News: Archive 2012
Aalto EE invests in the growing Taiwanese education market
02.01.2012 Aalto EE and its Asia-Pacific hub in Singapore have taken a rather radical approach to their expansion activities. This September, Aalto EE's Asia-Pacific hub signed an agreement with Pan Asia International Education Center. This agreement set forth the Aalto EE roadmap in Taiwan for the next 4 years.
School of Arts, Design and Architecture began operations at the start of the year
02.01.2012 The former Aalto University School of Art and Design and the Department of Architecture of the School of Engineering have merged to form Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture. The new school began operations on 1 January 2012.
Take in part in the Aalto-Gift Design Competition for product design and business
04.01.2012 In order to create a compelling and distinctive business gift as a symbol for Aalto-University and to encourage students and employees of Aalto University in establishing their own businesses, Aalto Center for Entrepreneurship proudly launches The Aalto-Gift Design Competition.
Ideas contest to improve the quality of life
10.01.2012 On the 10th of January 2012, Aalto University launched an ideas contest open to all at ideas.aalto.fi. The contest is also to invite new ideas from potential students to improve the quality of life in the urban environment, bearing in mind sustainability and the environment. There are three categories in the contest: Art & Design, Business, and Technology.
Mobile phones soon to be rolled up and wrapped around the wrist
11.01.2012 Mobile phone manufacturers have previously presented mobile phones whose display can be controlled by bending it. In these designs, the phone will only bend slightly on the edges, however.
Distinguished professionals honoured at the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture
11.01.2012 The Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture started its first year with an anniversary gala where for the first time representatives of the design sectors were joined by architectural professionals. The anniversary gala continues the festive traditions of the former School of Art and Design as part of which distinguished and successful professionals are honoured for their work and new professors give their opening lectures.
Material Technology Invention Prize awarded to inventors of a new direct dissolving method of cellulose
13.01.2012 Aalto University’s Material Technology Invention prize is awarded to researchers from Tampere University of Technology (TUT) for their invention “Economical direct dissolving method of cellulose”.
Media challenge stereotypical representations of femininity
13.01.2012 Gender does not always connote stereotypical meanings in public discourse. In contrast to previous research, the dissertation shows that the media do not only reinforce existing gender stereotypes but that they also challenge stereotypical representations of femininity.
The risks of business internal to companies in China and Russia
16.01.2012 In China, a contract is a framework to be shaped with time. In order to avoid breaches of contract, it is worthwhile to hire a good lawyer and invest in the making of the contract. Even though the situation has improved, the old saying from the Brezhnev era should still be borne in mind: "Trust is good, control is better."
Eeva-Liisa Lehtonen, Ph.D., to head Aalto University Library
17.01.2012 Eeva-Liisa Lehtonen, Ph.D., has been invited to become Chief Librarian of Aalto University Library. She has previously worked at the Library of Helsinki School of Economics for a long period of time, between 1998 and 2009 in the post of Chief Librarian. From 2010 onwards, she has been Vice Director of Aalto University Library, and since autumn 2011 she has served as Acting Library Director.
Audio piece for Aalto University chosen
18.01.2012 A competition to find an audio piece to identify Aalto University has ended. The winning entry, ‘Knowledge Transfer', was chosen from a total of 963 entries by 264 composers from 43 different countries, including Finland, France, Italy, Spain, USA, and the UK.
A place has no spirit without the people
20.01.2012 - The idea for Genius loci book came out of a project exploring the campus identity of the School of Economics and the walking tours arranged at and around the school. A place has no spirit without the people living and working there, and making the place their own, says Docent Annukka Jyrämä. Jyrämä is the second author of the book.
Conservative investment strategy protected the Aalto University Endowment in the challenging investment environment of 2011
20.01.2012 Aalto University investment strategy emphasized securing the capital of the endowment during the first years of operations.
Timo Löyttyniemi is School of Economics Alumnus of the Year 2012
24.01.2012 D. Sc. (Econ.) Timo Löyttyniemi (b. 1961), Managing Director of the State Pension Fund, has been chosen by the Aalto University School of Economics as its Alumnus of the Year 2012.
Transparent plastic-like packing material from birch fibril pulp
24.01.2012 Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre have developed a method which for the first time enables manufacturing of a wood-based and plastic-like material in large scale. The method enables industrial scale roll-to-roll production of nanofibrillated cellulose film, which is suitable for e.g. food packaging to protect products from spoilage.
World fame with low temperature records and brain research
25.01.2012 The life work of famous Finnish physicist Olli Viktor Lounasmaa was a laboratory performing neuromagnetic brain research and research in low temperature physics. Today, the O.V. Lounasmaa Laboratory of Aalto University is a renowned research unit in the forefront of the international science community.
Supercomputer helps to discover new carbon structures
26.01.2012 The objective of the doctoral dissertation of researcher Timo Vehviläinen was to find a way of storing explosive hydrogen in carbon nanostructures, but Vehviläinen ended up discovering new carbon structures.
Better living environments the Aalto University theme for the World Design Capital Helsinki year 2012
27.01.2012 Aalto University’s programme for the World Design Capital year, called Living+, creates better living environments in the spirit of sustainable development. By combining art, business and technology, Aalto University has a unique ability to create new solutions for global challenges.
Dyslexia-linked genetic variant decreases midline crossing of auditory pathways
30.01.2012 Finnish scientists have found that a rare dyslexia-linked genetic variant of the ROBO1 gene decreases normal crossing of auditory pathways in the human brain. The weaker the expression of the gene is, the more abnormal is the midline crossing.
Co-operation procedures at Aalto University’s Lahti Center
30.01.2012 The co-operation negotiations at Aalto University’s Lahti center are finalized. The negotia-tions took place between 30.11.2011-18.1.2012 and concerned 23 employees.
Aalto joins the WDC open doors weekend
01.02.2012 The World Design Capital Helsinki arranges an Open Doors Weekend during February 3-5. Some 180 different events have been planned to delight the residents of Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, Kauniainen and Lahti: these will be touching and fun meetings involving design. In addition to design, sometimes in very surprising forms and places, the events also promise to offer bread and circus games, performances, clubs, guidance for visitors, lectures, workshops and ideation projects.
Winners of the Builders of the Future design contest announced
02.02.2012 The winners of the Builders of the Future design contest, organised in order to create a monument in honour of the people who contributed to the endowment capital of Aalto University, have been revealed. The first prize was awarded to Aalto University architecture student Ossi Konttinen for his design called Noste.
Ilkka Niemelä appointed Vice President of Aalto University
03.02.2012 The Board of Aalto University has appointed Dean, Professor Ilkka Niemelä Vice President of Academic Affairs at Aalto University as of 1 March 2012. Niemelä will also be the deputy of President Tuula Teeri. He will replace vice president Heikki Mannila, who will begin his duties as President of the Academy of Finland on March 1.
Achievements in Finnish design brought Estlander medals to Aalto University professors
06.02.2012 The Estlander Silver Medals were awarded to Aalto University Professors Kalevi Ekman, Raimo Nikkanen and Markku Salimäki in recognition of significant achievement on behalf of Finnish design. The award ceremony took place at the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 gala in Lahti on 2 February 2012. The gala was one of the WDC year’s signature events.
A new product is created by combining two types of industrial waste
07.02.2012 Mixing slag generated at Rautaruukki’s steel mill in Raahe with ash from wood incineration results in soil improvement pellets, a new product for forest fertilisation. The Clean Technologies research group of the School of Chemical Technology is examining how solid residues flows and waste generated in the process industry could be used in novel ways.
Short film brings the 1900 Paris World Fair Finnish Pavilion to life
07.02.2012 The short film called Le Pavilion de la Finlande à l’exposition universelle de 1900 à Paris uses 3D modelling and animation and connected archival materials with computer generated imagery in order to render a simulation of the Finnish Pavilion
Academy Professor Olli Ikkala received seven-figure EU funding
07.02.2012 The European Research Council granted Aalto University’s Academy Professor Olli Ikkala funding in the amount of €2.3 million for research on biomimetic nanomaterials. Ikkala’s group specialises in the self-assembly of macromolecules and how to make use of this process when producing functional materials.
How do future antennas look like in urban environment?
14.02.2012 Aalto University and Nokia Siemens Networks to organize an active antenna design competition for students as part World Design Capital Helsinki 2012.
