CV highlights

Current position

Senior Specialist teaching Doctoral Researchers Presentation and Communication Skills

University of Tampere, 2025 –

Employment History

University Teacher, Corporate Communication

Jyväskylä University, School of Business and Economics (permanent contract started at Faculty of Humanities and continued after organizational changes at the current Faculty), 2015 – 2025

University Teacher, Organizational Communication and Public Relations
University of Jyväskylä, 08/2013–12/2014

University Teacher, Organizational Communication and Public Relations University of Jyväskylä, 01–05/2011

Doctoral Student
University of Jyväskylä, 2008–2013 (funded by Rector’s grant 12 months, Finnish Cultural
Foundation 3 year grant, other smaller grants)

University Teacher, Organizational Communication and Public Relations (hourly based, part-time)
University of Jyväskylä 2008–2010

Teacher, Organizational Communication and Public Relations (hourly based, part-time)
Snellmann Summer School, 2008–2010

Communication Expert
Leppävaara Congregation, 02/2006–12/2007

Communication Assistant
Helsinki Deaconess Institute, 10–12/2005

Editor
Parish Children’s Center, 01/2001–07/2002

Youth Leader
Ähtäri Congregation, 08/1995–08/1997

Youth Leader
Ylöjärvi Congregation, 04/1994–03/1995

Children’s Instructor
Kuru Congregation, 08/1993–04/1994

Youth Leader
Forssa Congregation, 08/1992–05/1993

Education and degrees awarded

Doctor of Philosophy, Organizational Communication and Public Relations

University of Jyväskylä, Finland, 2016

Master of Arts, Organizational Communication and Public Relations

University of Jyväskylä, 2006

Other education and training, qualification and skills

Work Counselor, Specialization Studies (60 ECTS)

Diaconia University of Applied Sciences, 2008

Youth Leader, Vocational Degree (3-year full-time program)

Helsingin Evankelinen Opisto, 1992

Creative Writing Studies (one year full-time)

Oriveden Opisto, 1988–1989

Research visit 23.9.–9.12.2019
Massey University, School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing
Wellington, New Zealand

Erasmus+ Staff Training, 17.–21.9.2018
Lund University, Department of Strategic Communication
Helsingborg, Sweden

Jos Willems Award for Best MA-thesis in Europe in the Field of Public Relations

European Public Relations Research and Education Association, 2007

Research papers in conferences and seminars

Asunta, L. (2011). Perceptions on the Roles and the Goles of Professional Public Relations.
Paper presented in Euprera Annual Congress 2011 in Leeds, UK, and published in on-line proceedings.

Asunta, L. (2015). Enabling and Empowering Strategic Public Relations
Presentation in EUPRERA 2015 conference, 1.10.2015, Norway, Oslo.

Asunta, L. & Fagerli, P. (2017). PR and the militarization of communication. Presentation in EUPRERA 2017 conference, 13.10.2017, Great Britain, London.

Asunta, L., Laapotti, T. & Nykänen, H. (2019). Pursuing deliberation: Constituting agency in client jury meetings.
Paper presented in ICA 69th international conference, Washington DC, 25.5.2019.

Papers presented in international doctoral seminars

Asunta, L. (2008). Professional Public Relations in 21st century Europe – ethically guided interaction or value-free intrigues?
Paper presented in Euprera PhD-seminar in Milan, October 2008.

Asunta, L. (2009). Common ground or diverse values? Searching for shared understanding of the nature and role of public relations expertise.
Paper presented in Euprera PhD-seminar in Bucharest, September 2009.

Asunta, L. (2010). Messengers or value creators? Profiling Public Relations expertise.
Paper presented in Euprera PhD-seminar in Jyväskylä, September 2010.

Presentations in international conferences and seminars

Asunta, L. (2019). Facing the threat from the dark side. Counter-terrorism risk communication.
Presentation in 2nd international and interdisciplinary conference on discourse and communication in professional contexts, 15.8.2019, Denmark, Aalborg.

Asunta, L. & Mikkola, L. (2018). Dance of agencies in the interaction between social worker and service user
Presentation in ECREA 2018 conference, 2.11.2018, Switzerland, Lugano.

Asunta, L. & Ollila, E. (2019). Securing social trust while facing foreign information influence
Presentation in BledCom The 26th International Public Relations Research Symposium, 5.7.2019, Slovenia, Lake Bled.

Nykänen, H., Mikkola, L. & Asunta, L. (2017). Identity representations. A social service user meets asocial service worker in social media.
Bi-annual meeting of the Interpersonal Communication and Social Interaction Division of ECREA. Helsinki. 23.-25.10.2017.

Presentations in national conferences

Asunta, L. & Laajalahti, A. (2018). Asiakkaiden ja sosiaalityöntekijöiden odotuksia ja käsityksiä palveluviestinnästä [Customers’ and social workers’ expectations and perceptions of customer service communication].

Vuorovaikutuksen tutkimuksen päivät [Interpersonal Communication and Social Interaction Conference]. Finland, Jyväskylä, 28.–29.9.2018.

Koskinen, H., Mikkola, L. & Asunta, L. (2017). Viranomaisen varassa ja vallassa, Vammaispalveluiden asiakkaiden ja työntekijöiden välisen suhteen representaatiot asiakkaiden keskusteluissa [Supported and controlled by authorities, Representations of the relationship between disability sevices’ workers and clients].

Vammaistutkimuksen päivät 2017 [Disability research conference]. Helsinki. 14.-15.6.2017.

Mikkola, L. & Asunta, L. (2018). Toimijuudet sosiaalipalveluiden asiakasraadissa [Agencies in social services’ client jury]. Vuorovaikutuksen tutkimuksen päivät [Interpersonal Communication and Social Interaction Conference]. Finland, Jyväskylä, 28.–29.9.2018.

Invited lectures at scientific conferences and seminars

Asunta, L. (2017). Influence by information in cyberspace - the role of communication in hybrid threats, Presentation in NATO workshop, Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyväskylä, 16.10.2017, Finland, Jyväskylä.