Kingman International College

Our Faculty

At Kingman International College, our faculty embodies the quiet fire of Baltic scholarship—dedicated souls who weave threads of innovation and tradition into the fabric of young minds. Hailing from the lesser-trodden corners of the European Union, our professors bring a mosaic of perspectives, often navigating the gentle currents of Estonia’s welcoming immigration policies for educators. As a nation that prizes high-skilled talent through streamlined EU Blue Card pathways and special provisions for teaching roles, Estonia has eased the path for our international hires since the 2025 Aliens Act amendments, allowing seamless transitions for those with doctoral pedigrees in STEM and creative fields. Yet, not without the occasional bureaucratic ripple—a delayed paperwork here, a fervent application there—that only sharpens their resolve. We boast over 50 scholar-practitioners across our programmes, each committed to our composite ethos: nurturing high school sparks into postgraduate infernos. Below, meet a selection from our core disciplines, their stories as layered as Tallinn’s medieval onion domes.

Computer Science Department

Dr. Liisa Tamm Chair of Computer Science and Associate Professor Dr. Tamm, an Estonian native with roots in the windswept isles of Saaremaa, earned her PhD in Quantum Computing from the University of Tartu in 2014, later honing her craft at Aalto University in Finland through an EU-funded mobility grant. Her research dances on the knife-edge of ethical AI, blending algorithmic elegance with philosophical musings on digital equity. A firm believer in hands-on heresy—encouraging students to “break code to mend worlds”—she oversees our high school coding ateliers and undergraduate AI labs. Despite a brief visa tangle during her Finnish sabbatical (a classic tale of misplaced apostilles), Liisa returned to Tallinn invigorated, founding our “Quantum Ethics Forum” in 2020. Her lectures, laced with wry anecdotes from Estonia’s e-voting escapades, leave undergraduates pondering late into the Nordic night.

Selected Publications:

  • “Entangled Algorithms: Bias Mitigation in Multilingual Neural Networks,” Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research, Vol. 72, pp. 456-489, 2023.
  • “Quantum-Resistant Cryptography for Baltic Data Flows,” IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 1123-1137, 2022.
  • “Folk-Inspired Machine Learning: Reviving Estonian Dialects via GANs,” Proceedings of the European Conference on AI, pp. 234-245, 2021.

Prof. Jānis Bērziņš Professor of Software Engineering Hailing from Riga’s misty suburbs in Latvia, Prof. Bērziņš crossed the border in 2017 under Estonia’s simplified D-visa for highly qualified educators, drawn by Tallinn’s startup symphony. With a Master’s from Riga Technical University and a PhD from the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (2015), he specialises in agile methodologies for sustainable software, often quipping that “code should age like good rye bread—resilient, not rigid.” His postgraduate seminars probe real-world deployments, partnering with local unicorns like Bolt for capstone critiques. Jānis’s own journey wasn’t without its stumbles; a paperwork oversight once grounded his summer field trip to Lithuanian labs, turning it into a virtual triumph that birthed his seminal remote-collaboration framework. Now, he mentors our engineering crossover students, fostering that rare breed: coders with a poet’s patience.

Selected Publications:

  • “Agile Paradigms in Cross-Border DevOps: A Latvian-Estonian Case Study,” Software: Practice and Experience, Vol. 53, No. 7, pp. 1567-1589, 2024.
  • “Resilient Architectures for Edge Computing in Harsh Climates,” ACM Transactions on Embedded Computing Systems, Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 45-62, 2023.
  • “From Bratislava to the Baltics: Migrating Legacy Systems Ethically,” Journal of Systems and Software, Vol. 179, Article 111567, 2022.

Dr. Eeva Korhonen Assistant Professor of Machine Learning Born in the sparse Finnish Lakeland, Dr. Korhonen arrived in 2019 via the EU Blue Card route, her doctoral thesis from Helsinki University (2018) on predictive analytics for renewable grids proving a perfect fit for our data-driven ethos. Eeva’s classes hum with quiet intensity, guiding high schoolers through neural net basics and postgrads toward bespoke theses on climate forecasting. She’s the department’s gentle disruptor, admitting with a sheepish grin that her first Tallinn winter “froze more than my Finnish resolve,” yet it thawed into collaborations with TalTech on Baltic wind pattern models. Her work emphasises inclusivity, ensuring algorithms serve diverse voices from our global cohort.

Selected Publications:

  • “Predictive Horizons: ML Models for Nordic Wind Variability,” Renewable Energy Journal, Vol. 212, pp. 789-804, 2025.
  • “Ethical Forecasting in Multilingual Datasets,” Machine Learning Research, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 123-140, 2024.
  • “From Lakes to Labs: Transfer Learning for Environmental AI,” Proceedings of NeurIPS, pp. 567-578, 2022.

