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Water & Development Research Group - a multi- and interdisciplinary research group Water & Development Research Group - a multi- and interdisciplinary research group Water & Development Research Group - a multi- and interdisciplinary research group Water & Development Research Group - a multi- and interdisciplinary research group Water & Development Research Group - a multi- and interdisciplinary research group

People

WDRG is a unique research group with multidisciplinary approach. Our research group is a combination of professors, post-docs and doctoral students with various backgrounds. For more information and detailed publication list, please click the personal links in People page and visit Aalto People site.

Research group leaders

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Olli Varis

Distinguished Professor | D.Sc. (Tech)

Governance | Water security | Business innovations

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Matti Kummu

Professor | D.Sc. (Tech)

Food | Climate change | Modelling

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Marko Keskinen

Associate Professor | D.Sc. (Tech)

Sustainability | Governance | Integration

University lecturers, staff scientists, and academic coordinators

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Matleena Muhonen

Academic Coordinator (M.Sc.)

Landscape architecture | Sustainability

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Meeri Karvinen

University lecturer (D.Sc. Tech)

Sustainability education | University pedagogy

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Maija Taka

Academic Coordinator, researcher (Ph.D.)

Doctoral education | Research Groups | Urban runoff

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Mika Jalava

Staff scientist (D.Sc. Tech)

Food security | Modeling | Water resources

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Mia Pihlajamäki

Academic Coordinator (Ph.D.)

Marine and water governance | Environmental policy

 

 

Post-doctoral researchers

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Daniel Chrisendo

Ph.D.

Food Economics | Food Systems | Gender Equality | Rural Development

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Josias Láng-Ritter

Ph.D.

Water Resources | Flood Risk | Artificial Intelligence

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Kirsi Hakio

D.A. (Design)

Transformative creative practices | Inner and outer change | Sustainability transformation 

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Alexandra Malmström

PH.D.

Governance | Sustainability | Climate risks

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Ozias Hounkpatin

PH.D.

Soil conservation | Nutrient management | Food

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Anni Juvakoski

D.Sc. (Tech)

Water, sanitation, and hygiene | Crisis preparedness | Low- and middle-income areas

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Oleksii Tomin

D.Sc. (Tech)

Critical water infrastructure | Resilience in armed conflict | Protection of water utilities

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Marko Kallio

D.Sc. (Tech)

Watersecurity | Rural livelihoods | Modelling

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Ashvath Kunadi

Ph.D.

Critical Zone Hydrology | Boundary Layer Meteorology | Climate Science

 

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Mirjami Lantto Klein

Ph.D.

Catchment planning | Hydro-ontologies | Critical geoscience

 

Doctoral researchers

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Anne Hyvärinen

M.Sc. (Tech)

Business innovations | Water security | Trade

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Julia Sundman

M.Sc. (Econ)

Engineering education | Problem-based learning | Sustainability pedagogy

 

 

 

 

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Qiankun Niu

M.Sc. (Tech)

Food security | Climate change | Land use

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Sofija Djukanovic

M.Sc.

Drinking water | Natural organic matter

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Vilma Ristikangas

M.A. (Hum)

Water governance | Resilience | Policy implementation

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Anna Vilhunen

M.A. (Edu)

Doctoral education and superivision | Pedagogy | Inclusive education

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Thomas Banafa

M.Sc. (tech.)

Governance | Water security

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Anup Shrestha

M.Sc.

Disaster Risk Management | Flood Modelling | Hydrology

 

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Essi Huotari

M.Sc.

Sustainability transformation | Knowledge co-creation | Science-society interfaces

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Xiaoqi Feng

M.A. (Edu)

Engineering education | Interdisciplinary pedagogies | Collaborative learning

 

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Venla Isomäki

M.Soc.Sc.

Water governance | Sustainability transformations | Multispecies justice

 

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Bhattarabhop Viriyaroj

M.SC. (TECH)

Global Food Systems | Archetype Analysis

 

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Sara Heikonen

M.Sc. (Tech)

Agriculture | Climate change

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Sina Masoumzadeh Sayyar

M.Sc. (tech.)

