Helka Kalliomäki
Introduction
Head of Administrative Sciences Performance Unit
Research
I am an urban and regional studies scholar with broad expertise in science and innovation policy studies. My current research is related to strategic urban and regional development, changing science-society relations as well as spatial dimensions of innovation policy. In addition to doing discipline-based research in the field of regional studies, my position is linked to InnoLab research platform through which I am engaged in several cross-disciplinary research projects in the broad field of science and innovation policy. In those projects we are working closely with various societal stakeholders. I am also InnoLab's representative in a European network of leading innovation studies research centres, the Eu-SPRI Forum. I have versatile expertise in societal impact activities and broad consortium projects from diverse positions. During my academic career I have been a visiting scholar at George Washington University, University of Maryland, and University College London.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy: University of Turku, Department of geography and geology, 2012
Master of Science: University of Oulu, Department of geography, 2007
Leadership education:
Academic and service leadership Unilead, University of Vaasa, 2020-2021
JOKO42 Leadership Education, University of Turku, 2014?2015
Teaching
HTK2107 Johdatus kestävään kaupunkikehittämiseen (Introduction to sustainable urban development)
HTM3510 & HTM3520 Pro gradu -tutkimusseminaari (Master's thesis seminar)
HTM3117-3001 Paikkaperustaisen johtamisen tutkimusprojekti (Place-based management research project)
HTM3400-3005 Muutos, johtaminen ja kompleksisuus (Change, leadership and complexity)
Recent research funding
Research Council of Finland/Strategic Research Council, 2025-2028, SPACECONOMY - Advancing Sustainable Economic Growth through Space Economy (UVA responsible person, consortium project led by Tampere University)
Business Finland, 2025-2027, STRAIND - Bridging Strategic Spatial Policies and Returning Industrial Policies for Innovation and Growth (PI, UVA & UTU consortium project)
European Urban Initiative, 2025-2029, The Nordic Energy Capital (NEC) - creating system level urban energy transition (WP leader, regional ecosystem project led by the City of Vaasa)
Regional Council of Ostrobothnia, 2025-2026, Vaasa Climate Commitment (CO-I, City of Vaasa, University of Vaasa, Vaasa University of Applied Sciences VAMK, VASEK)
Business Finland, 2022-2024, MISS - Practicing mission-oriented innovation policy (CO-I, UVA & international consortium joint project)
Nordic Council of Ministers/Nordic Information on Gender, 2022-2023, AGDA - Addressing the gender and diversity paradoxes in innovation - towards a more inclusive policy design (CO-I, responsible person of UVA, networking project between several Nordic organisations)
Business Finland, 2020-2022, Evolving innovation space, RDI policies and impact evaluation (CO-I, UVA & international consortium joint project)
ERDF/Interreg Botnia-Atlantica, 2020-2022, FAIR - Finding innovations to Accelerate Implementation of electric Regional aviation (CO-I, responsible person of UVA, UVA & Umeå University & cross-border consortium joint project)
Recent publications
Hill TL, Orr N, Kalliomäki H 2025. Impact measurement: A tool for leadership. In Laker B, Soga LR & Bolade-Ogunfodun Y (eds.). Elgar Encyclopedia of Leadership, Elgar Encyclopedias in Business and Management.
Ertiö T, Eriksson T & Kalliomäki H 2025. Disruption. In Laker B, Soga LR & Bolade-Ogunfodun Y (eds.). Elgar Encyclopedia of Leadership, Elgar Encyclopedias in Business and Management, 59-60.
Kalliomäki H, Hill TL & Eriksson T 2025. Collaboration. In Laker B, Soga LR & Bolade-Ogunfodun Y (eds.). Elgar Encyclopedia of Leadership, Elgar Encyclopedias in Business and Management, 29-30.
Eriksson T & Kalliomäki H 2025. Capability. In Laker B, Soga LR & Bolade-Ogunfodun Y (eds.). Elgar Encyclopedia of Leadership, Elgar Encyclopedias in Business and Management, 18-19.
