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Minna Halme: At first, sustainability wasn’t taken seriously

In this Walk in my shoes video, Professor Minna Halme shares how it felt to be one of the pioneers in the field of sustainability management. She was told to do a doctoral thesis on a different topic if she wants a job in the future.
Minna Halme, photo by Hayley Le
Later, Minna Halme has also been a senior female mentor to an interdisciplinary group of women, who are in the early stages of their assistant professorships. The video is edited from a Radical Creatives documentary. Photo: Hayley Le.

Interview: Emilia Hernesniemi
Cinematography: Iiris Sjöblad
Editing: Eero Tiilikainen

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Mashrura Musharraf, photo by by Jaakko Kahilaniemi

Mashrura Musharraf: You don’t get to see a lot of women like me in academic leadership positions

'I think my shoes are quite unique, and so is my path. You don’t get to see a lot of women like me, a non-white female from Bangladesh, in academic leadership positions. Especially in a male-dominated field like marine technology.'

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Mikko Kosonen, photo by Mikko Kosonen.

Mikko Kosonen: Empathy is needed to communicate across disciplines

'When you disagree or feel defensive, it’s important to really try to hear what the other person is saying. That requires empathy. If disciplines have different languages, it’s easy to talk past each other.'

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Mantė Žygelytė, photo by Linda Lehtovirta.

Mantė Žygelytė: Some things are more about the journey than the goal

'The tiny reminders made me question myself: what am I doing here? What is my purpose here? Back then, the office was not ready to welcome me. It was scary to admit openly that I don’t feel included, and I needed someone to recognize that and stand behind me.'

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Walk in my shoes

Inspired by the saying that you should walk a mile in someone’s shoes to understand them, the ‘Walk in my shoes’ series aims to share some of the experiences, thoughts, perspectives and challenges...

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Walk in my shoes, illustration by Anna Muchenikova.
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People talk at an Aalto University pavilion stand indoors with pink lighting and banners.
Cooperation, University Published:

What did we gain at NORDEEP? Aalto researchers share takeaways from the deep-tech business summit

About 230 Aaltonians attended the NORDEEP 2026 deep-tech business summit. Key takeaways: events like this help researchers and students build networks, clarify ideas, and gain confidence on the innovation path.
Participants of the Aalto International Talent programme.
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Two webinars on effective communication and psychological safety in the workplace

The lectures explore effective communication, collaboration, psychological safety, and focused work in a university setting. They provide practical tools and research-based insights to support teamwork, creativity, and community well-being. Delivered by psychologist Marianne Vihervuori, the sessions are engaging, practical, and easy to follow.
Three smiling men standing outdoors in black and white, hands in pockets, industrial buildings behind
Awards and Recognition, Press releases, University Published:

Prototyping and Validation Grant: WeatherSens AI

Three Aalto founders are using off-the-shelf drones and an AI physics model to measure the weather where no station stands. First they had to learn when not to sell.
Dark blue stage with silhouettes and text: AI Spotlight, a news series for Aalto community, September 2026.
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AI Spotlight 2/2026: New features and an upcoming translation tool in Aalto AI Assistant

Discover what’s new in Aalto AI Assistant and learn about the upcoming translation features.