People

Guido Caniglia is the PI of WEIRD research project.

Guido Caniglia works in the field of sustainability science. His research is interdisciplinary (as it mobilizes multiple disciplines), transdisciplinary (as it engages with actors and perspectives outside of academia), and transformative (as it attempts to support research processes that foster change, in academia and in society). In collaboration with numerous colleagues, over the years Guido has developed new theories, conceptual models, and practical methodologies to combine environmental sustainability and social justice through research.

In WEIRD, Guido is motivated by a sense of accountability towards people from the queer and disability communities. Through this project, he aims to create academic and societal coalitions between scholars, practitioners, and activists from these communities around issues related to environmental and climate change. By co-designing and co-leading the inter and transdisciplinary research in WEIRD, Guido aims to shape new theories and methodologies for just sustainability transformations that mobilize and leverage disability and queer perspectives.

Currently, Guido is also a Work Package Leader (together with Marina Knickel) in the project PLUS Change on land use decision-making and planning in Europe, where he is in charge of the transdisciplinary and ethics dimensions of the project. He is also Working Group Leader (together with katy Roelich) in the COST-Action TransformERS, where he is interested in understanding and overcoming epistemic injustices in the way we investigate and theorize sustainability, justice, and transformations.

Before joining the University of Helsinki as an Associate Professor in September 2024, Guido was for six years the Scientific Director of the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research (Klosterneuburg, Austria). Previous to that, he held a Marie-Curie post-doctoral fellowship at Leuphana University (Germany). Guido earned a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Florence (Italy) in 2010 and a PhD in Biology from the Center for Biology and Society at Arizona State University in 2015 (USA).

Ely/iott is a postdoctoral researcher in WEIRD, as part of the queer-environmental track of the project. 

Ely/iott is a philosopher with an interdisciplinary background in environmental- and ecological sciences-related questions. His main specialization is in philosophy of ecology and philosophy of environment, as well as feminist philosophy of science and animal philosophy.

Ely/iott is currently focusing on queer and trans* ecologies and environmental studies, as well as queer and trans* anticolonial research practices. His particular research interest is in non-human animal predation and the various theoretical and practical challenges it raises for conservation. Finally, he has a strong and personal interest in trans* studies and philosophy of sport.

He holds a PhD (2023) in philosophy from University of Montreal, Tiohtià:ke/Montréal, Canada, and University Paris 1-Panthéon Sorbonne, France. He is an alum of the Konrad Lorenz Institute (KLI), Austria, and since 2023 a collaborator of The Institute of History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IHPST), France.

Jaakko Harkko is an adjunct researcher at WEIRD with a background in social and public policy. His contribution to WEIRD focuses on advancing transformative science and practices led by people with disabilities (PwD), who are among the most affected by environmental crises. 

In this project, Jaakko will draw on his expertise in conducting systematic literature reviews. He will also actively contribute to collaborative processes and is committed to engaging in mutual learning around alternative and transformative approaches to environmental justice, sustainability, and systemic change.

Sasha Krikkerik is a research assistant contributing to the queer track of the WEIRD research project. 

They are currently studying social psychology and are particularly interested in social change, social justice and inclusivity, queer studies, and the intersections of these themes with environmental issues. 

In WEIRD, Sasha is involved in a literature review on queer-environmental topics and also supports organizational tasks and event planning. 

Helena Kärppä works as a research assistant in the disability section of the WEIRD research project. 

Helena is currently completing her master’s degree in Theology and Religious Studies, with a minor in Global Development Studies, and with a specific focus on sustainability and disability themes.

In WIERD, she is involved in the initial stages of the project by reviewing existing literature and is also part of the team facilitating communication and organizing events. 

Riikka Sarasjärvi is the project coordinator for the project, taking care of administrative issues and assisting in various support task to ensure that the project runs smoothly.

Project coordinators are part of research services offering post-award support for large externally funded projects, such as ERC grant projects.

Riikka's tasks include, for example, assisting with funder requirements such as reporting, checking compliance with university guidelines, as well as various tasks related to communications.