School of Electrical Engineering

Meet our people

On this page our students, teachers and alumni will share why they chose to study electrical engineering, what is it like to study at the School of Electrical Engineering and what career paths our alumni have taken.
ELEC master students 2019 in a group photo taken by Leena-Ylä-Lyly

Studying at the School of Electrical Engineering - experiences from bachelor's students

What is it like to study at the School of Electrical Engineering? Check out our student's stories! You will find more information about our study programmes here.

You can also find more information about studying, student life and our students' experiences on our Instagram account @aaltoelec!

Aalto University students’ hedgehog robot wins first place in robot competition

Valentin Rainio and Sakari Harjunpää, students at the Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering, built the robot as part of the popular Electric Workshop course.

Sakari Harjunpää ja Valentin Rainio Sähköpajalla

Student Reetta Kälvälä wants to use technology to develop better cancer treatments

Reetta studies bioinformation technology, and she thinks university seems easier than upper secondary school because she can study according to her own schedule.

Opiskelija Reetta Kälvälä, kuva: Markus Toivonen

Student Silva Robbins: A career as a doctor is not the only option for those interested in medicine

Silva studies bioinformation technology and participates actively in student life. She sees the Otaniemi campus as unique because it brings different fields and their student cultures together.

Bioinformaatioteknologian opiskelija Silva Robbins teekkarilakissa. Kuva: Markus Toivonen

Student Niina Tapanainen: I study technology because I want to improve people's lives

During her bachelor's studies, Niina selected information technology as her major. She is encouraging people to be open-minded about combining technology and the humanities.

Opiskelija Niina Tapanainen talvella Otaniemessä.

Student Zachary Burda wants to develop robots that make people's everyday lives easier

Zachary studies automation and robotics and he has admired Aalto's modern and entrepreneur-friendly outlook since he was in upper secondary school

Opiskelija Zachary Burda Dipolin edessä talvella Otaniemessä.

‘In electrical engineering you can build a more responsible and smarter future’

Student Emmaleena Ahonen feels that the future of the field looks sunny because skills and knowledge are needed even in unexpected fields

Electrical engineering student Emmaleena Ahonen.

In the Bachelor’s Programme in Bioinformation Technology, the best thing is getting to solve study tasks together

The broad range of courses offered and the free movement between the different schools enabled Oskari Lehtonen to go deep into the topics that interested him.

Aalto University / First year master’s student Oskari Lehtonen / photo: Linda Koskinen

Student Antti Regelin: Aalto encourages us to be creative and bold

‘Well, one thing I’m certainly not going to study is technology,’ said Antti Regelin while still in upper secondary school. Things turned out differently though, and he ended up studying automation and robotics.

Antti Regelin/ automaatio- ja informaatioteknologia/ Aalto-yliopisto /image: Ira Matilainen

The university is not just theory after all: an English-taught bachelor’s programme and student life surprised Johan Sarpoma positively

Johan thinks that programming, electronic engineering and internationalisation are the best part of the Aalto Bachelor’s Programme in Science and Technology – Digital Systems and Design

Johan Sarpoma standing in front of brick wall.

Studies opened the doors to the world of programming for Veera Ihalainen

With Digital Systems and Design as her major, Veera has particularly liked the project courses and programming, even though she does not have a background in coding

 Veera Ihalainen sitting on the stairs.

Student Verneri Hirvonen: ‘Studying at Aalto University is extremely flexible’

Verneri is the first student to graduate from the Digital Systems and Design major

Student Verneri Hirvonen

Students from around the world joined the Aalto Bachelor’s Programme in Science and Technology – meet Dylan, Anna and Ishaan

In September 2018, we received 39 new students in the Data Science and Digital Systems and Design majors that are part of the Aalto Bachelor’s Programme in Science and Technology taught in English. About one third of the new students in this programme are from Finland, while the rest are from countries like Vietnam, South Korea, India, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Russia, Italy and the USA.