Kalevala Jewelry inspires textile artists
15.02.2012 Textile artist Laura Isoniemi and three textile design students from the School of Arts, Design and Architecture have created interpretations of Kalevala Jewelry in the form of textile art. Their work is on display at the Kalevala Jewelry shop on Unioninkatu in Helsinki.
Aalto University number one in higher education comparison by Talouselämä magazine
17.02.2012 In its review of higher education, Talouselämä magazine produced a ranking of Finnish university units in the fields of economics and science and technology. Aalto University reached number one in both categories.
Human Design or Evolution lecture series stirred conversation about future human bodies
23.02.2012 "Do we change the world to suit us or do we change ourselves to suit the world?" designer Fiona Raby asked during the Human Design or Evolution lecture series, held at Aalto Media Factory.
Second issue of the Aalto University Magazine has been published
24.02.2012 Second issue of the Aalto University Magazine has now been published. It is focused on the theme of wellbeing.
All-encompassing agility for organisations
27.02.2012 Before the IT frenzy at the turn of the millennium, a new ideology for project management was born from amongst programmers. Called agile development methods, they were created to make the everyday work of programmers more prolific. Customers also benefitted from rapid feedback and from the chance to follow the evolution of projects.
Floating eco cities combine green building with Finnish shipbuilding expertise
28.02.2012 The Finnish shipbuilding industry may become a future expert in building ecological cities. "The Floating EcoCity concept offers an alternative to land reclamation islands made by suction dredging," says Aaro Söderlund, architect and lecturer of environmental history at Aalto University.
Designing for New Realities! seminar - follow the stream on March 6th
01.03.2012 Can socially aware design approaches really offer something meaningful that we can adopt today, and will they be relevant even tomorrow? Aalto University will strive to answer these questions in a seminar organised on the 6th of March 2012
Research presented to the supporters of Aalto University
01.03.2012 At Aalto University, high-quality research is conducted that receives highly competed funding. At the event organised in honour of the supporters of Aalto University, notable topical research was presented from the university’s strong, significant areas.
Masters of Aalto built in Jätkäsaari
02.03.2012 A window into the future will be built in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki, as new graduates present their skills and passion for innovation. The Masters of Aalto (MoA) event has expanded to cover the whole Aalto University and takes place from 9 May to 3 June 2012.
Dense urban structure does not lead to low greenhouse gas emissions
05.03.2012 Structure or type of residential area does not have a significant effect on greenhouse gas emissions by the average inhabitant, states doctoral candidate Jukka Heinonen, M. Soc. Sc., from the Aalto University School of Engineering.
Burstiness found to be distinctive for social interaction
05.03.2012 Mobile phones are everywhere, in our bags, pockets and on our tables. The calls we make and the text messages we send, however, tend to cluster into short periods of time. They appear 'bursty': short but intensive periods of communication are followed by longer inactive intermissions.
Carbon capture units can be planned more accurately with new models
07.03.2012 Carbon capture and storage is a possible solution in reducing carbon dioxide emissions: for example when carbon dioxide is captured from flue gases emitted from power plants it does not go into the atmosphere. In her doctoral dissertation Claudia Dell’Era, M.Sc., from Aalto University's School of Chemical Technology performed phase equilibrium measurements and developed models which can be exploited in the design of separation processes for carbon dioxide removal.
Application period for bachelor level from March 5 to April 3 2012
08.03.2012 The application period for Aalto University’s programmes which lead to the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Master of Science in Economics, Technology, Architecture or Landscape Architecture and the Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Business Administration has begun on 5 March 2012.
Exploring national diseases using a sample robot and high-performance computing
08.03.2012 In her doctoral dissertation, Taru Tukiainen found new associations between genetic variants and blood metabolite levels. In January 2012, the study was published in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics.
Light Pill wins Aalto Gift competition
09.03.2012 The Grand Prize winners were Lauri Lemmenlehti and Abel Groenewolt. The winning proposal is called Light Pill, a portable series of illuminators.
ELO wipes the board at Tampere’s National Competition
12.03.2012 The National Competition at Tampere’s film festival was a celebration for the Department of Motion Picture, Television and Production Design’s films. The films “Burden of My Heart”, “Hypermarket Nation”, “Korsoteoria” (So It Goes), “Äidit” (Mothers) and “Pyramidi” (Pyramid) enjoyed great success at the film festival that finished at the last weekend.
International student effort to design an energy efficient residential area in Helsinki
15.03.2012 March will see the start of an Aalto University project in which students will design a residential area based on energy efficient wooden houses in Helsinki. The NEPTUNE Network will bring together multidisciplinary research and students from different parts of Europe for the “Design for Living Environment, From Micro to Macro” event organised 9 – 17 March 2012.
At meetings, speech helps to build authority relationships
15.03.2012 Meetings are not just a forum for conveying information, but also a context for constructing authority relationships between participants. The speech of those attending meetings contains tiny linguistic signals that reveal a speaker’s attitude to the subject being discussed and what he or she assumes the others know about it.
Three-dimensional nano DNA can be used to modify light
15.03.2012 The genetic material of every living organism is encoded in a nucleic acid double helix – DNA. Using artificial DNA molecules an international team of researchers has succeeded in producing materials that can be used to modify visible light. The results of the study were published in the latest issue of the prestigious scientific journal Nature.
The Tenured Professors' Installation Lectures at Aalto University 28.3.2012
16.03.2012 Aalto University celebrates its tenured professors with lectures given by the new Associate Professors and Full Professors.
Aalto University invested in improving the quality of research and education in 2011
22.03.2012 Year 2011 was the second operating year for Aalto University and was characterised by implementation of actions to improve quality both in research and education.
Software bugs revealed in reverse
23.03.2012 Developed by researcher Jan Lönnberg of Aalto University, the Atropos programme helps easily detect bugs that disturb software optimised for new processors.
Microsoft and Nokia to Invest Up to 18 Million Euros in Mobile Application Development Program at Aalto University
26.03.2012 Mobile developers to benefit from funding, training, support and business opportunities as Microsoft and Nokia launch the AppCampus program at Aalto University.
Bachelor-level education is being transferred to Otaniemi
02.04.2012 The bachelor-level education of Aalto University is gradually being transferred to the Otaniemi main campus according to the Board decision that was made last summer. The aim is to make Otakaari 1 the lively centre of bachelor-level studies and an attractive learning environment where students from various fields can meet and study together.
Check out the Installation Lectures' by the newly tenured professors
04.04.2012 Aalto University celebrated its tenured professors with lectures given by the new Associate Professors and Full Professors in the end of March. The videos are now available on Aalto´s Youtube channel.
Open international architectural design competition at Aalto University
05.04.2012 Aalto University Properties Ltd. in Finland is arranging a competition for designing Aalto University’s Otaniemi central campus and its main buildings.
The School of Economics maintains prestigious AACSB business accreditation
11.04.2012 The School of Economics has maintained its business accreditation by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The School of Economics was awarded AACSB accreditation in 2007 as the first Nordic business school.
The future is presented by newly graduates at Masters of Aalto 2012
11.04.2012 MoA’12 is the year show of Aalto University. Opening on Wednesday 9 May 2012 this month long event showcases the future through theses and projects, research and study programmes.
Finland’s first computer games professor chosen
12.04.2012 Finland will see its first computer games professorship in Aalto University. As a joint Assistant Professor for the Department of Media Technology in the School of Science and for the Department of Media in the School of Art and Design, Doctor of Science and Master of Arts, Perttu Hämäläinen started his five-year appointment on March 29, 2012.
Apply to the new Aalto University mentoring programme for students and alumni
13.04.2012 The Aalto University Alumni Relations will launch a new mentoring programme for students and alumni in autumn 2012. In the programme, alumni who have already graduated from Aalto University or its predecessors will support master's degree students in matters related to working life. The mentoring programme for the academic year 2012-2013 also includes an English-speaking group aimed at international degree students.
Robot sumo wrestling: students participating in elementary school technology education
13.04.2012 Students of Aalto University run robot clubs for elementary schools' pupils. In these clubs, pupils find out about Lego robots' senses or prepare for Finnish championship matches in robot sumo wrestling. The idea behind is to bring more creativity and innovativeness into elementary school teaching with the help of technology education.
Computer uses sound recognition to teach flamenco rhythms
17.04.2012 People and computers can interact by means of rhythmic sounds, such as hand clapping. This doctoral dissertation presents new methods by which a computer can recognise and analyse a person’s sonic gestures in real time.
Number of applicants to Aalto University increased in 2012
19.04.2012 Over 16,000 applicants sought admission to Aalto University this spring. The university received over 12,000 applications to its bachelor’s degree programmes and approximately 4,000 applications to its master's degree programmes.
