Description of research and teaching

Markus Holopainen, professor of geoinformatics at the Department of Forest Sciences, forest resource management, since 2012.  

I graduated as MSc of Forest Sciences in 1993, and MSc in Technology in 1995. I received my Ph.D. degree in forest sciences from the University of Helsinki, in 1998, and my Dr.Tech. from the Helsinki University of Technology (HUT, Aalto-University, AU), in 2011. I have worked for most of my career at the University of Helsinki. My current research interests include utilization of 3-D/4-D data in forest mapping, inventory, management, monitoring, and precision forestry. Starting from 2014 my research group Laboratory of Forest Resources Management and Geo-Information Science has been part of the Centre of Excellence in Laser Scanning Research (CoE-LaSR) in which more than 30 Dr.Sc/PhD’s from Finnish Geospatial Research Institute, University of Helsinki, University of Oulu and Aalto University aim to create new knowledge, science, openings and breakthroughs in the emerging field of Laser Scanning. Our group at the University of Helsinki is responsible for forestry applications. Our current and near-future research can be divided into 4 main tasks that are 1) 3D Precision Forestry, 2) 3D forest data and new models, 3) forest health, above ground biomass and biodiversity assessment by improved mapping and monitoring, 4) 3D GIS and RS in Urban Forestry.

In addition to research and teaching, development of the tuition at the University of Helsinki Department of Forest Sciences has been one of my major fields of work. At the moment, I am Head of the Bachelor's Programme in Forest Sciences.