Aalto University / Aalto Bachelor's Programme in Science and Technology students

Experiences from master's students

At the School of Electrical Engineering, we offer many kinds of master's studies. Below you will find interviews from students of our own master's majors as well as from students of double degree programmes. Double degree programmes have been implemented together with other universities.

Around the world in seven months – Aalto student Anton Eklund prepares for demanding sailing competition

Eklund, a student of electrical engineering and automation, has put the lessons he has learned at Aalto to the test as he has renovated his team’s sailboat.

Sailing team at the sea, picture: Tapio Lehtinen Sailing

Student Even Giske thinks the professionalism of the staff and teachers is the best thing at Aalto University

Even thinks that the the city, the high standard facilities at Aalto, the fantastic public transportation, and the cheap dinner in the cafeteria make the whole student experience easy and great.

Student Even Giske

Student Flavie Ailhaud enjoys Aalto's flexible course selection and Finnish nature

Communications and Data Science student spent her first year at Grenoble and now she is studying the second year at Aalto University

Flavie Ailhaud on a boat.

Arsam Ali: Smart Systems Integrated Solutions programme offers extensive possibilities

Arsam loved the academic environment and student culture in Aalto University, as well as Finnish nature.

Student Arsam Ali at the Aalto University campus in Otaniemi.

Lots of modelling and freedom to explore – summer job in the Acoustics Lab

How could you listen to only one sound in a noisy room? How does your voice change when you shout into the wind? Michael McCrea and Rapolas Daugintis, the summer workers at the Acoustics Lab, are looking for answers to these questions

Aalto University/The Acoustics Lab/Michael McCrea and Rapolas Daugintis/image: Ira Matilainen

Student Janne Pietilä: Studies in acoustics have also provided new perspectives on musical interests

According to Janne Pietilä, the employment prospects in acoustics and audio technology are good, as experts are needed in virtual reality production as well as in construction

Janne Pietilä/ Master's Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences - Acoustics and Audio Technology/ image: Lauri Viljavuori

Student Niki Aarnio: The Communications Engineering study option combines commercial and technical expertise

Niki Aarnio has especially liked the internationality and concrete nature of his studies

Communications Engineering student Niki Aarnio in the winter.

Student Pranava Pakala: The world is your oyster at Aalto!

Pranava studies Electronics and Nanotechnology and she believes that the field is the solution to most of the problems the world faces today

Pranava Pakala

Student Lingyi Chen: ‘At Aalto University, you can turn new ideas into reality'

Collaboration between different disciplines helps discovering new aspects of things, says photonics and nanotechnology major student Lingyi Chen from the Master’s Programme in Electronics and Nanotechnology.

aalto university master's programme in electronics and nanotechnology photonics student Chen lingyi

Student Stian Kroken enjoys the Finnish sauna culture and Aalto's diverse course selection

Stian studies Electrical Power and Energy Engineering and he has extended his studies to a double degree with the Reykjavik University in Iceland.

Stian Kroken at the Aalto University campus.

Communications Engineering student Bhavya Omkarappa found her dream job at Ericsson

Bhavya Omkarappa thinks courses in Aalto University are very effective in simulating real working life scenarios

Bhavya Omkarappa / Aalto University / School of Electrical Engineering / Master's Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences - Communications Engineering

Aaron Rios Villanueva: 'Studying in Finland will be one of the best decisions you will make in your life'

'Not even sky is the limit,' says Aaron, who studies in the Master's Programme in Smart Systems Integrated Solutions.

Aaron H. Rios Villanueva at Aalto campus.

Student Lauros Pajunen: Acoustics and Audio Technology focuses on our behaviour in acoustic environments

International community, human-centred topics and connections to the industry made the Acoustics and Audio Technology major a great choice for Lauros Pajunen.