Millennium Technology Prize Laureates named
19.04.2012 The Millennium Technology Prize laureates for 2012 are two prominent innovators, Linus Torvalds and Dr Shinya Yamanaka. The laureates will be celebrated on 13 June, when the winner of the Grand Prize will be announced. The prize pool exceeds EUR 1 million.
Mobile communication reveals gender differences in close relationships
20.04.2012 Analysing a huge dataset of mobile phone calls and text messages has shown striking differences between women and men in their closest social relationships. A study led by researchers from Aalto University also discovered that there are gender differences in ways of finding a mate, planning reproduction and taking care of children. The research is now published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports.
Finnish officers fall short of being clausewitzian strategists
23.04.2012 In his doctoral dissertation, Mika Aalto, MSc (Econ.), examines the capacities of Finnish officers to occupy leading strategic roles in the national Defence Force. Vom Kriege ("On War"), the war and strategy theory of the most important war strategist of all time, Carl von Clausewitz (1780-1831) forms the backdrop for the study.
Aalto University mechanical engineering alumnus receives Marcus Wallenberg Prize
23.04.2012 Aalto University mechanical engineering alumnus Mika Viljanmaa, M.Sc., has been awarded the prestigious 2012 Marcus Wallenberg Prize for his work on metal belt calendering in paper and board making. The prize sum is SEK 2 million which is 227 000 euro. Viljanmaa will receive the prize at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden on October 1, 2012.
Better explanations for marketing performance
24.04.2012 The foremost challenge in marketing research today is to understand how companies should allocate limited resources as well as the type of returns that can be expected from marketing investments. A better understanding of the determinants of marketing performance is a prerequisite for the development of marketing expertise both overall and on the level of individual organizations.
Learning by heart only is no good in machine learning either
25.04.2012 Intelligent algorithms and machine learning perform tasks that cannot be solved by the human brain. Statistical modelling of vast information sources is a must in decision making in numerous fields of society, from medicine to traffic planning and from analyses of stock markets to spam identification. However, to interpret and evaluate the functionality of the models, a critically-oriented human being is needed.
Companies, design and technology solve problems in South Africa
26.04.2012 South Africans Marlon Parker and Bruce Snaddon took part in the Aalto Global Impact event and explained how companies, design and technology can improve the world.
Ideas contest winners announced
26.04.2012 The three winners have been selected in the Aalto University ideas contest to improve living environments and the quality of life. Saara Järviö's idea was the best in category Arts & Design, Maarit Eskola's in Business, and Tijana Dzodzo's in Technology.
Ten new Honorary Doctorates of Technology to be conferred at Aalto University
26.04.2012 The Aalto University schools of technology will confer honorary doctorates on ten eminent persons in the fields of science and society. The degrees will be awarded at a ceremony to take place on 12 October 2012, which will be the first joint Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees between the Aalto University School of Chemical Technology, School of Electrical Engineering, School of Engineering and School of Science.
Admission results of the Master´s programmes published
27.04.2012 The admission results of the Master's programmes at Aalto University have been published on 27 April.
Check out the Aalto Mechatronic Circus video!
02.05.2012 The Aalto Mechatronic Circus is the annual exhibition of the learning environment where the students present their awe-inspiring projects.
Home care suffers from harmful routines – not from a lack of resources
02.05.2012 As our population ages, the future load of the public health care system will be lightened with home care. Efficient home care services will be of high demand. The system of home care service is already stretched to its limits though: nurses and patients are stressed due to constant hurry, and staff shortages are replenished by buying extra work from the private sector.
More than 1,500 students to participate in the international SELL Student Games in Otaniemi between May 18th and May 20th
02.05.2012 The Aalto University Otaniemi campus in Espoo will be filled with international students participating in various sports events on Friday, May 18th. Friday is the first day of the traditional SELL Student Games now being organised for the 28th time.
Design Capital Pavilion showcases high quality wooden architecture
07.05.2012 A group of students and experts from the Aalto University Wood Studio have designed the Pavilion, a temporary structure to be located on an empty plot of land between the Museum of Finnish Architecture and the Design Museum.
Visualization provides decision-makers with the big picture
07.05.2012 The human brain is not very well-equipped for analysing multidimensional data. In his doctoral dissertation, Mikko Berg, M.Sc. (Tech.) examined how graphical visualizations can help people to understand complex data.
Filip Tuomisto begins work as Professor of Nuclear Engineering
08.05.2012 Filip Tuomisto, Doctor of Science (Tech.), stepped into his position as Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the School of Science on 1 May 2012.
Effective knowledge transfer and creation promote internationalisation in SMEs
08.05.2012 In small and medium-sized companies, investments in knowledge transfer and creation promote internalisation. Knowledge is transferred both through internal and external transfer, i.e. between the various actors within the company and outside it, such as customers and other companies.
Welcome to the Masters of Aalto festival to get a glimpse of the future’s professionals
08.05.2012 Masters of Aalto is now open! At the MoA’12 festival Aalto University professionals will showcase their open-minded approaches to the challenges we will face in the future during an exhibition and over 30 individual events. MoA’12 will be open in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki from 9 May to 3 June. The festival features Master’s thesis projects by over one hundred graduates.
DNA tug of war
09.05.2012 A mathematical model created by Aalto University researcher Timo Ikonen explains for the first time how the DNA chains in our genome are translocated through nanopores that are only a couple of nanometres thick.
Paid incentives have meanings beyond money
10.05.2012 The meanings of paid incentives for employees and organisations cannot only be measured in money. Anu Hakonen proposes in her dissertation for the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management at Aalto University that pay motivates more through symbolic meanings rather than through plain euros.
AppCampus is now open for applications
14.05.2012 AppCampus is a unique global initiative originating from Finland. Fast-moving 18 million euro -program sets out to enable mobile app success stories.
Economic crises are managed with collective collateral
16.05.2012 Economy is often understood as a market-controlled phenomenon. When solutions are sought to economic problems, the phrase “the markets have spoken” is used as a justification for the decisions made. The markets are an important control mechanism but they alone cannot explain the functioning of the economy. In his dissertation, Pekka Piironen, M.Soc.Sc., suggests that in its present form, capitalism should be characterised as a system of economic uncertainty.
In future, phones can identify the troubadour on the tree top
16.05.2012 In spring, the sound of birds serenading fills the air. The Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics is developing a system that can recognise a bird species based on a song segment. The system can be put to use by nature enthusiasts and biologists monitoring bird populations.
Creating packaging experiences
22.05.2012 A product’s packaging is not merely a protective shell it travels home from the store in. Packaging may be fun and beautiful and does not need to be taken seriously.
Nature of project work hinders the implementation of enterprise systems
22.05.2012 The implementation of enterprise systems (ES) to make project work more effective in an expert organization is not without its problems. Particularly the nature of project work and variation in an organization’s projects and services hinder the assimilation and use of ES.
Using strategy tools to exercise power in a company
23.05.2012 Popular strategy tools used by businesses include SWOT analysis and scorecards. Strategy tools are seen as a means that provides companies with practical ways of making use of scientific theories in order to improve competitiveness. However, this is only one side of the overall picture.
The auditory cortex adapts agilely with concentration
23.05.2012 The birth of sensory perception on the human cerebral cortex is yet to be fully explained. The different areas on the cortex function in cooperation, and no perception is the outcome of only one area working alone. In his doctoral dissertation for the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science in Aalto University Jaakko Kauramäki shows that the auditory cortex is not left to its own devices.
The level of results was high at the international SELL Student Games 2012
23.05.2012 The 28. SELL Student Games were held last weekend at the campus of Aalto University in Espoo, Otaniemi. Otaniemi was the center of action again after four years – the last time the SELL Student Games were organized in Finland was in 2008.
Doctoral dissertation reveals who profits and who incur losses from provision of immediacy in the stock markets
23.05.2012 While mutual funds and issue of stocks cause price impact, hedge funds and repurchase of shares decrease this. The doctoral dissertation by Kalle Rinne, M. Sc. (Econ.), studies how demand and provision of immediacy affects the market's functioning and what the roles are of different market parties with regard to provision of immediacy.
Automated image analysis arises from handcraft and machine learning
24.05.2012 The amount of visual information increases with tremendous speed. The archives of television networks, image bank databases and social media in the web are all bursting with billions of pictures – and more is produced by the second. In order to organise these heaps of data and to find wanted information from it, the analysis of the images must be automatised.
