My Academic Journey

In the third workshop, we had professors Vibeke Lehmann Nielsen and Carten Jensen to tell us about publishing. They also pointed out that as a young scholars, using time for non-academic writings and presentations is not strategic: they don't count towards tenure. This conflicted a lot with the discussions that I have been following in Finland. Like at the conference in Pori, Finnish professors were telling how scientists should be more openly in social media. Additionally, in our evaluation format there is a place for public visibility.. Maybe I should rethink about blogging? Although, I am not using my "work hours" for writing here - which is why the topics and texts are quite light. In any case, it is something to think about in addition to should I stay (in academia) or should I go (to industry) . a tired doctoral student. The biggest take away from this workshop was cover letter in which you should tell the editor "why this is a must -pub...

The doctoral students of political department had organized a two day seminar far away from campus (although nothing is actually really  far in Denmark). The ride took couple of hours and the place was astonishing. Steffen Armstrong Gjedde told us about using new media. Quite many had a researchgate account and also academia.edu was mentioned. To me, there were several new hints even though I already had had some lectures about it.  ORCID - to make sure your research is linked to you. it helps also with name changes. Mendeley - you can use it for reference organization tool? I better get to know this. CreativeComments - helps to deal with copyrights and to allow the use of your material.  But that's not all! We also received useful links. One of them is  http://www.phdontrack.net/  which has a section about literature review (a part that I find hart). It indeed looks like a good resource. Then,  Altmetricblog  was recommended f...

It seems that the Danes want to celebrate the summer when it is ending. It also looks like as important party as the pre-Christmas parties in Finland. For an introvert like me, it's been a tough week. We had a running team at the Aarhus Motion event on Thursday, Business School's Summer party on Friday and the Summer party of student housing in Vejby on Saturday. Thus, I am now happy to stay at home a prepare for the behavioral economics of education course. BSS Summer Party was totally different from the parties that my university or department arrange. First, the payment method: When bought the entrance, you also pay for food and drinks (partly illegal in Finland). The entrance costed approximately 20 € and included 30 coupons. With 6 coupons you could get a hamburger, with 2 a beer or class of wine and with 3 an ice cream. So, no one needed to buy more of them. Second, it mixed alumni, staff and students. Third, they had three very good bands! I am now a fan of ...

"The world always needs to be saved right before the holiday", said my mom. She had made an effort to get me start the holiday early. Sadly, she failed in that. In June, I had a work trip once a week. I went twice to Helsinki for a meeting, once to a conference in Jyväskylä (where I presented the draft of the first draft for the first time) and once in Copenhagen to a DRUID conference (where I was a session chair). The other meeting in Helsinki was between our research team and the other was more formal steering group meeting. In a steering group meeting, we were suppose to present the current stage and plans for autumn to TEKES, which is financing the research project. Additionally, I wanted to clean my desk and get my research in a good stage - in order to leave with peace. Well, this year, I didn't reach the peace for the summer holiday. Maybe for Christmas then :) Soon I'll pack my luggage and head to Italy. I plan to leave all work home (excluding one inter...

Today we had the honor of having Erkki Liikanen , the governor of Bank of Finland, at the University of Vaasa. He held an open lecture about the financial markets. The graph shows the steady state economic growth rates with dots and the actual growth with the red line. Between them we can see a blue area - the lost opportunities.  Macroprudential policy and financial union in context.  The financial crises widened our understanding of banks' excessive short-term funding and underestimation of the risks - especially systematic risks. Further, Liikanen noted that the banks haven't yet returned to the same profitability that they had before the financial crises. At the same time banks meet new competition .

Yesterday, the funding decisions of South Ostrobothnia Regional fund became official. I am very thankful for the funding, first one for me, which will enable my research exchange at the Aarhus university during the next fall. I was excited but also nervous when waiting to be called to collect the certificate. But when I heard "Kauppatieteiden maisteri Eklund Carita" I just stood up and walked to the stage - like automated. Unlike I had feared, I didn't stumble and soon the next person was also coming. Afterwards, I picked my favorite painting in the ballroom of the city hall of Vaasa and we immortalised that smile.  Photo credits: Jan Gustafsson Also the local newspaper Pohjalainen noticed this event held in the city hall of Vaasa. My colleague Siru Lönnblad and I made it to the front page - like many others. Another friend asked about the just received funding: "It does feel pretty nice doesn't it?" It feld fabulous to be trusted like this.  ...

The cake, day after. Our favorite emeritus professor Juha Tolonen turned 75 years last Friday. To celebrate, we surprised him with a cake and small gift yesterday. Professor Vesa Annola hold a speech that almost made Tolonen to cry. In the end, we tried to sum 7.5 points of Tolonen down but that turned on 10 amazing characteristics of him. First of all, he is interested in Russia, classics and relating multiple areas of study. He responded that the university of the sixties was notably better than the current university in one aspect. Students didn't need to hurry with graduation and they were encouraged to study multiple subjects. Nowaday, graduating fast and being expert in one small area are valued too much. Prof Annola also noted that Tolonen is additionally a professor educator: He has supervised many and acted as an opponent for many.  And what was the gift? Ten lunch coupons that he may use only in our company.  This morning, we were surprised by SN...

This Morning was pretty but cold. The university of Vaasa is celebrating the Nordic Week, Nordiska veckan, and that is why we have the flags of all Nordic countries in front of Tervahovi. For Finns, and probably for all people in Nordic countries, the weather has big impact on the mood. During the winter, there are days when we could see the sun for couple of hours or less (but we are inside working at that time). So the sun is really appreciated. Here, you can see photos of one part of our university this morning. Tervahovi and the flags Views from our office So pretty outside, so warm inside. Tritonia in my mind. The lobby of Mathilda (student lunch restaurant).

In Finland, you need to pass entrance examination before you can start studying at an university. Then you will obtain a study place either for bachelor degree or for both bachelor and masters degrees. There are, however, some exceptions. If your math grades are good, you may get a study place in mathematics or if you get enough points from your matriculation examination, you might get a study place from technology without an extra exam.  In business studies, you need to take the entrance examination. The nice part is, that in some universities - like the university of Vaasa - the first year students choose their major subject in the late spring. Thus, the students have more time to think what really interests them. This week, the departments were "recruiting" students: Telling them why to choose subject X. Our supervisor, prof Piekkola, having a speech This year, marketing had copied our idea of legendary Pre-Christmas party, which offers discussion topics ye...

Olli Rehn (the minister of employment and the economy) held a speak today about "Competitiveness of Work and Economics and Innovations in Finland". Here are some of my take offs.  Minister Rehn started with emphasizing the effects of universities. In Finland, the universities are located all around the country. This has enabled the different regions to benefit from externality of universities in many places. This has balanced the regional growth rates. Minister Rehn mentioned that the size of an university does not directly limit the level of performance. Instead, the ability to focus on own strengths is more important. The best performances of Finland were enabled by free education: accumulating a lot of knowledge capital. Minister Rehn says that now the focus on knowledge hasn't anymore promoted enough growth. Exports are at a low level and the whole global economy is in the middle of structural change. Minister concludes that we are far behind Germany and Sw...

This week the students, faculty, visitors and every interested person had possibility to enjoy German movies and culture for free. The week was organized for forth time, if I remember correctly, by Goethe institute, Tritonia libraby and the University of Vaasa.  Like previous years, I failed to participate this event properly. Yet, I enjoyed the German food that was provided by Café Oscar and Mathilda. I was thinking about going to watch Emmas Glück but I felt like I should work for the Writing Better Academic English class. We have a deadline on Sunday evening at 23.59 and for the lecture on Monday we should have read three texts of others. Yet, only two have submitted. This equals stress on Monday morning or work on Sunday. Hmm.  Anyways, this years specialty in German Week was visit to Brock's. It is a German styled pub almost near to campus.  The visit included beer tasting - probably beers done at Brock's. You might have heard bad words towards Finni...

The best side of academia is the access to stimulation. This afternoon, Hamed Salehi presented his and Juha Joenväärä's paper "ETF Holding and Stock Selection Skill Among Institutional Investors" in the  finance seminar series.  The foreign terminology made the following a little bit challenging to an outsider like me but it is  refreshing  to hear what  other  research. The biggest take away I got was that institutions started to use ETF's in 1999 where as the first ETF's date to 1993. Since then, the share of ETF's has grown if they are used in the portfolio. The biggest institutions use typically ETF's and ETF users usually have more analysts than non-user's have. The non-users tend to have more  constrained  portfolios.  However, bigger institutions usually have more analysts.  My lack of  background  in the area probably affected on the upper explained take away. Yet, ETF's interest me quite a lot and I have been...