In brief
- 20+ years in research, innovation and education
- PhD in Knowledge Management
- Senior Researcher at Laurea UAS
- Specialised in futures literacy, anticipatory resilience and transformative futures
- International keynote speaker and facilitator
- Researcher, author and coalition-builder
I have always been interested in bridges between disciplines, sectors, cultures, worldviews and ways of knowing, fascinated by what happens when different perspectives meet. Looking back, this curiosity about how people make sense of the world together and how new possibilities emerge when diverse ideas, experiences and perspectives come into dialogue has been the common thread running through all of my work.
It has also taken me across diverse fields and contexts, from tourism development and language studies to knowledge and innovation management, futures studies and broader questions of societal transformation. Along the way, I have worked across higher education, public sector development, consulting, research and international collaboration, frequently bringing together people, perspectives and forms of knowledge that would not otherwise meet. These interests have also shaped my international engagement, through which I have cultivated long-standing relationships and networks across different parts of the world, bringing together diverse actors around questions of Futures Literacy, anticipatory capacities and societal transformation.
In my current work at Laurea University of Applied Sciences, I explore anticipatory resilience and societal readiness. While anticipatory resilience focuses on how individuals, organisations and communities can navigate uncertainty and respond to emerging challenges, societal readiness emphasises that innovation cannot rely solely on technological maturity but must also integrate societal values, expectations and diverse perspectives from the outset. Both are closely connected to Futures Literacy and transformative learning.
EDUCATION
- PhD in Knowledge Management (2019) – Tampere University of Technology. Dissertation: Value co-creation in innovation ecosystems.
- M.A. in Human Sciences (2003) – University of Turku & University of Eastern Finland. Majors: French Language & Culture; Tourism Development.
- Additional studies across sociology, communications, geography, art history and futures studies, reflecting a long-standing interest in interdisciplinary thinking and diverse ways of knowing.
WORK EXPERIENCE
- Senior Researcher, Laurea University of Applied Sciences (2022–present). Coordinating Laurea’s internal foresight team; international collaboration on transformative learning and pedagogies; research on cities and regions as innovation platforms; conceptualising anticipatory resilience.
- Futurist-in-Residence, Talent Vectia (2018–2021). Developing organisational futures orientation and strategic foresight practices; strong contributions to the development of the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy’s Growth portfolio process; research and facilitation at the intersection of futures literacy, innovation and organisational transformation.
- Educational Developer & Project Coordinator, various institutions (2003–2016). Designing multidisciplinary programs; coordinating EU-funded projects in business, tourism, sign language teaching, ICT, natural sciences.
Professional Engagement
My professional engagement spans research, mentoring, editorial work, peer review, international networks, advisory roles and societal impact. Current and recent roles include:
- Initiator of FLARE, a European COST Action on Futures Literacy.
- Editorial Board Member of Futura.
- Co-Lead of the IDG Research Hub on Re-imagining Planetary Sustainable Futures, together with Tiina Wikström.
- PhD supervision, mentoring and doctoral education initiatives.
- Expert and advisory roles in European Commission projects, national foresight development and regional innovation ecosystems.
- Active participation in international futures, sustainability and transformation communities.
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