Behavioural scientist and psychologist Andero Uusberg to join the Research Council

Stenbock House, 15 December 2020 – Andero Uusberg, a behavioural scientist and psychologist, will join the Research Council for combating COVID-19 and advising the Government on the spread of the coronavirus.

‘The global pandemic that erupted in 2020 has affected humankind in an unprecedented way. The changes brought about by new restrictions and measures affect our minds, health, feelings, thoughts, and behaviour. In the fight against the coronavirus, we should not forget the person in the middle of it, who, in addition to new daily concerns, continues to have dreams, aspirations, and wishes,’ said Irja Lutsar, Head of the Research Council and Professor of the Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine at the University of Tartu.

‘I am very pleased that the invitation to join the Research Council was accepted by psychologist Andero Uusberg, a renowned researcher in his field, who will provide the necessary expertise for the discussions of the Research Council to help us better understand the reasons for people’s attitudes and behaviour,’ Lutsar said.

Andero Uusberg works at the Institute of Psychology of the University of Tartu as the Senior Researcher in Affective Psychology. In his research, he has studied the mechanisms of emotion regulation in more detail. Uusberg has also studied people’s emotions at Stanford University. As an experimental psychologist, he has participated in projects that have contributed to improving people’s financial behaviour and traffic habits. Uusberg has defended his doctoral dissertation at the University of Tartu.

Kristi Rüütel, the Scientific Secretary of the National Institute for Health Development, will resign from the Research Council to dedicate herself to continuing her professional work. ‘I would like to thank Kristi Rüütel for her huge contribution to the work of the Research Council so far and to our discussions as well,’ Professor Lutsar added.

During the emergency situation, on 20 March 2020, the Research Council for combating COVID-19 was convened by the Government Committee set up to address the events related to the spread of the coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease and public health and economic issues. The task of the Research Council was to provide the Government Committee on the emergency situation with expert information. The Research Council continued its work even after the end of the emergency situation in Estonia on 17 May.

In addition to Irja Lutsar and Andero Uusberg, the Council includes the Professor of Mathematical Statistics at the University of Tartu, Krista Fischer; the Medical Director at the North Estonia Medical Centre and Professor of Surgical Diseases at the University of Tartu, Peep Talving; the Doctor of Infectious Diseases at Tartu University Hospital, Pilleriin Soodla; and the Research Professor of Applied Virology at the University of Tartu, Andres Merits.