Antti Ainamo

Adjunct Professor

  • Institution 1) Aalto University; 2) Umeå University

Roseanna Avento

Global Development Manager

  • Institution University of Eastern Finland
  • Department/faculty Development Services

Niti Bhan

Doctoral Student

  • Institution Aalto University School of Engineering
  • Department/faculty Interdisciplinary Innovation and Development

Niti's research interests lie in the intersection between design methods, knowledge systems particularly local, traditional and indigenous knowledges, and participatory social design-driven transformation. She is currently exploring the relationship between post-colonial indigenous research paradigms (Chilisa 2019) and integrated product development strategies for holistic knowledge production that implements cognitive justice (Visvanathan 1997; 2021) for research at the Cultural Interface (Nakata 1997, 2007; Durie 2005). Over 30 years of professional creative practice in design and innovation. This includes 15 years of leading interdisciplinary teams for fieldwork using design anthropology methodologies (rapid ethnography, indepth interviews, day in the life, observations and shadowing in markets, farms, villages, borderlands and more). Fieldwork personally completed in South Africa, The Philippines, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and with local assistance in Benin and Malawi. Networks span the African continent. Public recognition of original knowledge production includes Invitation to mainstage of TED Global 2017 in Arusha Tanzania TEDTalk video https://www.ted.com/talks/niti_bhan_the_hidden_opportunities_of_the_informal_economy

Yuzhuo Cai

Senior Lecturer

  • Institution Tampere University
  • Department/faculty Faculty of Management and Business

Yuzhuo Cai is a Senior Lecturer and Adjunct Professor at the Higher Education Group (HEG), Faculty of Management and Business, Tampere University, Finland. He has been with the HEG for 15 years and was the Acting Professor of the unit from August 2013 to July 2014. He is the (Chinese) Director of Sino-Finnish Education Research Centre jointly coordinated by Tampere University and Beijing Normal University. His teaching and research areas are higher education policy and management, internationalisation of higher education, innovation studies and comparative education, with 78 peer reviewed publications (59 in English) and 6 scholarly books in these fields.

Kajsa Ekroos

Project Coordinator, MA

  • Institution UniPID, University of Helsinki
  • Department/faculty Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science

I'm a project management professional with several years of experience in coordinating international cooperation projects in both academia and the private sector. My areas of expertise are: science, technology and innovation (STI) cooperation frameworks between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean, EU-CELAC STI policy dialogue, internationalization of higher education and research, Latin American Studies and intercultural communication.

Projects

Developing Finnish Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation between Europe, Africa, Asia and the LAC Region (FinCEAL Plus)

Developing Finnish Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation between Europe, Africa and the LAC Region (FinCEAL)

Developing Finnish Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation between Europe, Africa, Asia and the LAC Region (FinCEAL Plus Continuation)

Internationalizing Finnish Science: Building Sustainable Bridges to Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean (BRIDGES)

Aleksander Glapiak

Doctoral Researcher

  • Institution University of Eastern Finland
  • Department/faculty Law School

The early-stage doctoral researcher focused on hydrogen (and, broader, energy) regulation at the EU level

Joni Karjalainen

Project researcher

  • Institution University of Turku
  • Department/faculty Finland Futures Research Centre

Applying foresight methods and tools in a range of topics, in particular to anticipate the energy transition in the Global South. Research interests: anticipatory governance, innovation ecosystems, off-grid solar photovoltaics, pioneer analysis, science-communication, startups. Co-author of "Electrification in Peer-to-Peer Society - a New Narrative for Sustainable Futures" (2019) and "La Electrificación en la Sociedad Entre Pares – Una Nueva Narrativa para Futuros Sostenibles" (2020).

Projects

Neo-Carbon Enabling Neo-Growth Society – Transformative Energy Futures 2050

Mika Kautonen

Adjunct Professor

  • Institution University of Tampere
  • Department/faculty Research Centre for Knowledge, Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (TaSTI)

Mika Kautonen, D.Sc., Adjunct Professor, is the Head of the Innovation Studies Group in TaSTI, Research Centre for Knowledge, Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Finland. His and his research group's research interests relates especially to the expansion of innovation activities in present-day societies, to new stakeholder groups, sectors and countries. Therefore he is also interested in innovation activities and innovation policies in developing countries. Those innovation activities are of special interest that contributes to a more sustainable society.

Projects

Co-creation of a Namibian Smart Community (SmartCom)

Jarkko Mutanen

Researcher

  • Institution University of Eastern Finland

Coordination of the Asia component of FinCEAL Plus BRIDGES - aiming to develop and support Finnish science, technology and innovation cooperation between Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean.