Also note our 2025 funding call with deadline on 24 January 2025!
Funded applications for “Scientific Openings”
SUSTAVIS – Sensemaking and visualizing of systemic change towards sustainable circular economy
Leena Aarikka-Stenroos (MAB) & Päivi Hökkä (EDU), Eetu Lehmusvaara (BEN), Joel Stenroos (BEN)
SUSTAVIS project addresses to sustainability-driven system changes: it will examine how a tech-driven sustainability change can be perceived by human minds through sensemaking, conceptualized, visualized, and animated, to capture and display dynamics of sustainability development in an immersive manner. SUSTAVIS aims to open a novel and ambitious interdisciplinary research path, to create both scientific contribution and societal value – and form a new collaboration between TAU researchers (from MAB, EDU and BEN) who have not collaborated before.
Digital services and conversational AI in social and health care – Working against violence for sustainable wellbeing (DigiSoc)
Technological advances have provided new means to carry out acts such as identity theft, economic and sexual violence and persecution. This research focuses on the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation and sustainable development in a context where digitalisation and the development of communication technologies have changed and diversified not only the forms of violence but also its consequences.
Coordinating a proposal for a Research and Innovation Actions HORIZON call to combat child sexual abuse in digital environments
Tampere University, in collaboration with research, law enforcement, and industry collaboration partners, will coordinate a proposal for the call “HORIZON-CL3-2024-FCT-01-03: Lawful evidence collection in online child sexual abuse investigations, including undercover” to enable cross-disciplinary research for protecting children against sexual abuse in digital environments. — Two Horizon proposals were submitted in November 2024. Read about the proposal preparation, the topics and another funded Horizon project.
Digital wellbeing – sustainability amid disruption
Atte Oksanen (SOC) & Iina Savolainen (SOC)
The Digital Wellbeing project examines how people perceive new digital technologies, such as smart devices, and their impact on wellbeing. The project combines social psychology, sociology, and epidemiology research to achieve ambitious results in publications and funding, aiming for groundbreaking international impact in technological advancements and supporting digital wellbeing in the long term.
Human-Building Interaction for Sustainable Energy Practices
Nur Samancioglu (ITC) & Raul Castaño-Rosa (BEN)
This initiative explores occupants’ decisions regarding the use of smart technology for sustainable energy practices within residential buildings. Through collaboration with the Smart Energy Research Lab at UCL, UK, our aim is to advance knowledge in human-centered technology and sustainable housing practices, ultimately contributing to informed strategies for enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability.
Regenerative entrepreneur-led business driving sustainability transitions in the Finnish countryside
Riikka Tapaninaho (MAB) & Sonja Sulankivi (MAB)
The purpose of the research project is to identify and analyze how entrepreneur-led firms in the Finnish countryside can adopt regenerative business models with the help of community and digital solutions to drive regional sustainability transitions. The expected results of the project support the development of regenerative business models, commercialization and branding with the help of digitalization, taking into account the special characteristics of the Finnish countryside. — Read about the insights and expected outcomes of the project (in Finnish).
Sustainable smart garments – Funding for starting collaboration
Together with the Multifunctional Materials Design Group at Aalto University, we are aiming to reduce the environmental impact of digitalization by developing smart garments from cellulose nanomaterials and other biomaterials. We will use this funding to organize a brainstorming workshop, conduct initial experiments, and seek new collaboration partners, aiming to build a long-term network of organic collaborators around this topic. — The brainstorming workshop took place in October 2024. Read about the workshop outcomes.
Funded applications for “Community Impact”
Increasing the community impact of the Managing Circular Economy (ManCE) research center
The multidisciplinary ManCE research center (Managing Circular Economy) received community impact funding from the DigiSus platform. Especially, the funding will enable the research center to organize research seminars and a symposium that targets a wider audience. ManCE operates at the Faculty of Management and Business at Tampere University.
The use of AI in research practices and sustainability related research
Johanna Kujala (MAB) & MAB faculty
This initiative organizes a researcher workshop on the use and integration of AI in research practices and sustainability related research topics. The aim is to promote responsible and sustainable use of AI among researchers and research practices, and to gain deeper understanding how to integrate AI into sustainability related research topics. The workshop is intended to broaden both creative and critical thinking on AI tools in different research activities and it encourages the development of new ideas and initiative for research projects. — The event was organized in September 2024. Read a report of the event.
Digitalization for All
Ruchira Liyanage (BEN) & Bloom ry
In collaboration with Bloom ry, we aim to create a digitally inclusive society by educating and empowering individuals to use digital tools effectively, thereby promoting inclusivity and reducing inequality. This vision is brought to life through our practical workshops and events that not only provide hands-on training but also foster community connections, ensuring everyone has the necessary skills to navigate the digital world.
The 1st Winter School on 3D Digitainability: Exploring the Combined Effects of Digitalization, Sustainability, Artificial Intelligence, and Additive Manufacturing
Julia Kuosmanen (ITC), Ahmed Farooq (ITC), Vera Remizova (ITC)
The Winter School on 3D DigitAInability aims to harness the synergy between digitalization, sustainability, artificial intelligence (AI), and 3D printing to drive future product development and manufacturing, fostering a dynamic community in Finland and globally. This initiative will empower participants from various backgrounds to innovate and integrate using cutting edge technologies in AI and additive manufacturing. Our goal is to significantly enhance the creative and practical capabilities of the community and transition towards sustainable digital transformation, rapid prototyping and conceptualizing complex ideas and products for a wide range of application areas. — The Winter School was organized between 27 November and 11 December 2024. See the Winter School programme and activities.
HELPDESK-112: Live Science Theatre on the Digitalization of Public Services
Jaana Parviainen (SOC), Anne Koski (SOC)
The project is based on the already piloted Explanatory Factor live science concept, which uses documentary theatre and performance art to popularize science. The funding will be used in the DIG1T0-research project to prepare further funding for the show and explore possibilities for establishing a permanent live science stage in Finland.
Assemblages of the broken world: Repair, maintenance, care
Tarja Rautiainen-Keskustalo (ITC), Antti Kurko, Olli Pyyhtinen (SOC)
The seminar series “Assemblages of the Broken World: Repair, Maintenance, Care” examines the dominant imaginaries of technology’s role in society and raises questions about how, in our efforts to pursue a sustainable life, we can appreciate the limits of a fragile world through repair, maintenance, and care. The seminar series includes a Repair Café for the general public. — The Repair Café was instead a panel discussion on sustainable digital life in September 2024. Read about the panel (in Finnish) and check out the December open research seminar.