After completing my master’s thesis in cultural history in 2010, I accepted Professor Markku Kuisma’s job offer and delved into business history. As a research assistant, digging through archives and conducting interviews, the topic for my doctoral dissertation came to me.

My most memorable phase at university was not in Helsinki and actually not even at university at all, but in Montpellier in Southern France, where I spent an exchange year in 2008-9. I didn’t have time to finish the autumn courses because the university went on strike.

When it comes to student life, I was lazy and not particularly active, I suppose it was due to being from Helsinki; I already had a group of friends. Maybe it was partly because of that that I didn’t take part in any organisational activities.