Communications professor Minna Aslama is probably one of the coolest professors you’ll meet at Fordham. She encourages students to blog for class, uses YouTube videos and Facebook as teaching tools, and exhibits a fresh take on the ever-expanding world of communications and media. Her zeal for the subject matter even convinced this sleeping beauty to take an 8:30 AM class… so you know she’s got to be good! We asked Professor Aslama (or Minna, as she likes to be called) to answer a few questions about her amazing career, her outlook on communication in today’s world, and her life in general!
Tell us a little bit about yourself: where you were born, what you studied and where, and your likes and interests. I was born in Helsinki, studied there as well as in Germany, The Netherlands, and the U.S. I love dogs, most movies (but documentaries especially), traveling, and world music. I’m a certified yoga teacher.
Where did you live before moving to America? In Helsinki, but I’ve been leading a cross-Atlantic life more or less since 1997 when I first moved to New York to work as a young professional at the United Nations. Since 2000, I’ve been engaged in “academic multitasking” – teaching and researching, as well as managing a research grants project for a while.
Do you see a big difference between the use of media and communications in Helsinki and in America? Finland gave Nokia to the world, and Finns invented texting, and it soon became the national preferred mode of communication. A few years back hardly any of my friends here in New York wanted to respond to my SMS flurries; now, of course, things are quite different. But American college students are certainly more technologically savvy and connected than their European counterparts.
Is there a big difference between the school system in Finland and here in America? There used to be. In most parts of Europe, university studies would be geared towards a Master’s degree (no Bachelor’s degree existed), and a Ph.D would be a culmination of a researcher’s life’s work. However, the European academic system has been practically standardized and it now somewhat resembles the American system.
Is your family here in America? If not, how do you keep in touch with them? Do you feel like media and technology plays a big role in connecting with your family? Most of my family is in Finland. I Skype a lot. I’ve lived abroad for many years and my family is used to this kind of communication. I also visit Finland frequently. I’ve felt for quite some time that I’m truly at home in two countries.
How many languages do you speak? Two fluently, two almost well, two just a little.
If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why? Senegal. A dear friend just moved there.
What are you specifically studying, and what do you teach at Fordham University? Right now I’m in the pilot phase of an exiting study about how people experience digital media in their everyday lives here in the U.S., in Finland, and in India.I’m lucky to be working with a talented documentary-maker. We hope to visualize the research results in a fresh, engaging way. Stay tuned: digitaliving.wordpress.com.
Who are some of your idols and role models? My mentor at the University of Helsinki: Professor Ullamaija Kivikuru. A former media practitioner, she combines theory and praxis in a wonderful way, and she’s cares so much both for her students and for her research interests (development communication). Professor Everett Parker of Fordham who is one of the pioneers of media policy analysis and media reform activism. His career as a whole is admirable, but he’s particularly famous for his contribution to the U.S. civil rights movement.
Do you think women in today’s world face any particular challenges in the professional world? I think a healthy work/life balance is definitively a challenge for everyone, but in particular for women with young children.
What is the ultimate piece of career advice you could give to a Fordham student (regardless of major!)? I have two. First, the quality of your work always, always gets noticed (maybe not instantly, but it will). Second, maintaining your personal integrity, including a healthy work/life balance, is extremely important for career development. Your career is not a separate from the rest of your life. You want to live a good, balanced, happy life. And the happier you are, the more you enjoy your work and consequently progress in your career. I don’t believe in struggle and sacrifices, I believe in moderation and balance.
Did you always know that you wanted to be a professor? Did you always have plans to work in communications in an academic setting? Not at all. I wanted to be a journalist and a documentary maker. But doing research is not unlike investigative reporting, and a part of my new research project will become a documentary.
Why do you emphasize blogging as a key participation component in your classes? For two reasons: First, I teach Intro classes with some 35 students each. In order to have meaningful discussions amongst us, I feel group work is not enough. Blogging allows us to reflect and express our thoughtswith a degree of informality, in conversational mode. That can, in turn, encourage others to think further, elaborate and comment. I feel that blogging gives a platform that honors our respective ways and speed of processing thoughts and ideas. Secondly, blogs are increasingly used as communication and brand management tools, by companies and non-profits alike. I feel it’s useful for all of us to learn how to utilize that platform to discuss important topics and to communicate our expertise to wider audiences.
Why did you decided to come to New York City for your research/career? This has nothing to do with rational decision-making, career-wise. A work assignment brought me here in 1997, and ever since I’ve been in love with New York. This is home.
In your opinion, what’s the one thing every Fordham student should do in NYC before they graduate? Travel around the world in New York: From Arthur Ave to Little India in Jackson Heights, Little Odessa in Brighton Beach, Koreatown in Midtown Manhattan…
What do you do when you’re not in the classroom or at work? First thing that comes to mind: Walk my dog. She’s a pit mix and sweet but also quite energetic. On average I spend some three hours a day walking her. I love live music and am a member of the World Music Institute; I practice yoga a lot, I love biking. I read compulsively (anything goes). And I love discovering new places and restaurants in this great city. Well, I also love organizing big brunches and dinners.
What’s your favorite NYC:
- Clothing store? Brooklyn Industries
- Restaurant? This is such a tough one! One place that never disappoints and has a fireplace is the French restaurant Robin Des Bois on Smith St. in Brooklyn. But for a great American breakfast, there’s only one place, Tom’s on Washington Ave in Prospect Heights, BK.
- Food store? Union Market and Trader Joe’s
What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
I love Bollywood movies. Or, perhaps that I’ve been vegetarian for over 20 years now.
Do you have any big plans for your future?
Tons, but I’m keeping most of them to myself for now. I can reveal one, though. In the long run, I would like to become a U.S. citizen. This is my other home, after all.
Pick one!
- Dog or Cat? Dog
- Duane Reade or WalGreen’s? Duane Reade
- Met or MoMA? MoMA
- Hot Dog or Bagel? Bagel
- Broadway or Off-Broadway? Off-Broadway
- Radio City or Madison Square Garden? Madison Square Garden
- Central Park or Brooklyn Bridge? Brooklyn Bridge
- Subway or Taxi? Subway
- Coffee or Tea? Coffee
- NYC Botanical Gardens or Bronx Zoo? NYC Botanical Gardens
- Movies or Television? Movies