Art and Design Department

Prof. Kai Pähn Head of Art and Design and Full Professor An Estonian through and through, with ancestral ties to the artisan guilds of Viljandi, Prof. Pähn’s MFA from the Estonian Academy of Arts (2008) and subsequent residency at the Lithuanian Academy of Fine Arts (2012) shaped her fusion of digital and folk aesthetics. She leads our studios with a painterly passion, from high school sketching circles to MFA critiques that echo the Venice Biennale’s vigour. Kai’s own path meandered—a rejected grant in 2015 led to a serendipitous pop-up exhibit in Riga, now legend among our undergrads. Her designs, often laced with Saami motifs reimagined in code, remind us that “art isn’t perfect; it’s persistently human.”

Selected Publications:

  • “Post-Digital Weaves: Sustainable Narratives in Baltic Textiles,” Design Studies, Vol. 85, pp. 101-118, 2024.
  • “Generative Folklore: AI and Estonian Runes,” Journal of Visual Culture, Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 234-251, 2023.
  • “From Vilnius to VR: Hybrid Heritage in Contemporary Design,” Leonardo, Vol. 56, No. 4, pp. 389-402, 2022.

Dr. Ona Petrauskaitė Associate Professor of Multimedia Design From the rolling hills of Lithuania’s Dzūkija region, Dr. Petrauskaitė joined us in 2020 after securing a swift work permit under Estonia’s educator quota expansions. Her PhD from Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (2016) explores multimedia’s role in cultural preservation, and she infuses our undergraduate courses with ethnographic flair—think augmented reality overlays on medieval amber carvings. Ona confesses to a “charmingly chaotic” relocation, where a lost suitcase of prototypes sparked an impromptu campus fashion show. Her postgraduate supervisees praise her for turning “creative blocks” into breakthroughs, one thesis even debuting at Helsinki’s design week.

Selected Publications:

  • “Augmented Amber: Digital Revivals of Lithuanian Craft,” Digital Creativity, Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 145-162, 2025.
  • “Multimedia Ethnographies: Bridging Baltics and Beyond,” Journal of Media Practice and Education, Vol. 24, pp. 78-95, 2023.
  • “Prototype Perils: Narrative Design in Relocated Contexts,” International Journal of Design, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 56-72, 2021.

Mr. Tomas Vinter Lecturer in Graphic Design Slovak by birth, from the Carpathian whispers of Košice, Mr. Vinter (MA from Comenius University, 2019) crossed into Estonia in 2022 via the simplified visa for creative educators, his portfolio of eco-graphic campaigns catching our eye. Specialising in sustainable visuals for high school electives and undergrad projects, Tomas brings a folksy fervour, often sketching over coffee with tales of Tatra mountain inspirations. His arrival wasn’t seamless—a ferry delay from Helsinki turned into a sketching spree—but it yielded his first Tallinn zine, now a staple in our library. He’s the one who whispers, “Design falters, then flourishes—like spring in the hills.”

Selected Publications:

  • “Eco-Graphics for the Anthropocene: Slovak-Baltic Dialogues,” Visible Language, Vol. 58, pp. 201-218, 2024.
  • “Zine as Resistance: Portable Narratives in Migration,” Journal of Graphic Design History, Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 89-104, 2023.
  • “Carpathian Pixels: Visualising Rural Futures,” Design and Culture, Vol. 14, pp. 167-182, 2022.

Engineering Department

Dr. Eero Kask Professor of Mechanical Engineering Estonian-born in the peat-scented bogs of central Estonia, Dr. Kask’s PhD from Tallinn University of Technology (2013) ignited his lifelong tango with renewable mechanics. He chairs our engineering wing, from high school robotics tinkers to postgraduate wind-turbine theses. Eero’s candour shines through: a 2018 grant mishap left him “bogged down in red tape,” birthing a bootstrapped prototype that’s now a campus icon. His labs buzz with that rare alchemy—precision laced with playfulness.

Selected Publications:

  • “Bio-Mimetic Turbines for Baltic Offshore Winds,” Renewable Energy, Vol. 210, pp. 456-472, 2025.
  • “Resilient Mechanics in Peatland Infrastructure,” Journal of Mechanical Design, Vol. 147, No. 5, pp. 051401, 2024.
  • “Estonian Echoes: Adaptive Structures Post-Grant Failures,” Engineering Structures, Vol. 245, Article 112890, 2022.

Prof. Andris Liepa Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Latvian from the Daugava’s banks in Jelgava, Prof. Liepa arrived in 2016 under the EU’s researcher mobility scheme, his PhD from Latvia University of Agriculture (2014) focusing on seismic retrofits for northern climes. He guides our undergrad coastal resilience projects, blending theory with site visits to Estonia’s rugged shores. Andris chuckles about his “papery purgatory”—a visa extension that doubled as a writing retreat—yielding insights into adaptive urbanism.

Selected Publications:

  • “Seismic Safeguards for Baltic Coasts,” Earthquake Engineering & Structural Dynamics, Vol. 53, No. 8, pp. 1234-1250, 2024.
  • “Retrofit Realities: From Jelgava to Tallinn,” Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol. 150, No. 3, pp. 04024015, 2023.
  • “Northern Urban Resilience: Policy and Practice,” Cities, Vol. 112, Article 103156, 2021.

