Dr. Kirsi Tirri is a Full Professor of Education at the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Helsinki.  She is also a Visiting Professor at St. John’s University, New York, USA. Tirri has been the President of ECHA (European Council for High Ability) for the years 2008-2012, the President of the SIG International Studies at AERA (American Educational Research Association) for the years 2010-2013 and the President of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters for the years 2016-2017. She was a Research Director at the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies for the years 2017-2019.

Her research interests include school pedagogy, moral and religious education, talent development and gifted education, teacher education and cross-cultural studies. She has published 14 monographs and numerous journal articles related to these fields. She serves in 13 Editorial Boards of educational journals. She has supervised 32 doctoral dissertations in education and theology and mentored many postdoctoral students who are now professors and researchers in education. She leads the school pedagogy research group at the Faculty of Educational Sciences. She has led the Finnish team in many national and international research projects.