Feeling strong emotions makes peoples’ brains ‘tick together’
24.05.2012 Research team at Aalto University and Turku PET Centre has revealed how experiencing strong emotions synchronizes brain activity across individuals.
Brain activity revealed when watching a feature film
28.05.2012 Human brain functions have been studied in the past using relatively simple stimuli, such as pictures of faces and isolated sounds or words. Researchers in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science and in the aivoAALTO project have now taken a highly different approach: they have studied brain functions in lifelike circumstances.
ADDLAB puts the digital revolution into action in Aalto University
29.05.2012 In the midst of red-bricked mechanical engineers’ shops in the Otaniemi campus of Aalto University beams a hall painted bright white. Above the door hang the similarly white letters ADD. On my first visit, the lobby and the yard were full of researchers and students knee-deep in their conversations. A lecture by the already legendary structural engineer Klaus Bollinger was about to begin
Cardboard hospital does not make patients passive
30.05.2012 A cardboard hospital was constructed at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture in order to develop patient-centred health care.
Masters of Aalto partners awarded their favorite theses
31.05.2012 The partners of Masters of Aalto exhibition, which has expanded to include the entire Aalto University, awarded their favorite theses. The partners chose their favorites from the hundred works shown at MoA’12. MoA’12 is open until Sunday, 3 May.
Climate change affects floods and water resources in Finland in the 21st century
31.05.2012 Climate scenarios project increases in air temperature and precipitation in Finland in the 21st century. Climate change will affect the hydrologic cycle and water resources. In her Aalto University doctoral dissertation, Noora Veijalainen, M.Sc. (Tech.), applied hydrological models and several climate scenarios to estimate the impacts of climate change on discharges, water levels and floods in Finland.
Closer cooperation between Aalto University and Technology Academy Finland
31.05.2012 Technology Academy Finland (TAF) and Aalto University have signed an agreement on wide-ranging cooperation with the goals of boosting interest in natural sciences, mathematics and technology especially among children and teenagers, and of increasing awareness of technology right from the early learning stage.
Bursty behaviour found to have similar features across complex systems
01.06.2012 Several complex systems live in periods of short bursts of high activity followed by long uneventful intermissions. This phenomenon called burstiness can be modelled and predicted with mathematical algorithms. Research of Dr Márton Karsai of Aalto University Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science, now shows that burstiness has universal features in very different systems.
Domestic investment and exports stimulate most economic growth in Russia
05.06.2012 Domestic investment and exports are among the most important factors for stimulating economic growth across Russia. This is shown in a study by Lic.Sc. Svetlana Ledyaeva for the Aalto University School of Economics.
Peer-to-peer services are transforming the technology and business domains of the Internet
05.06.2012 Peer-to-peer (P2P) services are emerging in mobile devices, such as smartphones, equipped with an Internet connection.
Cues of new songs keep music playing in your head
06.06.2012 Nearly all of people experience music playing in their head every week. This music is typically contemporary, lyrical, and represents only a fraction of a song, a study finds. People can be induced to experience involuntary music by musical cues.
A new system architecture speeds up the use of mobile phone applications
11.06.2012 When a phone is used to scan a smart tag on a concert ticket, the band’s latest music video and interviews appear on the screen. Although the slow speed of data transmission in a phone network and high power consumption have hindered the use of such smart phone applications until now, downloading can soon be possible in just a few seconds. In his dissertation, Iiro Jantunen developed an open system architecture that transmits data from network to telephone at a faster rate.
Doctoral dissertation on videographic research: Less text and more experience
12.06.2012 If the ‘reality’ of the digital moving image is eschewed, video can be considered as a medium of performative expressions rather than 'representations' of some external states. Video becomes an emotional medium, capable to relate evocative feelings. Thus it also has the potential of popularizing academic work.
Researchers develop optical displays from water and air
14.06.2012 For many years, scientists have been pursuing ways to mimic the perplexing capability of the lotus leaf to repel water. Lotus leaves hate water so much that droplets effortlessly roll off the surface, keeping it clean from dirt. Now an international team of researchers led by Aalto University have come up with an entirely new concept of writing and displaying information on surfaces using simply water.
Doctoral dissertation: The success recipes of companies are context-dependent
15.06.2012 One of the most central questions in marketing and strategic management is the following: Why do some companies outperform others? There is still only a partial understanding of what succeeding in business in different operating environments requires. Since companies have limited resources, the successful allocation of these resources is vital.
Aalto University to acquire Musta Taide publishing company
15.06.2012 The publishing company Musta Taide specialising in high quality photography books will be acquired by Aalto University. Operations will continue as part of Aalto ARTS Books, which is responsible for the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture publications.
Doctoral dissertation: Outdated values and rules the reason for the small number of Finnish growth companies
18.06.2012 The outdated values and rules of Finnish society are the reason for the country’s small number of growth companies. Creating growth companies is not merely up to individual entrepreneurs and members of top management: it is the result of the activities of an entire community. This is essential when practical policy and development programmes aimed at supporting growth entrepreneurship are being planned and implemented and when growth companies are being established.
Paper industry’s future is in waste-to-energy business
18.06.2012 Recycling is a centuries-old skill. Still a third of the paper we use lives only once and ends up on landfills. Recycling waste is a global business of which recovered paper makes up a significant part. Bales of recovered paper alone are bought and sold yearly with 20 billion euros worldwide. As a third of potentially recyclable paper is lost among other waste, the market still stands to grow.
Managing floods on nature’s terms
19.06.2012 Mathematical models describing the interaction between water flow, vegetation and sediments in river basins are being developed at Aalto University. The hydraulic models will be used to create a basis for environmentally sound flood management.
New deans sought for three Schools
19.06.2012 Aalto University seeks to appoint new deans to lead the operations of the School of Engineering, the School of Chemical Technology and the School of Science. The new deans will start in their positions at the beginning of 2013. At Aalto University, deans are elected for a five-year term.
Admission results for BA programmes at the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture released
21.06.2012 A total of 2 874 hopefuls interested in pursuing studies in the field of applied art applied for the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture this year.
EIT ICT Labs and FI-PPP signing Memorandum of Collaboration on 21 June 2012
21.06.2012 EIT ICT Labs Press release June 21,2012 Building stronger synergies between research, innovation and education in European ICT. An agreement bringing together EIT ICT Labs of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology and the EU's Future Internet Public-Private Partnership (FI-PPP) will be signed on 21 June in the presence of Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice-President for Digital Agenda, and Androulla Vassiliou, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth.
Energy efficiency program to start at Aalto University
21.06.2012 Aalto Energy Efficiency Research Programme (AEF) has been established to strengthen energy research and teaching at Aalto University. The aim of the programme is to launch ambitious interdisciplinary research projects that could produce solutions that significantly improve energy efficiency, with a wide scope. In the Aalto University strategy, energy was included from the very beginning, and all Aalto schools study and teach energy issues.
Condition of bridges, nuclear power plants or roller-coasters monitored with a new system
25.06.2012 Researchers are developing an intelligent system to monitor the condition of valuable structures automatically, at times even in real time. The system has the ability to alert users of damage for ex. to the structures of skyscrapers.
Significant sea-level rise in a 2-degree warming world
25.06.2012 Sea levels around the world can be expected to rise by several metres in coming centuries, if global warming carries on. Even if global warming is limited to 2 degrees Celsius, global-mean sea level could continue to rise, reaching between 1.5 and 4 metres above present-day levels by the year 2300, with the best estimate being at 2.7 metres, according to a study just published in Nature Climate Change.
City Sets - Discover the Design Urban Design and Media Art of Aalto University in Paris
26.06.2012 The City Sets - Discover the Design Paris exhibition (from 31 May to 31 Aug 2012) introduces the Aalto University's MA and doctoral students' talent side by side with experienced Finnish media artists in the context of Designer's Days, one of the biggest yearly design events in France.
Masters of Aalto took over Jätkäsaari
26.06.2012 The Masters of Aalto festival, which has grown into an event encompassing the entire Aalto University, drew visitors throughout May to the exhibition featuring the future's professionals. In addition to the exhibition, the festival included public events, seminars and workshops. A 100-year-old harbour warehouse designed by Lars Sonck functioned as the exhibition space in Jätkäsaari.
Seven tenure track or tenured professor positions open at the School of Electrical Engineering
27.06.2012 Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering transforms scientific and technological research results to advanced solutions and applications ranging from nanotechnology to space robotics.
