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Project management and coordination

Niina Junttila Director of the consortium
Professor, universities of Turku and Jyväskylä

Child and youth loneliness, participation and the experiences of outsiderhood (ostracism)
Noona Kiuru Vice-director of the consortium
Director of WP 3
Professor, University of Jyväskylä
Maria Lähteenmäki Senior researcher, University of Turku
Chief of loneliness work, HelsinkiMissio
Eero Laakkonen Senior Researcher, University of Turku
Tiina Annevirta University Lecturer, University of Turku
Virve Valtonen Project Researcher, University of Turku; Doctoral researcher, University of Eastern Finland

Legal perspectives, educational and social rights, children’s rights and public authorities’ responsibilities
Nina Mellenius kasvokuva.
Nina Mellenius Project Researcher, University of Turku

Parent-child interaction

Communications and interaction

Miia Laasanen Interaction coordinator
Research Manager, Sote-akatemia, University of Turku

Societal interaction and science communications
Petra Heikkinen Research coordinator, University of Turku

Societal interaction and science communications
Päivi Pöyry-Lassila Head of unit, Finnish National Agency for Education

Individual level biopsychosocial mechanisms of loneliness and ostracism

Linnea Karlsson Director of WP 2
MD, PhD, Professor, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Centre for Population Health Research, FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study
University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Department of Clinical Medicine, Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

Prenatal and early life stress exposures and their influences on child socioemotional development and (mental) health outcomes
Niina Junttila Director of the consortium
Professor, universities of Turku and Jyväskylä

Child and youth loneliness, participation and the experiences of outsiderhood (ostracism)
Katja Tervahartiala Senior Researcher, University of Turku and University of Jyväskylä

Child socioemotional development and stress regulation
Mikko Peltola Senior Research Fellow, University Lecturer, Tampere University

Emotion perception and empathy in early childhood
Susanna Kortesluoma Postdoctoral researcher, University of Turku

Hormonal stress response
Elmo Pulli Doctoral researcher, University of Turku

Children’s brain imaging
Jetro Tuulari M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor. Principal Investigator of FinnBrain Neuroimaging Lab, University of Turku

Neuroscientist and an expert on multimodal MRI and interdisciplinary research of (developmental) cognitive neuroscience.
Hasse Karlsson Professor, University of Turku
Heini Saarimäki Postdoctoral researcher, Tampere University
Eeva-Leena Kataja Senior Researcher, University of Turku

Developmental trajectories and consequences of loneliness and ostracism: individual and contextual intervening mechanisms

Noona Kiuru Vice-director of the consortium
Director of WP 3
Professor, University of Jyväskylä
Katariina Salmela-Aro Academy professor, PhD Professor, University of Helsinki

Youth well-being, principals’ and teachers’ work well-being
Katja Upadyaya Postdoctoral researcher, Associate professor, University of Helsinki
Marguerite Beattie Postdoctoral researcher, University of Helsinki

Adolescent health psychology from motivation and uptake of mindfulness exercises to loneliness trajectories and their antecedents and consequences
Mari Tunkkari Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Jyväskylä
Nelli Lyyra Senior Lecturer, University of Jyväskylä
Lauri Hietajärvi University lecturer, University of Helsinki
Florencia Sortheix Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Helsinki

Preventing and decreasing loneliness and ostracism in the context of schools

Matti Sarvimäki Director of WP 4
Professor, Aalto University

Economics of education, societal experiments
Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen Professor of Education, University of Jyväskylä

Children’s learning, well-being and loneliness in school environment, teacher-student relationship, classroom interaction
Eija Pakarinen Associate professor, University of Jyväskylä

Teacher-student interactions and teacher-student relationships, children’s learning, motivation, social skills and well-being
Heli Muhonen Postdoctoral researcher, University of Jyväskylä, Department of Teacher Education

The effects of the two-year pre-primary education trial and quality of classroom interactions on students’ social skills and feelings of loneliness and belonging.
Anne-Elina Salo Senior researcher, University of Turku; Postdoctoral researcher, University of Jyväskylä

Educators’ and learners’ socio-emotional and interaction competencies, diverse needs and inclusive practices, loneliness, and family relationships and well-being.

Services to belong – Children as co-creators of integrated service systems combating loneliness and ostracism

Tiina Ristikari Director of WP 5
Research Professor, Director of Development, Itla Children's Foundation
Gary Pollock Professor, Manchester Metropolitan University
Visiting professor, University of Helsinki

Child well-being, longitudinal survey methodology, youth political and civic engagement
Suvi-Sadetta Kaarakainen Project researcher, Itla Children's Foundation
Anni Kyösti Project researcher, Itla Children's Foundation
Ville Tikkanen Project researcher, Itla Children's Foundation

Social functioning, peer relationships, psychosocial development, risk and protective factors for mental health disorders during childhood and youth
Ilkka Virmasalo Project researcher, Itla Children's Foundation
Quantitative data, social policy, social work, work research, physical activity and physical activity policy