In March 2022, the Wallenberg foundations announced financial support for the employment of Ukrainian scientists at Swedish universities. Following the launch of an open call targeting the SciLifeLab research environment, seven Ukrainian scientists are now recruited at four different universities (UU, UmU, KI, SLU).
“At present, when the lives and plans of many Ukrainians are ruined because of the Russian invasion of my country, feeling global support is vital for us as never before. The SciLifeLab call for Ukrainian scientists, funded by the Wallenberg Foundations, is a possibility to continue our research and our lives out of bomb shelters. I am honored to be a Ukrainian who has received this support”, says Khrystyna Kurta, one of the approved Ukrainian scientists that will join Leif Andersson’s research group at Uppsala University. “I am deeply grateful for the possibility of gaining knowledge that I can bring to my colleagues and my area of interest in Ukraine. I am working with fish culture and looking forward to contributing to Ukraine’s post-war recovery in this field”, she continues.
The call was open to scientists with Ukrainian nationality (senior, Ph.D. and master level) affected by the recent developments in Ukraine, and to Swedish host laboratories with the interest to host a “scientist in need”. The host laboratories were any of the > 250 research groups formally linked to SciLifeLab, all 40 infrastructure units, and all computational and data science communities (DDLS program) across Sweden, as well as those who have previously received KAW funding support via SciLifeLab for COVID-19 research programs. The open call was broadly announced both nationally and internationally.
The selected candidates were: