Description of research and teaching

Wolff's research mainly includes environmental and sustainability education, transdisciplinary and phenomenon based learning, and education in the Anhropocene (see also Curriculum vitae below).

Wolff is a former university lecturer, most recently a lecturer in science education (teacher educator) at the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Helsinki, and before that  lecturer in philosophy of education and adult learning at the same faulty  and before that at Åbo Akademi University. She has for years been actively involved in various sustainability education groups and networks both nationally and internationally. On faculty level, she has been leader of the research project SveaSus (Sustainable World Heritage Learning through a Phenomenon-based Approach), and of the researcher group SusEdu (Sustainability Education Research Group). 

Curriculum vitae

Lili-Ann Wolff is Doctor of Education and Asssociate Professor in environmental education. Besides a master and doctorate in education, she has also graduated in science and in philosophy.

Since the 1980s, Wolff has been involved in environmental and sustainability education and since the millennium shift in sustainability education research. Her training and work experiences include educational leadership, educational planning, production of teaching materials and programs, and practical teaching (of all age groups). Likewise, she is the author of numerous and diverse articles, have made evaluations, participated in policy work on many levels and performed research both alone and as member (or leader) in several national and international research projects and expert groups.

As a few examples of Wolffs assignements: 2020 - 2024 she was a Finnish managment committee member of the EU Cost action Phoenix (CA 19123) Protection, Resilience, Rehabilitation of Damaged Environment, 2022 - 2024 a member of the Nordic Expert Group on Sustainability Education (Nordic Councils of Ministers, and 2020 - 2025 member in the Swedish Research Council's  application review panel of UV-1: Social aspects of education. Since 2024 she is a member of The Finnish Nature Panel (Suomen Luontopaneeli, 2024-2027), and since 1993 a member of IUCNs (The World Conservation Union) Commission on Education and Communication (CEC).

Wolff's research interest includes sustainability education from transdisciplinary and critical views combining education, philosophy (classical philosophy, philosophy of education, ethics, Bildung theories, etc.), natural sciences and arts. She is the supervisor of two doctoral students at the faculty.

Wolff's doctoral thesis Nature and sustainability: An educational study with Rousseau and Foucault (2011) deals with the ethics of sustainability from both a philosophical/historical view, and a contemporary and future view. It was awarded with the highest grade (laudatur/A).

Wolff's forthcoming publications (2026-2028) include both single author and joint articles, encyclopedia entries, book chapters, and books with research colleaugues from various disciplines and several universities. The topics are transformative learning, social sustainability, phenomenon-based learning, health education, and other sustainability related topics. In addition, she will publish a few encyclopedia entries on sociologic topics, and a mongraphy on the topic of Jean-Jaqcues Rousseau.