Sustainable work in the sustainable mine of the future
The project aims to critically analyze how the green industrial transition and its conflicting goals affect future work and workplaces and to contribute to new knowledge about integrated sustainable development for people, the environment and machines.
Subject description
Work science includes research on work environment, technology and production systems, work organization and other societal processes and environments based on human conditions and needs to create safe and attractive jobs and socially sustainable development in working life, industry and society.
Project description
The project aims to critically analyze how the green industrial transition and its conflicting goals affect the work and workplaces of the future and to contribute to new knowledge about integrated sustainable development for people, the environment and machines. Studying the consequences of technological change will be an important step for you in developing methods to include work and work environment in the green industrial transition. In the first part of the project, you will work to compile research on green industrial transition in the mining industry and relate this to work, work environment, work organization, competence, gender. This also includes research on the social possibilities and consequences of new technology. The first part of the project also includes making analyses of national and international statistics and of material from previous research projects. In the second part of the project, you will conduct field studies at mining companies and technology suppliers, at both company level and workplace level. In the third part of the project, you will develop conclusions and theories that are compiled in your doctoral thesis.
The PhD student working on this project is Annika Pekkari from Luleå. She has a master's degree in Sociology, specializing in investigation, at Luleå University of Technology.
Why did you apply to SUN's graduate school?
“I applied to SUN's initiative, partly because the graduate school is in line with my research project "Green work in a green mine", and partly because here I have the opportunity to learn with and from others, both experienced researchers and doctoral students, from a varied group of disciplines.”
SUN Graduate School is composed of an interdisciplinary group of PhD students, what do you think about that?
“I am absolutely convinced that both global and interdisciplinary research will be required to facilitate the industrial and societal transformation needed to mitigate climate change and to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, I see it as a great advantage to be part of SUN and to be in a context with PhD students from other disciplines. I think it will lead to interesting results when more perspectives are taken into account.”
As a doctoral student at SUN, how do you hope to contribute to the industrial and societal transition to achieve the global goals?
“My contribution as a doctoral student in this context is to consider how people can both be affected by and influence the industrial and societal transition to achieve the UN's sustainability goals. My hope is therefore to be able to highlight the human aspects of the change work that lies ahead of us.”
Tell us something you know about Luleå and northern Sweden:
“I was born and raised in Luleå so I know the city and its surroundings well. It is a great city to live in. We have Disney-like winters with lots of white, sparkling snow but also bright summer nights and a wonderful archipelago.”
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