Aalto University acoustics and audio technology student Lauros Pajunen

Interested in becoming a doctoral researcher? Read these interviews

Doctoral studies taught Osman Yilmaz the value of trial and error

Senior Researcher and Research Project Manager Osman Yilmaz, whose doctoral degree will be conferred in the ceremonial conferment in June, is now working on 5G at Ericsson.

Osman Yilmaz

Doctoral student Anastasiia Kravtcova: “Doctoral studies can be a combination of a job, hobby and lifestyle”

The chance of making a societal impact motivated Anastasiia Kravtcova to pursue her doctoral studies and to dive into a groundbreaking topic in medical engineering at the School of Electrical Engineering.

Aalto ELEC's doctoral student Anastasiia Kravtcova

Emma Nordbäck believes that anyone can find their passion through doctoral studies

Doctor of Science (Technology) Emma Nordbäck, whose doctoral degree will be conferred in the ceremonial conferment in June, found a way to combine technology and humanities and now studies virtual work methods.

Aalto University / Emma Nordbäck / photo: Iiro Immonen

A doctorate prepares you for a career in industry, too

For Antti Alahäivälä, doctoral studies were a day job that allowed him to focus on interesting research and self-development. His doctoral research provided a strong foundation for his current work at Wärtsilä.

Aalto university school of electrical engineering alumnus antti alahäivälä

Alumnus Asad Awan awarded for the best doctoral thesis in the field of technology

Awan’s doctoral research deals with the control methods for more efficient electric motors, which could replace traditional induction motors in industrial applications and help reduce the carbon footprint of motor driven systems

Aalto University alumnus Asad Awan.

Aini Putkonen: 'The life of a doctoral student is very versatile'

Doctoral student Aini Putkonen thinks that the doctoral degree prepares students well for both academia and industry.

Doctoral student Aini Putkonen

Where are they now? Alumni stories

Masters of Science in Technology and doctors graduated from the School of Electrical Engineering work in a wide variety of organisations, for example in expert, research, design, management and sales roles. See interesting career stories from our graduates below!

Alum Carmen Fuentes Soria is working for a more sustainable use of space

Carmen graduated from the SpaceMaster joint programme. She thinks that the internationality is one of the best things of the programme, and she is grafeful that she made friends from all over the world.

Alumna Carmen Fuentes Soria

Alumna Kiia Einola: The most important thing in studies was the ability to learn new things

The alumna of the Master's Programme in Automation and Electrical Engineering feels that studying is more fun when you have other students around you

Alumni Kiia Einola, kuva Mikko Haapamäki

Alumna Bismoy Jahan: The things I learned from Aalto are related to real-life problems

Bismoy Jahan chose the Master’s Programme in Automation and Electrical Engineering because she believes that in the near future automation will play a big role in our lives.

Alumna Bismoy Jahan, automation and electrical engineering

Alum Sini Merikallio and the makings of an astronaut

Veterinarian and former space researcher turns her gaze back to the stars.

Kasvokuva Sini Merikalliosta, hänellä on yllään tumma villapaita, jossa on raitoja. Kuva: Aleksi Poutanen.

Alumnus of the Year Mikko J. Salminen encourages multidisciplinary studies

Mikko J. Salminen was selected as Alumnus of the Year for 2021 at Aalto University's School of Electrical Engineering. The selection was made public at the SIK100 seminar of the Guild of Electrical Engineering on Saturday, 23 October.

Sähkötekniikan korkeakoulun vuoden alumnin Mikko J. Salmisen hymy oli herkässä, kun Otakaaren katoilta Otaniemestä löytyi hänen aikanaan teekkareiden käytössä ollut Telesten lautasantenni. Kuva: Aalto-yliopisto / Ira Matilainen

Language technology combines alumna Tiina Lindh-Knuutila's interests

According to Tiina Lindh-Knuutila, language technology and machine learning offer enormous opportunities for many kinds of people.

