At the beginning of the year, Heikki Laaksonen (left in the photo) and Oskari Ojaniemi, students of Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, have been completing their master’s level internship at Jamk University of Applied Sciences, within the SmartCHANGE project.
SmartCHANGE is an international research project funded by the Horizon Europe program, utilizing technology and artificial intelligence to promote the health of children and adolescents.
We asked Heikki and Oskari about their experiences with the internship and SmartCHANGE. In addition to them, Sannakaisa Suortamo is also completing an internship, and her introduction will be published later in the spring. Heikki, Oskari, and Sannakaisa are supervised by Chief Specialist Piritta Asunta.
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Who are you, and what do you study?
My name is Heikki Laaksonen, and I study Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, majoring in sports & exercise medicine.
What made you interested in the SmartCHANGE research project?
I became interested in the SmartCHANGE project because it examines children's and adolescents' health and how lifestyle habits in childhood and youth can predict the risk of lifestyle-related diseases in adulthood. Additionally, I was intrigued by the technological solutions used in the research project - how the risk prediction model is implemented and how technology is utilized in lifestyle change. My studies have covered many of the same topics explored in this project. Through this project, I have had the opportunity to integrate and deepen my previous studies as part of a practical research project. Another aspect that interested me was the international scope of the project and how an international research project is implemented in Finland.
What have you been working on during your internship in the SmartCHANGE project?
As part of the team, I have worked on ethical approval applications for the research project and conducted background research related to them. I have also participated in international meetings of the research project and prepared materials for the international consortium meeting.
What thoughts or ideas has SmartCHANGE sparked in you?
Overall, the SmartCHANGE project has been highly inspiring. The most exciting aspect has been seeing how technology is finally being leveraged for health promotion and how research is being conducted on the application of these technological solutions in various school healthcare settings.
Is there anything else you would like to highlight about the SmartCHANGE research project?
Although this research project focuses on children and adolescents, I see the potential for similar technological solutions to be applied in other age groups in the future. They could be used to prevent lifestyle-related disease risks or support lifestyle changes towards healthier habits.
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Who are you, and what do you study?
I am Oskari Ojaniemi, and I study Health Sciences at the university of Jyväskylä, majoring in physiotherapy.
What made you interested in the SmartCHANGE research project?
I became interested in the SmartCHANGE project when Principal Researcher Tuija Tammelin introduced internship opportunities at Jamk for university students. SmartCHANGE caught my attention because of its relevance and its goal of promoting health and well-being preventively through the use of technology.
What have you been working on during your internship in the SmartCHANGE project?
At the beginning of the internship, I familiarized myself with the project to gain a better overall understanding of what has already been done and what the next steps are. After this initial phase, we quickly got to work. Together with Heikki, we have been supporting Piritta and Tuija in investigating the ethical application requirements, legal aspects, and data protection clarifications related to the project. These tasks have involved a lot of information retrieval, reporting, teamwork, and creating flowcharts. Additionally, we have been following discussions in the Finnish work packages and international consortium meetings.
What thoughts or ideas has SmartCHANGE sparked in you?
SmartCHANGE has broadened my understanding of ethical frameworks and sparked ideas about the limitless possibilities of mobile applications in promoting health and well-being, particularly for children and adolescents.
Is there anything else you would like to highlight about the SmartCHANGE research project?
I recommend following the project’s website (https://smart-change.eu/). SmartCHANGE is a highly interesting and relevant project, bringing together top-tier professionals from across Europe.
