J. Sakari Salonen

J. Sakari Salonen is a University Researcher and Docent at the Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki, where he also supervises doctoral candidates in the Geosciences programme. His research integrates paleoclimatology, numerical modeling, and environmental science to investigate Quaternary climate dynamics.

Research interests include:

• Reconstruction of Holocene and Late Glacial climates using proxy data (e.g., pollen, plant macrofossils)
• Quantitative climate modeling techniques
• Regional paleoenvironmental changes in Fennoscandia, the Baltic, and North America

Recent publications focus on hydroclimate variability, carbon cycling in lake systems, and methodological advances in paleoclimate reconstruction. His work consistently appears in high-impact journals including Nature Communications and Quaternary Science Reviews.

Awards:

• Lauri Jäntti Prize for best non-fiction book (2021)

He leads several research projects funded by the Academy of Finland and Finnish Cultural Foundation, including:

• Resolving the Euro-Atlantic Temperature Conundrum of Rapid Deglaciation (Co-PI, 2024–2027)
• Mapping abrupt climate events in paleoclimate data (PI, 2023–2025)
• Arctic lake biodiversity (Team member, 2023–2025)

Additionally, he contributes as a reviewer for leading journals including Quaternary Science Reviews and Boreas.