I'm a Human Geographer (PhD from the University of Helsinki, minors in sociology, social policy, economic geography and urban planning at TKK/Aalto) and adjunct professor in Spatial Planning. My research interests cover especially planning and democracy theories. During the last 20 years, my research projects and teaching have addressed issues e.g. neighbourhood developing projects, spatial planning theories within democracy theories, participation practices within different administrative steering modes, integrating experiential and ecological knowledge in planning, knowledge management policies in planning within governance practices at the city-regional level and sustainable development in general.