Mari Sandell is happy to assume her new position in a time when the Faculty is in good shape: operations are on an upward trend and finances stable. She sees it as an opportunity to look forward and develop operations in a sustained manner.
“Now is a good time to consolidate a common direction for the Faculty and its role within the University and society as a whole. I want us to be an interesting and active partner for other faculties and stakeholders,” Mari says.
Food and forests, she says, are themes that are subject to enormous expectations and national responsibilities. They link directly to sustainability, health, the economy and global crises. In addition, they are close to the lives of ordinary citizens.
“We are a key player in our field. We have a duty to contribute to public discussion and the search for solutions. The Faculty hosts a great deal of expertise that deserves to be seen,” Mari notes.
Listening establishes common ground
Serving as the vice-dean for public engagement for the past four years has given Mari a vantage point over the Faculty’s operations and everyday activities. As the dean, she aims to strengthen internal coherence at the Faculty and make collaboration between units natural and ordinary.
Mari approaches leadership above all from the human perspective. She describes herself as a leader who prefers to make decisions together with others and wants to understand all everyday matters. Of course, the dean is responsible for the successful, profitable and efficient management of the Faculty’s duties.
“For me, good leadership is based on trust and listening. The best solutions are found when people feel they are being heard and the right direction is determined together. I think it’s important for people to feel that they belong – that this Faculty belongs to all of us,” Mari says.
In her new role as the dean, she wishes to be approachable and involved in practical work too. In fact, Mari encourages staff and students to pull her aside when they have something on their minds.
A multidisciplinary approach that stems from rural roots
Mari grew up on a farm in southwest Finland, where fields and forests surrounded her home and food was local.
“I spent my childhood in a culinary culture where potatoes came from field to fork in 15 minutes by way of the pot. Only later did I realise that it’s not clear to everyone where food comes from or what natural resources mean in practice. This background has strongly affected my thinking on food and sustainability,” Mari says.
Mari has retained her connection to the soil and the forest in adulthood too: she owns some forest.
Mari’s thinking has also been shaped by her diverse academic background. She received her doctorate in food chemistry from the University of Turku, worked for a long time at the same institution’s medical faculty and later at the University of Helsinki as a professor of sensory food science.
She became familiar with business collaboration already when writing her doctoral thesis. Her domestic and international network of collaboration partners is also well suited to the development and management of Faculty operations.
One of Mari’s career’s turning points was working in a multidisciplinary research community in the United States. The local way of bold and big thinking was combined with the Finnish spirit of ‘sisu’. The experience expanded her thinking in a way that persists today.
“It was a breakthrough for me and an impetus for pursuing an academic career. When people from different fields convene and have the courage to think together, something new is born. I’ve seen it in my work: multidisciplinarity enriches thinking and opens up entirely new perspectives. It’s very natural to me, and I wish to nurture it at our Faculty too,” she says.
In challenging moments, Mari is happy to revert to a guiding principle she obtained from a supervisor.
“‘Turn your gaze towards new challenges’ is a phrase that reminds me not to get stuck. It’s such an insightful lesson.”
Interaction and free time provide a boost and new insights
For Mari, the Faculty community is a key source of motivation.
“We have wonderful and committed people at the Faculty and on the campus as a whole, and it shows in everyday life. Students are active, demanding and courageous, and that’s great. They are also inviting us to develop ourselves further and adopt new perspectives.”
After the pandemic, Mari has noticed a special mood on Viikki Campus. Meetings, events and collaboration between parties are back, including in new forms.
“There is a lot of going on at the campus right now. It’s inspiring to see how students, researchers, businesses and stakeholders come together. It also speaks to the currency of our disciplines in this moment,” she enthuses.
To balance her life, Mari delves into music, culture and the arts in her free time. With folk music particularly close to her heart, Mari tries to take advantage of the diverse cultural offerings in Helsinki in her everyday life. Barre has become a favourite form of physical exercise for Mari. At home in Turku, two dachshunds keep her on the move.
“All this helps me disengage from work and keep my mind active. It’s important in this role. New insights are born when you let your mind be,” Mari says.