Researcher Joy Bhattacharjee from University of Oulu presenting his work to Jari-Pekka Nousu from LUKE

National Modelling Seminar 2023 gathered together researchers of hydrological and environmental modelling

Finland’s researchers in hydrological and environmental modelling gathered to the cultural centre Sofia in Vuosaari on 20th November, to discuss the current advances in the field. The annual event of Water Association Finland was sponsored this year by Natural Resources Institute Finland LUKE and hosted by Samuli Launiainen and Jari-Pekka Nousu.

The event was organised at the cultural centre Sofia in Vuosaari by the Baltic Sea. View from the window. Photo: Annukka Pekkarinen
The event was organised at the cultural centre Sofia in Vuosaari by the Baltic Sea. Photo: Annukka Pekkarinen

The first invited keynote talker was Cintia Uvo from Finnish Environment Institute SYKE, and one of the PI’s in our Freshwater Competence Centre. Cintia Uvo presented the new Digital Waters – DIWA flagship, which is a Research Council of Finland – funded Finnish Flagship, focusing on Digital Twins of our freshwater resources.

Connecting people, connecting infrastructures, connecting models – to make sure that those who work with models know what the other groups and organisations working with models are doing. Pulling all of this together is one of the early stage important tasks of DIWA flagship, tells Cintia Uvo.

Cintia Uvo from Finnish Environment Institute presenting the new Digital Waters flagship
Cintia Uvo from Finnish Environment Institute presenting the new Digital Waters flagship, funded by the Research Council of Finland

The audience was particularly interested in knowing how the flagship will ensure implementation, stakeholder communication, governance and policy matters in such a wide project. A group of researchers within DIWA is focused on these matters, but this is an overarching issue that must be an integral part of the whole project and all of its themes, explains Uvo.

DIWA will be surely followed closely – or joined – by many of the Finnish environmental modeling field. The new PhD pilot of the Finnish government will also likely play a role extending the reach of the flagship wider through partnerships and cooperation.

The other keynote talk of the day was from Samuli Junttila from University of Eastern Finland. Junttila is a forestry scientist who recently received ERC funding and is therefore starting his own lab focusing on forest health in the changing environmental conditions. Tree mortality is increasing at a worrying pace and Junttila is mapping the change by means of remote sensing and deep learning. Junttila is also a well-established science communicator, bringing the Finnish top forest science in the general knowledge of people in different ways – including through scientifically accurate rap music.

Samuli Junttila from University of Eastern Finland and the 2nd keynote talk of the day on tree health research.
Samuli Junttila from University of Eastern Finland and the 2nd keynote talk of the day on tree health research.

The poster session had input from several different organisations, with wide ranging themes and topics. Freshwater Competence Centre was represented by Marie Korppoo from Finnish Environment Institute SYKE talking about the water quality and nutrient load model VEMALA & Joy Bhattacharjee from University of Oulu, presenting Green-Digi-Basin project work on modeling Nature-Based Solutions on catchment scale.

Marie Korppoo from Finnish Environment Institute SYKE presenting the VEMALA model for Kseniia Korunova from University of Eastern Finland. Photo: Annukka Pekkarinen
Marie Korppoo from Finnish Environment Institute SYKE presenting the VEMALA model for Kseniia Korunova from University of Eastern Finland. Photo: Annukka Pekkarinen

 

The last Freshwater Competence Centre presentation of the day was in the Freshwater – session, Erik van Rooijen from Aalto University discussed the variety of river bank erosion models and possibilities for linking them for the digital twin – a work in progress that is definitely worth following, as the digital twin is progressing. The work is carried out in cooperation with Eliisa Lotsari from Aalto University, who was chairing the Freshwater – session.
Erik van Rooijen from Aalto University talking about his work on the river bank erosion measurements and models. Photo: Annukka Pekkarinen
Erik van Rooijen from Aalto University talking about his work on the river bank erosion measurements and models. Photo: Annukka Pekkarinen

Freshwater Competence Centre would like to thank all the presenters, the conference hosts Samuli Launiainen and Jari-Pekka Nousu, Natural Resources Institute Finland LUKE and Water Association Finland for a fantastic day and good organising – the event was planned in a way that really fostered networking and dialogue between the experts present. Looking forwards to next year!

Eliisa Lotsari, the chair of Water Association Finland and the organisers of the National Modeling Seminar 2023, Samuli Launiainen and Jari-Pekka Nousu from Natural Resources Institute LUKE. Photo: Annukka Pekkarinen
Eliisa Lotsari, the chair of Water Association Finland and the organisers of the National Modeling Seminar 2023, Samuli Launiainen and Jari-Pekka Nousu from Natural Resources Institute LUKE. Photo: Annukka Pekkarinen
Participation of the FWCC experts in the conference was supported by Green Digi Basin and Hydro RI Infrastructure, that are funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU