I am an independent, creative problem solver with strong skills in written communication.
WORK EXPERIENCE
- University teacher
- Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyväskylä, 3.1.2022-31.7.2023
- Alkio college (hourly-paid teacher), 15.1.2022-31.12.2022
- Translator (part-time) , customer service texts and creative synopses, July 2021-December 2021 (English-Finnish) — on hold for the time being
- Hourly-paid teacher, Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyväskylä, Fall term 2021
- University teacher, Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyväskylä, 1.8.2020 – 31.12.2020
(teaching five courses on written and oral communication) - Postdoctoral researcher, Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyväskylä, 1.8.2019 – 31.12.2019
(writing a research article, teaching, writing funding applications independently and in a team) - Doctoral student, Language and Communication Studies, University of Jyväskylä, 1.11.2014 – 31.12.2018
(writing three research articles, teaching, organizing meetings for doctoral students) - Ski resort worker, the Municipality of Pello, 9.1.2014 – 15.5.2014 (customer service; café, rental and ticket sale responsibilities at a ski resort, office work)
- Lapland Safaris Christmas Guide, Lapland Staff, 29.11.2013 – 29.12.2013
(guiding international customer families) - Motel worker, Motelli Ruskalinna, 30.9.2013 – 21.11.2013
(customer service and cleaning) - Ski resort worker, the Municipality of Pello, 17.12.2012 – 16.05.2013
- English teacher (part-time), Meän Opisto (adult education centre), 19.09.2011 – 26.03.2012
DEGREES
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä, Finland, English language (subject), 12.12.2018
(received top grade 5/5 for dissertation research) - Master of Arts, University of Oulu, Finland, English philology (main subject), 24.3.2011
(minor subjects: Japanese language and culture, Film studies, Philosophy) - Bachelor of Arts, University of Oulu, Finland, English philology (main subject), 17.2.2011
Other studies and skills
- Courses on technical writing/documentation:
- Technical Writing: How to Write Software Documentation (Udemy), 12.9.2023
- Learn API Technical Writing: JSON and XML for Writers (Udemy), 15.9.2023
- Professional Teacher Education (60 ECTS), Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences, School of Professional Teaching Education, 23.5.2022
- Basic Studies in Education (25 ECTS), Open University of Oulu, 18.4.2013
- IT skills:
- (Microsoft) Office 365
- Digital education platforms: Zoom, Moodle, Google Classroom, Teams
- Photo editing and visualization: Jasc Paint Shop Pro, Krita, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign
- Basics of coding and technical writing: of HTLM and CSS, Markdown (GitHub), JSON, XML, C# and Python
- Basics of video editing (HitFilm Express)
- Other programs/platforms: Obsidian, Zotero, MemoQ and other CAT tools
- Live streaming gameplay on Twitch.tv (OBS Studio)
- Moderating an international discussion forum 2005-2016 and organizing its meetings (accommodation, reservations, scheduling, activities)
LANGUAGE SKILLS
Finnish – Native
English – C2
Swedish – B1
German – A2
Japanese – A2
Other academic merits
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
- In 2021-2022, teaching a variety of university courses: “Written Communication”, “Academic Literacy”, “Workplace Communication”, “Communication Skills for Teachers”, “Grammar in Use”, “Genres in Writing”, “English for Professional Life”. Also teaching “Communication Skills for Teachers” at open university, requiring re-planning the structure and practicalities of group work
- In 2020, planning and executing remote teaching of the following university courses: “Workplace Communication”, “Written Communication”, “Communication Skills for Teachers”, “Oral Communication”, “Genres in Writing” (1.8.2020-31.12.2020)
- Teaching two basic studies level courses for the English language subject at the University of Jyväskylä: “Introduction to Language Study” (30.10.2019 – 20.12.2019) and “Discourse and Literacy” (4.9.2017 – 10.11.2017)
- Two guest lectures on the game studies course “Pelin lumo” at the University of Jyväskylä, 28.9.2018 and 22.9.2017
- Course teacher for the basics of English basics at Meän opisto (adult education centre), Finland, 19.09.2011 – 28.11.2011; 09.01.2012 – 26.03.2012.
PUBLICATIONS
PEER-REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES
- Piittinen, Sari. 2020. (Un)Playful player responses to exclusive video game publishing. Proceedings of the 2020 DiGRA International Conference: Play Everywhere. URL: http://www.digra.org/digital-library/publications/unplayful-player-responses-to-exclusive-video-game-publishing/
- Piittinen, Sari. 2020. Constructing a dystopian game world: Gothic monstrosities in the digital role-playing game Fallout 3. Korpua, Jyrki & Isomaa, Saija (Eds.) New Perspectives to Dystopian Fiction In Literature and Other Media. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
- Piittinen, Sari. 2020. Injustice in the ruins and a disordered post-apocalypse: Gothic ideology in the digital game world of Fallout 3. Studies in Gothic Fiction 6(2), 39–50. doi: http://doi.org/10.18573/sgf.34
- Piittinen, Sari. 2018. Morality in Let’s Play narrations: Moral evaluations of Gothic monsters in gameplay videos of Fallout 3. New Media and Society 20(12). doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444818779754
NON-REFEREED SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES
- Piittinen, Sari. 2015. Jälkiä Suurta Sotaa edeltävästä maailmankuvasta Fallout 3 -pelissä. Lähipeluu: luentoja digitaalisista peleistä. Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä, Department of Music, Art and Culture Studies.
THESES
- 2018. Reconstructing the Gothic in Games and Gaming: Gothic monsters and ideology in the story world and player experiences of Fallout 3. Doctoral dissertation. University of Jyväskylä. URL: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-7607-1
- 2010. English and the principle of total availability in Japan: English loanwords in the blogs of Japanese young adults. Master’s Thesis. University of Oulu.
CONFERENCE PAPERS
- DiGRA 2020 (Tampere, Finland), 2.-6.6.2020, “(Un)Playful player responses to Remedy Entertainment’s Control’s Epic Games Store exclusivity” (Conference canceled)
- DiGRA 2020 (Tampere, Finland), 2.-6.6.2020, “The carnivalesque of speedrunning awful games” (Conference canceled)
- DiGRA Nordic (Bergen, Norway), 30.11.2018, “Transgressions of deception: Player evaluations of a mysterious madman in Let’s Play videos of Fallout 3”
- International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts 39 (Orlando, Florida, US), 15.3.2018, “Moral evaluations of Gothic, Frankensteinian monsters in gameplay videos of Fallout 3”
- Play Cultures (Jyväskylä, Finland), 3.10.2016, “I have a ton of blood saved up for you, buddy: Experiences of the Gothic in Let’s Play videos of the digital game Fallout 3”
- Fantastic Visions from Faerie to Dystopia – Finncon Academic Track 2016 (Tampere, Finland), 3.7.2016, “Gothic monstrosities in the post-apocalyptic digital game world of Fallout 3”
- The Far Side of English (Tampere, Finland), 4.5.2016, “Monsters and others in the post-apocalyptic digital game world of Fallout 3”
RESEARCH GRANTS
Two grants for doctoral studies, University of Jyväskylä, 19200€, 1.1.2016-31.12.2016 and 1.1.2015-31.12.2015
Grant for starting doctoral studies, University of Jyväskylä, 4800€, 1.11.2014-31.1.2015