Aalto Science Institute (AScI)
The Aalto Science Institute (AScI) is a strategic initiative of the Aalto University School of Science, dedicated to advancing international collaboration and research in science and technology at the highest level. AScI’s mission encompasses exceptional quality, robust internationalization, and meaningful collaboration. Aalto researchers are supported by AScI through instruments that facilitate scientific conferences and visiting scholars at all career stages.
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News:
11.11.2025
- call for hosts for the AScI International Summer Research (internship) Programme (DL Dec 10).
- call for hosts for visiting doctoral researchers via the Aalto – IIT Madras International Immersion Experience (DL Nov 30).
AScI Instruments
AScI manages continuous open calls for the following three active funding instruments to bring international researchers to the Aalto School of Science (SCI). Applications are made by SCI researchers.
|
Programme |
Deadlines |
Visit time |
Support |
Career stage |
Funding source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Visiting Professor (discontinued from 2026) |
End of months: Feb, May, Aug, Nov |
1 to 12 months |
Travel, accommodation, living costs, and salary |
Professorial |
SCI and its Departments |
|
Visiting Researcher |
End of each month except June and July |
1 to 4 weeks |
Travel and accommodation |
Postdocs and above |
AScI (SCI) |
| Visiting Doctoral Researcher | End of each month except June and July | 1 week to 2 months | Travel and accommodation | Doctoral researchers (= PhD students) | AScI (SCI) |
AScI helps fund scientific meetings of which faculty of the School of Science play an import organizational role.
Calling all research-oriented students: Spend Summer 2026 in Finland with a transformative research assistantship at Aalto University. Open to bachelor's, master's, and—in exceptional cases—doctoral students worldwide.
- The application period for the 2026 programme is January 7-31, 2026.
- In summer 2025 there were 57 interns from 25 countries, selected from over 7200 applicants. The research projects were from 7 departments across the School of Science and the three Engineering schools.
Organization and data
Staff
AScI director
Prof. Mikko Alava
Department of Applied Physics
AScI Steering Group Chair (Vice Dean of Research, SCI)
Professor Peter Liljeroth (SCI & PHYS)
AScI coordinator (part time)
Dr David Radnell
Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis
Room M223, Otakaari 1
Phone: +358 50 303 8065
Email: asci@aalto.fi
AScI assistant (part time)
Lan Uyen (Lucie) Nguyen
School of Science
email: uyen.u.nguyen@aalto.fi
Steering group
The Steering Group (SG) is appointed by the Dean of the School of Science (SCI).
It is chaired by the SCI Vice Dean of Research and the other members are: AScI director, one member from each of the SCI Departments (Applied Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics and Systems Analysis, Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management),SCI manager of international relations, and representatives of other Aalto Schools as appointed on demand.
The current members of the steering group are:
- Director of AScI, Prof. Mikko Alava (SCI & PHYS)
- Dr. Barbara Keller (CS) (deputy Stephane Deny)
- Prof. Anton Kuzyk (NBE)
- Prof. Siavash Khajavi (DIEM) (deputy Kari Taskanen)
- Manager, International Relation Eija Kujanpää (SCI)
- Vice Dean & AScI SG Chair, Prof. Peter Liljeroth (SCI & PHYS)
- Prof. Fabricio Oliveira (MS) (deputy Nuutti Hyvönen)
Here are some approximate figures for the AScI instruments for the previous few years
| Instrument/Year | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visiting Professors | 4 | 11 | 8 |
| Visiting Researchers | 17 | 15 | 4 |
| Visiting Doctoral reseachers | 12 | 10 | NA |
| Scientific Meetings | 6 | 8 | 7 |
| Summer programme #interns | 68 | 50 | 55 |
| Summer programme #applicants | 4300 | 1600 | 1300 |
Contact us
email: asci@aalto.fi (phone and further contacts in the staff section above)
For students interested in the AScI International Summer Research Programme, please use the contact info on the programme page.
AScI News
Pengxin Wang: The internship was an adventure filled with incredible research and unforgettable experiences
Pengxin Wang’s AScI internship advanced AI research, fostered global friendships, and inspired his journey toward trustworthy AI solutions.
Sabína Gulčíková: I enjoyed the independence and collaborative atmosphere at Aalto University
Sabína Gulčíková’s AScI internship blended AI research, cultural exchange, and personal growth, shaping her academic and life goals.
A summer internship with a twist: the story of prize-winning student Netta Karjalainen
Read the story of prize-winning Bachelor student’s summer internship at Aalto