Tiina Lindh-Knuutila

School of Electrical Engineering Alumnus of the Year Siamäk Naghian: The university gave me a path into Finnish society

Technology is art for the managing director of Genelec. He’s fascinated by the idea that music played on the company's speakers is based on the laws of physics.

aalto elec almnus of the year siamäk naghian image annamari tolonen

Alumna Laura McLeod: In Aalto, you have the freedom to explore and learn new skills

Acoustics and Audio Technology major gave Laura McLeod the opportunity to combine her two fields of passion: music and physics

Aalto University / A girl sitting on sand with sunglasses on / Laura McLeod

A student satellite project launched alumna Maria Hieta’s career in the space industry

Alumna Maria Hieta majored in Space Science and Technology.

Aalto-yliopisto / Maria Hieta / photo: Maria Hieta

Alumna of the Year Kirsi Karlamaa: ‘If you want to change society, study electrical engineering’

The School of Electrical Engineering Alumna of the Year 2019 is Kirsi Karlamaa, Director-General of Traficom.

ELEC vuoden alumni kirsi karlamaa, traficom kuva: Annamari Tolonen

Aalto University alumnus Mathias Fontell receives Young Physicist Prize 2019

The award-winning master's thesis in space technology focuses on solving problems related to radio wave propagation in the upper layers of the atmosphere.

Mathias Fontell/Vuoden nuori fyysikko 2019/Aalto University/School of Electrical Engineering/Image: Laura Hujanen

Alumnus Muhammad Ziaur Rehman: ‘No matter what you’re dreaming about, Aalto is a great place to start’

Muhammad Ziaur Rehman graduated from the Master’s Programme in Automation and Electrical Engineering.

Aalto University / man sitting on a motorcycle / Muhammad Ziaur Rehman

Alumnus Janne Viskari: Those with a broad knowledge of many fields will be successful in the future

Janne Viskari, Director General of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, believes that getting to know different people was one of the most important parts of his studies

Janne Viskari / Digi- ja väestötietovirasto / Aalto-yliopisto / alumni/ Sähkötekniikan korkeakoulu

‘You can change the world in this field!’ – Two technology alumni talk about their careers

Maaret Pyhäjärvi and Niina Kajovuori, who work with testing automation at Vaisala, encourage students to choose courses covering different fields

Maaret Pyhäjärvi and Niina Kajovuori/ Vaisala/ Aalto University alumni/ image: Vaisala

Alumnus Craig Rollo has the music enthusiastic’s dream job

Because Craig Rollo wanted a job related to music, studying Acoustics and Audio Technology was the perfect choice for him

Craig Rollo / Aalto University alumni/ Master's Programme in Computer, Communication and Information Sciences - Acoustics and Audio Technology

Alumnus and entrepreneur Varun Singh shares his experience with students

Varun Singh was the first The Alumnus of the Year in 2016.

Varun Singh
School of Electrical Engineering graduates in working life

Teachers and researchers of the School of Electrical Engineering

A fascination with light and its possibilities drives Professor Zhipei Sun’s research

Aalto University's Professor Zhipei Sun is on the Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researchers list for the third time – congratulations!

Professor Zhipei Sun, photo: Niina Norjamäki/Aalto University

Assistant professor Yu Xiao: Making daily activities easier with Extended Reality

Daily life is the ground for the research projects by assistant professor Yu Xiao and her group at Aalto University.

Aalto_Yu_Xiao

From a bookstore entrepreneur to a researcher

Assistant Professor Mahdi Pourakbari Kasmaei is researching power and energy system modeling, because the transfer to a carbon-free energy will be fast.

Aalto_University_Mahdi_Pourakbari_23-9-2021_photo_Mikko_Raskinen_005.jpg

Professor of Practice Janne Seppänen: The need for experts in the energy sector is growing

The pursuit of a climate-neutral society will cause the energy sector to undergo a major transformation.

Työelämäprofessori Janne Seppänen

Professor Joni Pajarinen believes in the future potential of robots 

In the future robots will work and learn independently, also with humans, and will no longer merely carry out programmed instructions. 

