Tarmo Soomere
Tarmo Soomere is mathematician and marine scientist. He graduated 1980 from Lomonossov Moscow State University, earned PhD in oceanology 1984 and Doctor of Mathematics 1992, and became Professor of Coastal Engineering at Tallinn University of Technology 2005. Since 2007 he is elected member and since 2014 the President of the Estonian Academy of Sciences. In this capacity, he is de facto acting as Chief Science Advisor in the country and chaired in 2020–2023 the European Science Advisors’ Forum (ESAF). Currently he is chairing the International Science Council (ISC) European Members group.
His scientific interests are concentrated to the analysis of wave climate, wave-driven coastal processes, mitigation of marine hazards, and preventive methods of coastal protection. He has published >200 research papers and dozens of popular science pieces and science policy essays.
He has received twice (2002 and 2013) the national science award, 2007 the Baltic Assembly Prize for science and 2014 state decoration of 3rd class White Star order for developing coastal science in Estonia. International recognitions include membership of Academia Europaea, foreign membership of Latvian Academy of Sciences and Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, and honorary doctorate by Klaipeda University. Several highly unusual distinctions for a scientist came from society: he was declared the Person of the Year in Estonia 2005 by daily newspaper The Postman for his contribution to the forecast of a devastating storm and received The Friend of Press 2017 award by the Estonian Society of Newspapers.