International Women’s Day – Let’s celebrate our female researchers: interview with Hanna Katarina Knuutila!

Career and challenges

Q.: Could you share your journey to becoming a researcher? What inspired you to pursue this path, what challenges have you faced as a woman in your field, and what is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from these experiences?

Ms Hanna Katarina Knuutila: During my master’s studies, I had the opportunity to work at the university and teach, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I also worked as a research assistant. I liked the chance to continuously learn new things and tackle various challenges. Later, while working on my PhD, I worked in a laboratory alongside NTNU and SINTEF Industry researchers. Applying theoretical knowledge in a practical setting, collaborating with highly skilled researchers, and being part of a supportive work community—where everyone assisted one another and committed to producing high-quality work—made it clear that I wanted to become a researcher. Working at a university is a dream job, allowing me to combine teaching and research.

Role in the project

Q.: What do you do within the AURORA project? How have your studies and expertise enabled you to fulfil this role?

Ms Hanna Katarina Knuutila: I have worked with solvent development, characterization, and (process) modelling for many years. In the AURORA project, I lead WP1, which focuses on validated process models. I’m also supervising one of the PhD students working on the project.

Europe

Q.: At European level, do you think the research sector has become more open to women? What could be done to achieve greater equality between men and women in this field?

Ms Hanna Katarina Knuutila: I have worked in Finland and Norway and feel my employers have always supported diversity. For example, my department has, throughout my career, acknowledged the need for work-life balance, and the possibility of flexible working hours has helped me juggle various responsibilities in different career stages and life situations. But I have also seen changes over the years. For example, some funding bodies nowadays ask about the researchers’ career breaks in grant applications. This is great, as equal opportunities for researchers require universities, research organizations, and funding bodies to be mindful of the different life situations, backgrounds, and possible career breaks, like parental leave, when granting research grants or career advancements. Also, I think diverse voices in decision-making bodies and various committees are important to facilitate continuous improvement towards more fair and equal opportunities for all researchers.

Q.: Finally, what advice would you give to future generations of women who want to become researchers?