The Annual Review took stock of the past year

The recently opened Kulttuurikasarmi, citizens’ hot spot in Kamppi, Helsinki, was attended by over hundred representatives of the school's management, academic and service staff. The event began with a screening of the documentary film Radical Creatives, produced by Aalto University, which opens up the concept of the creative process and Aalto’s creative ways of working. 

Dean Tuomas Auvinen began his speech by highlighting the importance of improving the culture of well-being in the community.

‘I am delighted to share that our efforts towards fostering a culture of well-being have been successful. The recent improvement in our well-being survey results reflects our collective commitment to supporting one another. We truly have begun the work of nurturing a positive and inclusive work environment. With all of my heart, I want to thank each and everyone of you for this collective effort’, he said.

He also said that the school's budget had been balanced as a result of hard work and has now changed to sustainable. The Dean also noted that the number of student applicants to the school has reached an all-time high, and the number of graduates at both Bachelor's and Master's level has now reached an all-time record.

‘This milestone is a direct result of the hard work of our students, as well as the support and guidance provided by our faculty and staff. As our graduates leave the School, I have no doubt that they will continue to make a great impact on the world around them.’

During the event, results and highlights of the four institutions were presented, and recognition was given for outstanding work for the school.
 

Aalto ARTS Annual Awards 2023 

ARTS Act of the Year 

Harri Laakso, Associate Professor 

The ARTS Act of the Year celebrates The Head of Department Harri Laakso, who received several nominations for his excellent leadership in merging the two former departments, the Department of Art and the Department of Media into one coherent and well-functioning unit. 

Harri’s way of leading is commended to be warm, caring, listening, empathetic, encouraging, and ensuring everyone feels a sense of belonging. Also, when speaking of Harri one cannot bypass his disarming, cheerful smile and lovely sense of humor that he uses wisely. 
 

Teaching Award 

Marja Rastas, Lecturer 

Marja Rastas has both long and deep career as a lecturer in Art Education major. Her special and heartwarming pedagogical approach has developed over 18 years in Aalto-university (previous UIAH). 

For students Marja is an advisor they count on both with teacher internships and MA thesis process. For colleagues Marja is encouraging and willing to support all younger professionals. 

After 18 years in same organization Marja is still enthusiastic and eager to find novel solutions for pedagogical work. Her contribution to curriculum renewals is always reflecting current situation and future needs in the field of art and media. Marja is the Art Educator with capital letters. 

Teaching Award 

Anna van der Lei, Lecturer 

Anna van der Lei is a lecturer in contemporary design at the Department of Design since 2016. In her courses focusing on experimental design and material experimentations she combines conceptual thinking and practice-based methods in an innovative way. 

Anna van der Lei has formal training as teacher and she develops her teaching continuously. She is a dedicated and inspiring educator, and the student feedback is excellent year after year, both on bachelor and master levels.   

Anna’s excellent attitude has been praised for ’going the extra mile’ when supporting her students. 

Artistic Activity Award 

Rauno Ronkainen, Associate Professor 

Professor Rauno Ronkainen is a renowned cinematographer with over 30 years of experience in film making with 3 Jussi awards for best cinematography (Finnish Oscars) and Silver Frog from Cameraimage, an unofficial world Championship competition for cinematographers.  

Rauno is also a very dedicated professor with a keen interest in the latest developments in the field of cinema which knowledge and expertise he generously shares with both the staff and the students. His students have been nominated for and winning both international and domestic awards. 

The Artistic Activity Award of the Year goes to Rauno for his life-long excellency with 74 titles in IMDB, and the spectacular and acclaimed new film Myrskyluodon Maija. 

Research Award 

Sampsa Hyysalo, Professor 

Professor of codesign Sampsa Hyysalo’s research on sustainability transitions and various aspects of user involvement has been consistently productive, very high quality and of substantial societal impact. 

Through his example, leadership and advice, Hyysalo has professionalized the research at the Department of Design and guided it to be an internationally recognized and leading design research unit.

The recognition awarded to Sampsa today is called ARTS research award of the year, but it could as well be the research award of the decade. 

