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Online course "Forests, wood and carbon" available for all in Aalto Open University

Learn about the role of forests and wood in the carbon cycle. Students in all fields are welcome! The course is also available through Aalto Open University for anyone interested!
Pine forest
Pine forest in Finland (Kristiina Lillqvist)

Online course CHEM-C2470 Forests, Wood and Carbon (5 cr) is running in spring 2023. You may follow the course completely online whenever it is suitable for you during V period 24.4. – 9.6.2023. The course includes short videos, texts, exercises and online exams. The course starts with an online introduction 24.4.2023 at 9:15. Register to the course by 1.5.2023 in Aalto Open University:

Course registration in Aalto Open

Aalto students register in Sisu:

Course registration in Sisu

Students on this course will learn about global carbon sources and sinks and the role of forests in the carbon cycle. The general rules of life-cycle analysis are introduced, including selected work phases, such as calculating carbon storage potential in the case of wood. The basic structure of wood is presented with links to its properties such as appearance, dimensional stability, and strength. Students will learn about the mechanical properties of wood as well its dimensional stability and moisture interaction at the cell-level. Students will become familiar with the most common long-lived wood products that are used in various applications in the built environment.

More practical information about the course will be updated in MyCourses:

Course information in MyCourses

Illustration showing the transportation of CO2 from the atmosphere to the leaves, sugars going down in the phloem layer, water from the roots to the crown and oxygen back to the atmosphere.
This course follows the carbon atom from photosynthesis reaction in a tree to wood products acting as carbon storage. (Daniela Altgen)

To support learning the course includes several short videos, such as presented in this Youtube-channel:

Aalto University - Wood Science

See also a short marketing video about the course below:

Offering this course to a wider audience is part of a successful fundrading campaign, which finished last year. Read more about the campaign and supporters. Everyone interested are invited to join this open online course and enhance sustainable and versatile use of wood!

Find out about other Wood science courses and Aalto Wood minor from the link below:

Wood science teaching

Questions?

Please contact the course staff by email: wood-teaching@aalto.fi

  • Kristiina Lillqvist, University lecturer
  • Lauri Rautkari, Professor
  • Updated:
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