EU visibility to Rail Baltica projects
28.06.2012 Rail Baltica Growth Corridor (RBGC) and RBGC Russia were presented in Copenhagen on 18.-19.6.2012 at the BDF Summit and the Annual Meeting of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR).
The most significant academic conference on data communication to gather leading experts to Finlandia Hall in August
29.06.2012 ACM Sigcomm, the most scientifically significant academic conference on ICT research, will be organised for the first time in Finland on 13–18 August 2012. The conference will be hosted by Aalto University and Nokia.
Where did I park my spacecraft?
03.07.2012 Researchers have developed a method to determine the location of a spacecraft within one hundred metres, even if the spacecraft is several hundred million kilometres from Earth. In addition to spacecraft-spotting, the same technique can be applied to study the atmosphere of our neighbouring planets or the structure of the planet’s interior using radio telescopes. Thus, for example, researchers have discovered water in some of Saturn’s moons and have searched for thunderstorms in Mars.
HIIT introduces a discovery engine for biomedical experiments
05.07.2012 In several fields of science it is increasingly impossible to keep up with the pace of accumulating and overlapping research results. The bottleneck in open data banks and databases is not anymore so much the acquisition of information than its analysis.
Aalto University School of Economics remains popular
06.07.2012 The number of applicants was 3468, out of whom 311 were admitted.
Aalto University admits 1720 new students – 16 % of applicants gain admission
06.07.2012 A total of 1720 students were admitted to Aalto University in its spring application round.
Sounds of Northern Lights are born close to ground
09.07.2012 For the first time, researchers at Aalto University in Finland have located where the sounds associated with the northern lights are created. The auroral sounds that have been described in folktales and by wilderness wanderers are formed about 70 meters above the ground level in the measured case.
Companies cannot have secrets anymore
12.07.2012 Professor Richard Whittington emphasizes the meaning of open strategies resulting as increased communication in companies.
Mika A. Sillanpää appointed as an Associate Professor in the School of Science
17.07.2012 "I want to witness the wonders of Nature with my own eyes. It is the greatest pleasure to see this beautiful machinery at work, and observe how it can be understood starting from general logical principles. That is why I chose to become an experimental physicist."
Video connection decreased loneliness and increased safety
18.07.2012 Advanced technology has a supportive function, bringing new possibilities for the elderly living at home and for their home care. The city of Helsinki tested video phones in home care. Both the nurses’ and the elderly’s experiences of using the technology were very positive.
3D virtual simulation enables visits to the Dutch trader Vrouw Maria at the bottom of the Baltic sea
19.07.2012 The interactive and real-time 3D virtual simulation of the wreck of the Vrouw Maria, created by researchers and students of the Media Lab of the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture in Finland is on display this summer in the exhibition “Spoils of Riches – the Stories of the Vrouw Maria and the St. Michel”.
Success in Milan for the double graduate Kristiina Lassus
23.07.2012 Kristiina Lassus, who has been highly successful in the field of design in Milan, works long hours enthusiastically and with her eyes firmly fixed on the future. Even if the Italian economy has been badly hit, she believes that after the downturn, it will be boosted to new heights.
Ecological building experts showcase their skills at the Finnish Housing Fair
24.07.2012 In this year’s Finnish Housing Fair, the Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture is represented by two departments.
Online learning platforms are used as a material distribution channels in teaching
30.07.2012 The methods of using online services in teaching have not diversified in the past fourteen years. Online learning platforms are not utilised for interaction in teaching but rather as a material distribution channel. Network use has only increased in volume.
Aalto University School of Economics is renamed Aalto University School of Business
01.08.2012 The Aalto University School of Economics will be renamed the Aalto University School of Business as of 1 August 2012.
Scouts learn about water engineering
01.08.2012 At the end of July, a group of 16-20 year-olds from the international Roverway Scout Camp learned more about the Water Laboratory at Aalto University’s School of Engineering. The scouts attending the camp came from countries like Belgium, Austria and Norway. Lasting more than a week, the event was hosted by Finland for the first time.
Hanna Maula appointed Aalto University’s Communications Director
02.08.2012 Hanna Maula has been appointed as the Communications Director of Aalto University and a member of the university’s management team. She will start in her new job at the beginning of September. Maula will be responsible for Aalto University’s domestic and international communications, marketing and brand building. She will be in charge of the 40-strong team of the communications, marketing and events organisation.
Aalto University continued successfully with a conservative investment strategy
07.08.2012 The return of the Aalto University investment portfolio was 4.0% in the first half of 2012 and the market value of the portfolio at the end of June 2012 was 862 million euro.
The first production by an Aalto University artist in residence is complete: Return of the Goddess combines art, research and technology
08.08.2012 Marita Liulia, the first artist invited to take part in the Aalto University AiR residence, will see the premiere of her production Return of the Goddess on 17 August at Savoy Theatre during the Helsinki Festival.
The Pavilion presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale
13.08.2012 The Pavilion designed by Aalto University’s Wood Studio has attracted a lot of interest in Helsinki this summer and played an important role in the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012. The Pavilion will also feature prominently at the Venice Biennale from 29 August till 25 November 2012 in the New Forms in Wood exhibition to be housed in a unique pavilion designed by Alvar Aalto.
New professor Alexander Frey is passionate about research
14.08.2012 Alexander Frey began his work as an associate professor in the Department of Biotechnology and Chemical Technology on 1 May 2012. Frey will also lead a new research group focusing on molecular biotechnology.
A good guessing method makes supercomputing more efficient
16.08.2012 In his doctoral dissertation, Kurt Baarman, a researcher from Aalto University, developed methods for making electron density calculations more efficient. These methods can also be applied to pharmaceutical development.
Olli V. Lounasmaa Memorial Prize 2012 awards breakthroughs in superconductivity and quantum crystals
17.08.2012 The third Olli V. Lounasmaa Memorial Prize has been awarded to academician Aleksandr Fedorovich Andreev. The prize recognises Andreev’s pioneering research on the theory of superconductivity and quantum crystals.
Consumers want to be in control of marketing messages
20.08.2012 Most consumers do not like personal marketing messages. Sales phone calls and text messages are considered particularly obtrusive, with consumers preferring marketing in newspapers, catalogues and internet search services as these can be controlled and utilised by the consumer.
Aalto EE has risen to the top in Education 2012 survey
20.08.2012 According to the Education 2012 survey, Aalto University Executive Education is the best provider of management education services in Finland. The survey was carried out by Add Value Research for the financial magazine Talouselämä. The weighted corporate image index used in the survey comprised ten qualities.
Welcome to Aalto University, new students!
20.08.2012 New students at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture will be the first to arrive on campus. They begin their studies today at the Arabia Campus. Orientation week for students of business and technology kicks off at the beginning of September.
Internet architecture is at odds with its use
23.08.2012 The largest manmade structure is nowadays used completely differently than its designers some 30 years ago originally intended. Of Internet communication only a fraction of traffic is intended to be exchanged between specific network elements anymore. Instead, the network should find the content desired by end users.
Heat flow control for future nanoelectronics
28.08.2012 Electronic devices and their components are getting smaller and smaller. Tomi Ruokola has researched in his doctoral dissertation for the Department of Applied Physics in Aalto University how the heat generated by electronic components could be controlled and utilised.
Europe’s First Geolocation Radio License issued to a Finnish research consortium
28.08.2012 A test radio license for cognitive radio devices on the TV White Space frequencies has been issued to a Finnish research consortium WISE. The license is the first one in Europe having the geolocation database control of frequencies. The license covers the 470-790 MHz frequency range and a 40 km x 40 km area surrounding Turku, Finland. The license is valid for one year. Nearly 300 000 people live in the radio license area.
Children’s musical experience drawn on balloons
29.08.2012 Students of Art Education designed a workshop, where children drew their musical experience on balloons.
First three months a great success for AppCampus
31.08.2012 AppCampus - the world’s largest mobile acceleration program - started operations in May 2012 at Aalto University. The global mobile application acceleration program has committed to invest the first 1 million euros.
Aalto a visible participant at Helsinki Design Week
03.09.2012 Aalto University students, researchers and alumni are participating in Helsinki Design Week 6–16 September 2012 in the form of numerous exhibitions and events. The exhibitions are focused on the design of better living environments and industrial art design, displaying the projects of future artists and designers. The programme for Open House Helsinki includes walking tours at the Töölö and Otaniemi campuses. The Pavilion will remain open for the duration of Helsinki Design Week.
