Estonian University of Life Sciences researcher Piret Kalmus to receive the President’s state decoration

Piret Kalmus, who has been awarded the Order of the White Star, IV Class, is a lecturer with extensive experience, specializing in the clinical medicine of ruminants and herd health. She has been repeatedly voted Lecturer of the Year by students. She has supervised numerous veterinary medicine students’ theses and two doctoral dissertations. Her research focuses on improving dairy herd health and milk quality, as well as studying and managing antimicrobial resistance pathways between animals, humans, and the environment.

Piret has contributed to the development and implementation of herd health programs for dairy and beef cattle in Estonia. She has published numerous scientific papers and participated in the compilation of handbooks, including "Practical Cattle Farming" (2016) and "Biosecurity in Dairy Farms" (2021). She has also published guidelines on the use of antibiotics in farm animals.

She has conducted numerous training sessions on dairy herd health, welfare, and biosecurity and also advises companies on these topics. Since 2016, she has been a visiting lecturer at Bila Tserkva Agricultural University in Ukraine, and during the war, she has even given lectures in shelters.

Piret is the founder of the NGO Südamega Ukrainale ("With Heart for Ukraine") and, together with her son Uku, has transported donated goods, including vehicles, to Ukraine five to six times a year. She has her own drone team, Strix Squad, for whom she makes necessary purchases based on their needs and requests. More details can be found on their Facebook pagelink opens in new page.

At the beginning of 2025, Piret was awarded the Ukrainian national honor "Українська Берегиня" ("Ukrainian Guardian"). This award recognizes both Ukrainian women and women living abroad who have contributed to Ukraine's development and defense.

Piret is a valued colleague—trustworthy, calm, and always supportive. She is someone whose advice is sought and whose opinion is respected. She has played a key role in obtaining and maintaining international accreditation for the veterinary medicine program at the Estonian University of Life Sciences.

Tiiu Annuk, who has been awarded the Order of the White Star, 5th Class, is an entrepreneurial PhD student at the Estonian University of Life Sciences and a crop production specialist at the farmers' cooperative KEVILI.

The President will present the national decorations on February 22 at the Tallinn School of Music and Ballet (MUBA), and the ceremony will be broadcast on Estonian Public Broadcasting on February 24. The Estonian University of Life Sciences will honor all colleagues who have received state-level recognition and were nominated for awards at an event on February 20 in the university library.