Please introduce yourself.

I obtained my PhD from TalTech in 2014 with the research topic of modelling and measuring circulation patterns of the marine environment this was performed under the supervision of Prof.Tarmo Soomere. Since then I have been working with the development of different approaches for the synergy of models, remote-sensing and in-situ data for better understanding our marine environment. Prior to my PhD I have worked both in academia and industry having obtained my master degree in Geodesy and Geomatics (specialized in ocean mapping) at the University of New Brunswick, Canada. My industry experience entailed participating and leading international oceanographic marine expeditions. It is here that I obtained firsthand experience on exactly how dynamic and unpredictable our ocean can be but also how it can be safely utilized for marine engineering and navigation applications. My interest in wanting to work in the marine the marine environment was discovered as a young adult and since then I have pursued a profession in this direction.

What are the benefits of your previous work and research experience and knowledge in the professorship?

Having worked for now 20+ years both in academia and industry both in physical oceanography and geodesy disciplines has skilled me in identifying and connecting different societal needs with scientific research ideas. Also, for my oceanography background I first was introduced with working with different instruments and field expeditions (both at land and sea). As a result, I am often open-minded in utilizing new technologies and the development of scientific methods. For instance, presently with students we are exploring the capabilities of new SWOT satellite (launched in December 2023) in terms of its accuracy and identifying marine dynamics. Also, I have been involved in examining machine learning capabilities for forecasting ocean dynamics for various applications, but most importantly using it for identifying and quantifying the drivers of these dynamics.      

What do you want to accomplish as a junior professor?

I am enthusiastic in starting this new phase of my career and there are many ideas floating around, but there are a couple of distinct research directions that I am fond of. The first is that the utilization of satellite data has in some cases revolutionized our understanding of the marine environment both on a global and local scale. These results, however are often only part of the picture. For very often satellite data demonstrates the surface properties/characteristics when in reality there can be even bigger connections occurring underwater, on land and in the atmosphere. So, I am very interested in the development of methods that synergizes different data sets. The second is that changes in our climate are rapidly increasing and it is instrumental that as scientists our results are beneficial to different stakeholders (scientist, government, industry, public etc.). So, it is important that we communicate and work not only with other scientist but also with others groups.  I am also looking forward to working and sharing my knowledge with students.

One surprise that has been in the new position?

Sometimes when the position is mentioned there is a sparkle in the eyes of the younger generation (especially the women). It may signify happiness or aspiration that they can also accomplish in the future.