Five teams awarded at opening ceremony

Aalto Awards

Aalto Act of the Year is CERES competence centre

The Aalto Act of the Year for 2018 was awarded to Professor Orlando Rojas, Senior Grant Writer Outi Söderberg and Project Manager Kati Miettunen for their effective collaboration in forwarding cutting-edge research in renewable raw materials. This spring the CERES competence centre for the materials bioeconomy, a joint venture between Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, received the Academy of Finland Flagship funding. President Ilkka Niemelä said “CERES research offers opportunities for future sustainable growth, while also benefiting society through improved competitiveness, investment and jobs.” Partners from VTT who have been involved in the co-operation are Research Professor Kristiina Kruus, Vice President, Research Tiina Nakari-Setälä and Vice President, Biomass Processing and Products Jani Lehto.

Success Enabler is Management Information Service (MIS)

The Aalto Success Enabler award for 2018 was given to the Management Information Service’s Service's team for their excellent work in producing and analysing information. The team has supported the preparation of background material for the RAI assessment. The team adapted its operations to the Ministry's reporting requirements and developed analytics, forecast models and new service concepts. President Niemelä said: “The team works seamlessly with both academic staff and services, with a happy, development-oriented and forward-looking attitude.”

Community Award granted to AYY for the Independence Day event

The Aalto Community award was given to Aalto University Student Union (AYY) and the organising committee of the Independence Day reception on 6 December 2017 in Dipoli. The event united the Aalto community, and it was stylish and fun-filled as well. The President noted that “The event provided a unique setting for dialogue between current students, alumni and Aalto University personnel.” The Centenary Independence Day reception, which was organised jointly by AYY and the Aalto University alumni, was the largest event of its kind in Finland.

Impact Awards

Impact Awards recognise education as well as either outstanding research or artistic impact.

Education Impact award granted to marine technology and FITech

The Aalto Education Impact award was granted to Professor Jani Romanoff, Assistant Professor Heikki Remes, Professor Pentti Kujala, post doctoral researcher Osiris A. Valdez Banda, and Lecturer Martin Bergström for their outstanding efforts in game-changing education in marine technology in connection with the Finnish Institute of Technology (FITech) activities in the Turku area. President Niemelä noted that “The education uses new forms of collaboration boldly to develop expertise within a field of industry that is truly important to our society.”

Artistic Impact award to the documentary film Boiling Point

The Aalto Artistic Impact award was granted to MA student Elina Hirvonen and her supervisor and research project leader Professor Susanna Helke for their outstanding efforts in societal impact through the film. Boiling Point is an MA thesis project conducted in the framework of the artistic research project Images of Harmony and Rupture, led by Professor Helke. President Ilkka Niemelä said that “The film boldly encourages dialogue around the climate of increasing polarisation in society.”

Photos Mikko Raskinen, Jaakko Kahilaniemi