Recipients of University of Tartu honorary decorations announced

On 28 October, the senate of the University of Tartu decided to award the highest recognition granted to university members – the University of Tartu Grand Medal – to Professor of Art History Juhan Maiste, Professor of Science Education Miia Rannikmäe, and Legal Counsel Aliis Liin. Rector Toomas Asser also approved the recipients of the University of Tartu Star of Appreciation, Medal, Badge of Distinction and the decoration “100 Semesters at the University of Tartu”.

Recipient of the University of Tartu Grand Medal, Juhan Maiste is a Professor of Art History, essayist and poet. In addition to years of teaching at the University of Tartu, the Estonian Academy of Arts and the Estonian University of Life Sciences, he has been a visiting professor at the universities of Rome, Helsinki, Turku etc. Besides academic activities, he has been a passionate advocate of heritage conservation and stood for preserving the Estonian manor culture. Maiste is Doctor Honoris Causa of the Latvian Academy of Sciences and an honorary member of the Estonian Landscape Architects Union.

Miia Rannikmäe has been working at the University of Tartu since 1975. In 2008, she was elected the Professor of Science Education. In 2013, she became the Head of the Centre for Science Education. She has led many international research projects and projects funded by the Estonian Research Council, worked as a Fulbright Scholar in the USA, and is a member of the steering committees of international professional organisations. In 2015, Rannikmäe was elected the honorary doctor of the University of Eastern Finland.

Aliis Liin graduated from the University of Tartu School of Law in 1999 and defended her master’s thesis, “Academic freedom and autonomy of the university”, in 2010. She has been working as the Legal Counsel of the University of Tartu for 25 years. In a discerning and meticulous manner, she scrutinises most documents governing the university’s day-to-day activities. To her credit, the university bylaws serve, for their high level, as a model for other universities and, more widely, to the public sector of Estonia. In addition, she is actively involved in the revision of Estonia’s higher education and research legislation.

Rector Toomas Asser recognised university members with the University of Tartu Medal, Badge of Distinction and the decoration “100 Semesters at the University of Tartu”. Non-university individuals who have rendered considerable services to the university were honoured with the University of Tartu Star of Appreciation.

The rector will present the university’s honorary decorations to the recipients at a ceremony on 25 November.

All university members may nominate candidates for the honorary decorations of the university. They must submit the candidate’s name and a brief justification of the nomination on the university’s website. The senate makes the decision on awarding the Grand Medal at its meeting in October; the rector decides the awarding of the Medal, the Badge of Distinction and the decoration “100 Semesters at the University of Tartu” immediately after the senate’s meeting in October.

Further information:

Tõnis Karki, Academic Secretary, University of Tartu, 737 5605, 529 7917, tonis.karki@ut.ee

Please find below the list of recipients of University of Tartu honorary decorations.

Recipients of University of Tartu honorary decorations in 2022

University of Tartu Grand Medal

Aliis Liin, Legal Counsel, Rector’s Strategy Office
Juhan Maiste, Professor of Art History, Institute of History and Archaeology
Miia Rannikmäe, Professor of Science Education, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences

University of Tartu Star of Appreciation

Janika Hango, MTÜ Tartu Welcome Centre, CEO
Taavet Hinrikus, entrepreneur and investor, founder of Creative Destruction Lab and partner
Vahur Kraft, business executive and banker, University of Tartu council member until 2021
Neinar Seli, entrepreneur, President of Estiko Group
Anna Sumyk, MTÜ Ukraina Maja, Board Member
Sten Tamkivi, entrepreneur and investor, founder of Creative Destruction Lab and partner
Tiiu Vitsut, Education and Cultural Specialist at the Embassy of the USA in Estonia

University of Tartu Medal

Kristi Kerge, Head of International Cooperation, International Cooperation and Protocol Unit
Jana Kivastik, Associate Professor in Human Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine
Kairi Kreegipuu, Professor of Experimental Psychology, Head of Institute, Institute of Psychology
Reet Kurg, Professor of Molecular Biomedicine, Director, Institute of Technology
Karmen Lust, Associate Professor in Physical and Electrochemistry, Institute of Chemistry
Asko Lõhmus, Professor in Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences
Arne Merilai, Professor of Estonian Literature, Institute of Cultural Research
Heiki Pagel, Head of Estates Office
Karl Pajusalu, Professor of History and Dialects of Estonian Language, Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics
Erik Puura, Visiting Research Fellow, Institute of Technology
Ivika Puusepp, Head of Study Information System and Analysis Unit until 2022, Office of Academic Affairs
Kristel Reim, Head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Kõu Timpmann, Associate Professor in Biophysics, Institute of Physics
Ülo Valk, Professor of Estonian and Comparative Folklore, Institute of Cultural Research
Viljo Vider, Head of Institutional Development Service, Estates Office
Säde Viirlaid, Lecturer in Organic Chemistry until 2022, Institute of Chemistry
Vallo Volke, Professor of Endocrine Physiology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine
Andres Võrk, Analyst, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies

