Insect researcher Jari Haimi’s career guided by deep passion and love for nature
Jari Haimi, senior university lecturer and docent from the Department of Biological and Environmental Science at the Ģֱ, grew up in Kuusankoski’s Voikkaa, close to nature. Since early childhood, he has been observing birds and bugs and absorbing information from the surrounding nature. Butterflies became Haimi’s hobby in his early teens. He collected them, learned to identify them and, like a true researcher, documented their habitats and where they were found. Even then, he knew he would become an entomologist.
I always knew I wanted to be a natural scientist,” says Haimi.
“Even as a child, I dreamed of a career where I could collect insects all over the country in the summer and study them under a microscope in the winter.”
After finishing upper secondary school, it was a natural choice for Haimi to study biology. He found the Ģֱ to be the most interesting place to study, because it offered ecology and nature management as well as hydrobiology instead of the traditional zoology and botany.
“I haven’t regretted moving to Jyväskylä for a single day, and I have never questioned my choice of career,” he says. “Here I have been able to live and experience – guided by deep wisdom – together with similarly passionate colleagues and students.”
Communicating research is career highlight
Ecology fascinated Haimi even before he started his university studies. He became familiar with worms and other soil decomposer animals while writing his master’s thesis. His immersion into the mysterious world of worms deepened during his doctoral research, and he cites the writing process and the public defence of his dissertation as some of the highlights of his career. Other career highlights include the public doctoral examinations of students he has supervised.
“In my master’s and doctoral research I was able to design and carry out different experiments and finally present the results to others, including the media and the public,” Haimi says. “The best part of my work has always been reporting the results of my research and sharing them with others.”
It has always been important to Haimi to make different natural phenomena, especially those related to insects, known to the general public.Haimi is known as a “bug specialist”, a researcher who knows all kinds of invertebrates, and he is a popular expert in the media, writing nature columns and providing background data for nature-related news items. Haimi says the most in-depth knowledge he has acquired in his career is about worms.
“When I am asked about nature, I feel it is my duty to answer as quickly and thoroughly as possible, because people appreciate quick and well-informed answers,” he says.
“At the same time, I have the opportunity to provide environmental education and strengthen people’s love of nature.”
Recently, Haimi’s research has focused on the impact of human activities, such as microplastics, and the diversity, ecology and activities of soil-decomposer animals.
Teaching development was important to Haimi
According to Haimi, the most important qualities of a researcher are passion and systematic attention.
“Whenever and wherever you are, you have to be vigilant,” says Haimi. “In the field of biology, the researcher must have an unwavering interest in nature. Whether I am doing field research, travelling abroad for a conference or orienteering in my spare time, I am constantly observing nature.”
Teaching came into his life somewhat unexpectedly alongside doctoral research. Haimi’s first experiences of teaching and supervising were not immediately positive, as he had no teaching experience and pedagogy was not even taught to young researchers. Nevertheless, teaching eventually became something that developed his thinking.
In addition, meeting students has always been important. Haimi believes that many teachers do not necessarily understand how much they can influence young people’s lives.
“I quickly learned that the most important thing is to show and share your boundless interest, because your passion is contagious for students,” he says.
“Teaching means learning and discovering new things together with the students. I have always wanted to develop my ways to give instruction and I have been the first to participate in teaching development projects.”
After his retirement, Haimi will miss the students and interacting with them.
“It has always been typical of my teaching that natural phenomena are observed on location and documented precisely,” he says. “It is a revelation to see that my colleagues and the biology teachers I have trained also take students out of the lecture room to observe and experiment in nature.”
Observing nature and answering questions to continue with emeritus status
Research and nature observation have been an integral part of Haimi’s life even after his professional career. In his emeritus status, Haimi will continue to supervise unfinished master’s and doctoral theses at the Ģֱ. In the future, he will focus on insect observation and documentation.
“I will continue to answer people’s nature questions as a nature expert as well as continue to write the nature column in Keskisuomalainen” says Haimi.
