Student Aitor Urruticoechea: The future needs people who look beyond the technological nuances

Why did you choose the master’s programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences – Communications Engineering?

This master's, as many in Aalto, is more than just the program name. Rather, and at least for me personally, it is the umbrella or the excuse to explore all that Aalto has to offer. My goal was to learn how new technologies (data, AI, communications, etc) can be helpful for everyday people; without sacrificing knowledge from branches other than strict technical stuff. In that sense, Aalto precisely gives the student the overarching view. Technical and detailed, yes, but within the wider context, prompting you to explore in whatever direction truly stands out to you.  While I am mostly specializing in Human-Computer Interaction, I have taken classes in Maths, Computation, Arts, Social Sciences, and many more.

What has been the best part of your studies?

At risk of repeating myself, I will have to emphasize again how refreshing it is to not only feel unbound by your major, but rather encouraged to explore beyond it.  This kind of flexibility is for me Aalto’s strength and what I'm enjoying the most: being able to hop around, discover new passions, work with different people, and learn how interconnected everything is. 

What have you learned during your studies that you can apply in working life?

I’ve learnt a lot about Machine Learning, Computation, and Human-centric design; but about the interplay technology and society have. And it is exactly this kind of overarching and global view is truly needed these days. Being able to provide a critical view on topics while developing new tools is one of the requirements in my current position. Both my technical and non-technical learnings are not only welcome but expected to have.

How is student life at Aalto University?

I truly like how open it feels. There are thousands of clubs, guilds, people, etc., yet every time I discover a new one, I feel welcome and like participating and being part of it could be as easy as a having a conversation with a friend.

What does the future look like for the field?

The future is as challenging and exciting as it will ever be. With AI posing as one of the innovations that will define this decade, and so many existential questions related to it slipping into our daily debates and conversations, the future clearly needs people who can not only understand the nuances of the technology, but look beyond them as well. 

How is the human creative, design, and artistic flows impacted or threatened by these technologies? What balance point should we aim at in the spectrum so that we do not fall into the worst of surveillance capitalism while leveraging all the advantages of universal interconnectedness and data sovereignty? 

How do we ensure all these new developments do not put even more strain on our already damaged planetary ecological and social balances? None of this is bound to be easy, but that is also what makes it interesting. And the world definitely can use more minds that can bridge over all these gaps between humans and technologies.