Pauliina Ilmonen is Assistant Professor in Statistics at Aalto University School of Science (Finland), Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis. Her research interests include multivariate extreme value theory, invariant coordinate selection, functional data analysis, analysis stationary processes, meet and join (hyper)matrices, cancer epidemiology and epidemiology of viruses. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, her research group has followed the epidemic, provided predictions and advice. Moreover, P. Ilmonen has participated actively in public discussions related to the local epidemic in Finland, and the corresponding interventions and public policies. Her previous research work includes projects in collaboration with researchers from Uganda Virus Research Institute. Pauliina Ilmonen obtained her Doctoral degree (PhD with honors) from University of Tampere (Finland), School of Health Sciences, in 2011. Her major subject was biometry and her minor subject was epidemiology. After her graduation, she worked as a post-doctoral researcher at Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgium). In 2013 she started working at Aalto University School of Science. Two students have obtained their Doctoral degrees under her supervision and she is currently supervising five Doctoral students. Since 2018 Pauliina Ilmonen has served as the chair of the Finnish Statistical Society and she is a member of FENStatS COVID-19 working group.