I completed my studies from the BSc level to PhD at the University of Turku, Finland. In 1989-1990 I was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Indiana University, Bloomington. Since 1992 I have worked as a Senior Lecturer of Environmental
Science at the Department of Biology, University of Turku.

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My principal research interests include evolutionary theory, urban ecology and environmental history. I have
written or co-edited several books (see my CV), most recently The Long Shadows: A global environmental history of the Second World
War (together with Simo Laakkonen and Richard Tucker; Oregon State
University Press, 2017), Saimaannorppa ja ihminen. Sosiaalisesti kestävän luonnonsuojelun haaste (together with Minttu Jaakkola and Lasse Peltonen; Into Kustannus Oy, Helsinki, 2018), and Suomen lintutiede 1828-1974 (together with Esa Lehikoinen, Risto Lemmetyinen and Mia Rönkä; Faros, Turku, 2020).

I gave my first academic course (Problems in Sociobiology) in spring 1984 at the University of Turku. Since 1992 I have been responsible for coordinating the teaching of Environmental Science at the Department of Biology, University of Turku.