Maria Niemi

Maria Niemi

Senior research specialist

About me

I am a public health scientist with specific interest in interventions for social sustainability, stress, depression and anxiety. I have been working in this field since my PhD studies, in various settings and contexts, including semi-rural areas in Vietnam as well as Stockholm. I also work clinically with inner sustainability through Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction groups and psychotherapy. I am coordinator for sustainable development for the comittees of higher education and doctoral education at KI, and my ambition is to bridge my two disciplines of interest – individual mental health and sustainable development at the societal level – through research and education. 

Research description

My current projects concern mapping and developing quality assurance for the implementation of Mindfulness Based Interventions in health care services in Sweden, as well as studying the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health and vulnerable groups. You can read more here about the EU-funded PERISCOPE project that aims to study the impacts of the pandemic as well as develop future best practices based on the lessons learned. In addition to my research, I am working in the university-wide project “One KI for sustainable development”, in which I am responsible for coordinating efforts in education for sustainable development. 

Education

Ph.D Medical Science 2012

M.Sc Medical Anthropology 2004

B.Sc Neuroscience 2003