Andres Kuusk Curriculum Vitae

Andres Kuusk (10.26.47, Vändra, Estonia) graduated from Tartu University (Estonia) in 1970 as a physicist (physics of the atmosphere).

Degree of the candidate of sciences in geophysics (corresponds to the PhD of western countries) 1979 at the Main Geophysical Observatory, St. Petersburg: The Structure of Cloud Fields and Radiation Regime at the Ground Surface.

Degree of the doctor of sciences in geophysics 1991 at Tartu University: The Hot Spot Effect in Plant Canopy Reflectance.

Since 1972 A.K. has worked at the Institute of Astrophysics and Atmospheric Physics, Estonian Acad. Sci. as a junior research fellow, a senior research fellow, a leading research fellow. At present, A.K. is a part-time scientific advisor at Tartu Observatory (formerly Inst. of Astrophys. and Atmos. Phys.) in the Group of Vegetation Remote Sensing. A.K. has contributed to the training of undergraduate and postgraduate students at the Institute of Environmental Physics of the Tartu University (see lecture courses). He was a member of the Problem Council "Transfer of radio waves" of the Academy of Sciences of Soviet Union 1980-1990. He was a member of the council of the Tartu Observatory 2002-2015. 2005-2016 he was the principal investigator of the target financed project "Optical remote sensing of Environment in Estonia and Baltic region", and 2005-2016 the head of the department of Remote Sensing (the previous department of Atmospheric Physics).

In 1994 A.K. was elected to a member of the New York Academy of Sciences.

In 1994 A.K. worked for four months at Goddard Space Fligth Center, NASA, as a visiting scientist, in 1995 for six months at INRA Bioclimatologie, Grignon and Avignon, as a visiting scientist, and in September 1996 for two weeks in the Institute of Geography, Beijing.

Lecturer at the Graduate school for forest ecology "Physical Models in Remote Sensing",
April 13 - April 16, 2004, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Tikkurila, Vantaa, Finland.
October 9 - October 10, 2007, Viikki, Finland.

His research interest is in the area of optical remote sensing of vegetation canopies and plant canopy optics (see list of publications and meetings) . He was/is participating in projects

• Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Land Use. (2024-..)
• Optical Synergies for Spatiotemporal Remote Sensing of Leaf Angle Distribution with Applications (EST-LEAF). (2022-2026)
• Use of remote sensing data for elaboration and development of public services. (2019-2020)
• Integration of remote sensing image processing methods for forest resource assessment. (2018-2020)
• Speeding up Copernicus Innovation for the BSR Environment and Security (BalticSatApps). (2017-2021)
• Quantitative remote sensing of vegetation covers. (2011-2016)
• Estonian Environmental Observatory. (2010-2015)
• Väikesemahulise teaduse infrastruktuuri kaasajastamine teadusteema SF0060115s08 raames. (2010-2013)
• Angular distribution of forest reflectance. (2009-2012)
• Remote sensing of optically complex natural environments. (2008-2012)
• EstSpacE - Expose the Capacity of Estonian Space Research and Technology through High Quality Partnership in Europe. (2008-2011)
• Modeling Radiative Transfer in Vegetation: Enhancement and Validation of the Adding Method. (2008-2010)
• Database of optical and structural data for the validation of radiative transfer models. (2007-2010)
• Physically-based remote sensing of forests (PHYSENSE). (2007-2008)
• Ground truth studies for RAMI. (2007)
• Applicability of hyperspectral and multiangular remotely sensed data for estimating forest structure. (2006-2009)
• Validation of the directional multispectral forest reflectance model and estimation of forest parameters by model inversion. ESA Cat-1 project, started in 2005.
• Scattering and absorption of radiation energy in natural and cultivated vegetation canopies. (2005-2008)
• Optical remote sensing of environment in Estonia and Baltic region. (2003-2007)
• The analysis of time series of satellite images to estimate vegetation change. (2001-2004)
• Understorey Reflectance Spectra (2001-2002)
• The Fifth European Community Framework Programme,
  Crop Reflectance Operational Models for Agriculture. (CROMA).
  Work Package 1300: Modelling of non-homogeneous canopies. (2001-2002)
• Remote Sensing for the Environment (RESE).
  Subproject 2.4. Canopy reflectance modeling. (2000-2002)
• Development of a forest reflectance model-based interface between satellite images and forestry databases. (1999-2000)
• Determination of vegetation parameters by optical remote sensing methods. (1997-2000)
• Remote Sensing for the Environment (RESE).
  Subproject 6.5. Forets reflectance modelling and measurement. (1997-1999)
• Estimation of leaf area index of Estonian and Swedish forests from satellite images and ground-based radiometric measurements. (1994-1997)
• MOST, Mediterranean oak forests: Basis for appropriate protection strategy. (1994-1996)
• GARP Atlantic Tropical Experiment. (1974)

From 1999 to 2009 A.K. was a member of the editorial board of 'Agricultural and Forest Meteorology', and 1999-2005 was a field editor at 'Agronomie. Agriculture and Environment' (INRA, Paris).

Direktori tellitud kokkuvõte teadustõõst eesti keeles, november 2022.

Last updated: 30 July 2025

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