Chemical engineering student Ella Haravuori combines bioproduct development and food sciences

Why did you apply to Aalto University?

I have always been interested in technology and wanted to combine it with food sciences. My friends recommended Aalto, and even though I didn't take chemistry in high school, I knew it was an important part of my future studies. So I studied upper secondary (lukio in Finnish) -level chemistry independently and soon realised that chemistry was exactly what I wanted to study further.

What is it like to study chemical engineering?

Chemical engineering has met my expectations and offered me exactly what I was looking for. I have become more and more enthusiastic about chemistry. My first year was largely focused on maths and physics, but now in my second year I'm getting more into what I'm really interested in. My major is bioproducts, which is one of three options for a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering.

Chemical engineering is a very diverse field. My friend and I have the same major, but we focus on completely different things: I'm interested in food packaging materials and she's interested in pharmaceuticals or neuroscience. A degree in engineering opens doors in so many directions, depending on your own interests.

How do you manage to combine the two degrees?

Combining chemical engineering studies with food sciences is sometimes demanding, but I've managed with effective time management. I have been able to get some of my courses accredited, which has also made it easier to complete my studies. However, the studies support each other perfectly - it doesn't matter which one I study, they both complement my knowledge on the same topics and are future-oriented fields with plenty of work opportunities.

Favourite courses and interests?

I've particularly enjoyed organic chemistry - it's like solving a puzzle. I'm currently doing a course in polymer technology and I find that fascinating too, as you get to explore and build new materials.

In the future, I want to work in product safety. In particular, I would be interested in designing food packaging that is free of harmful substances and that is safe for people and the environment.

What is student life like at Aalto University?

Student life at Otaniemi has been incredibly rich. Maybe it's a cliche to say that the community is like a family, but I have always been very well received here. Aalto has a compact campus where everything you need is close by and there is always something exciting going on. This year, I also served as the Head of Study Affairs in Prosessiteekkarit, the student organisation for Bachelor's-level chemical engineering students at Aalto. At Otaniemi, student life never stops - at any time of the week there is something to do.

My first contact with Aalto was a sitz party for friends and family organised by Prosessiteekkarit, which I attended with a friend studying chemical engineering before I was an Aalto student myself. The event was great fun and gave me a great first impression of student life. Most of the people who attended the event were either students or their friends, but there were also some parents of students. It might be fun to bring my own father, who is also in engineering, to the event one day. I've inherited my interest in technology from him.