HSSH May Newsletter 5/2026

Recent news and upcoming events at HSSH – read more below and don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter!

New manual supports researchers in algorithm-based facial expression analysis

A new manual introducing the use of algorithm-based facial expression analysis in research has been published for researchers at the University of Helsinki City Centre Campus. The manual is intended for all researchers at the City Centre Campus. The development of the manual was supported by HSSH’s Catalys Grant funding.

The method offers new opportunities for analysing interaction and interview data, for example. It can also be used in research on online work, such as examining users’ facial expressions, depending on the type of video material the researcher has collected and the research questions the data are intended to address.

With the help of the manual, University of Helsinki researchers can independently use the Py-Feat software to analyse videos recorded, for example, in Interlab. Py-Feat enables algorithm-based analysis of facial expressions and can therefore complement researchers’ methodological toolkit, especially when the research focuses on interaction, reactions, or nonverbal communication using video data.

The publication is available on Zenodo:

Juselius, J., Henttonen, P., Wuolio, M., & von Zansen, A. (2026). An addition to researchers’ toolkit: Algorithm-based facial expression analysis in L2 education (v1.0). Zenodo.

Researchers interested in the method can contact Anna von Zansen at . The authors of the manual would also be happy to hear about user experiences and receive feedback on the manual.

The code of life and quantum computing come together – UH joins project aiming for a bioeconomy breakthrough

Finland is launching Q-GEN, an internationally unique research and innovation project that combines quantum computing and the life sciences. The Q-GEN project, funded by Business Finland, is led by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). Partners include Aalto University, VTT, and the University of Helsinki.

A major research and innovation initiative

The central idea behind the Q-GEN project is the quantum-based modeling and application of biological phenomena.

“The project combines DNA, the fundamental code of life, with quantum computing, which utilizes the quantum mechanical behavior of nature to perform computations. This combination opens up new possibilities for the analysis of biological data as well as for DNA applications and breeding. For example, bioinformatics is a highly promising application area for quantum computing, whose methods and computational power are developing rapidly worldwide,” says Professor Ilkka Tittonen of Aalto University.

Quantum computing can solve problems that are too complex for current computational methods.

“Biological and, in particular, genomic data is accumulating at an unprecedented rate, but it is so complex that we are not yet able to fully utilize it. Breakthroughs do not come from the amount of data, but from how it can be interpreted. With quantum computing, we can approach biological problems in a completely new way,” says project coordinator and research manager Sirja Viitala from Luke.

Q-GEN builds a strategic advantage for Finland by combining two national strengths: quantum technology and the life sciences. At the same time, it supports Finland’s quantum strategy and the EU’s bioeconomy strategy, while strengthening Europe’s competitiveness.

First breakthroughs in the coming years?

Quantum computing can be utilized, for example, in the design of bio-based materials, the development of industrial enzymes, bioinformatics, and genomic breeding.

Q-GEN builds direct pathways from research to commercial solutions. In addition to research organizations, the project involves extensive collaboration with companies to advance research and the testing of practical applications. At the same time, expertise is being built that combines quantum science, biology, and data-driven innovation development.

In the project, Luke is examining how quantum computing could enhance genomic breeding. Quantum methods can enable more detailed modeling of genetic interactions, which speeds up breeding decisions and supports the development of more sustainable and productive traits.

“Genomic breeding is based on our ability to utilize genomic data and understand biological complexity. With quantum computing, we can process significantly large datasets and potentially model genetic interactions in greater detail. This can significantly accelerate breeding and open up opportunities to develop even more sustainable and productive solutions in the bioeconomy,” explains Sirja Viitala from Luke.

A responsible and ethical technological transformation builds a more sustainable future

Combining quantum computing and biotechnology offers new ways to address the major challenges of our time, such as climate change, the sustainable use of natural resources, and improving food security.

The project takes into account the societal impacts of technology by integrating ethical, legal, and societal perspectives into research and innovation. The goal is to ensure that the resulting solutions are not only technologically advanced but also safe, acceptable, and supportive of the transition toward a sustainable bioeconomy.

"Responsible and trustworthy research and innovation require continuous multidisciplinary dialogue both within the consortium and between the consortium and different sectors of society. It is important to speak openly about the limits and possibilities of technology in order to avoid unfounded expectations and unnecessary fears. Together, we examine the space of justification and explain to ourselves and others what we do and why,” say Pekka Mäkelä (HSSH, University of Helsinki) and Raul Hakli (Practical Philosophy, University of Helsinki), describing the work of their work package.