University of Tartu Badge of Distinction

Dmytro Fishman, Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence, Institute of Computer Science
Roomet Jakapi, Associate Professor of History of Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics
Pelle Jakovits, Lecturer of Distributed Systems, Institute of Computer Science
Kristel Kajak, Conservator, Institute of History and Archaeology
Külli Kalamees-Pani, Coordinator for Nature Education, Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden
Martin Kaljula, Senior Specialist for Research Projects, Institute of Computer Science
Maire Karelson, Associate Professor in Dermatovenereology, Institute of Clinical Medicine
Rein Kermes, Lecturer in Propaedeutics of Internal Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine
Liisa Marie Kerner, student of Medicine
Arvo Kikas, Associate Professor in X-ray Spectroscopy, Institute of Physics
Marco Kirm, Professor in Experimental Physics, Institute of Physics
Vambola Kisand, Associate Professor in Materials Science, Institute of Physics
Gerson Stefan Klumpp, Professor of Finno-Ugric Languages, Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics
Marko Kohv, Research Fellow of Applied Geology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences
Kadri Koorem, Research Fellow in Plant Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences
Janek Kraavi, Lecturer of Estonian Literature and Contemporary Culture, Institute of Cultural Research
Karl Kruusamäe, Associate Professor of Robotics Engineering, Institute of Technology
Agnes Laasimer, Senior Laboratory Assistant, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine
Liina Lepp, Lecturer in Didactics, Institute of Education
Kaia Linkberg, Academic Affairs Specialist-Secretary, Institute of Clinical Medicine
Kristi Lõuk, Project Manager, Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics
Eva Mõtte, Coordinator, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine
Urmas Nõmmik, Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Studies, School of Theology and Religious Studies
Ester Oras, Associate Professor of Archaeology, Institute of History and Archaeology; Associate Professor in Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry
Anu Ormisson-Lahe, Junior Lecturer in Art History, Institute of History and Archaeology
Ivika Ostonen-Märtin, Professor in Root Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences
Alina Paas, Intellectual Property Analyst, Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Marika Padrik, Associate Professor of Speech Therapy, Institute of Education
Kärt Puura, Senior Specialist for Salary Arrangements, Human Resources Office
Kersti Pärna, Associate Professor in Health Promotion, Institute of Family Medicine and Public Health
Aigi Rahi-Tamm, Associate Professor of Archival Studies, Institute of History and Archaeology
Hannes Ruusmaa, bachelor’s student of Gene Technology
Ranet Rõõmussaar, Academic Affairs Specialist, Institute of Education
Ingrid Sahk, Curator, University of Tartu Museum
Marina Semtšenko, Professor of Evolutionary Plant Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences
Marten Seppel, Associate Professor of Early Modern History, Institute of History and Archaeology
Olena Solohub, Coordinator, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies
Kadri Suija, Associate Professor of Family Medicine, Institute of Family Medicine and Public Health
Alar Sõrmus, Assistant in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Institute of Clinical Medicine
Maria Žuravljova, Junior Lecturer in Youth Work, Narva College
Katrin Tamm, CDL-Estonia Program Manager, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
Tiit Tammaru, Professor of Urban and Population Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences
Igor Taro, master’s student of Strategic Management
Pierre Clément Thévenin, PhD student of Law
Kalle Tihemets, Senior Specialist for Information Technology, Information Technology Office
Raul Toomla, Lecturer in International Relations Theory, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies
Andreas Tulver, student of Medicine
Marko Uibu, Associate Professor of Social Innovation, Institute of Social Studies
Dominique Unruh, Professor in Cryptography, Institute of Computer Science
Irja Vaas, Junior Lecturer in Didactics of Handicraft and Home Economics, Institute of Education