Aalto community members awarded for outstanding work

Aalto University’s recognition awards for 2026 were announced at the opening of the academic year on 1 September. The awards are granted annually to members of the community for their outstanding work for the university’s success, with decisions based on proposals from the community.

At the event, the new Aalto Distinguished Professor was also announced as well. Professor Jukka Pekola has built an internationally recognised career in low-temperature physics and quantum technologies. His research has led to pioneering discoveries that have advanced the understanding of the relationship between thermodynamics and quantum mechanics, helping to establish quantum thermodynamics as a globally recognised research field.

Act of the Year: Aalto’s quantum ecosystem

Aalto University’s quantum expertise continues to gain recognition, with the Helsinki region’s quantum cluster evaluated as the second strongest in the world. The ranking by the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) highlights market orientation, close collaboration and ecosystem maturity. InstituteQ and the Finnish Quantum Flagship, as well as IQM and Bluefors, are compelling examples of the cluster’s capabilities and achievements.

Research Impact: The state-of-the-art research infrastructure OtaNano

OtaNano, the national research infrastructure for micro-, nano- and quantum technologies, is a pioneer in its field. Each year, more than 700 researchers and developers from nine universities, 110 research groups and 40 companies use its facilities, which also host as many as 34 ERC grant recipients. Together, these make OtaNano a rare and outstanding powerhouse for research excellence, even by international standards.

Education Impact: ELO’s film education

The education provided by the Department of Film (ELO) is renowned for its quality. Two years running, ELO’s MA film has been selected for La Cinef, the Cannes Film Festival student film series. La Cinef receives almost 3,000 submissions a year, of which fewer than 20 are selected for screening. In the last four years, ELO’s films have won four out of five Jussi awards for best short film. The Haugesund Film Festival jury, quite exceptionally, honoured Aalto University for the work the department has put into fostering talent. 

Innovation Impact: Founder School, Entrepreneurship Unit (ENTU), Design Factory and Aalto Inventors

Aalto’s entrepreneurship and innovation activities took a major leap forward last year. The Founder School team, the Entrepreneurship Unit at the School of Business and the Design Factory accelerated student entrepreneurship in ambitious new ways. The Aalto Inventors programme provides researchers with a clear, well-supported pathway from research to innovation, and has been particularly significant for early-career researchers.

Community Award: Alumni Weekend

Last autumn, Aalto University’s largest alumni event to date brought together 1,400 professionals in art and design, business and technology. Through collaboration between Aalto staff and the alumni involved in content planning, they created a programme that was meaningful for each participant, offering both new insights and inspiring encounters. Feedback from the event was exceptionally positive and made the impact of our multidisciplinary alumni community visible.

Success Enabler: Guidance counsellor event ‘Oponiemi’

The ‘Oponiemi’ event held in the spring brought 800 guidance counsellors to campus to update their knowledge of Aalto University. Its success was ensured by a high-quality and engaging programme, as well as enthusiastic and strong collaboration between Communications, Learning Services and the departments. The event enhanced the image of Aalto and attracted hundreds of new subscribers to the guidance counsellors’ newsletter – we hope these outcomes will resonate long into the future!

Warm congratulations to all!