Kalliomäki H, Kuusisto J & Kunttu L 2025. Evaluating inclusion as a multidimensional science and innovation policy objective. In Kuusisto J, Meyer M, Flowers S, Kunttu L & Kalliomäki H (eds.). The evolving innovation space: policy and impact evaluation in a changing world. De Gruyter Studies in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Kunttu L, Kalliomäki H, Kuusisto J 2025. Evolving innovation space: variety of innovations, actors, activities and diffusion mechanisms. In Kuusisto J, Meyer M, Flowers S, Kunttu L & Kalliomäki H (eds.). The evolving innovation space: policy and impact evaluation in a changing world. De Gruyter Studies in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Dan S, Kalliomäki H, Kunttu L & Kuusisto J 2025. What do we know about innovation policy? In Kuusisto J, Meyer M, Flowers S, Kunttu L & Kalliomäki H (eds.). The evolving innovation space: policy and impact evaluation in a changing world.
Kuusisto J, Meyer M, Flowers S, Kunttu L & Kalliomäki H 2025 (eds.). The evolving innovation space: policy and impact evaluation in a changing world. De Gruyter Studies in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Okonkwo E, Mäenpää A, Kalliomäki H & Tukiainen T 2024. Analysis of place-based factors in transitions through the lens of a transition space: Insights from Finland’s emerging battery industry. Norwegian Journal of Geography, https://doi.org/10.1080/00291951.2024.2362756
Kalliomäki H, Kalliokoski J, Woodson T, Kunttu L & Kuusisto J 2024. Inclusion as a Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Objective in High-Income Countries: The Decoupling Dilemma. Science and Public Policy, https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scae019
Kalliomäki H, Oinas P & Salo T 2024. Innovation districts as strategic urban projects: The emergence of strategic spatial planning for urban innovation. European Planning Studies, https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2023.2216727.
Kalliomäki H, Airaksinen J & Ruoppila S 2023. Vuorovaikutteinen tiedontuottaminen ja tutkimuksen yhteiskunnallinen vaikuttavuus (In English: Collaborative knowledge production and societal impact of research). In Mäntylä N, Viljanen J & Perttola L (eds.). Tieto, valta ja vaikuttaminen oikeusvaltiossa, 116-137. Gaudeamus.
Tuurnas S, Jäntti A, Kalliomäki H, Kurkela K & Lehtonen P 2022. Asukastiedon hyödyntämisen kipupisteet yhteiskehittämisessä (In English: Challenges in utilising citizens’ knowledge in co-creation). In Jäntti A, Kork A-A, Kurkela K, Leponiemi U, Paananen H, Sinervo L-M & Tuurnas, S (eds.) 2022. Hallinnon tutkimuksen tulevaisuus. Vastapaino, Tampere.
Jokinen L, Mäkelä M, Heikkilä K, Apostol O, Kalliomäki H & Saarni J 2022. Creating futures images for sustainable cruise ships: Insights on collaborative foresight for sustainability enhancement. Futures 135, 102873.
Kettunen-Matilainen E, Oinas P & Kalliomäki H 2022. Circuits of architecture and urban planning: Internationalization of Finnish architectural offices. Global Networks 22, 150-165.
Kalliomäki H, Ruoppila S & Airaksinen J 2021. It Takes Two to Tango: Examining Productive Interactions in Urban Research Collaboration. Research Evaluation, 30(4), 529-539.
Kunttu L, Kalliomäki H, Dan S & Kuusisto J 2021. Developing societal impact evaluation methods for research - commercialization and sustainability viewpoints. Tim Review, May 2021.
Hirvensalo A, Teerikangas S, Reynolds, N-S, Kalliomäki H, Mäntysalo R, Mattila H & Granqvist K 2021. Agency in Circular City Ecosystems - A Rationalities Perspective. Sustainability 5, 1-15.
Granqvist K, Mäntysalo R, Mattila H, Hirvensalo A, Teerikangas S & Kalliomäki H 2021. Multiple Dimensions of Strategic Spatial Planning: Local Authorities Navigating between Rationalities in Competitive and Collaborative Settings. Planning Theory & Practice, Online 30 March, 1-19.
Apostol O, Mäkelä M, Heikkilä K, Höyssä M, Kalliomäki H, Jokinen L & Saarni J 2021. Why to communicate? A sensemaking perspective to sustainability communication. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 34: 3, 849-876.
