About
Biosketch illustrated
First publication
1980
Collecting data for first scientific publication.
Peatland bird census early in the morning.
June 1979. (Photo: Jukka Meriläinen)
See the publication...
Field assistant
1981
Assisting Gerald Niemi (Florida State University) to collect data for his PhD. Bird census work and vegetation measurements on peatlands in eastern Finland. May-June 1981. (Photo: Ari Rajasärkkä) More...
First extended working
period abroad 1986
After completing MSc, working at the Natural Resources Research Institute,
University of Minnesota, for 4 months.
July-October 1986. More...
Co-authored a textbook
1989
Co-authored textbook "Biometry – Statistics for Ecologists" (together with Esa Ranta and Hannu Rita).
Published 1989, currently in its 10th print.
Working on PhD
1989
Collecting data for PhD from
field experiments of herbivory patterns.
May-October 1989.
PhD examination
1991
Opponent was prof. Jorma Tahvanainen (left) and custos prof. Juha Tiainen.
November 1991. PhD thesis...
Post doc at the
Michigan State University 1994-95
Studying forest insect populations and landscape structure. With profs. Bill Mattson and Deb McCullough. 1994-1995. (Photo from H J Andrews Experimental Forest, Oregon.)
Professor of Forest Ecology, Joensuu 1996-
Started August 1996. Full-time. Initially a temporary appointment for 5 years,
since 2002 with an open-ended contract.
(Photo: Petri Martikainen)
Starting the FIRE
experiment 1999
Establishing large scale experimental facility FIRE, to study the effects of fire and harvest intensity on forests. (Main photo: Kauko Salo)
More on the FIRE...
Sabbaticals
2005/06 & 2017/18
Working in Wisconsin, Alberta, Arizona, British Columbia, Hawaii, Tasmania. Photo: Visiting Drs. Sue Baker (on the right) and Marie Yee, University of Tasmania, April 2018. (Photo: Simon Grove)
Reaching 25 years as a professor in 2021...
Measuring dead wood in a burned forest.
Autumn 2021. More detailed CV below.
(Photo: Helsingin Sanomat/Jukka Gröndahl)
Curriculum vitae
1. Current position
Professor of Forest Ecology
(in Finnish: metsäekologian professori)
University of Eastern Finland (UEF),
Joensuu
since August 1996
2. Education, docentships
1994 Adjunct Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, USA
1992 Docentship, University of Helsinki
1991 PhD, University of Helsinki
1986 MSc, University of Helsinki
3. Major professional appointments (after receiving PhD in 1991)
2017 Sabbatical Leave (part of the current position) (8/2017–7/2018), funded by the Foundations’ Professor Pool Grant
2005 Sabbatical Leave (part of the current position), funded by the Academy of Finland (8/2005–7/2006).
1999 Vice Leader (part of the current position), Centre of Excellence for Forest Ecology and Management, Academy of Finland (1/1999–12/2005).
1996 Professor of Forest Ecology, University of Joensuu/University of Eastern Finland (8/1996-current)
1996 Senior Fellowship at the University of Helsinki (6/1996–7/1996).
1996 Post doc Fellow, University of Helsinki, Dept. Ecology and Systematics (2–4/1996).
1995 Senior Scientist, Academy of Finland, Research Council for Environment and Natural Resources (10/1995–1/1996).
1995 Researcher, University of Helsinki, Dept. Ecology and Systematics (8–9/1995).
1994 Adj. Ast. Professor, Michigan State University, Dept of Entomology, USA (7/1994–12/1995).
1992 Researcher (external), Finnish Forest Research Institute (currently: Natural Resources Institute Finland, 6/1992–5/1995).
1992 Junior Scientist, Academy of Finland (8/1992–7/1995).
1992 Senior Scientist, National Board of Waters and Environment (currently: Finnish Environment Institute, 4-12/1992).
1991 Researcher, Academy of Finland (8/1991–3/1992).
Extended periods working abroad:
2018 USA, Arizona, Flagstaff, Northern Arizona University
2018 Canada, British Columbia, Vancouver, University of British Columbia
2018 Australia, Tasmania, Hobart, University of Tasmania
2006 USA, Wisconsin, Madison, University of Wisconsin
2006 Canada, Alberta, Edmonton, University of Alberta
1994-95 USA, Michigan, East Lansing (adj ast professor), Michigan State University, Dept Entomology
1986 USA, Minnesota, Duluth, University of Minnesota, Natural Resources Research Institute, including shorter visits to Colorado State University, Florida State University, University of Kansas and Princeton University
4. Academic awards and honours
2018 Gold Medal Award, The Federation of Finnish Learned Societies, for servicing science and scientific community for 30 years
2016 Cajander Bronze Medal, The Finnish Society of Forest Science, for the merits in advancing forest science
1989 The British Ecological Society, second prize in the competition for the “Best oral presentation by PhD students”, BES annual congress, Swansea, UK
5. Other academic and professional activities
International research evaluation tasks, review panel memberships and positions of trust in international research funding institutes:
Austria (ASF-FWF), Canada (NSERC, SFM), Germany (DFG), Czech (CSF), Tanzania (CCIAM climate research programme), Norway (RCN), Sweden (FORMAS), Estonia (ERC), South Africa (NRF), the Netherlands (NOSR)
European Science Foundation ESF. Linking community and ecosystem ecology, member of the council 2001–2003 (nominated by the Academy of Finland)
Evaluator tasks of professorships, docentships and PhD theses:
8 times professorship evaluation
11 times docentship (adj ast prof) evaluation
16 times as an opponent (vastaväittäjä) or external examiner in public PhD examinations in Finland and abroad
19 times as a pre-examiner (pre-reviewer, väitöskirjan esitarkastaja) of PhD theses
Serving scientific journals and societies
Forest Ecology and Management, Editor-in-Chief, 2022–ongoing
Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Associate Editor, 2020–ongoing
Forest Ecology and Management, editorial board, 2015–ongoing
Annales Zoologici Fennici, editorial board, 2010-ongoing
Silva Fennica, editorial board, 2009–2018
Metsätieteen Aikakauskirja, editorial board, 2009–2018
Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, editorial board, 2009–2015
Finnish Ornithological Society, president, 1996-1999
Reviewer in about 50 scientific journals (1987–).
Academic and research leadership tasks
1/2013–12/2017
Director of the Doctoral PhD Programme ”Forests and Bioresources FORES”, Faculty of Science and Forestry, UEF
1/2014–12/2015
Head of the School of Forest Sciences, UEF
9/2012–12/2013
Vice Head of the School of Forest Sciences, UEF
9/2012–12/2013
Person in charge of the study major “Forest Sciences”, University of Eastern Finland
1/2000–12/2005
Vice Head of the Centre of Excellence in Forest Ecology and Management, appointed by the Academy of Finland
8/1996–
Leader of the Research Group “Forest Ecology and Biodiversity”, UEF, with 25 completed PhD theses and 62 completed MSc theses under Kouki’s supervision (incl. co-supervised students)
Other administrative tasks, expert group memberships, extension work etc.
University administration
Chairman of the coordinating committee for multidisciplinary Environmental studies at the Univ of Joensuu (1996–2010)
University of Joensuu, Faculty of Forestry, Faculty Council Member (1998–2010)
University of Joensuu, Centre of Continuing Education, Member of the Board (1999–2002)
University of Joensuu, member (vice) of the University Board (2002–2005)
Chairman of the multidisciplinary University committee on the development in the university’s strategic area “Forests and Environment” (2003–2004)
Director of the International Study Programme in Environmental Science and Forestry at the Univ of Eastern Finland (2008–2020)
Expert group memberships (selected, expert and extension work)
Member of the expert group “Restoration of forests in Finland”, Ministry of Environment, 2001–2003
Member of the expert group “Biological criteria for selecting valuable forest conservation areas”, Ministry of Environment, 2002–2003
Member of the scientific advisory board of the Nature Conservation unit of the Finnish Forest and Park Service, 2003–2006
Member of the national steering committee of the assessment of threatened species, Ministry of Environment, 2006–2010
Member of the Science Committee, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Centre, University of Alberta & Alberta Research Council, 2009–2011
Chairman of the national expert group “Assessment of forest habitats in Finland”, 2010–2018
Teaching, coordination, administration and leadership
see Teaching
6. Grant-based research funding
Total amount of grants:
Total ca. 3 600 000 euros