Johanna Naukkarinen, LUT University
"If you follow what feels interesting and meaningful, the world will guide you in the right direction."
What have you studied and what influenced this choice back in the day?
I completed my Master of Science in Technology (DI) around the turn of the millennium, specializing in chemical engineering. I recall choosing that field because I was interested in chemistry but didn’t want to become a teacher. Also, the title of “diplomi-insinööri” (Master of Science in Technology) sounded impressive. Since then, I have also earned a Licentiate of Science and a Doctor of Science in the field of knowledge management, as well as a vocational teacher qualification. My later studies were primarily driven by a desire to better understand phenomena and processes related to learning and knowledge.
How did you end up being a professor?
I came to my current role as a research-based university teacher through a somewhat winding path. After graduating as a DI, I worked in various positions related to educational development within the administration of a couple of different universities. I pursued postgraduate studies alongside my work and defended my doctoral dissertation in 2015. These studies sparked a genuine interest in research, and when an opportunity arose to transition from support and development roles into academic research and teaching, I took it right away. I’ve been on that path ever since.
What is the best thing about your job?
The best part of my work is doing research, teaching, and developing things—in other words, everything. The job is diverse, and I have significant influence over what I do. I can pretty much decide for myself what I research and what or how I teach. The second-best part is my fantastic colleagues, both in Finland and abroad.
What have been the highlights and key lessons of your career?
The single biggest highlight of my career is probably my doctoral defense. It remains in my memory as a warm, meaningful occasion where I got to speak to a large audience about a topic that meant a great deal to me. The most important lesson I’ve learned is that we can influence a great many things ourselves, and in that way, shape our work and careers into what we want—provided we know what we want.
What do you expect from the future?
I dream of retiring as a professor. The main challenge to that dream is that engineering education research is not yet a well-established academic field in Finland, even though it is more recognized internationally. For example, there is currently only one professorship in this field in the country. Therefore, my goal is to strengthen the position and significance of this research area also in Finland.
For whom this is a suitable career option?
An academic career suits many kinds of people. It certainly helps if you enjoy delving into topics (which is essentially what research is) as well as interacting with people (which is crucial in both teaching and development work). For someone interested in international opportunities, academia offers many different options and arenas for engagement.
What message would you like to send to a young person pondering their career?
The starting point of a career path rarely defines its endpoint—or even the milestones along the way. If you do what feels interesting and meaningful, the world will guide you in the right direction. A career is not about picking from a set of ready-made options; instead, you can and should actively influence the roles and paths you take.