatization and datafication, the spread of artificial intelligence, the evolution of the surveillance society, the acceleration of social and personal time, shifts in value orientations, and the role of generations in societal change. She has also contributed significantly to the development of social science methodology.

According to Professor Kalmus, being elected to the Academy is an honour bestowed by the leading figures of the academic community. She emphasises that the distinction is not merely a title but, above all, a new and responsible role that involves both the opportunity and the duty to represent her discipline, contribute to the work of Academy committees, and take part in initiatives of broader societal importance. “I have already received a warm invitation to join the Women Academicians’ Assembly—Üheksavägised—and one of my first tasks will be to visit schools in Järva County together with the members. Serving society will likely take a more prominent place in my workload, and I will gladly fulfil this duty,” Kalmus says.

In recent years, Professor Kalmus has led several major international and national research projects, managing up to six projects simultaneously. Her CHANSE-funded project PlatFAMs is nearing completion, as is the third wave of the EU Kids Online study. A new CHANSE project, PROMISE, has just begun, and she also participates in a team grant of the Estonian Research Council (ETAG) led by Professor Tiia Tulviste.

Professor Kalmus is the author of 234 publications in total. Among her recent scholarly achievements, she highlights articles co-authored with Göran Bolin and Rita Figueiras on surveillance societies, datafication, and related mindsets. Based on this collaboration, the authors plan to publish a collective monograph with Routledge. In the near future, she also aims to complete a book on socialization and society, to be published by Edward Elgar Publishing.

Under Professor Kalmus’s leadership, the doctoral programme in sociology at the Institute of Social Studies has seen marked development. Over the past 11 years, during which she has served as programme or subject director, 28 doctoral dissertations in sociology have been successfully defended. She has supervised or co-supervised 16 completed doctoral theses, and is currently supervising five doctoral candidates.

Members of the Estonian Academy of Sciences are selected from among Estonian researchers with outstanding achievements in research and development who have made significant contributions to the advancement of their field. A recording of Professor Kalmus’s presentation at the Candidates’ Conference is available on YouTube.

CV of Veronika Kalmus in Estonian Research Information System