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satumiettinen

Satu Miettinen is a professor of service design at the University of Lapland. She works as a dean of the Faculty of Art and Design, For several years she has been working with service design research and authored number of books and research publications in this area. She is working with SINCO service prototyping and simulation research environment. Her research interests are in the areas of service design including the areas of social and public service development, citizen engagement and digital service development. She is a visiting lecturer for service design for PUC in Chile and Hokkaido University in Japan. She is PI and co-ordinator in several national and international service design research projects funded by TEKES (Finnish Fund for Innovation and Technology, European Commision Horizon 2020 MSCA RISE etc.). Satu Miettinen has worked as a visiting professor in Stanford University in USA, Tongji University in China and at the University of Trento in Italy.  She also has a strong design research interest for the complex, extreme and marginal contexts.  Satu Miettinen is co-ordinating Arctic design lab that is part of DESIS network. Arctic design is looking at design solutions for circumpolar areas and conditions. In the past she has worked in the areas of crafts development, cultural and creative tourism in several international and European Union funded projects during the period 1997–2006.

Satu Miettinen is an active artist and designer in the area socially engaged art and ecofeminist photography. She has a long history in artistic work with Namibian and South African local communities in crafts and design development work in numerous projects: Opuwo-Helsinki-Opuwo (2002), Kwaata-Kosketus (2004), Potentials - design in the field (2006-2007), Lost in Katutura (2010-2012) and My Dream World (2013-2015). These projects have included exhibitions at the Finnish Craft Museum, Helinä Rautavaara Museum, Museum of Cultures, Arktikum Science Centre, Namibian National Gallery and Cape Town City Hall. Lost in Katutura, Kaupungissa vai maalla? ja Itsepäinen shakaali seikkailee -exhibitions were part of  official program for World Design Capital Helsinki 2012. My Dream World -project was part of official program for World Design Capital Cape Town 2014. She was managing an artistic research project called  Naisia maailman laidalla - margin to margin (2016-2017) funded by Koneen säätiö. This project has included collaboration with Australian aboriginal women artists and exhibitions in Australia and Finland. At the moment she works with Poetic Peripheries collaborative in numerous artistic, residency and exhibition projects.

Bioart Exhibition: Nature Reimagined at Finland’s Embassy

The exhibition "Reimagining Nature: Bioart from the North," opening December 4, 2025, at the Embassy of Finland in Windhoek, features artist-researchers from the University of Lapland. It explores the intersection of bioart, design, and science, focusing on Arctic nature and organic materials, while highlighting themes of collaboration between disciplines and species.
Bioart Exhibition: Nature Reimagined at Finland’s Embassy

Behind the Scenes of Tuuliluleima Documentary

"The Making of Tuuliluleima" is a short documentary that highlights the collaborative creation of a design fiction film aimed at aiding entrepreneurs in strategic foresight. It showcases storytelling, worldbuilding, and design methodologies to explore potential futures. The film won an Award of Recognition at the IndieFEST Film Awards 2024, emphasizing innovative business strategies.
Behind the Scenes of Tuuliluleima Documentary

The Legacy of Family Traces in Art

The exhibition "The Trace of a Man" features 16 artists from the Faculty of Arts, exploring the concept of human traces in art. Curated by Aira Huovinen, each artist presents up to six works, reflecting personal and historical connections. Themes of inheritance and memory are highlighted, particularly through photography portraying parental imprints.
The Legacy of Family Traces in Art

Co-Authoring Identities in Bio Art: A Symposium Recap

Satu Miettinen, Amna Qureshi, Heidi Pietarinen, and Melanie Sarantou showcased "Co-authoring Identities and Bio Art" at the AMASS Symposium III in Prague on November 24, 2022. The exhibition emphasizes the complex connections between individuals, nature, and creativity, exploring shared identities and experiences through innovative, environmentally friendly textile installations.
Co-Authoring Identities in Bio Art: A Symposium Recap

Reflections: Art Dialogues with Youth in Finland & Brazil

The exhibition "Reflections" showcases youth-driven art from Finland and Brazil, highlighting a collaborative process that explores social, cultural, and environmental mirroring. It features photographs, installations, and video works, emphasizing the interaction between young participants, researchers, and instructors while addressing themes of visibility and connection in a digital age.
Reflections: Art Dialogues with Youth in Finland & Brazil