I am Professor of Intercultural Communication and Computer-Mediated Communication at the Department of Language and Communication Studies. I teach in the international Master's Programme in Language, Globalization and Intercultural Communication (LAGIC). I hold a PhD in Speech Communication and specialize in the study of human interaction in diverse technological and cultural environments. I have served as Chair of the Finnish Society for Game Research, Prologos (the Finnish Association for Communication and Interaction Research), and the Digital Games Research Section of the European Communication Research and Education Association (ECREA).
My research examines the relationship between people and communication technologies. I am particularly interested in how people use technology to build communities, identities, and social relationships. My research has focused on topics such as online communities, virtual teams, digital games, and the discursive construction of nationality and ethnicity in online environments. More recently, I have been exploring human-AI interaction and the complex and often unpredictable consequences that the use of artificial intelligence may have for communication, social relationships, and human agency.
My research helps understand the dynamics of communication in intercultural and global contexts. I specialize in studying technology-mediated communication in its many forms. I have approached the topic for example from the viewpoints of intercultural communication, media and news, digital games research, and working life communication. Online communication is a central feature of our contemporary lives, and much of our global developments and discussions related to culture and interculturality are influenced by it. My research provides insight into the ways in which people utilize new communication technologies, and the meanings they attach to this type of communication.
