Jonna Häkkilä
PhD
Professor of industrial design, Vice Dean
jonna.hakkila@ulapland.fi
+358 40 484 4203
Lacris profile

Jonna Häkkilä, the leader of LUX research group, is professor for Industrial Design at the University of Lapland and docent for computer science at University of Oulu. She has earlier ramped up and led research teams at University of Oulu (2012-2014), and Nokia Research Center (2007-2011). She has published 120+ peer reviewed scientific papers on HCI and has received research grants from Horizon 2020, Academy of Finland, Interreg, and Tekes/Business Finland addressing user centric and future oriented research at the cross-section of design and technology. Her research group’s works have been exhibited e.g. in Milan Design Week ’16 & ’17, New York 2018, and awarded at ISWC ‘16 and ‘18.

 

Ashley Colley
PhD
Docent and university researcher
ashley.colley@ulapland.fi
+358 40 5906669
Lacris profile

 

Ashley Colley is a docent and university researcher at the University of Lapland, Finland. Having more than 25 years professional industry experience, including almost 10 years as a Principal Designer in Nokia; he has lead design projects that formed the core of more than 50 million shipped products and is the inventor of more than 30 patents/applications. He has co-authored 80+ peer-reviewed research papers. Colley is a co-founder of Oura Health (www.ouraring.com), where he was instrumental in the initial development of their successful sleep and activity tracking ring

Siiri Paananen
siiri.paananen@ulapland.fi
Project Manager
Lacris profile

  

 

Siiri Paananen is a university teacher in design and a doctoral researcher in the Lapland User Experience Design group (LUX) at the Faculty of Art and Design, University of Lapland. Her research focuses on co-designing interactive technologies for cultural heritage, using a decolonizing design approach. She investigates how XR technologies can support storytelling in the North and create meaningful cultural experiences. She also contributes to research on the just green transition in the Arctic through participatory design. Her work combines arts and technology to create meaningful experiences grounded in local knowledge and values.

 

 Zhengya Gong - Postdoctoral Researcher

Zhengya Gong serves as a postdoctoral researcher in the Faculty of Art and Design, University of Lapland, Finland. She earned her PhD with distinction (major computer science) from the University of Oulu in 2024. Her research is on Extended Reality (XR), Human-Computer Interaction, Design Creativity, Creative Methods, Design Cognition, Design Thinking, and the Cultural Influence on Design.

  Emma Kirjavainen -  Project Manager

 Petra Nurmela - Project Manager

 Kuisma Hurtig - Project Manager

 Tommi Kiianmies - Project Manager

  Amna Qureshi - Project Manager

 Timo Luukkonen - Designer

 Juri Etto - Designer

 Anna-Kristiina Rahkala - Project Management Coordinator

PhD students

Mari Karhu
Siiri Paananen
Emma Kirjavainen
Sanni Mustonen
Minna Virkkula
Emmi Harjuniemi
Eveliina Toivonen
Petra Nurmela
Virve Inget
Tommi Kiianmies
Anton Wikstedt
Mari Silver
Marja Kuronen

Previous Group Members:

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Matilda Kalving

Research Assistant
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Çağlar Genç is a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Lapland, the faculty of Art and Design. His background is from industrial design (BSc), he received his Ph.D. degree at Koç University, İstanbul. During his Ph.D., he researched the relationship between fashion and computational materials to design wearable displays for everyday scenarios. His research has been published in first-tier conferences and journals.

Damien Brun is a post-doctoral researcher at the UX team of University of Lapland. His research focuses around augmented reality and wearable technology. In the past, he designed a do-it-yourself smart glasses toolkit, he explored the combined use of smartwatches and headsets as well as created a cubic keyboard  dedicated to the whole reality-virtuality continuum. Currently, he is working on electrochromic display for decorative and calm computing.

Mari Suoheimo (also in Co-stars research group) is a postdoctoral service design researcher at the UX team. She is currently working as a project manager in the Smart Social Distancing project funded by Business Finland and at the Muittut, muitalusat - the story of the Sámi by the Sámi, funded by the Interreg Nord. Suoheimo in her work wishes to secure that the user’s are kept in the center of the development process.  

Mira Alhonsuo (also in Co-stars research group) - Post Doctoral Researcher

Hong Li (also in Co-stars research group) - Post Doctoral Researcher

Pradthana Jarusiboonchai - Post Doctoral Researcher

Willehardt Gröhn - Research Assistant

Juho Rantakari - Research Assistant

Lasse Virtanen - Research Assistant

Tuomas Lappalainen - Research Assistant

Paula Roinesalo - Research Assistant

Sari Tapio - Research Assistant

Emmakaisa Tikkinen - Research Assistant