Vähäkari works as a research manager in Finland Futures Research Centre, University of Turku. She holds a MSc in Development Geography from the University of Helsinki.

Vähäkari has expertise in the coordination and management of multinational research and capacity building projects, teaching and training on multidisciplinarity and sustainability of energy transitions and socio-environmental and cultural implications of sustainable natural resource management in several developing countries. Recently her focus has been on futures literacy and its facilitation, sustainability transitions and transformation processes, socio-cultural implications of sustainability, human-nature relationship, and regional development.