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CURRICULUM VITAE OF VILJA VARHO
CONTACT
Natural Resources Centre Finland (Luke), Economy and society
address: Koetilantie 5, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
1. NAME AND DATE
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Varho, Vilja
female
cv updated 4th December 2015
2. DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH, NATIONALITY
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born in 1971 in Helsinki, Finland
citizenship: Finnish
3. EDUCATION AND DEGREES AWARDED
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Doctor of Science (Agriculture and Forestry), University of Helsinki, Environmental Science
and Policy, 5th December 2007.
Thesis title: Calm or Storm? – Wind Power Actors’ Perceptions of Finnish Wind Power and
its Future.
Contact: Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, P.O. Box 65, FI-00014 University
of Helsinki, Finland.
Master of Science (Agriculture and Forestry), University of Helsinki, Environmental
Protection Science, 2000.
Under review: Title of Docent in futures studies in University of Turku, Finland.
4. OTHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING , QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

Young Scientists Summer Program in the International Institute for Applied Systems
Analysis (IIASA), Austria; 1st June – 31st August 2004
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Pedagogical training of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry (JUONTO), University of
Helsinki, 12 credits, 2002-2003.
5. LANGUAGES
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mother language: Finnish
other languages: English, excellent; Swedish, good; French, fair; Spanish, fair; Italian, basics
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6. CURRENT POSITION
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Principal Research Scientist, Natural Resources Centre Finland (Luke), Economy and society
unit, Foresight team; 1st January 2015 –
working four days a week 1.1.2015-29.2.2016
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Research career phase: independent researcher
7. PREVIOUS WORK EXPERIENCE
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Principal Research Scientist, MTT Agrifood Research Finland; 1st November 2013 – 31st
December 2014 (working half-time 1.11.2013-28.2.2014, working four days a week
1.3.2014-31.12.2014)
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Grant researcher, grant from Kone Foundation; at Finland Futures Research Centre,
University of Turku; 1st January 2013 – 28th February 2014 (working half-time 1.11.201328.2.2014)
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Senior Researcher at Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku; 1 st April 2009 –
31st December 2012
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Senior Lecturer of Environmental Policy, at Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences,
University of Helsinki; 1st November 2007 – 31st January 2008
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Grant researcher, grants from Maj and Nessling Foundation and University of Helsinki; at
Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki; 1st January 2004 –
31st December 2006
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Researcher, Dept. of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki; 1 st April
2001 – 31st December 2003
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Researcher, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Laxemburg,
Austria; 15th November 2000 – 14th March 2001
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Family leaves: 31st January 2008 – 31st March 2009; 8th September 2009 – 22nd August
2010; 4th October 2010 – 31st January 2011
8. RESEARCH FUNDING, LEADERSHIP AND SUPERVISION
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Research grants:
Kone Foundation 2013; 30 000 €
University of Helsinki 2006; 3 300 €
Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation 2006; 4 208 €
Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation 2005; 17 485 €
Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation 2004; 14 643 €
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Co-writing the research application of CAST project (The Climate Discussion on Transport An Interdisciplinary Environmental Analysis), funded by Academy of Finland 2009– 2012, PI
Petri Tapio; I was the main researcher in the same project
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Co-writer of the research application and the team leader for Natural Resources Institute
Finland in the project Towards a future-oriented “Energiewende”: An anticipatory multi-
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level approach to the decentralised renewable energy transition (FutWend), PI P. Tapio,
funding applied from Academy of Finland, decision pending.
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Work package leader in Futures of Low-Carbon Agriculture, Food Industry and Countryside
up to 2030, funded by Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, 2014.
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Participation in the supervision of over 20 Master’s and Bachelor’s theses, Dept. of
Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki.
9. MERITS IN TEACHING AND PEDAGOGICAL COMPETENCE
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Pedagogical training “JUONTO” of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of
Helsinki, 12 credits, 2002-2003.