Watch the webcast of the opening ceremony
04.09.2012 The opening ceremony will be held in the Otaniemi Campus 4 September 2012 at 1 pm.
New ceremonial necklaces for deans: laboratory glass, clay and carbon fibre
04.09.2012 On 4 September at the opening for the academic year, there will be something new adorning the necks of the university’s deans. The former gold decorations on the necklaces worn by deans of the schools of technology have been replaced with more engineer-themed materials.
Opening of the Academic year: President Tuula Teeri finds the cutting of the university index to be a short-sighted solution
04.09.2012 The opening of the academic year at Aalto University was held on the Otaniemi campus on Tuesday 4 September. Almost six hundred staff members, students and cooperation partners took part in the event.
Total of 189 entries to Campus 2015 architectural competition – an exhibition in October
05.09.2012 Phase one of the architectural competition where the objective was to design a core campus for Aalto University in Otaniemi has been concluded. A total of 189 accepted entries from around the world were received by the deadline. The entries can be viewed in an exhibition open to all to be held in Otaniemi in October.
Success in video games lights up brain’s reward centers
05.09.2012 Research team at Aalto University has revealed how playing video games − particularly against fellow human players – triggers pleasure responses in the brain.
Towards computing with water droplets – superhydrophobic droplet logic
06.09.2012 Researchers in Aalto University have developed a new concept for computing, using water droplets as bits of digital information. This was enabled by the discovery that upon collision with each other on a highly water-repellent surface, two water droplets rebound like billiard balls.
Aalto MBA to offer an extensive module in entrepreneurship
07.09.2012 The international Aalto Part-Time MBA program will offer a new elective module focusing extensively on entrepreneurship. The module covers the needs of small start-ups and global corporations alike. The program is offered by Aalto University Executive Education (Aalto EE).
Aalto University rises in QS university ranking
11.09.2012 The QS World University Ranking published today put Aalto University in 222nd place (from the 232nd place last year and the 250th place in 2010) in a ranking which evaluates over 700 universities worldwide. Finland had five universities in the top 300 with the MIT from the USA topping this year’s ranking.
Students’ programming skills into shape with proper feedback
12.09.2012 In programming education exercises are often assessed by automatic feedback. In his dissertation for Aalto University Department of Computer Science and Engineering Otto Seppälä has studied how different assessment methods and tools can convey information about students’ programming skills and how students can best benefit from feedback.
Design report to the European Commission to be made public at summit in Helsinki
13.09.2012 The Leadership Board on European design has completed a list of policy recommendations that aim at the utilisation of design as a driving force for economic growth, wellbeing and competitiveness in Europe.
Innovation is born out of conflict
14.09.2012 When different organisations work together to create something new, conflicts and differences may serve as an impetus for the generation of innovations. This statement was made in an article, produced in SimLab, that was granted the Project Management Journal’s Paper of the Year Award 2012.
Design as a driver of European growth: the Design Leadership Board’s 21 recommendations to the European Commission
17.09.2012 The role of European design should be enhanced on the global stage, and top expertise in design should be supported. Cooperation between strong design competencies, companies and the public sector should be developed to produce better services. Design should be embedded in innovation programmes and business incubators across Europe. Harnessing design as a tool for innovation processes will boost prosperity and well-being across the continent.
Innovation is born out of conflict
18.09.2012 When different organisations work together to create something new, conflicts and differences may serve as an impetus for the generation of innovations. This statement was made in an article, produced in SimLab, that was granted the Project Management Journal’s Paper of the Year Award 2012.
The Tenured Professors' Installation Lectures at Aalto University 3.10.2012
18.09.2012 Aalto University celebrates its Tenured Professors with lectures presented by the new tenure track professors of Associate- or Full-level.
Aalto research on display – follow Aalto Science Day live webcasting on Thursday 20th September
19.09.2012 The first Aalto Science Day takes place on Thursday 20th September 2012. The purpose of Aalto Science Day is to bring the researchers of different fields working in Aalto together for networking and for cumulated creativity. Researchers from all fields and Schools of Aalto are invited to participate in the event as the audience and/or as presenters. The event is internal but everyone can follow it through a live webcast.
Brain research in Aalto University receives prestigious EU grant
20.09.2012 European Research Council (ERC) has awarded a grant of 1.3 million euros for a venture lead by Aalto University Docent, Academy Fellow Lauri Nummenmaa. Nummenmaa’s group studies the brain mechanisms behind human social interaction.
Chronic pain and shaking under control using "pacemaker for the brain"
20.09.2012 How does electrical stimulation affect the brain? A project by Aalto University and the University of Helsinki, launched in early 2012, studies the impact mechanism of deep brain stimulation and develops electrochemical sensors for more effective measuring of neurotransmitters in the brain. The long-term goals of the research are more specific treatment for Parkinson’s disease and many other diseases of the nervous system.
Entrepreneurship educators gathered at REE Europe 2012 conference
21.09.2012 Accel Roundtable on Entrepreneurship Education conference was hosted first time in Finland. On September 5th-7th 120 entrepreneurship educators from 30 different countries all over the world came together to become inspired and get equipped with the latest insights about entrepreneurship education. It was an ideal time to reinvent, redesign and rebuild existing teaching methods as the needs of future generations are clearly changing when it comes to entrepreneurship education.
Aalto University opens the first Fablab in Finland
25.09.2012 Aalto Media Factory opens the first Finnish Fablab – the Aalto Fablab – on the Arabia campus. A fab lab (short for ‘fabrication laboratory’) is an open workshop, where everybody can make objects using techniques such as 3D printing or laser cutting.
New key appointments at Aalto EE – fresh international expertise from HEC Paris
26.09.2012 Aalto University Executive Education (Aalto EE) has reinforced its operations with the following key appointments.
Design Meets Cellulose project turns Finnish wood into champagne
26.09.2012 How could a Finnish wood product attain the same luxury status as French champagne on the global market? This question was examined in the Design Meets Cellulose project, in which one of the themes was to develop a brand for Finnish wood products.
Aalto University to join the work for the environment
26.09.2012 Aalto University has joined the Climate Partners network of businesses and the City of Helsinki that works to control climate change.
Single-atom writer a landmark for quantum computing
27.09.2012 A research team led by Australian engineers has created the first working quantum bit based on a single atom in silicon, opening the way to ultra-powerful quantum computers of the future.
Health Forum lecture series addresses the hottest topics in the field of health
28.09.2012 How could municipalities organise health services more effectively? What kind of problems are associated with caring for the elderly, and how will we solve them? How can we maintain our own health and prevent the onset of diseases?
Simply invisible
01.10.2012 A metal object can be made invisible with the help of ordinary plastic, Pekka Alitalo and Constantinos Valagiannopoulos, researchers from the School of Electrical Engineering, have shown in their study.
Nanomagnetism research on hybrid materials in Aalto University receives 1.5 million EU grant
02.10.2012 European Research Council (ERC) has awarded a 1.5 million grant to Aalto University Professor Sebastiaan van Dijken. Van Dijken leads the Nanomagnetism and Spintronics Group in the Department of Applied Physics. The grant is for five years and it will cover the group’s research on ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials and the underlying physical phenomena at their interfaces.
Nanocellulose enables the manufacturing of new environmentally friendly materials
03.10.2012 One of the topics studied currently at the Department of Forest Products Technology of the School of Chemical Technology is the use of nanocellulose as reinforcement of polymers such as thermo-plastics. Nanocellulose, or wood fibre broken down to the nanoscale, mixed with a polymer results in a tough material. This purely natural product may replace synthetic petroleum-based fibres commonly used to reinforce composite materials nowadays.
Complete feel of user interfaces with vibrotactile feedback
03.10.2012 Touchscreen mobile devices, phones and tablet computers, have gained prominence in our everyday life in the past years. Their user interfaces, however, make quite crude use of touch and the somatosensory system. Teemu Ahmaniemi has studied in his dissertation for the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science in Aalto University, how the tactile feedback in these devices could be improved.
Study exposes the negative effects of increasing computerized surveillance
04.10.2012 Researchers at the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology HIIT finish the first longitudinal study on the effects of ubiquitous surveillance in the home.
Wood takes flight in a joint effort
04.10.2012 A bio-apartment building in Otaniemi, a modifiable sports and recreation centre in Tapiola and a route for light traffic on the nearby shoreline - all of these made from wood. These construction proposals came about from a joint venture between Aalto University students and six organisations, the purpose and aim of which was to come up with ways in which modern Finnish timber construction and the entire wood industry could be promoted.
