At Häme University of Applied Sciences (Finland), Dr Katja Vähäsantanen is a principal research scientist at the HAMK Edu Research Unit and a teacher at the School of Professional Teacher Education. She is also an adjunct professor in the area of working life research and development. Her main areas of expertise are professional identity, agency, learning and emotions in work and education, with a further interest in different methodological approaches and their applicability to the investigation of professional learning. She has also worked with organisations to design, develop and implement agentic learning and leadership interventions. Katja Vähäsantanen has long been interested in research on teachers and student teachers. Her current development interests are related to professional teacher education and her research projects relate to student teachers' motivations to become teachers and their commitment to teaching in VET, as well as to VET teachers' agency, competence and social networks in education and working life.