doctoral researcher, MA TOMI Rantanen

Tomi Rantanen is a doctoral researcher at the Department of Design at Aalto University and a member of the NODUS Sustainable Design Research Group. He holds a Master of Arts degree in Art & Design (Aalto University).

Tomi is researching how systemic design can be used to find structural solutions to gender equality issues in the music industry. His participatory creative methods are based on the transition arena used in ecological sustainability transitions, where key actors in the industry are brought together to design feminist future visions and ways to achieve them.

The research began as a master's thesis in 2023 and will continue until 2028. It is supported by both Teosto and Gramex.

Before his research career, Tomi worked as a full-time DJ for 10 years. With over a thousand gigs, he has first-hand experience of the problems and cultures in the music industry. He has also worked as a graphic designer and facilitator.