Aalto University Professor Emeritus Yrjö Sotamaa awarded major design prize in China
On the 26th of September 2023, the Shanghai Institute of Design Innovation has awarded the RMB 1,000,000 Frontier Design Prize 2023 to Yrjö Sotamaa, former long-time rector of the University of Art and Design Helsinki.
A prestigious international jury of 20 members named the prize criteria as follows: "Professor Yrjö Sotamaa has been dedicated to pushing the boundaries of design and innovation education. During his tenure as the rector of the University of Art and Design Helsinki, he not only transformed it into the premier design school in Northern Europe but also successfully integrated design into Finland's national innovation system. He spearheaded the creation of Aalto University, which has since become the global standard for interdisciplinary innovation education.
Additionally, he played a pivotal role in establishing CUMULUS, the preeminent global association for art and design education and research."
Read more news
Fabian and Jaakko Ahvenainen Foundation grants awarded for 2026
In 2026, the foundation awarded four grants, worth 23 000 euros in total.
Seven new honorary doctors in technology at Aalto University in 2026
The ceremonial conferment takes place on university campus in June.
Iris Seitz awarded for exceptional early-career achievement
Dr. Iris Seitz, former PhD student of Professor Mauri Kostiainen, has been awarded the 2026 Robert Dirks Molecular Programming Prize for her work on programmable protein architectures with nucleic acid origami.