Welcome to the site of the Wave Engineering Laboratory, originally a part of the Center for Nonlinear Studies in Institute of Cybernetics, Tallinn University of Technology, and now located in the Department of Cybernetics, School of Science, Tallinn University of Technology.
The laboratory was formed on 01.01.2009 to promote and provide a structure for research in water waves and coastal engineering within the Department of Mechanics and Applied Mathematics, Institute of Cybernetics and now is one of the core labs of the Department of Cybernetics, School of Science of Tallinn University of Technology. The laboratory currently comprises one tenured professor, one professor, one junior professor, four scientists with PhD and three PhD students.
The team focuses on complex and nonlinear phenomena in wave dynamics and coastal engineering, and the applications of mathematical methods in wave studies. The scope of research involves, but is not limited to, long wave theory and applications (with emphasize on fast-ferry waves, shallow-water solitons, set-up and run-up phenomena, tsunami research, and generic aspects of coastal hazards), surface wave modelling, wave climate studies, and wave-driven phenomena in coastal engineering, with application to integrated coastal zone management. Rapidly emerging new foci are the use of Lagrangian transport of different substances in marine environment for marine and maritime spatial planning, adequate description of hydrodynamic (wave and water level) extremes, preventive methods for mitigation of marine-induced hazards, and development of coastal vulnerability indices.
CONGRATULATIONS:
Tarmo Soomere received the recognition of International Engineering Educator Honoris Causa „Ing.Paed.IGIP h.c.“ for outstanding contributions in the field of Engineering Education and for long time dedicated work as engineering educator by International Society for Engineering Education IGIP [HON-035] (29.09.2022).
Tarmo Soomere was elected foreign member of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences (01.10.2019).
The Estonian Academy of Sciences has re-elected Tarmo Soomere to be the President of the Academy for the next five years (25.09.2019).
Tarmo Soomere received the title of The Friend of Press in 2017 from the Estonian Newspaper Association (Eesti Ajalehtede Liit, 06.12.2017) and was selected as the fifth most distinguished person in Estonia in 2017 by columnists of the major daily newspaper Postimees (The Postman, 30.12.2017)
Andrea Giudici was one of the 8 selected winners of the “Teadus 3 minutiga” (science in 3 minutes) competition on 27.10.2017
Tarmo Soomere was elected foreign member of the Latvian Academy of Sciences (26.12.2015) and honorary member of the Estonian Scientific Society in Sweden (09.02.2017).
Andrea Giudici presented his idea “Floud, a cloud-based flood monitoring system” at the Tehno Hack 2015 and his team won the special prize from Arrow Electronics Estonia (a photo from the event).
Bert Viikmäe received III prize in the national students research competition in the doctoral students category (18.12.2014).
Bert Viikmäe was awarded a Young Scientist Scholarship by the Estonian Academy of Sciences’ Foundation (14.12.2014).
The Estonian Academy of Sciences has elected Tarmo Soomere to be the President of the Academy for the next five years (15.10.2014).
Andrea Giudici received the best students’ presentation award from the 2nd International Conference Climate Change – The environmental and socio–economic response in the southern Baltic region (Szczecin, Poland, 12–15 May 2014) for his presentation Highly persisting patch formation areas in the Gulf of Finland, the Baltic Sea.
Tarmo Soomere received the state decoration from the President Estonia: III class Order of the White Star (23 February 2014).
Tarmo Soomere was awarded a 2013 National Science Award in engineering sciences for his work “Quantification and mitigation of marine coastal hazards in the Baltic Sea basin”.
Medal of the Baltic Academies of Sciences was awarded to Tarmo Soomere for outstanding results in research cooperation between Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in marine sciences (29 January 2013, the medal).
Master thesis of Rain Männikus “Improving breakwater configuration in Noblessner Port against wind waves and vessel wakes” won II prize at the state competition of students’ research work (2012).
Tarmo Soomere has been elected the Scientist of the Year (2011) of the Tallinn University of Technology (January 2012).
Tarmo Soomere received the title of the best scientist, journalist or teacher that communicates science and technology in Estonia (2011).
