About

A network of spatial thinkers, across every faculty

When we think of spatial data and analysis, a few familiar fields probably come to mind first: geography, perhaps geoinformatics. But spatial thinking reaches far beyond these. It shows up across disciplines, from computer science and cultural studies to archaeology and medicine. It's not just about maps or locations: spatial thinking helps us understand relationships, patterns, and movement in the world around us, from how diseases spread and how people move through cities to how cultural influences travel and how ancient sites were connected.

Geospatial data and analysis add real value to a wide range of research questions, which is why they're used, and taught, across many different faculties at the University of Helsinki.

That realization, that so many of us are working with spatial questions often without knowing about each other, sparked an idea: why not build a network of spatial thinkers across disciplines and faculties? What began as a simple exchange of ideas is growing into something bigger: a thriving community, a hub for sharing tools, data, knowledge, and resources, and a space for collaboration around joint projects and shared funding opportunities.

This website is a window into our activities, highlighting our research and teaching, and sharing news and updates from our growing community.

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Who we are

Meet the network

Colleagues from across the university who help set the direction of Spatial-UH and keep it running.

Coordination team

Colleagues who have been more actively involved in setting up and developing the network.

Tuuli Toivonen

Founder

Professor of Geoinformatics

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Kamyar Hasanzadeh

Founder & Admin

Lecturer in Geoinformatics, Docent in Urban Informatics

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Anna Saarinen

Coordinator

Project Planner

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Board members

Colleagues who have contributed ideas, supported development, and participate actively in discussions and planning.

Tuuli Toivonen

Professor of Geoinformatics

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Kamyar Hasanzadeh

Lecturer in Geoinformatics, Docent in Urban Informatics

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Anu Lahtinen

Professor of History

Department of Philosophy, History and Art Studies

Faculty of Arts

Jussi T. Eronen

Professor of Socio-ecological Systems

Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Laura Ruotsalainen

Professor of Computer Science

Department of Computer Science

Faculty of Science

Saara Kekki

Academy Research Fellow

Department of Digital Humanities

Faculty of Humanities

Tom Jilbert

Professor of Environmental Geochemistry

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Enrico Di Minin

Professor of Conservation Geography

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Members

The wider network of colleagues interested in spatial thinking across the university.

Craig Primmer

Professor

Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Christoph Beier

Professor

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Eduardo Maeda

Associate Professor of Remote Sensing of Environment

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Eljas Oksanen

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Department of Cultures (Helsinki) / Department of Archaeology, Geography and Environmental Science (Reading)

Faculty of Arts

Erik Andersson

Professor, Head of Department of Environmental Sciences

Department of Environmental Sciences

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Heini Kujala

Professor of Conservation Biology

Natural History Museum of Finland

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Janne Soininen

Professor of Spatial Environmental Research

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Jarno Vanhatalo

Professor of Statistics

Department of Mathematics and Statistics / Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme

Faculty of Science & Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Joel Jalkanen

Postdoctoral Researcher

Finnish Museum of Natural History

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Johanna Eklund

Associate Professor of Geography

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Kaius Sinnemäki

Professor of Quantitative and Comparative Linguistics

Department of Languages

Faculty of Arts

Mari Vaattovaara

Professor of Urban Geography

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Miska Luoto

Professor of Physical Geography

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Olle Järv

Academy Research Fellow

Department of Geosciences and Geography

Faculty of Science

Pekka Tuominen

Senior Research Fellow

Helsinki Inequality Initiative (INEQ)

Faculty of Social Sciences

Saana Svärd

Professor of Ancient Near Eastern Studies

Department of Languages

Faculty of Arts

Tuomo Hiippala

Professor of English Language and Digital Humanities

Department of Languages

Faculty of Humanities

Ville-Pekka Kääriäinen

Postdoctoral Researcher

Department of History

Faculty of Humanities

Yuan Zhang

Postdoctoral Researcher

Department of Forest Sciences

Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry