ACADEMIC INFORMATION


Research interests

• theory and semiotics of biological mimicry
• theory and history of zoosemiotics
• ecosemiotics, interrelations of nature and culture
• Estonian nature writing, ecocriticism

Lecture courses

• Ecosemiotics - Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu
  (2012 autumn)
• Zoosemiotics - Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu
  (2012 spring)
• Zoosemiotics: Umwelt and animal communication (in English)- Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu (2012 autumn)
• Supervisor's seminar - Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu
  (every semester)
• Nature writing - Department of Literature and Folklore, University of Tartu
  (2004 spring, with K. Tüür)

Funded research

• Centre of Excellency in Cultural Theory (Archimedes Foundation / European Regional Development Fund), investigator 2007-2013 (head of the centre: Valter Lang, University of Tartu, Faculty of Philosophy; prinicipial investicator of the research group in semiotics: Kalevi Kull).
• Target financed theme No SF0180056s12 "Semiotic modelling of self-description mechanisms" principal investigator 2012-2014 (head of the research theme: Kalevi Kull, Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu).
• Target financed theme No 0182748s06 "Meaning-generation and transdisciplinary methodology of semiotic analysis of culture", investigator 2006-2011 (head of the research theme: Peeter Torop, Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu).
• Estonian Science Foundation grant No 7790 "Dynamical zoosemiotics and animal representations", grant holder 2009-2012 (Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu).
• Estonian Science Foundation grant No 6670 "Theory of mimicry and ecosemiotic approach to imitation", grant holder 2006-2008 (Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu).
• Target financed theme No 0032471s03 "Topology and texture of Estonian literature. [Intersemiotic analysis]", investigator 2003-2005 (head of the research theme: Virve Sarapik, Estonian Literary Museum).
• Estonian Science Foundation grant No 5230 "The outlines of the ecological dimension of semiotics and the analysis of Estonian examples", investigator 2002-2005 (grant holder: Kalevi Kull, Department of Semiotics, University of Tartu).

Invited plenary lectures

• Biosemiotics for Ecocritical Studies: Memory, Semiosis, and Change. Conference "Environmental Change - Cultural Change". University of Bath, ASLE-UK, EASLCE, UK. 1-4.10.2010.
• Semiotic Selection, Cooption and Good Old Darwin (with Karel Kleisner). Conference "Gatherings in Biosemiotics 9". Charles University in Prague, ISBS, Czech Republic. 30.06-5.07.2009.

Academic services

• Expert evaluations to Estonian Science Foundation, Foundation Archimedes, Tallinn University Press a. o.
• Trainings given to Tallinn Technical University (ecosemiotics in landscape architecture), Libraries of Jõgevamaa county (Estonian nature writing), Tartu Environmental Education Centre (semiotician in nature), Estonian Native Language Teachers Association (ecocriticism and nature writing), Graduate School of Culture Studies and Arts (peer-reviewing) a. o.
• Reviews to academic publishers Rodopi, Springer, journals Biosemiotics, Social Semiotics, Trans a. o.

Membership in academic organisations

• Estonian Naturalists Society (Vice-president 2007-2010)
• Estonian Semiotics Association (Vice-chairman 2006-2008, 2010-2012)
• Estonian Literary Society
• Estonian Writers' Union
• European Association for the Study of Literature, Culture and Environment (Member of advisory board 2010-...)
• International Society for Biosemiotic Studies (Member of the executive board 2010-2012, vice-president 2012-...)
• Nordic Association for Semiotic Studies (Member of the board 2011-...)