Professori Joni Pajarinen. Kuva: Aalto-yliopisto/ Kukka Maria Rosenlund

Why should people study cyber security?

Aalto University Professor Jarno Limnéll and student Jasu Vehtari explain what the most interesting aspects of cyber security are and why it is a useful subject to study.

Picture of Jarno Limnéll, Professor of Cyber Security and Jasu Vehtari, student at the School of Science.

What does a Doctor of Arts do at the School of Electrical Engineering?

Salu Ylirisku, Doctor of Arts, teaches design process and related skills to aspiring engineers at the School of Electrical Engineering.

Aalto University / Salu Ylirisku / photo: Linda Koskinen

Passion and patience are the most important qualities for a researcher

Professor Caterina Soldano aims for developing next generation electronics

professor Caterina Soldano, photo Annamari Tolonen

Zheng Yan is working on several research topics relating to cyber security, privacy and trust

The School of Electrical Engineering has signed a five-year cooperation agreement with the Chinese Xidian University relating to the research of next generation wireless communications and security.

Zheng Yan

’I see teaching as a great indicator of how well I myself as a researcher understand the topics’

Doctoral Candidate Glenn Ross was selected by the school community as Motivator of the year 2018 at the School of Electrical Engineering.

Aalto University / Glenn Ross / photo: Linda Koskinen

Professor Zach Taylor is finding technological solutions to clinical problems

Professor Zach Taylor's research is best described by two fields: Diagnostic medical imaging and Millimetre wave and THz techniques.

Professor Zach Taylor/Aalto University, photo: Mortti Saarnia

Playing sparked an idea how to transfer tacit knowledge

Artificial intelligence could discreetly guide an employee to build and maintain equipment.

Professor Yu Xiao. Photographer: Mikko Raskinen.

University Lecturer Anu Lehtovuori is an expert in academic multitasking

Being a university teacher is much more than just teaching. The lecturers in Aalto University are academic professionals with multiple skills, who are actively involved in research and the development of the university’s operations.

Aalto University / University Lecturer Anu Lehtovuori / photo: Linda Koskinen

Three fascinating facts about space – which mystery would space researcher Joni Tammi like to understand?

When Joni Tammi was on the first grade, he gave his first school presentation about stars. It started a journey that led to a career in space research. But what was the brainwave he got during his studies on a course taught by astronomer Esko Valtaoja?

Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Joni Tammi

Professor Tapio Lokki knows the best concert halls in the world

Tapio Lokki, Professor at the Department of Signal Processing and Acoustics, is known for his significant research work on concert hall acoustics.

Professor Tapio Lokki / Aalto University / School of Electrical Engineering / Acoustics / Image: Patrik Strenström

A photo of a black hole was a distant dream – until now

Aalto’s Tuomas Savolainen helped make history with the first image of a black hole located 55 million light years away

Tuomas Savolainen

Professor Tom Bäckström: Smart devices can eavesdrop and therefore we must study privacy

Social rules involving privacy should be considered in the design of speech interfaces.

Aalto University / Professor Tom Bäckström / photo: Linda Koskinen

Martin Andraud: Research work is much like doing sports

Assistant professor Martin Andraud combines artificial intelligence research with integrated circuit design to develop more energy-efficient and adaptable everyday devices

portrait of assistant professor Martin Andraud. Photo: Evelin Kask

Tomi Laurila tailors new treatments for neurological conditions from carbon

In the future, it may be possible to detect various conditions before their onset with the help of nanosized carbon sensors.

Portrait of professor Tomi Laurila, Aalto ELEC photo Mikko Raskinen Aalto University

Simo Särkkä: Sensor data guides robots and helps with care of premature infants

This Professor of Sensor Informatics uses models to turn noisy data into a clear overall picture. Welcome to hear more at the Installation Talks event on 30 October!

Professor SImo Särkkä

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