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Planning and implementation of the course “Principles of environmental protection” jointly
with Paula Schönach, Open University of the University of Helsinki; 2006 & 2007.
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University-level lectures in various courses on environmental protection and futures
studies in the Finnish School of Arts and Design, Finland Futures Academy, University of
Helsinki, University of Tampere, and University of Turku. Also non-credit lectures in the
University of the Third Age and Helsingin normaalilyseo.
11. OTHER SCIENTIFIC OR ACADEMIC MERITS
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Pre-Examiner of the doctoral dissertation of Sanna-Leena Rautanen (Tampere University of
Technology, ongoing).
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Member of the Finnish Society for Futures Studies
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Member of the Finnish Society for Environmental Social Science
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Member of the international Sustainability Transitions Research Network (STRN)
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Reviewer for scientific journals:
Technological Forecasting and Social Change (2008 - )
Transportation Research part D: Transportation and Environment (2013 - )
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Reviewer for the Proceedings of Sustainable Futures in a Changing Climate conference
(2014)
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Chair, Sustainable Transportation workshop, Trends and Future of Sustainable
Development conference; 9th – 10th June 2011, Tampere, Finland
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Chair, working group Climate change mitigation opportunities in rural futures, Sustainable
Futures in a Changing Climate conference; 11th – 12th June 2014, Helsinki, Finland
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Evaluator of 2 Master’s theses for the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Biological and
Environmental Sciences:
Nygrén, Nina A. (2011) Kohti vähäpäästöistä liikennettä? Hiilidioksidipäästöihin perustuva
autoverouudistus Helsingin Sanomissa.
Lumme, Juha (2008) Ympäristöystävällistä sähköä tarjolla? – Tutkimus ympäristöväitteiden
käytöstä vihreän sähkön markkinoinnissa.
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Member of the working group developing official practices for early involvement in
problem situations (Varhaisen tukemisen malli) in the University of Turku 2011-2012
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Member of the Marketing and information group of the Faculty of Biosciences, University
of Helsinki 2003-2004
12. SOCIETAL IMPACT OF RESEARCH
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Over 50 research-based publications, including 23 peer-reviewed articles, reports of public
organisations, conference papers, research reports, articles in professional magazines, in
newspapers, and in publications of NGOs.
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Scientific presentations in international conferences and workshops: 15 in Austria,
Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, and the UK (+4 presentations presented by a coauthor)
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Scientific presentations in conferences and public seminars in Finnish: 5
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Presentations popularising science: 5
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Expert assignments for Finnish media (radio, newspaper articles, magazines): 7
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Presentation regarding Finnish wind power policy (Tyyntä vai myrskyä?
Tuulivoimatoimijoiden näkemyksiä Suomen tuulivoimasta) to the Green Parliamentary
Group, Parliament House, Helsinki, Finland. 28.11.2007

Principal author of the MTT Agrifood Research Finland statement regarding a working
group report on just and intelligent transport (18.2.2014, LVM/65/05/2012).
13. POSITIONS OF TRUST IN SOCIETY AND OTHER SOCIETAL MERITS
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Member of the Board of the Finnish Union of Environmental Professionals (FUEP) 20102013
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Member of the Council of the Finnish Union of Environmental Professionals (FUEP) 2007-
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Auditor of the Association of Students in Environmental Sciences Myy ry 1993 & 1994
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Financial administrator of the Association of Students in Environmental Sciences Myy ry
1992
14. OTHER MERITS
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Experience in organising futures workshops. Examples include City of Tampere (June 2012),
Ministry of Environment (February-March 2013), DESY (Distributed energy systems) project
(March 2014).
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Transdisciplinary approach to research: Have studied expertise and its use in futures
projects, and employed an inclusive definition of expertise in expert based futures projects,
bringing together people with different fields and levels of education, background
organisations, gender and age.
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Member of the Frameworks for Interdisciplinary Environmental Analyses network
(www.fidea.fi)