University of Tartu / Estonia
University of Helsinki / Finland
People
Prof. Ülo Mander, University of Tartu, Estonia
Ülo Mander is a Professor of Physical Geography and Landscape Ecology, University of Tartu, Estonia. Main research interest: biogeosciences (carbon and nutrient cycling in wetlands and forests; greenhouse gas emission in wetlands and forests), landscape ecology (landscape structure and related material fluxes) and ecological engineering (constructed wetlands and riparian buffers zones). Was supervisor of 43 PhD theses and 4 postdocs, currently supervising 5 PhD students.Been involved in 20 EU 5th, 6th, 7th FP, Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects. Was visiting professor at research centers in Germany, Sweden, Norway, Japan, China, USA and France. Currently leading a EU Horizon project LiWeFor and a ERC Advanced Grant PeatlandN2O.
Assoc. Prof. Kaido Soosaar, University of Tartu, Estonia
Kaido Soosaar is an associate professor at the Department of Geography, University of Tartu, Estonia. His studies focus on the physical, biological and chemical processes of trace gas exchange between soil, vegetation and atmosphere using the chamber and Eddy Covariance technique. His main research areas include investigating the impact of management practises and ecological restoration of wetlands on C- and N-cycle and assessing the effect of weather patterns in drained peatland forests, annual grasslands and croplands on greenhouse gas fluxes.
Prof. Mari Pihlatie, University of Helsinki, Finland
Mari Pihlatie is a professor and head of unit of Environmental Soil Science at the University of Helsinki, and she is a leader of Methane and nitrous oxide exchange of forests research group and the research director of the SMEAR-Agri research station, a state-of-the-art research station measuring climatic and air quality impacts of northern agriculture. She has received science and impact prizes for her work as a world leading scientist in developing methods to measure fluxes of greenhouse gases from soil-plant systems and revealing boreal trees as sources of nitrous oxide and methane. Her research spans from wetlands to forests and agriculture with a focus on quantifying greenhouse gas flux dynamics and understanding processes in the plant-soil-atmosphere interface.
Dr. Mireia Plà Castellana, KIT, Germany
Mireia Plà Castellana is a geologist graduated from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (2013). She has a master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering specializing in hydrogeology from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (2016). She holds a doctorate in Water Science and Technology from the University of Girona (2023). The main topic of the thesis was the application of mathematical models to detect pollutants in wastewater and drinking water using spectrophotometric probes. Her professional experience includes working as a hydrogeological technician, a researcher, and a project manager on multiple projects of public and private funds related to the detection of contaminants in soils and water. Currently, she is a postdoctoral researcher at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and is involved in different environmental projects related to fertilizer management and GHG monitoring.
Prof. Lulie Melling, TROPI, Malaysia
Lulie Melling is the founding member and director of the Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Unit, now the Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute (TROPI). She has since been working on several research projects involving peatland ecosystems, developing strategies for sustainable peatland management, and working with local communities to promote environmental sustainability. Her current research focuses on greenhouse gas fluxes from tropical peatlands, using advanced research technologies such as eddy covariance coupled with the Internet of Things. Her dedication to her work and passion for the environment have earned her widespread recognition and respect in the scientific community. Together with the institute, she produces upcoming scientists to hone their skills to better serve Sarawak and various stakeholders by facilitating the completion of several PhDs, Masters, and undergraduate degrees at multiple universities.
Assoc. Prof. Mikk Espenberg, University of Tartu, Estonia
Dr. Mikk Espenberg. Senior researcher of Environmental microbiology, Dept Geography, Institute of Ecology & Earth Sciences, focusing on research in soil and sediments microbiology. He is also a postdoc at Uni Aberdeen. He will participate in field campaigns, provide microbiome analysis of soils, and contribute to database development. He also takes part in all educational activities.
Assoc. Prof. Jaan Pärn, University of Tartu, Estonia
Dr. Jaan Pärn. Senior researcher in physical geography, Dept Geography, Institute of Ecology & Earth Sciences, is an expert in biogeochemistry of the world’s peatlands. He will take part in all field campaigns and organising expeditions and educational events in tropical sites. He will contribute to the tracer and isotopologue analyses, soil moisture manipulation experiments, and global modelling of wetland forests GHG budgets.
Prof. Ivan Mammarella, University of Helsinki, Finland
Prof. Ivan Mammarella. He is a group leader of micrometeorology group at Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR), PI of ICOS Hyytiälä station, participated and lead multiple EU-projects. He has published over 160 peer reviewed articles (1 in Nature, 1 in Nature Climate Change, 1 in Nature Communication, 2 in PNAS, 1 in Science Advances and 3 in Nature Scientific Reports), h-index of 37.