Aalto in 2021: Super hearing, a greenhouse that’s actually green, prospective astronauts, and lots more

People who inspire

Aalto University alumni apply to become astronauts

Timo Nikkanen , Sini Merikallio and Juuso Mikkola got a good foundation from their studies, and are now applying to become astronauts with the European Space Agency (ESA). Read more

A sport for gentleman thugs

Ivan Vujaklija, Christopher Jonkergouw and Eduardo Anaya are researchers and rugby players. Rugby is a tough contact sport that requires players to absorb constant hits while maintaining absolute trust in their teammates in every situation – not unlike research work. Read more

Irene Purasachit saw the floral industry’s waste problem firsthand – now she makes material for handbags from discarded blooms

Nearly half of cut flowers end up in the trash, never making their way to dinner tables or first dates. Read more

An expert of lifewide learning

The Head of Aalto’s Summer School  Laura Sivula thinks nobody is ever completely done – not even when it comes to cooking. Read more

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Research breakthroughs

Academy of Finland published the ‘State of scientific research in Finland’ review in November. In the report, Finland is compared to other countries, and differences between Finnish universities are also shown. The data presented in the report shows that Aalto University is one of its kind in scientific quality and impact. Here are some examples:

Anyone can get super-hearing

New audio technique can track bats in flight and help localise sources of ultrasonic sound. Read more

Physicists make square droplets and liquid lattices

Driving systems out of equilibrium with electric fields proves useful for creating liquid shapes that are nearly impossible to find in nature. Read more

Finnish researchers developed mini-breast cancer as a new weapon against the most common type of breast cancer

Breast cancer researchers from the University of Helsinki and material scientists from Aalto University have jointly developed a gel-grown “mini-breast cancer” that will help uncover more effective treatments against hormone-dependent breast cancer. Read more

A new artificial material mimics quantum entangled rare earth compounds

By combining two-dimensional materials, researchers create a macroscopic quantum entangled state emulating rare earth compounds. Read more

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Innovations for a sustainable future

A greenhouse out of wood: new design makes vertical farming greener

Efficient insulation halves energy consumption and could boost the income of vertical farms. Read more

No more plastic wrap? Students create novel biobased packaging for cucumbers

A dip in the biobased liquid gives cucumbers a protective film. Innovative idea will be presented in the international BioDesign Challenge competition. Read more

Major breakthrough in extremely water-repellent materials makes them durable enough for the real world

New funding to get damage-resistant, liquid-repelling surfaces out of the laboratory and onto solar panels, skis, and more. Read more

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Learn something new!

Campus is just a click away

The new virtual campus tour allows users to experience the Aalto University campus from anywhere in the world. Read more

Open online design course launched for non-designers

Design Bits is an introduction course to help people everywhere become more creative problem-solvers. Read more

On the trail of the flying squirrel

Aalto University's campus is right next to a nature conservation area. We accompanied an expert on an outing to learn what makes it unique – and what can be done about biodiversity loss. Read more