My path into energy and climate research has not been linear, but that is precisely what has made it meaningful. My background lies in communication, political science, and responsible business. I hold a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Helsinki, and already during my studies I was deeply interested in environmental issues and environmental policy. This interest deepened during my Master of Environmental Management and Responsible Business studies at the Helsinki University of Technology, where I began to approach climate change from the perspective of business and organizations, not only as a risk, but also as a driver of change.
Over the years, I have worked in communication and consulting, written expert analyses, and collaborated closely with companies and civil society organizations. This phase taught me how crucial it is to translate complex research-based knowledge into forms that are understandable and actionable. Eventually, my desire to explore these phenomena more deeply led me to doctoral studies, and I earned my PhD in organization and management studies from Aalto University School of Business.
In my doctoral dissertation, I examined, among other topics, the adoption of renewable energy, especially solar energy, in Finland, and the institutional, cultural, and political factors shaping the energy transition. In recent years, my interests have expanded to energy security and resilience: how crises – geopolitical, economic, or societal – reshape energy policy and energy-related business. For me, the energy transition is first and foremost a human process, shaped by values, choices, and negotiations about the future.
What I value most in my work is that research does not remain on paper. At the Kerttu Saalasti Institute, we work closely with companies, regions, and policymakers. Interdisciplinarity, practical relevance, and international collaboration are part of everyday work. My own international background, including three years in Paris at two universities, strongly informs how I conduct research and build partnerships.
Through my work, I aim to advance a sustainable economy and energy business and to support solutions that strengthen both climate goals and regional vitality. I believe that the success of the energy transition requires the courage to think differently – and that is the work I want to be part of.
Outside work, I find balance in dance, photography, crafts, and sustainable fashion – and, of course, Paris, which has left a lasting mark on my thinking and sense of aesthetics. These interests remind me that research and societal change also require creativity, sensitivity, and the ability to imagine alternative futures.
Author: Teresa Haukkala, Research Director, PhD (Organization & Management), Sustainable Energy Business Research Group, University of Oulu Kerttu Saalasti Institute
Photo: Fernando Tamayo
In Kerttu Saalasti Institute's blog we write about the topics of the Institute's research groups, micro entrepreneurship education and the Institute's general topics. The authors are researchers, experts and members of networks.
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