Kari Rönkkö

Kari Rönkkö is a Professor in Informatics at the Department of Design, Faculty of Business, Kristianstad University. He leads the Design A* Research Collaboration (DARC) and specializes in user-centered design, AI integration in education, sustainable urban development, and interaction design. His research explores AI’s ethical implications, teacher roles in digital education, and bridging gaps between algorithms and human understanding.

Education Background: Prior to Kristianstad University, Rönkkö held roles at Lund University and Blekinge Institute of Technology, focusing on computer science, software engineering, and work science education.

Research Interests: His work spans AI literacy in education, sustainable city co-creation, sensor-based health monitoring, and participatory design. Key projects include 'UTAI' (AI in Education) and 'HÅSS' (Sustainable Urban Development), emphasizing ethical tech integration and community-driven solutions.

Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, including studies on AI’s impact on learning, cross-cultural AI adoption, and UX methodologies. Recent work highlights AI’s role in fostering creativity and addressing educational equity.

Awards: Recognized as a 'Merited teacher' for innovative pedagogical approaches.

Advising & Grants: Supervised 53+ students, including doctoral candidate M. Törnblom. Actively involved in funding initiatives and serves on academic review boards.

Labs/Teams: Co-founder of DARC, fostering design-driven research collaborations across disciplines.