Peeter Vihma

Peeter Vihma is an academic researcher specializing in environmental governance, institutional analysis, and public administration innovation. He holds positions at the Estonian University of Life Sciences (Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences) and Tallinn University of Technology (Ragnar Nurkse Department of Innovation and Governance). His career includes roles as a Post-Doc researcher, Lecturer, and Junior Researcher, with a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Helsinki (2022) and an M.A. in sociology from Tallinn University (2008).

Education includes a Fulbright fellowship at Cornell University (2019-2020), a Ph.D. in sociology from Helsinki University (2015-2022), and earlier degrees from Tallinn University and Tartu University. He has received awards such as the Fulbright Scholarship and Kristjan Jaak scholarship.

Research focuses on forest governance, policy processes, and collaborative platforms. Notable projects include ‘Innovation in Estonian Forest Policy’ and ‘Transformative Impact of Citizen Science on Environmental Governance.’ His work addresses environmental policy implementation, stakeholder engagement, and institutional innovation through experimental projects.

Publications span peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, and books on topics like urban climate governance and forest policy failures. He has supervised four master’s theses on ICT4D projects and environmental practices. Current grants include leadership in the ‘Driving Climate Positive Changes’ initiative (€104k) and participation in the ‘Public Administration Capabilities for Sustainable and Digital Transformation’ project (€729k).

Vihma’s academic contributions emphasize interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability challenges, combining environmental and social science methodologies. His work bridges theory and practice, offering insights into governance mechanisms for climate resilience and institutional adaptation.