Conference explored human interaction in the age of the internet

The conference Human Interaction in the Age of the Internet brought together scholars from social psychology, communication, linguistics, anthropology and computational research at the Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies on 11–12 May 2026.

Focusing on digital sociality, the event examined how platforms, metrics and machines have reshaped social life. Discussions addressed how conversation, public opinion, identity and conflict are formed through posts, comments, clips, memes and other distributed micro-utterances.

Organised by Jane and Aatos Erkko Visiting Professor Kevin Durrheim, the conference also explored how computational methods, including large language models, could help researchers understand new norms of interaction without reducing them to mere “content” or “information”. HSSH’s Matti Pohjonen contributed to the programme with a paper on generative AI as an epistemological laboratory.

Diversity, Relationality and Everyday Life - panel and networking event on 16.6.2026

Please note these two events organized by Diversity in Society and Life () researchers Sirpa Wrede, Sointu Leikas, and Henrietta Grönlund. This is an opportunity to learn about the research perspectives developed at the at University of Manchester

The morning panel is open to all, and you are cordially invited—no registration needed.

The afternoon networking meeting is open to all researchers in the DIVSOL research community, but registration is required due to refreshments. Please register through this link by the deadline of June 8th.

Below you will find a description of the two events. Please join us for interesting insights and lively discussions!

DIVSOL Panel Diversity, Relationality and Everyday Life

Date and time Tuesday 16 June 2026 10-12

Venue Porthania P674

This event is a scholarly panel focusing on diversity in everyday lives, with a strong conceptual emphasis on relationality and lived experience. The panel brings together Professor (University of Manchester), Dr (University of Sheffield), and Dr (University of Bath), all of whom have played significant roles at the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives at University of Manchester. Their research addresses personal relationships, politics and social change, the political economy of ageing and later-life disability, and the self, belonging, migration, family life, and temporality. The first hour is dedicated to the short presentations of the panelists and the second hour for discussion. The panel is sponsored by the profiling action Diversity in Society and Life (DIVSOL) and organised by DIVSOL researchers Professor Sirpa Wrede, Dr Sointu Leikas and Professor Henrietta Grönlund. Morgan Centre is one of DIVSOL'S collaborating institutions. The panel will be moderated by Professor Sirpa Wrede and Dr Sointu Leikas.

DIVSOL Networking Event Diversity, Relationality and Everyday Life

Date and time Tuesday 16 June 2026 13-16

Venue University of Helsinki Main Building U3039

This networking event is organised to bring together researchers interested in everyday diversity in society. The aim of the meeting is to provide opportunities to shortly present and discuss participants' related research interests and activities, to increase opportunities for contact and collaboration. The meeting is related to the scholarly panel organised the same day that is closely aligned with several DIVSOL research themes: The theme of Participation, Inclusion & Empowerment, through its focus on how social difference, marginalisation, and belonging are lived, negotiated, and resisted in everyday relationships and institutional contexts. The theme of Social & Environmental Adaptation, by examining how individuals and groups adapt to social, political, and demographic change across the life course. The theme of New Methods, as the panel draws on innovative qualitative and mixed methodological approaches developed at the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives.

Remember the by 8^th of June!

New article published: Social media platforms are becoming geopolitical actors

A new article by HSSH’s university researcher Matti Pohjonen and UH’s Professor of Media and Communication Studies Mervi Pantti argues that major social media platforms are no longer just neutral spaces for communication during war.

Published in Media, War & Conflict, the article compares how Meta, Twitter/X, Google, and YouTube communicated their moderation policies during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Tigray War in Ethiopia.

The researchers found that platforms responded more visibly and proactively to the war in Ukraine, often framing their actions around defending democracy. In the Ethiopian case, platforms relied more on language of neutrality, safety, and rule enforcement.

The study suggests that these differences reveal global inequalities in content moderation. It concludes that platforms increasingly act as geopolitical players whose decisions shape how conflicts are seen, documented, and debated online.

17.6. Kirsikka Grön’s doctoral dissertation defense “Living amidst platformization in Hangzhou: Experiential and methodological approaches beyond Western-centric perspectives”

Kirsikka Grön will publicly defend their doctoral dissertation titled: “Living amidst platformization in Hangzhou: Experiential and methodological approaches beyond Western-centric perspectives”. Kirsikka's dissertation is part of the HSSH Datafication Research Program.

️ Wednesday, 17 June at 13:00

Porthania, Room PII (Yliopistonkatu 3)

Associate Professor Alison Powell (London School of Economics) will act as the opponent, and Minna Ruckenstein as the custos.