I am a postdoctoral researcher in animal behaviour and welfare, currently affiliated with Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Alnarp, Sweden and The University of Turku in Finland. I completed my PhD in Biology at the University of Turku (2020–2023), where I explored human–animal relationships in working animals such as elephants, horses, and reindeer.

My research now focuses on understanding the cognitive and emotional lives of animals, and how human–animal interactions influence both welfare and safety. To approach this, I integrate behavioural studies, physiological monitoring, and new technologies such as electroencephalography (EEG), infrared thermography, and artificial intelligence. My aim is to develop non-invasive methods that shed light on animal emotions and cognition, and to provide practical tools for improving welfare in applied contexts.

Alongside this work, I also investigate the human side of human–animal relationships. My recent projects explore how horse owners’ personality traits and attachment styles shape the way they house and manage their horses. Since owners’ psychological profiles strongly influence animals’ daily living environments, this research connects human psychology with animal welfare, highlighting how improving horses’ lives often requires understanding their caregivers as well.

Bringing these lines of research together, I work across disciplines—biology, cognitive science, psychology, and artificial intelligence—to advance both animal welfare science and our understanding of the complex bonds humans form with animals.