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Laura-Maija Hero

Born December 1, 1970, Helsinki

Master of Arts (aesthetics), University of Helsinki
PhD student 2015–, University of Turku (educational science)
Career change studies 2008–09 (pedagogy, art education)

Lecturer (cultural production) and innovation coach 2009–, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Director of marketing 1997–08 (visual mobile services, smartphones, campaigns, brand leadership) Nokia Oyj
Exhibition secretary, the Artists’ Association of Finland, Finnish Painters’ Union and Kunsthalle
Teacher 1996–97, School of Arts and Design, Aalto University

Awards:
Thesis Competition (best supervisor 2011 and 2012)
Enterprises in Helsinki Thesis Competition (best supervisor 2013 and 2014)
Nokia Achievement Award (for the innovation and productisation of full length films on mobile phones)

Written by Laura-Maija Hero (Kaija Hartikainen ed.)
Translated by Matthew Billington

Enthusiastically grasp new solutions

Today I work at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences as a lecturer in cultural management and an innovation coach. I am responsible for the facilitation of many kinds of innovation projects; I bring enterprises, teachers and young students from different fields together to innovatively develop new solutions. At the intersection of culture, well-being and technology new social innovations are being continuously formed. It is not important how radical the innovation is; even solutions producing a small amount of value-added are important.

You shouldn’t just stick to what you know. Curiosity takes you into uncharted waters. Photo: Laura-Maija Hero.

In the process, innovation competences develop, which are of use to everyone. They are the ability to engage in future’s thinking, creativity, social skills, project management skills, technical skills and various communications and collaboration skills. Over 1000 innovation projects are carried out per year at Metropolia, and multidisciplinary innovation pedagogics is continuously developed. After all, Metropolia was awarded the Foundation for Finnish Invention’s Konsta Prize for a pedagogical innovation named the MINNO® Innovation Project.

Learning, teaching and supervision in innovation processes are my main focus of interest at present, and I am also writing my doctoral dissertation on the subject. The enthusiasm the University of Helsinki gave me for exhaustively investigating and studying matters has once more raised its head.

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