Uppsala University political scientist wins the 2025 Researchers’ Grand Prix

Congratulations on the win! How did it feel to receive the prize?

"Incredible! Proud to have a trophy! As a child, I was always so impressed by my sporting friends’ trophy shelves. I was bad at sports and didn’t understand that those trophies were handed out right, left and centre – I thought all my friends were the top athletes in their sports in Sweden. It’s taken 34 years, but now I finally have my own huge trophy and I love it!"

What was the hardest thing about participating in the competition?

"Summarising your research in four minutes might sound difficult, but it’s actually even more difficult than it sounds. It’s best to have a personal ‘story’ that anchors the topic in an experience that anyone can relate to. And you should say something about why it’s important to society. And describe your methodology of course – and the results, and finally reconnect to the framing you gave your topic in your introduction. It’s incredibly time-consuming to write a text that does all that in under 500 words. Every word has to be worth its weight in gold."

What will you bring from the competition into your everyday life as a researcher at the University?

"Those of us who were selected for the heats and later the final received coaching from presentation expert Anders Sahlman, which was surprisingly instructive. I was a pretty confident public speaker beforehand, but I have to say that Anders’ input taught me several things that I will use every time I speak in front of people in the future, whether for students or at a conference."

Will you be able to use some insights from the process of compressing your research into 500 words for the Researchers’ Grand Prix in your teaching and supervision?

"Being part of the Grand Prix has made me a better writer, which is always important in academic contexts, but perhaps above all in the role of supervisor. I have three doctoral students who are all about to enter the final sprint for their thesis projects, and at that point it's important to have a supervisor who has an eye for good text. I hope to be able to use the knowledge I gained from the Grand Prix to help them articulate their main narratives."

According to you, what is the most important thing to think about when you want to reach a wider audience as quickly and effectively as possible with your research?

"The most important thing is to immediately throw out a ‘hook’ that grabs the audience, something they can recognise from everyday life, or a promise of what’s to come. For example, I began by saying, “In four minutes, I’m going to convince you that what happens to our data after we die is one of the most important issues of the century.” If you can find a wording like “why Selma Lagerlöf is Sweden’s most interesting author” or “why granite is such a mysterious rock form”, you have already come a long way."

Johan Ahlenius