Dissertation Award 

Kaisu Savola, Doctor of Art, 

’Disrespectful thoughts about design’ – Social, political and environmental values in Finnish design, 1960–1980 

In her groundbreaking doctoral thesis, Savola examines the social and political values in the field of Finnish design in the 1960s and 1970s, when a new generation of designers became aware of the contradictions in their profession. During these decades, there emerged a growing understanding that design could be used to explore and solve some of the biggest issues of our time. 

In her thesis Savola drew attention to the radical politics of the 1960s and 70s that underpinned the emergence of ergonomics, participatory design and design activism. 

In the course of developing her thesis, Savola curated two exhibitions, one, being the Finnish pavilion of the 2019 Triennale di Milano and the other being the Helsinki Design Museum ‘Design for everybody’ exhibition. 

Dissertation Award 

Rebecca Close 

Post-internet queer reproductive work and the fixed capital of fertility – The interface, the network and the viral as themes and modes of artistic response

Close’s thesis looks at the role of websites in conditioning notions of “personal reproductive choice” and situates this in a longer history of access to reproductive technologies since the 1970s. They ask how have artists responded to the policies and politics of reproductive control. 

Close’s dissertation is of high academic quality, which findings have been found significant for the research field. The dissertation is expected to have a wider impact in the arts, as well as impact in the questions addressing societal challenges concerning queer reproductive technologies. 

The research has taken a form of exhibited artworks and published poetry. The practice-based film The Wife of Them All has been shown in several exhibitions and a film festival. The written part of the dissertation is a monograph. 

Success Enabler   

Satu Pöyhönen, HR Specialist

Satu Pöyhönen was nominated for this award by several people. She is thanked for her endless support both by faculty and colleagues. 

She uses her impressive multidisciplinary knowledge in complex processes like the tenure track. She tirelessly onboards new team members to learn and grow in their roles. 

No matter how busy her schedule is, she will always find the time to work together, and with a solution-oriented attitude. Her positive and pragmatic approach serves as an example to many.

Alumn of the year 

Mariana Salgado, Doctor of Art, New Media and Master of Art in Product and Strategic Design, Industrial Design 

Mariana Salgado was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and moved to Finland 22 years ago to pursue her MA and DA degrees at the then University of Art and Design Helsinki. For the past 7 years she worked researching and codesigning services and public policies around immigration, as part of the innovation and design lab of the Ministry of the Interior that she led as immigrant herself. Today she works as independent consultant and public speaker on design. 

A relentless networker, Mariana has been part of creating various communities of design practice including the Finnish network of designers in government (julkis-muotoilijat) and the Finnish OpenGLam network (AvoinGLAM). Besides her professional and advocacy practice, Mariana also produces a widely spread trilingual podcast called “Diseño y Diaspora” (Design and Diaspora), in which she documents social design and links designers working on this area across continents. Mariana continues to contribute to Aalto ARTS giving occasional lectures, evaluating final degree works and showcasing the work of our students and graduates in her popular podcast. 

Honorary orders

Knight First Class of the Order of the White Rose of Finland 

Turkka Keinonen 

Professor, Vice Dean Turkka Keinonen has contributed significantly to the development of ARTS’ research. Several of the doctoral graduates he has supervised over the decades are holding leading design positions in Finland and professorships abroad. 

Turkka's publications have shaped how design is taught and talked about. His influence on the development of the university career system has been remarkable. He has also had a significant influence on the development of industrial design and the establishment of product conceptualisation in Finland. 

Turkka is recognized for his uncompromising ethics, his intelligent and wise analyses, which help to find solutions to even the most formidable challenges. 

Cross of Merit of the Order of the White Rose of Finland 

Tapio Koskinen 

Head of Infrastructure Tapio Koskinen has successfully led and developed the ARTS workshop operations in a constantly changing environment for the past decade. He has promoted digital teaching and developed creative and safe working practices. 

Tapio is also a founding member of ETHO, the network of higher art education technical staff in European universities of art and design. 

Tapio has built a staff career system that encourages professional development and responsibility. Indeed, Tapio is a skilled people leader, an unrivaled mediator, and a visionary developer of work culture.