Dr. Outi Kaarina Laiti is a Sámi game researcher and designer at the University of Helsinki, focusing on the intersection of engineering, education, computer science, and Indigenous studies. Her work examines Indigenous game development, Sámi-led design practices, and the role of games in innovation and Indigenous Futurisms. She is interested in community-based approach to game making, such as game jams, and decolonial approach to game industry. In addition, she has coached a Counter-Strike team with an average age of over 70. Dr. Laiti is a co‑founder of the Saami Game Jam and the curator of Digital Natives? Sámi Games Now exhibition presented as part of Helsinki Design Week 2024 and Siida Sámi Museum in 2026.
2021-2023 Skins workshops, Sápmi edition. Organizing a workshop series in collaboration with Skins workshops and Utsjoki municipality. The project was funded by the Embassy of the United States in Finland.
2017-2022 Municipality of Utsjoki: Davvenásti Movie Theater. Running the Northernmost cinema in Finland and EU.
2019 Senior CS team coach. Coaching Finnish senior eSports team. Players’ age range 50-76 years.
2019 Sámi parliament: Games for Sámi Children project. Consultant of games and Sámi pedagogy.
02/2018 Sami Game Jam. Co-organizing the northernmost, partly Indigenous game jam in Finland with Finnish Game Jam organization.
2/2018 Lost Memories VR (game). Co-designer and cultural consultant.
9/2017 Pedar Jalvi Game Demo. Cultural consultant and Sámi pedagogy expert.
2016-2017 Sámi Parliament: Digital learning materials workgroup. A specialist member.
2021 University of Lapland: PhD (Education)
2016 University of Lapland: Master’s degree in Media Education
2008 South-Carelia Polytechnic: Bachelor of Engineering Degree programme in Information Technology Specialization of Media Technology
2019 The Finnish Esports Federation (SEUL): Mental coaching in Esports and the basics of Esports coaching
2019 Oulu University of Applied Sciences: Vocational and higher education teacher training (60 ects).
2021 NOMINEE Junior Researcher award (Doctoral Thesis of the Year), University of Lapland
2020 GLOBAL GAME CHANGER gamesindustry.biz GI100 list member
2018 STATUS POSITION in Culture-Based Service Design Doctoral Programme, University of Lapland
2018 NOMINEE The Game Educator of the year (FIN): Sami Game Jam
2017 NOMINEE: Rajapinta Pro Gradu awards: ”Ethnoprogramming : an indigenous approach to computer programming : a case study in Ohcejohka area comprehensive schools”