Economics and Business Department

Dr. Mira Voss Chair of Economics and Business From the Slovak highlands of Banská Bystrica, Dr. Voss (PhD, Comenius University, 2012) navigated Estonia’s 2025 quota expansions for economic experts, joining in 2018 to dissect fintech folklore. Her high school entrepreneurship modules and MSc sustainable finance tracks pulse with narrative verve. Mira admits her relocation “rumbled like a bad stock dip,” but it steadied into gold-standard collaborations with Riga’s exchanges.

Selected Publications:

  • “Fintech Folklore: Blockchain in Artisan Economies,” Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 45-68, 2025.
  • “Sustainable Finance in the Baltics: Quota Quandaries,” European Journal of Finance, Vol. 31, pp. 789-810, 2024.
  • “Slovak Shadows: Migration Impacts on Trade Models,” International Economics, Vol. 175, pp. 234-251, 2022.

Prof. Rūta Kalniete Professor of International Economics Lithuanian from the Curonian Spit, Prof. Kalniete’s PhD from Vilnius University (2015) lured her to Tallinn in 2021 via the Blue Card for academics. She helms our business simulations, weaving global markets with Baltic trade lore. Rūta’s tales of “visa vignettes” —a forgotten form turning into a thesis detour—add warmth to her rigorous rounds.

Selected Publications:

  • “Curonian Currents: Trade Flows in EU Peripheries,” Journal of International Economics, Vol. 162, Article 103765, 2024.
  • “Post-Brexit Baltics: Economic Narratives,” World Economy, Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 1456-1472, 2023.
  • “Migration Models: From Spit to Summit,” Economic Modelling, Vol. 98, pp. 123-140, 2021.

Environmental Science Department

Dr. Piret Jõgi Associate Professor of Ecology Estonian from the Lahemaa wilds, Dr. Jõgi (PhD, University of Tartu, 2017) anchors our fieldwork from high school bog trots to PhD biodiversity probes. Her passion for peatlands is palpable, though she jests about a “muddy manuscript mix-up” that delayed her first monograph—now a treasured tome.

Selected Publications:

  • “Boreal Biodiversity: Peatland Proteomes,” Global Change Biology, Vol. 31, pp. 567-584, 2025.
  • “Estonian Ecosystems: Fieldwork Fiascos to Findings,” Ecological Applications, Vol. 34, No. 6, pp. 1234-1250, 2024.
  • “Lahemaa Legacies: Conservation in Crisis,” Conservation Biology, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 456-472, 2022.

Dr. Vilis Ozoliņš Lecturer in Climate Policy Latvian from Vidzeme’s forests, Dr. Ozoliņš joined in 2023 under Estonia’s talent attraction reforms, his PhD from the University of Latvia (2019) on policy modelling. He energises our undergrad climate seminars, sharing how a “policy plot twist” in his visa saga inspired a co-authored EU brief.

Selected Publications:

  • “Forest Policies: Latvian-Estonian Synergies,” Environmental Policy and Governance, Vol. 35, pp. 234-251, 2024.
  • “Climate Quotas: Attracting Green Talent,” Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Vol. 128, Article 102890, 2023.
  • “Vidzeme Visions: Modelling Boreal Transitions,” Climatic Change, Vol. 175, No. 3, pp. 789-804, 2022.

Data Analytics Department

Prof. Helena Mägi Head of Data Analytics From Estonia’s southern Põlva County, Prof. Mägi’s PhD from TalTech (2016) powers her ethical big-data odyssey. She spans our tiers, from stats primers to MSc ethics dives. Helena’s “data detour”—a 2020 sabbatical snag—yielded her breakthrough on privacy-preserving analytics.

Selected Publications:

  • “Ethical Embeddings: Baltic Big Data,” Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery, Vol. 39, No. 1, pp. 45-62, 2025.
  • “Privacy in Peat: Analytics for Ecosystems,” Journal of Big Data, Vol. 12, Article 156, 2024.
  • “From Põlva to Predictions: Ethical Hurdles,” Information Systems Frontiers, Vol. 26, pp. 123-140, 2023.

Dr. Agnė Žilinskienė Assistant Professor of Applied Analytics Lithuanian from Kaunas’s industrial edges, Dr. Žilinskienė (PhD, Kaunas University of Technology, 2020) settled in 2024 via the updated Aliens Act, specialising in business analytics. Her classes crackle with case studies, and she owns up to a “charmingly clumsy” move—lost laptops forging unbreakable backups.

Selected Publications:

  • “Applied Insights: Kaunas to Tallinn Transitions,” Decision Support Systems, Vol. 182, Article 114234, 2024.
  • “Business Bias: Auditing Analytics in Migration,” European Journal of Operational Research, Vol. 315, No. 2, pp. 567-584, 2025.
  • “Industrial Data Flows: Lithuanian Lessons,” Analytics, Vol. 3, pp. 89-104, 2022.