Professor Esko Kauppinen is the first Finnish recipient of a UNESCO Nanosciences Medal
The award was presented to Esko Kauppinen in recognition of his significant contributions to the development of nanosciences and nanotechnologies. Kauppinen’s research focuses on carbon nanomaterials and carbon nanobuds.
The UNESCO Nanosciences Medal has been awarded since 2010 to a total of 56 recipients, two of whom have received the Nobel Prize. Nine other researchers received the medal together with Nanoscience Professor Esko Kauppinen on 22 November.
‘All of the awardees are established leaders in their fields, and Esko Kauppinen is now the first Finn to receive the medal’, says Secretary-General of the Finnish National Commission for UNESCO Zabrina Holmström from the Secretariat for International Relations at the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Esko Kauppinen’s research focuses on carbon nanomaterials and carbon nanobuds, and he has published approximately 150 research articles in these fields. Kauppinen’s group develops thin films from nanobuds and nanotubes for new types of electronic applications, in particular 3D touch and other types of sensors. These have high potential, for example, for the future development of mobile phone screens.
‘This award is a great tribute to Finnish nanocarbon and nanomaterials research. I want to express my gratitude to all those who have shared this research journey with me: my research group members, students, the Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University and the former Helsinki University of Technology.’
‘The UNESCO award is a wonderful tribute. Esko Kauppinen’s work combines long-term fundamental research with practical applications and even business activities’, says Jouko Lampinen, Dean of the Aalto University School of Science.
This technology has, for instance, resulted in the establishment of a new company, Canatu. Kauppinen’s research group has also developed materials for pulmonary drug delivery for decades. These materials may also be of help in managing diabetes.
Kauppinen’s group is one of the world's leading laboratories in the synthesis of carbon nanotubes and thin-film applications, and its members work closely with, for instance, the Universities of Tokyo, Nagoya and Beijing, and with MIT.
Further information:
Esko Kauppinen
Professor
Aalto University
esko.kauppinen@aalto.fi
tel. +358 40 509 8064
Eighth UNESCO Medals for contributions to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies
UNESCO Medal 'For the Development of Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies'
Photo gallery: Ten award recipients in the photographs: Sergeev Alexander Mikhaylovich, Tatartchenko Vitali Antonovitch, Fursenko Andrei Aleksandrovich, Ismail Elnaggar Mohammed, Esko Kauppinen, Nassiopoulou Androula Galiouna, Zehetbauer Michael Josef, Jagadish Chennupati, Mansurov Zulkhair and Chekhonin Vladimir Pavlovich. Photos: UNESCO / Jake Lewis.
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