Katja Helena Rönkä

Katja Helena Rönkä is a Postdoctoral Researcher (Research Fellow) at the University of Helsinki, affiliated with the Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) and the Research Programme in Organismal and Evolutionary Biology. She serves as a supervisor in the Doctoral Programme in Wildlife Biology.

Her research focuses on ecology, evolutionary biology, and species interactions, with specializations in coevolution, behavioral ecology, and environmental impacts on avian species. Recent work examines human-wildlife interactions through bird-feeding practices and spatio-temporal changes in these behaviors in Finland.

Her scientific contributions include genomics applications in avian brood parasitism, antipredator defense mechanisms, and environmental pollution's effects on bird health. She has conducted extensive peer review work for journals like Ecology and Evolution, Animal Behaviour, and Royal Society Open Science, while participating in conferences such as the International Society for Behavioral Ecology Congress.

Scientific awards include the 2016 Prize for best Finnish lepidopterological study and the 2017 best student poster award at the 20th European Congress of Lepidopterology.