Ilmatieteen Laitos (FMI, Finnish Meteorological Institute)

The Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) is a governmental research institute of about 690 employees providing the national weather service in Finland. Besides topics related to the neutral atmosphere, space research belongs to the statutory tasks of FMI, with about 50 employees (scientific and technical personnel). One of the challenges for the research of solar-terrestrial physics in FMI is to support the attempts to predict space weather. FMI has a crucial role especially in the establishment of European space weather activities. FMI is or has been a partner in about 25 FP6 projects, and is presently participating in about 15 FP7 projects. FMI has the coordinator status in two ERC projects and in one Marie Curie Grant Agreement. Besides these, FMI coordinates one and is a partner in two other EU LIFE+ 07 projects. FMI Administration can provide contractual and juridical support throughout the project. FMI jointly with the Department of Physics of the University of Helsinki forms the Kumpula Space Centre to foster scientific collaboration in space sciences and Earth observation activities.