Meet the NSO Board: Suvi Ruuskanen

Joining the NSO Board in 2025 is Suvi Ruuskanen who is replacing Kai Lindström as the Finnish representative. Suvi is an evolutionary ecologist and ecophysiologist at the University of Jyväskylä. 

What is your current research about and what do you find exciting about it?

The majority of our work currently focuses on discovering the cellular and molecular mechanisms via which organisms respond to various environmental challenges within and across generations. I am especially excited about our research on role of the gut microbiome on host responses to the environment, and our work on the mechanisms mediating paternal effects. The field is only starting to unravel these mechanisms in eco-evolutionary context in wild populations, and birds in particular, and there is a lot to discover!

What are your aspirations as the Finnish representative on the NSO board?

I want to continue building a strong community of the nordic ecologists, and especially support early-career researchers in the academic journey. Collaboration and networks are so important both for science advancement, but also when we want to make an impact outside academia.

What is a current challenge for ecology in Finland?

Similarly as in many other countries, it is the challenge in finding funding for fundamental science - and fundamental science is the basis for everything. 

What do you like to do outside your research?

I like to go hiking and horseback-riding, and enjoy gardening

What is your favourite bird?

Uh, that is a very difficult question! I would say it is one of our study species, actually my first study species,  the pied flycatcher. They are maybe a little undervalued, but express such interesting colour variation, and the ability for such small songbirds to perform long migrations never stops to amaze me.