Destination Lakehead

Situated at the top of Lake Superior, Thunder Bay
(pop. 120,000) is home to Lakehead University, a small university with big aspirations. I conducted an e-mail interview with visiting professor Lassi Heininen who is a political scientist at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi. While at Lakehead, Heininen was the Chair of the Finnish Studies Department.

How did you end up in Thunder Bay at Lakehead University?
I visited Lakehead University the first time in 1999 and since that have met some people from there. And again when I was at the Circumpolar Universities conference in Aberdeen in 1999, I heard the position of the Chair in Finnish Studies from Chris Southcott (associate professor at Lakehead University), and the process started.

How have you enjoyed your time at Lakehead University?
I have enjoyed myself a lot of working at Lakehead University and being in Thunder Bay.

Is there anything noticeably different than here in Finland?
Of course, on one hand Canada is a part of North America and the culture there, which differs from Europe, but on the other hand, many things like nature, seasons, values between Canada and Finland are most similar.

Are you homesick?
Not really, but of course after some months it's nice to go back to Europe, and Finland.

Is this your first visiting professorship?
Yes, as a real position for a term, but I have been for shorter time a visiting professor or visiting senior scientist abroad.

Have you had a chance to take in events in Thunder Bay's Finnish community?
Yes, I took part in several events and activities of the Finnish community like for example, had a speech in a meeting of the Kalevan Ritarit, a public speech on Finland's position in Europe, on St. Urho's Day.

If I bring you back to Finland and the University of Lapland, how is it that the University of Lapland seems to attract so many international students?
I think that there are several reasons, on one hand, dealing with a northern nature, Lappish culture, the Saami, the exotic position of Lapland and its reputation, and on the other hand, due to the success of work that we started at the University of Lapland in 1991 to have our own international study program, the Arctic Studies Program (which I coordinated from 1991-1994), and that program became successful after a short time and also encouraged the faculties to design their own international study programs.

How do you see the role of the University of Lapland in the international academic community?
It has its own special position that is known, but can only survive with continued innovative work, our own research and teaching.

During the time you have been teaching – what stands out in your memory as one of the best moments you have had?
Maybe some moments in the excursion with my students to Russia, when you realize that the students are able and willing to use their knowledge based on your lectures when asking some relevant question or given an interesting comment to the hosts.

How have you and your colleagues worked to advance the field of study you are working in?
That process started already a long time ago, but hasn't been determined but only cumulative, and that has been fruitful.

What is your current research project? Does it involve any interesting fieldwork?
There are few of them, one of the most interesting now is the Northern Research Forum process (I am the chairman of the International Steering Committee), and the 2nd NRF in September 2002 in Great Novgorod, Russia, for a dialogue on Northern issues between different stakeholders.

By Carmen Boudreau-Kiviaho

Related links

• Lakehead University
• University of Lapland
• Arctic Studies Program
• Circumpolar Universities
• Northern Research Forum

June 02

• Chairman's update
• 30 years of
ups and downs
• Les Boys tackle the competition in Finland

• To Nairobi with love
• Destination Lapland
• Naisten Kymppi
• Commonwealth Day
in Finland