Eulogy for Kimmo Herttua

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our esteemed colleague Kimmo Jouko Kaarel Herttua on April 21, 2024. We will remember Kimmo as a dedicated scientist and epidemiologist and an active Senior researcher at the Centre for Maritime Health and Society (CMSS) at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), Esbjerg campus.

Kimmo made significant contributions to maritime health research at CMSS, focusing on improving the lives of workers in seafaring. His research interests also included health inequalities, work environment, alcohol-related harm, and policy. He conducted research not only in general populations but also in other industries, establishing himself as a highly regarded member of our academic community. He will also remain a cornerstone in the establishment and development of the CMSS Blue database, using it for important epidemiological work. We are deeply indebted to him for his contributions to this work.

During his tenure at CMSS, Kimmo published a range of high-impact papers relevant to the maritime society. Keeping his high professional standards and dedication, Kimmo remained committed to his work until the very end, completing his final professional assignment just a month ago.

Kimmo was initially a trained physiotherapist, and he furthered his education by studying sociology, and completed his Ph.d. in Sociology in 2010. His alma mater was the University of Helsinki, and he also worked at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, and the Population Research Unit in Finland.

Kimmo relocated to Denmark with his family from Finland in 2014 to assume the position of Senior researcher at CMSS in 2014. He served as Head of CMSS for approximately 3 years before dedicating all his time to research and teaching. His prominent network of scientists included colleagues from Oxford University, University of Helsinki and Eastern Finland and several Centre’s within the Department of Public Health at SDU.

We came to know him as a colleague who was typically economical with his words. However, when he had something to say, his words carried significant weight in their respective contexts. Those of us who got to know him well discovered a kind and thoughtful person with a keen interest in sharing news about sports, particularly his passion for ice hockey, as well as stories about summer and winter holidays, family, and more personal reflections with his closest colleagues.

Beyond his numerous academic achievements and high professional standards, we will remember Kimmo Jouko Kaarel Herttua as a fighter and a good friend. He was a man who did not give in easily to his illness and, in line with his unwavering dedication to his research, continued to come to work until recently. His departure from the office marks the loss of a remarkable person. Kimmo was 65 years old. Let us honor Kimmo Jouko Kaarel Herttuas memory!

Our thoughts are with Kimmos wife, children, and family.

On behalf of the Department of Public Health, Jens Søndergaard, Interim Head of Department,
Head of Research, Lisa Loloma Froholdt.