The analysis shows that research in HELSUS is interdisciplinary and draws on systemic approaches to understand the global, regional and local patterns and processes within and between societies, climate change, ecosystems and wellbeing, and create context-specific solutions to inform sustainability transformations. HELSUS also studies, supports and co-creates social movements, sustainable designs, grassroots innovations, and the structural changes in sociocultural, economic and political systems affecting them.
HELPSUS or Helsinki Sustainability Zine is a new diverse forum for sharing sustainability research, and it is published every two months. It is an informal gathering of young (and "less young") researchers to discuss everything and nothing relating to sustainability. The aim is also to prove that researchers can have fun while talking about their own themes. And of course to tell people that if they want to contribute they are more than welcome!
The project came from the realization that members of HELSUS’ network do not necessarily know each other and struggle to interact. So, Stephan, Viola, and Heta tried to come up with an informal/fun/constructive way to engage with all members and the rest of the university through a small initiative: the zine idea was born. While talking about it with people around them, they got motivated people to produce great contributions for the first issue, which allowed them to print it before the end of January.
There is an informal gathering for HELSUS’ members taking place in HELSUS hub in Porthania every Thursday morning at 9. This is where it all started, along with a few other ideas. But in a more general and accessible way, Stephan, Viola, and Heta also set up a discord server, a platform to interact and plan events whenever needed (text, voice). Anyone can access it through this link: https://discord.gg/tcMAnMCjqX
"We are always looking for people to contribute in whatever form, but also for editors as we would like to have a rotating team of editors for the next issues (the next one being on “loss”).”
- Stephan Hauser, Viola Hakkarainen & Heta Lähdesmäki