Three new Wallenberg Academy Fellows at Uppsala University
The grant will provide Rafael Ahlskog, Haim Treves and Stuart Turnbull-Dugartes with funding for the next five years along with the chance to participate in a mentoring programme run by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Rafael Ahlskog, Haim Treves and Stuart Turnbull-Dugartes have been named as new Wallenberg Academy Fellows at Uppsala University. They conduct research on the influence of genetic and environmental factors on socio-economic outcomes, more efficient photosynthesis, and the formation of societal norms.
The Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation has selected a total of 27 young researchers as Wallenberg Academy Fellows this year. The grant will provide the selected researchers with funding for the next five years along with the chance to participate in a mentoring programme run by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
Rafael Ahlskog. Social scientists are increasingly mapping the influence of genes on socio-economic outcomes, but the effect of a genetic factor can vary depending on the environment. Rafael Ahlskog is a researcher at the Department of Government at Uppsala University and, as a Wallenberg Academy Fellow, will construct a large database of environmental factors and then study the interactive effect of genes and the environment on outcomes such as educational choices and income.
Stuart Turnbull-Dugartes. According to prevailing societal norms, we are expected to have a positive attitude towards LGBTQ+ rights. But how much do these norms actually influence our core values? This question is at the heart of Stuart Turnbull-Dugartes’s project, in which he will study how societal norms shape – and sometimes hide – our private beliefs. Turnbull-Dugartes is currently at the University of Southampton, UK, but as a Wallenberg Academy Fellow will work at Uppsala University.
Haim Treves. Food production needs to increase dramatically if we are to feed all of humanity in the future. One way to increase yields could be to make photosynthesis more effective. As a Wallenberg Academy Fellow, Haim Treves will look for bottlenecks in photosynthesis, to understand how crops can be modified to grow faster. Treves is currently at RPTU (Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität) in Germany, but as a Wallenberg Academy Fellow will work at Uppsala University.
Linda Koffmar