Master thesis of Olga Tribštok “Comparison of wave regimes along Estonian and Lithuanian coasts” won a prize at Estonian Academy’s of Sciences student research award competition (2011).
Ira Didenkulova has been elected the Best Young Researcher of the Year (2010) of the Tallinn University of Technology.
Ira Didenkulova has been awarded the Plinius Medal by the European Geosciences Union (2010).
EGU Awards and Medals during the 2010 General Assembly
Estonian Council of Environmental NGOs elected the 2009 Environmental Deed to be Ivar Puura’s and Tarmo Soomere‘s initiative in drawing attention to possible negative environmental influences of the future Nord Stream gas pipeline (18.10.2010)
Estonian Society for Nature Protection (Eesti Looduskaitse Selts) issued a thanksgiving letter to Tarmo Soomere for informing the public and leaders of Estonia, and for ravishing them to protect the Baltic Sea (21.12.2009)
Master thesis of Inga Zaitseva-Pärnaste “Long-term variations of wave fields in the Estonian coastal waters” (June 2009) won the II prize of the national competition of student’s scientific work by the Estonian Academy of Sciences (2009).
A selection of key events
Month of French Science in Estonia (2011)
BONUS+ BalticWay project (2009-2011)
The Baltic Sea as a Bridge : Estonian-Finnish Humboldt-Colloquium (2010)
BalticWay ANNUAL MEETING 18-20 March 2010
Specific scientific interests
- Complex and nonlinear phenomena in wave dynamics and coastal engineering
- Applications of mathematical methods in wave studies
- Long wave theory and applications (with emphasize on fast-ferry waves, shallow-water solitons, runup phenomena, tsunami research, and generic aspects of coastal hazards)
- Surface wave modelling
- Wave climate studies
- Wave-driven phenomena in coastal engineering, with applications to integrated coastal zone management.
- Langrangian transport in marine environment
- Preventive methods for mitigation of marine-induced hazards
Collaboration partners
- University of Bergen, Norway, (hydrodynamic model
ling) - University of Waikato, New Zealand, (coastal zone management)
- James Cook University, Australia, (coastal processes and engineering)
- Institute for Coastal Research, HZG Geesthacht (wave modelling, wave climatology)
Long-term guests
- Prof. Kevin Ellis Parnell (James Cook University)
- Dr. Tony Dolphin (University of Norwich)
- Dr. Tomas Torsvik (University of Bergen)
- Ms. Bryna Kathryn Flaim (University of Waikato)
Support
The laboratory formed a part of the Centre of Excellence in Non-linear Studies at the Institute of Cybernetics in 2009-2016
The research in laboratory is also financed by
- Estonian Ministry of Education and Science via Estonian Research Council
- institutional research support “Wave dynamics for coastal engineering and management” (IUT33-3, 2014–2020)
- target financing “Wave dynamics for coastal engineering” (SF0140007s11, 2011–2016; from 2015 merged with IUT33-3)
- personal research funding “Measurements, modelling and parameterization of joint wind- and current-driven transport in marine surface layers” (PUT1266, 2016–2019)
- Mobilitas Top Scientist’s grant MTT63 (2011–2015)
- Mobilitas post-doctor grant MJD270 (2012–2015)
- Estonian Science Foundation
- Grants 7413 (2008–2011), 8870 (2011–2014), 9125 (2012–2015)
- EEA grant EMP41 (2008–2010)
- European Commission (FP7, Horizon 2020, etc.)
- Tempus SESREMO (2014–2018)
- Estonian Centre of Excellence CENS (2011–2015)
- BONUS EEIG (BalticWay, 2009–2011)
- Other international grants
- ERA-Net RUS Plus (EXOSYSTEM, grant No 4-8/16/1 (22.02.1016), 2016–2018)
- EEA Programme “National Climate Policy” in Latvia, Small Grants Scheme Project “Effects of Climate Changes on Biodiversity in the Coastal Shelves of the Baltic Sea” (EEA grant No. 2/EEZLV02/14/GS/022, 2015–2016)