Prof Dr Tarmo Soomere is mathematician and marine scientist, PhD (1984), Doctor of Mathematics (1992), Professor of Coastal Engineering at Tallinn University of Technology (2005), Elected Member since 2007 and the President 2014–2024 of the Estonian Academy of Sciences, de facto acting as Chief Science Advisor in the country. He was chairman of the European Science Advisors’ Forum 2020–2023 and serves as chairman of the International Science Council European Members since 2021.
His scientific interests are concentrated to the mathematics of wave processes, wave climate, wave-driven coastal processes, mitigation of marine hazards, and preventive methods of coastal protection. He has published >250 research papers and many dozens of science policy essays.
He has received state decoration of 3rd class White Star order and twice the national science award for developing coastal science in Estonia. He is a member of Academia Europaea, foreign member of Latvian and Lithuanian academies of sciences, and honorary doctor of Klaipeda University. Several highly unusual distinctions came from society: he was declared the Person of the Year in Estonia 2005 for his contribution to the forecast of a devastating storm and received The Friend of Press 2017 award by the Estonian Society of Newspapers