Network research needs to focus on temporality and weightedness
05.10.2012 The study of complex networks in statistical physics and computational science has become more and more focused on so-called dynamic networks. Where traditional approaches have treated the links in networks as static, contemporary research looks into their development in time and into the individual properties of the links.
Aalto alumni and startups visited London
05.10.2012 European venture capitalists, especially from UK, have been among the most active financiers into hi-tech companies from the Aalto University community. Therefore Aalto University was very pleased to organize a special Finnish Startup Evening at the one-and-only location of the Finnish Ambassador´s Residence in Kensington, London. The guests were limited to about 60 major venture capitalists, angel investors, as well as some selected influencers in the digital media space. The event was supported also by VC Zone, a consortium of SITRA, Greater Helsinki Promotion, Aalto Center for Entrepreneurship, and Technopolis.
New doctors taken as members of the scientific community at the Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees
06.10.2012 The Aalto University schools of technology will celebrate their joint Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees in Otaniemi on 12 October 2012. The doctors and honorary doctors to be conferred will be accepted as members of the technical science community. Doctoral hats will be set on their heads.
Connectivity of the brain cortex revealed by modelling rhythmic activity
09.10.2012 Brain activity is most commonly measured through the evoked responses in the brain triggered by sensory stimuli. The cerebral cortex also exhibits rhythmic activity, the purpose of which is yet relatively unknown to science. Researcher Hannu Laaksonen in the O.V. Lounasmaa Laboratory in Aalto University School of Science has in his doctoral dissertation measured the rhythmic activity with magnetoencephalography (MEG) – and come up with a new way to study the co-operation of different cortical regions.
Resource saving metal belt calendering giving better paper surface awarded the 29th Marcus Wallenberg Prize
10.10.2012 During a ceremony at the Grand Hôtel in Stockholm on 1 October, the Swedish King, His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf awarded the Marcus Wallenberg Prize 2012 to Mr. Mika Viljanmaa for his ground-breaking development of metal belt calendering technology resulting in better paper print surfaces with less fibre materials and higher production efficiency.
Halving the food losses would feed an additional billion people
10.10.2012 More efficient use of the food production chain and a decrease in the amount of food losses will dramatically help maintaining the planet's natural resources and improve people's lives. Researchers in Aalto University have proved a valid estimation, for the first time, for how many people could be fed with reducing food losses.
Aalto EE to explore the executive education markets in the Middle East – Aki Seeck appointed Senior Advisor
15.10.2012 Aalto University Executive Education (Aalto EE) has appointed Captain (retd.), MBA Aki Seeck as a Senior Advisor. Mr. Seeck will concentrate on exploring business opportunities for Aalto EE in the Middle East.
Aalto Executive MBA Program again ranked the best in the Nordic Countries
16.10.2012 For the second time in a row, the Financial Times has ranked the Aalto Executive MBA program as the best in the Nordic Countries. The FT evaluates the 100 leading global Executive MBA programs on an annual basis. A total of around 3,000 EMBA programs are offered around the world.
Vortices in atomic gases resolve basic phenomena of quantum physics
16.10.2012 Quantum phenomena at extremely low temperatures are fervently studied both theoretically and experimentally in contemporary physics. Alkali atoms cooled to near absolute zero formed the first experimentally successful gaseous Bose–Einstein condensate in 1995. Six years later, the achievement was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
Electron microscopy and simulations provide atom-by-atom knowledge of doped graphene and carbon nanotubes
17.10.2012 A thread of research pursued in a pan-European collaboration lead by Aalto University Department of Applied Physics scientists has yielded prominent results for the electron microscopy of nitrogen-doped graphene and carbon nanotubes.
Lee Bryant is pro human
17.10.2012 “Never waste a good crisis!” Lee Bryant thundered at the School of Business. His sarcastic dictate was delivered at a lecture, which was titled Networked innovation: Entrepreneurship for a better future.
Manufacturing complex 3D metallic structures at nanoscale made possible
18.10.2012 The fabrication of many objects, machines, and devices around us rely on the controlled deformation of metals by industrial processes such as bending, shearing, and stamping. Is this technology transferrable to nanoscale? Can we build similarly complex devices and machines with very small dimensions?
The Aalto University schools of technology celebrated their 22nd ceremonial conferment
19.10.2012 The Aalto University schools of technology celebrate their 22nd ceremonial conferment of doctoral degrees on 12 October 2012. The ceremony will be organised by the School of Electrical Engineering.
Innovation potential arising from multiculturality is not exploited
22.10.2012 Because of our current view on the impacts of cultural differences, important innovation potential arising from multiculturality is disregarded in projects.
Aalto University Magazine 04 published
23.10.2012 The new issue of Aalto University Magazine deals with the bioeconomy, which has been highlighted as a possible saviour of recession-hit Europe and a safeguard for the continued prosperity of the Finns.
Nanofibrillar cellulose film to ease performing medical tests
23.10.2012 Researchers at Aalto University have succeeded in developing a durable and affordable nanofibrillar cellulose film platform to support medical testing. New environmentally friendly, reliable nanofibrillar cellulose (NFC) platforms are more diverse than plastic films.
Exploring elections and voting behaviour with physics
24.10.2012 Statistical physics has began to inch itself into the territory of social and human sciences in the past decade. Vast and complex social networks have particularly gained popularity among physicists. Now they have also started to dig into the huge amounts of voting data of elections.
Perception of price and the related emotions affect purchase decisions
25.10.2012 The way buyers perceive price and the emotions their perceptions evoke affect purchase decisions more than the exact price.
Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture to award eight honorary doctorates
25.10.2012 The Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture will organise its fourth Formal Conferment Ceremony for Master’s and Doctoral Degrees in the field of art and design on 11 January 2013. Eight honorary doctorates will be awarded at the ceremony to the following persons: Laurie Anderson, multimedia artist from the United States; Rachel Cooper, Professor of Design Management from the United Kingdom; Arunas Gelunas, Minister of Culture from Lithuania; Pirjo Honkasalo, a director, screenwriter and cinematographer; author and artist Mauri Kunnas; Olavi Linden, Director, R&D, and Chief Designer at Fiskars; Ezio Manzini, Professor of Design from Italy, and Professor Emeritus Yrjö Sotamaa.
Aalto University has a strong focus in China
26.10.2012 Active presence in Radical Design Week, 26 Oct – 4 Nov 2012 Aalto University has successfully built strategic connections in China in close cooperation with Tongji University. The Sino-Finnish Centre was opened at Tongji University in 2010, and since then Aalto University and Tongji University have been jointly developing the Aalto-Tongji Design Factory. The aim of the cooperation is to promote research, education and innovation and to offer a platform where students and researchers encounter enterprises and society.
Transition into service based business an imperative for continued competitiveness in global markets
29.10.2012 A transition to service based business is a way for Finnish multinationals to respond to an increasingly globalized competitive environment that places strains on traditional sources of firm competitiveness.
Aalto University among the first to adopt an electric van into transport and research use
30.10.2012 Today, Aalto University receives its first electric transport vehicle, the Vito E-CELL van. The acquisition is part of a more extensive first delivery of electric vans to the Finnish market. A total of twelve electric vans will be introduced to the streets of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area at this stage.
Check out the Installation Lectures' by the tenured professors
30.10.2012 Aalto University celebrated its tenured professors with lectures given by the new Associate Professors and Full Professors in the beginning of October.
Aalto University to continue World Design Capital cooperation with Cape Town
05.11.2012 Aalto University has plans for cooperation with Cape Town, the city chosen as World Design Capital 2014. Aalto University’s cooperation partner in South Africa is the Cape Peninsula University of Technology CPUT. The theme for the cooperation is 'Design for Urban Transformation', and it will seek innovative solutions to challenges in the development of urban environments through means offered by design.
A model for strategy process for SMEs
06.11.2012 The time span for strategic planning has shortened rapidly, which poses additional challenges particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. Too little attention has been focused on the systematic monitoring and analysis of changes taking place in the economic environment: new models and tools are needed to support the work of strategy development.
Computational text analysis made possible regardless of language or domain
08.11.2012 The Internet is awash with text. Databases swell larger and larger by the minute. How can the vast amount of textual data be systematically analysed and managed, as the number of languages, domains, styles and dialects is getting countless? The task is too much for the human brain. Traditional methods for textual analysis run short. What we need are statistical methods, data mining and machine learning.
