Katja Laakkonen
Katja is currently conducting doctoral research, which is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025. In her dissertation, she examines the multilocal everyday life of Finnish nurses commuting to Norway. Before her academic career, Katja had a 20-year career as a registered nurse, working in intensive care units and operating rooms in both Finland and Norway.
Through her doctoral research, she discovered that Finnish nurses commuting to Norway are almost exclusively peri-menopausal women. Upon obtaining her doctorate in social sciences, Katja will transition to a postdoctoral researcher position in the project “Menopausing: Exploring Diversity, Awareness, and Activism” (2024-2028). In this role, she will continue her research on the multilocal networks of Finnish nurses between Finland and Norway. Her goal is to enhance understanding of how these networks of middle-aged, highly skilled women operate and impact the professional and personal lives of nurses.