I work currently as Research Fellow at the Transdisciplinary Arts Studies unit (TAS, prev. YoYo) at the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture (AaltoARTS). I'm also a Docent in Aesthetics at the University of Helsinki.
My professional interests include urban/environmental/everyday aesthetics, philosophy of technology, and contemporary forms of environmental and urban art. I am a Codirector in the board of the international Philosophy of the City Research Group (PotC). I was also the President of the Finnish Society for Aesthetics and a Delegate in the Executive Committee of the International Association of Aesthetics (IAA) in 2019–2021. I have also experience of working in projects outside the Academia, in consultancy roles in prestigious urban/property development projects in downtown Helsinki.
I have a PhD (2015) in Aesthetics from University of Helsinki and I was a recipient of the Young Scholar Award by International Association for Aesthetics (IAA) in 2013. Before launching my academic career, I worked for a while as a curator of contemporary art at the Amos Anderson Art Museum (Amos Rex since 2018).
I'm currently supervising 7 brilliant doctoral students (3 at Aalto University and 4 at the University of Helsinki). In 2021–22, I am supervising also Master's theses in Architecture (Aalto), Urban Studies and Planning (UH) as well as Landscape Architecture (Aalto). I teach up to 8 courses annually, with themes ranging from intro to Aesthetics to Environmental and Urban Aesthetics) for all study levels (Bachelor/Master/Doctoral). I teach small seminars and mass lectures and everything in between. As part of my academic training, I have studied extensively University Pedagogy (30cr) as well as Research Leadership and Management (25cr).
Research portal profile at Aalto University
Research portal profile at University of Helsinki (updated since 2020 only regarding supervision of doctoral students)
"The exquisite aesthetic highlights of life are at best truly powerful and life-enriching, but they function strongly from the basis of and in relation to those more mundane experiences that reflect and mould one’s sensitivities on a daily basis." — Sanna