HIIT and FIMM researchers excel in predicting cancer drug sensitivity in an international crowdsourcing challenge
14.11.2012 Researchers from Helsinki Institute for Information Technology HIIT and Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland FIMM have developed a triumphant solution for predicting responses of breast cancer cells to a set of cancer drugs. The prediction is based on the genomic profiles of the cancer cells. Harnessing genomic profiles of cells in choosing the best treatment is considered the holy grail of personalised medicine.
Researchers have made the production of batteries cheaper and safer
14.11.2012 Researchers at Aalto University, Finland have developed a method for producing lithium batteries that is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than previously used methods. This new process has succeeded in replacing the harmful methylpyrrolidone (NMP) solvent, which is traditionally used in the manufacturing of electrodes, with water.
Medvedev visits Aalto University
15.11.2012 Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen made a visit to Aalto University on 14 November. The visiting dignitaries were presented with business innovations developed by young entrepreneurs at the Startup Sauna and Design Factory.
Aalto University gets the HR Excellence in Research award
15.11.2012 The European Commission has given the HR Excellence in Research award to Aalto University. Aalto University is the first Finnish university to receive this award.
New international DBA Program from Triple Crown accredited Aalto University Executive Education
16.11.2012 Aalto University Executive Education (Aalto EE) and Aalto University, Finland have jointly launched a new international Doctor of Business Administration program, the Aalto Executive DBA. The Aalto Executive DBA is designed for experienced executives who wish to complete a doctoral program alongside their work. This working-life oriented program includes applied research.
Hearing disorders can be treated with multifunctional nanoliposome therapy
19.11.2012 Liposomes are used in contemporary medicine to carry and apply drugs and genes into different tissue areas of the body. They are small bubble-shaped lipid molecules, and an attractive candidate for delivery because they are composed of the same material as cell membranes. Several types of cancer, for instance, are treated with liposome therapy.
Aalto to renew teaching in information security in cooperation with Stonesoft
19.11.2012 Aalto University and Stonesoft Corporation have agreed on a broad cooperation in the field of teaching and education that will provide the learning environment of the university with new top range equipment and software. The value of the new equipment alone will amount to tens of thousands of euros.
Two new members appointed to the Aalto University Board
20.11.2012 Two new members are to join the Aalto University Board as two others depart. The Aalto University Academic Affairs Committee has appointed Professor Liqiu Meng and Professor Colin Whitehouse as the Board’s new members. Both Ms Meng and Mr Whitehouse will bring significant international experience, strong expertise in the fields of science and technology and broad management experience to the Board.
Researchers identify a simple way to precipitate phosphorus from the wastewater of a pulp mill
21.11.2012 Researchers at Aalto University have developed a simple method for reducing the amount of phosphorus in the wastewater of a pulp mill. The method is called simultaneous precipitation using iron sulphate. A separate treatment stage is not required, as the precipitation takes place simultaneously with the actual biological wastewater treatment.
In the care of the elderly, the focus should be on the way the caregivers and residents interact and not on the resources
22.11.2012 In his doctoral dissertation, Frank Martela (M.Sc. (Tech.), M.Soc.Sc.) proposes that in the management of the care of the elderly, the focus should be on supporting the ability of the nursing staff to have positive interaction with the residents.
Doctoral dissertation of the year goes to Aalto University nanoresearcher
23.11.2012 The Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland organisation awarded the 2011 Dissertation of the Year prize to Toma Susi, D.Sc. (Tech.), who succeeded in producing the world’s first thin films from the new material. At the same time, Susi's research lays the foundation for the next information technology revolution.
Aalto researchers to embark on an expedition to the Antarctic
26.11.2012 In Cape Town, on 6 December, two members of the Aalto community will board a ship headed for the Antarctic.
The EU initiative METIS paves the way for the mobile and wireless communications system for 2020 & beyond
27.11.2012 METIS, Mobile and wireless communications Enablers for the Twenty-twenty (2020) Information Society, is a large EU co-funded research project starting in November 2012. The project objective is to respond to societal challenges for the year 2020 and beyond by laying the foundation for the next generation of the mobile and wireless communications system. METIS is a consortium of 29 partners spanning telecommunications manufacturers, network operators, the automotive industry and academia.
The Tenured Professors' Installation Lectures, December 12
27.11.2012 Aalto University celebrates its Tenured Professors with lectures presented by the new tenure track professors of Associate or Full level. This time we even celebrate an Aalto Distinguished Professor.
Middle management transformed the business operations by mobilising actors across organizational boundaries
29.11.2012 Middle management transformed a company’s business operations into a network-based system by mobilising new groups across organizational boundaries. These groups played a central role in the development and testing of the new practices.
Aalto University School of Business improved its position in the Financial Times ranking
04.12.2012 The Aalto University School of Business was placed 21st in the ‘European Business Schools Ranking 2012’ published by the Financial Times newspaper on 3 December 2012.
Sustainable business innovation adds firms’ market value
05.12.2012 Sustainable business innovation is good business, researchers from Aalto University have proved. The researchers tested how sustainability business innovations and the market value of companies in the construction sector are connected. The study is a first of its kind. An event study model was used to analyse large construction sector companies in several European countries as well as Australia.
Professor Vesa Puttonen: Historical Debt Burden is Preventing New Economic Growth
10.12.2012 Recent economic stimulus measures have intensified the debt spiral for both the public and private sectors. "For debtor countries, the situation is worsening from month to month. Democratic decision-making processes do not provide a natural system for solving difficult economic issues," says Vesa Puttonen, Professor of Finance at Aalto University.
Sebastiaan Van Dijken, Professor of Physics, received the Väisälä Award of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters
10.12.2012 Sebastiaan Van Dijken, Professor of Physics at Aalto University, has received the Väisälä Award of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters. The award amounts to 15 000 euros. The grant, already the thirteenth of its kind, is awarded to a researcher in the early stage of his or her career who has shown his or her potential.
365 Wellbeing design project got residents, experts and organisations involved
12.12.2012 One of the Aalto University spearhead projects for the World Design Capital Helsinki 2012, 365 Wellbeing focused on the role of design in fields related to wellbeing, such as healthcare, urban planning and the promotion of smoke-free environments.
Experience and challenges make good managers
14.12.2012 How does a manager’s outlook on life affect his or her managerial and strategic decisions? What does a manager need to find in him/herself when taking on new responsibilities and in order to be successful in a new task? Based on these and other questions raised by the students, the School of Business organised a morning seminar titled First Challenges of Management together with the parliamentary Committee for the Future on 11 December. The audience comprised students, alumni, company partners and staff members alike.
Aalto University Magazine 05 out now
17.12.2012 The theme of the latest issue of Aalto University Magazine is housing and living environments.
Micronova – 10 years of Finnish research in micro- and nanotechnology
19.12.2012 The joint research centre of Aalto University and VTT for micro- and nanotechnology, Micronova, celebrated its tenth anniversary 14 December. By hosting and facilitating activities of Aalto University research groups, VTT and numerous companies, Micronova has given rise to both excellent research and successful start-up businesses.
Aalto University brain research receives almost one million euros in research programme funding
19.12.2012 A research group led by Professor Lauri Nummenmaa has received a grant of almost one million euros from the Academy of Finland's Research Programme on the Human Mind. The grant is intended for research on the brain mechanisms behind human social interaction.
First AppCampus-funded application released
20.12.2012 The app marks the start of releasing more quality apps funded by AppCampus, the global mobile application acceleration program funded by Nokia and Microsoft and managed by Aalto University.
Application period for master’s programmes begins on 2 January 2013
21.12.2012 The application period for Aalto University’s two-year master’s programmes leading to the degree of Master of Arts or Master of Science in economics, technology, architecture or landscape architecture begins on 2 January 2013.
Aalto University successful in Taloustutkimus corporate image survey
21.12.2012 Aalto University was successful in a corporate image survey of the education sector conducted by the Finnish market research company Taloustutkimus.
Computational physics moulds the future of electronic devices
31.12.2012 Fundamental studies based on computational physics are an essential part of many different branches of research – from medical technology to mobile communication. Javad Hashemi has studied the electronic properties and conductivity of different structures based on carbon nanotubes in his doctoral dissertation for the Aalto University Department of Applied Physics.
Measuring image quality made easier with new computational methods
31.12.2012 Researcher Mikko Nuutinen has developed methods for measuring the quality of digital and printed images computationally with algorithms directly from natural images. These unprecedented methods are presented in his doctoral dissertation for the Department of Media Technology.
