Appointment of strategic spearhead research projects to Eudaimonia Institute for a period of 2026 – 2028

16 best applications receive Eudaimonia spearhead project funding for 2026-2028. Multidisciplinary research centre Eudaimonia Institute systematically promotes multidisciplinary research at the University of Oulu operating particularly in the thematic area "A resilient and secure society"

Eudaimonia Institute develops the University of Oulu's multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research profile in close collaboration with the faculties. Eudaimonia promotes, coordinates, and strengthens multidisciplinary research both across human sciences and between human sciences and other fields of science. The focus of the Eudaimonia Institute is on research in human sciences.

On 18 December 2024, the a call for Eudaimonia-affiliated research projects was opened. The call was closed on 17 February 2024. The total number of applications received was 35. The independent scientific evaluation panel, with eight members, was appointed by the Rector of the University of Oulu and the applications were reviewed remotely in summer 2025.

These 7 applications receive funding for 1 postdoctoral researcher and 1 doctoral researcher (doctoral student):

  1. Haddington, Pentti: Action and Intersubjectivity in the Digital Age – AIDA
  2. Hirvonen, Noora: Everyday encounters with propaganda
  3. Kaya, Ferhat: Understanding Past Ecosystems to Build a More Resilient Future
  4. Lähteenmäki, Vili: Epistemic Resilience and the Foundations of Cognition: A Study in Early Modern Philosophy
  5. Ojala, Maria: Climate-change hopelessness among emerging adults: Sources of hopelessness, outcomes, and resilience factors
  6. Räsänen, Aleksi: The good, the bad and the ugly - competitive land uses and resilience in rural social-ecological systems (LEONE)
  7. Tammi, Tuure: Multispecies Symphonies – Advancing critical and creative attentiveness with children in the Phonocene (MuSes).

These 9 applications receive funding for 1 doctoral researcher (doctoral student):

  1. Frick, Maria: AI-Assisted Multicultural Interactions and Language Learning in Healthcare Work and Education (AIMIL)
  2. Huuki, Tuija: Countering peer Violence in Primary School: Crafting co-productive home-school cooperation (COPE)
  3. Kajamaa, Anu: Creating Continuous Learning Opportunities in and Across Educational Institutions (COMPASS)
  4. Laari-Salmela, Sari: Humanizing Strategy: Examining the Role of Humanness in Strategic Change
  5. Lanas, Maija: Friendship norms and violence among young people in school (FAVE)
  6. Mononen, Riikka: In fear of teaching math? Dynamics of teachers’ and students’ math anxiety, learning, motivation, and well-being (iTeachMath)
  7. Muukkonen, Hanni: Reshaping agencies in AI-mediated group collaboration (RESHAPE)
  8. Räisänen, Tiina: Multiliteracy Expertise in Future Working Life: Interaction and Coexistence of Humans and Language-based AI Systems (MultiHAI)
  9. Välimaa, Taina: ListenFuture—Listening for their Future: The Complex Associations between Hearing, Cognition, Spoken language, Literacy and Psychosocial Wellbeing in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Adolescents.

The postdoctoral researcher and doctoral researcher positions will be filled through open calls according to the procedures approved by the University’s HR services. The projects contribute to joint various activities of the Eudaimonia Institute and common activities of all University of Oulu centres for multidisciplinary research.

Last updated: 29.9.2025