Finland has been generously supporting science, which ranks it today among the top countries regarding funding in research. Thus I moved from a small French laboratory working on plant viruses, to a brand new biomedicine facility in Helsinki.
The principal investigator, Tomi Makela, directs a large group working on a variety of cancer related projects funded by the Finnish centre of excellence programme. It was a very fruitful, challenging environment where the latest techniques in molecular biology were immediately implemented.
After a two-year post-doctoral period, I found a job as a science attach at the French embassy in Helsinki. My current work allows me to meet a wide array of academics, administrators and politicians. I participate in the organisation of different events: science days, cafe scientifiques, debates and seminars as well as funding programmes. I write a science newsletter summarising recent Finnish science breakthroughs and the latest funding policies in research (www.bulletinselectroniques.com ).
All in all, there is no perfect job, but if you enjoy communicating
about science and doing networking, you might want to give it a thought.
Marie Aronson (Fellows Meeting 2006)
