I am doing a PhD in Environmental Policy at the University of Eastern Finland. I hold an MSc in Environment and Development from the University of Reading, UK. Research interests include the role of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in averting food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. Currently studying online from Malawi but hope to be in Finland along the way once funding is secured.

Design and development of smart learning environment for programming education.

Projects

Design and development of a smart learning environment to support computational thinking and programming education using virtual reality technology

I am a political ecologist working in forest conservation and politics of environment-development in Chinese investments in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan economic corridor.

Antti Autio is a Ph.D. student in the Doctoral Programme in Interdisciplinary Environmental Sciences (DENVI) at the University of Helsinki. He holds a master’s degree in Development Geography and his dissertation research focuses on smallholder farmer’s adaptation to climate change in East Africa from the perspective of political ecology.

My name is Bamgboye Taiwo Temitope. I am a doctoral researcher at the Water Energy and Environmental Engineering Research Unit of the University of Oulu, Finland. My research interests include climate change, urban water, energy and food nexus planning, integrated water resource management; policy analysis in developing countries; and interactions with other SDGs to create a more sustainable future and a balanced ecosystem

I am a doctoral researcher in media studies at Tampere University, Finland, focusing on disinformation, gamification, hate infrastructures, mediatized memories, and political violence. I lead the social media research team for the Luce Foundation-funded project on Muslims in India under Hindu majoritarianism, alongside professors from Science Po, Princeton, and Columbia University. Previously, I was a fellow at Oxford’s Reuters Institute and the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies. I have over 20 years of experience as an investigative journalist, covering environmental justice, human rights, and conflicts in the Indian subcontinent, earning multiple awards, including the Kurt Schork Memorial Award. I have taught journalism at various Indian universities, am a certified media literacy trainer, and have conducted over 40 training sessions in India and Bangladesh. My work has been featured in major international media, and I was formerly India editor of AFP's fact-checking division.

My research explores the links between education and biodiversity conservation. I am particularly interested in how conservation NGOs implement education programmes in rural communities in Madagascar and how they affect local cultures, environments and knowledge systems. I have mainly been doing qualitative research using interviews, focus groups and participant observation as methodologies.

Projects

Unpacking the role of education as a tool for biodiversity conservation

Alex is a PhD student in social philosophy at Tampere University and an associate director - social specialist at Wardell Armstrong International. His research involves introducing critical theory approaches (e.g., Recognition theory, decolonial and critical gender theories), to implement novel practices in environmental, social, community health and human rights impact assessment studies. His work in ESG consultancy is largely conducted in the Global South, evaluating impacts from renewable energy, oil and gas, mining and infrastructure projects, with a focus on vulnerable groups.

socio-environmental researcher with focus on climate change impacts on human and natural systems

A doctoral researcher and staff member at the University of Eastern Finland. My professional background includes working as a Research Assistant in the Faculty of Education at Birzeit University, Palestine. I also served as a senior instructional designer at the Open Learning Center of Al-Quds Open University, where I specialized in eLearning for higher education—developing online courses, digital content, blended learning environments, and immersive learning technologies such as XR, AR, and VR. My PhD research focuses on immersive learning in higher education, with a particular emphasis on the use of augmented reality (AR) in physics education. Additionally, I'm interested in AI in education, STEM education, and innovative pedagogies.