Our research group started in February 2020. We aim at strengthening TAMK’s impact as a promotor of sustainable circular and bioeconomy. Our group has over 150 years of experience in working life in industry, companies, research universities, universities of applied sciences. We have hundreds of stakeholder contacts, publications and presentations as well as experience from numerous projects.
Our Applied Research Themes are:
1. Value from Forests
We want to be involved in promoting wood based products in applications where it replaces environmentally harmful existing material. A sustainable use of forests gives huge possibilities for creating new sustainable products and solutions.
In addition to various wood fiber-based packaging applications, wood fibers play essential role today in production of more ecological textiles.
The value of forests is in natural raw materials that are renewable and recyclable. We have good facilities in our laboratories for various experiments, testing and analyzing. Using oat hull side stream as raw material in paper bags and packaging is just an example of new ideas we create together with our stakeholders and students.
Fresh ideas and bold experiments are needed on how wood can be used in new ways.
2. Sustainable Urban Food Systems
We foster the urban food system transformation. We aim at overcoming barriers for developing integrated and systemic food policies that support the transition to equal, sustainable and healthy food in rural-urban areas. In concrete terms we are utilizing TAMK Living Labs to achieve these objectives.
TAMK Impact Creating Platforms
- FieldLab …testbed and capability creation for Industry 4.0
- Catering Studio …hospitality management in practice
- Mediapolis …environment for media and arts
- Proakatemia …basecamp for new team enterprises
- HUBS …for enhancing entrepreneurial skills & networks
- Sote Virtual Lab …new ideas for health & wellbeing
- Well-being Centre…for wellbeing services
- Learning Lab …projects for students in mixed groups
- Taito Center …for clinical skills training and simulation
- HeAT Lab …Health and Assistive Technology Laboratory
Members of the Action Group
Silja Kostia, PhD (Genetics), MBA (Educational Leadership)
My key competencies are leadership and management in applied research, education, and stakeholder collaboration especially focused on circular economy solutions and know how. My interest is the added value achieved through joint development actions of university and stakeholders. I would like to have circular economy applications and services available which are easy to use and adapt. That would make the change.
Ulla Häggblom, Dr.(Paper Chemistry)
My key competences are in forest based products and technologies. My special emphasis is in sustainability and creating new ideas how to minimize waste. By better understanding of material flows and with common target setting and attitude, it is possible to make the change. The target is that the future generations do not even know the word “waste” as it is seen as someone else’s raw material.
Mikael Lindell, MSc in Econ. & Bus. Adm.
My key competencies are business, entrepreneurship & team coaching. I’m interested in sustainable food systems and business models. My vision is to coach teampreneurs to create better & sustainable working life.
Riitta Vihuri, MSc Bus. Adm.
My key competencies are business, marketing communication and international relations. My special interests are sustainable development and sustainable, responsible business. Forests and nature are close to my heart and I wish that future generations have the opportunity to enjoy them as well.
Erkki Kiviniemi, MSc Tech
My key competencies are industrial economy, mechanical engineering and project managing. My interests are processes improvement and implementation of research results. I would like to integrate sustainability inside to everyday life in families, companies and whole society.