Asset Management | Wastewater networks

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Jeroen Poelert

M.Sc.

Food Systems | Agroecology | Water management

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Dané Smith

M.A.

Water Diplomacy | Transboundary Water Governance | Peacebuilding

 

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Tiia Westerberg

M.Sc. (Tech)

Environmental governance | Interdisciplinary thinking | Knowledge production

Research affiliates and visiting researchers

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Irina Mancheva

Ph.D.

Water governance | Environmental policy | Policy implementation

 

 

 

 

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Juho Haapala

D.Sc. (tech.)

Governance | Policy making

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Suvi Sojamo

Ph.D.

Governance | Water security | Policy making

WDRG Master thesis workers

  • Camila Gallo
  • Markus Laasonen
  • Henrika Parviainen
  • Javed Nisha
  • Tiina Pajukari
  • Sofia Harri
  • Qalandar Hussaini

WDRG Alumni

  • Pihla Seppälä, Research assistant -2025
  • Johannes Piipponen, Doctoral researcher -2024
  • Dandan Zhao, Post-doctoral researcher -2024
  • Wenli Lin, Research assistant -2024
  • Vili Virkki, Doctoral researcher -2024
  • Venla Niva, Post-doctoral researcher -2024
  • Qing Xia, visiting Doctoral researcher -2024
  • Mohamud Zaahid, Research assistant -2024
  • Emanuela De Giorgi, Research assistant -2024
  • Anni Lehikoinen, Research assistant -2024
  • Antti Kallanranta, Research assistant -2024
  • Suvi Ojala, Research assistant -2024
  • Vilma Sandström, Post-doctoral researcher -2024
  • Lauri Ahopelto, Doctoral researcher -2024
  • Miina Porkka, Post-doctoral researcher -2023
  • Matias Heino, Post-doctoral researcher -2023
  • Stefano Antonini, Research assistant -2023
  • Eero Alkio, Research assistant -2023
  • Anise McCrone, Research assistant -2023
  • Lisa Sparf, Research assistant -2023
  • Juho Mäkelä, Research assistant -2023
  • Eveliina Heikkala, Research assistant -2023
  • Maria Kosonen, Research assistant -2023
  • Jouni Kärppä, Research assistant -2023
  • Sara Saukkonen, Research assistant -2023
  • Heini Karinen, Research assistant -2023
  • Aino Ahvo, Research assistant -2022
  • Pekka Kinnunen, Doctoral researcher -2022
  • Yean Ng, Research assistant -2022
  • Amy Fallon, Doctoral researcher -2022
  • Erik Salminen, visiting researcher -2021
  • Anna Chrysafi, Post-doctoral researcher -2021
  • Alexander Horton, Post-doctoral researcher -2021
  • Laura Verbrugge, Post-doctoral researcher -2021
  • Jialiang Cai, Post-doctoral researcher -2021
  • Xiaomeng Zhang, visiting Doctoral researcher -2021
  • Inkeri Seppälä, Research assistant -2021
  • Elizabeth Akins, Research assistant -2021
  • Marika Riikonen, Research assistant -2021
  • Eelis Hemberg, Research assistant -2021
  • Esra Marvin, Research assistant -2021
  • Elina Lehikoinen, Doctoral researcher -2020
  • Maiju Narikka, Research assistant 2020
  • Roope Kouki, Research assistant 2020
  • Hafsa Munia, Doctoral researcher -2020
  • Joseph Guillaume, Post-doctoral Researcher -2019
  • Timo Räsänen, Post-doctoral researcher -2017
  • Mirja Kattelus, Doctoral researcher -2017
  • Aura Salmivaara, Doctoral researcher -2015
  • Shokhrukh Jalilov, Post-doc researcher -2015
  • Muhammad Mizanur Rahaman, Post-doctoral Researcher -2013
  • Virpi Stucki, Doctoral researcher -2011
  • Ulla Heinonen, Doctoral researcher -2009