Laura Uusitalo has been appointed Research Professor in Sustainable Fisheries at Luke

Uusitalo will start as Research Professor of Sustainable Fisheries on 1 May 2023 for a term of five years.

PhD, M.Sc. Laura Uusitalo, has been appointed Research Professor of Sustainable Fisheries at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). Uusitalo's five-year term will start on 1 May 2023. Her research focuses on the sustainability of commercial and recreational fisheries and fish stocks, including ecological, economic, and social sustainability. Uusitalo's position will be in Luke's Natural Resources unit and the Fisheries and fish resources group.

Uusitalo has previously worked as a leading researcher and development manager at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE). She is Adjunct Professor in Aquatic Sciences at the University of Helsinki. She received her PhD in Fisheries Science from the University of Helsinki in 2007, and her PhD was renewed last year with a PhD in computer science on Bayesian network modelling of complex systems with sparse data.

What are your thoughts when you start working as a research professor at Luke?

"It's great to be part of Luke's team. Sustainable fisheries are an important part of a sustainable food and economic system, and it is important to develop them from the perspective of ecological, social, and economic sustainability. This is a large and complex issue that requires multidisciplinary collaboration, best research methods and listening to stakeholders in society to study and develop. It's great to be working more closely with fish again!" Uusitalo comments.

What do you expect from your first term as a research professor in Luke?

"I expect that I will be able to work with a diverse group of domestic and international experts for a more sustainable and just world. I hope that the work will include the right balance of focused research, networking and collaboration, and social interaction."

"Laura will be an excellent addition to our research and modelling expertise in fisheries and fisheries resources and will also provide a much-needed boost to our recreational fisheries research. The field of sustainable fisheries is new at Luke, and it is great to have another professor in fisheries research," comments Sirpa Thessler, Director of Luke's natural resources unit.

Research Professors are in key positions for the scientific expertise and international visibility and effectiveness of Luke. The aim is to ensure top-level research in Luke’s strategic fields, as well as applicability of research in business.