News 28 Nov 2016
Marja Tammilehto-Luode awarded for promoting the use of geographic information
Statistics Finland's Senior Adviser Marja Tammilehto-Luode has received the Lars H. Backer Prize for major contribution to the development of a geospatial foundation for official statistics and for significantly improving the relevance of geospatial statistics for evidence-based decision making.
Lars H. Backer was one of the founders of the EFGS (European Forum for Geography and Statistics) and was its long-standing executive director. The EFGS is a network of experts that currently includes representatives from over 40 statistical offices. During his professional career at Statistics Sweden and as executive director of the EFGS, Backer's main idea was to develop the integration of statistical and geospatial information belonging to the European Statistical System.
The Lars H. Backer Prize is awarded in honour of the life work of Backer in advancing the use of statistical data based on geographic information. The prize can be awarded to a person or an organisation whose activities have significantly contributed to the use of statistical data based on geographic information, preparing legislation related to the use of geographic information, conducting research, organising training and education, or developing innovative tools and software.
The first Lars H. Backer Prize was awarded to Marja Tammilehto-Luode at the EFGS 2016 conference in Paris on 16 November 2016. Ms Marja Tammilehto-Luode is a nationally and internationally esteemed expert on the use of statistical data based on geographic information and a long-term member of the EFGS Steering Committee.
The EFGS conference is held yearly, and in autumn 2018 it will be arranged in Helsinki.
Further information: IT Development Manager Rina Tammisto, tel. +358 29 551 3574, firstname.lastname@stat.fi
EFGS President Janusz Dygaszewicz, email j.dygaszewicz@stat.gov.pl
Introduction of the Lars H. Backer Prize on the EFGS conference pages