News

The students' electrical workshop space was inaugurated as Vilho Väisälä’s workshop in Otaniemi

The donations of Vilho Väisälä's descendants, the Weisell Foundation and Vaisala Corporation have enabled the long-term development of Aalto University.
Vilho Väisälän pajassa opiskelijaryhmät pääsevät suunnittelemaan ja rakentamaan eri kursseilla mitä taidokkaimpia ja teknisesti haastavia laitteita. Kuva: Mikko Raskinen / Aalto-yliopisto
Vilho Väisälä’s workshop is a space where student groups design and build the most elaborate and technically challenging devices, usually with a slight humorous touch. Photo: Aalto University / Mikko Raskinen

The Electrical Workshop, located at Maarintie 8 on the Otaniemi campus, is known for the joy and humor of making things. In the future, the renovated space will be known as Vilho Väisälä's workshop, when it was ceremonially inaugurated on Monday, September 11.

Vilho Väisälä’s workshop is a space efficiently used for many hands-on courses but originally known as an electrical workshop course. Electrical Engineering bachelor’s programme includes electrical workshop course, where student groups get the opportunity for hands-on work right from their first year of study. In the courses, student groups design and build the most elaborate and technically challenging devices, usually with a slight humorous touch. Participants do not need prior experience in design or coding, as everything is learned on-site. More and more enthusiastic students from all Aalto University multidisciplinary six schools are participating in the hands-on courses organised in the Vilho Väisälä’s workshop.

‘Vilho Väisälä's workshop has great significance in our teaching; it allows students to put their learning into practice. For many, the workshop courses are also one of the most enjoyable experiences during their study time,’ says Dean Jussi Ryynänen, Aalto University School of Electrical Engineering. 

Vilho Väisälä was a Finnish intellectual, innovator, and the founder of the Vaisala Corporation.

‘We are extremely grateful to Vilho Väisälä's descendants, the Weisell Foundation and Vaisala Corporation for all the support and help they have offered to Aalto students and the entire Aalto community all these years,’ says Aalto University President Ilkka Niemelä. Donations have enabled the long-term development of Aalto University and evened out surprising fluctuations in the public finances.

‘Vilho Väisälä’s work was characterized by curiosity and innovation, which are also the basis of the Electrical Workshop. Science-based innovations are at the core of Vaisala, so cooperation with the scientific community has been very important to us since the company was founded. The Electrical Workshop is a great example of how open-minded new creation and teamwork can be learned through joy and humor,’ says Ville Voipio, Chairman of the Vaisala Board.

Read more vilhonpaja.aalto.fi

More information:
Nora Rahnasto, Donor Engagement
Aalto University, Advancement and Corporate Engagement
Tel +358 50 362 2243
[email protected] 

Vaisala Communications 
[email protected] 
www.vaisala.com/en/news-and-insights/media 

Alumni Tauno Voipio kuvattuna Otakaari 1 -rakennuksen aulassa. Kuvaaja: Mikko Raskinen.

Otaniemi, like coming back home

Tauno Voipio, godfather of the Electric Workshop course, believes in learning through doing.

News
Two female students in a lab

Give for the future

Join us in building a sustainable future! Together we can solve some of the toughest problems of our time.

Sakari Harjunpää ja Valentin Rainio Sähköpajalla

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.

News
Aalto University / Sähköpajakurssi / photo: Linda Koskinen

Imaginative projects take shape through trial and error in an Electrical Engineering Workshop course

In the last weeks of the spring the Electrical Engineering Workshop has been abuzz with students busily working on their course projects. We were allowed to follow how one project progressed from the original idea all the way to the course's finale

News
Vilho Väisälän paja sijaitsee Otaniemessä Espoossa osoitteessa Maarintie 8. Kuva: Aalto-yliopisto / Mikko Raskinen
  • Published:
  • Updated:

Read more news

Accounting capstone course winners
Studies Published:

Towards the transition from the academic world to the professional world

Accounting Masters students had the opportunity to tackle real-life business challenges in the CAPSTONE course in accounting
Skanskan kehitysjohtaja Jan Elfving esiintyy Rakennustekniikan päivässä 2024
Cooperation Published:

Civil Engineering invites companies to participate in future development work

A stakeholder event organized by the Department of Civil Engineering has already become a spring tradition. Civil Engineering Day was held on April 25 in Dipoli Otaniemi.
Professor Riikka Puurunen, Professor Patrick Rinke and IT Application Owner Lara Ejtehadian holding sunflowers and diplomas
Awards and Recognition, Campus, Research & Art Published:

Aalto Open Science Award ceremony brought together Aaltonians to discuss open science

Last week we gathered at A Grid to celebrate the awardees of the Aalto Open Science Award 2023 and discuss open science matters with the Aalto community.
Three female students studying
Research & Art Published:

Seed funding available to boost collaboration between Aalto, KU Leuven and University of Helsinki

Aalto University, KU Leuven and the University of Helsinki launch the 2nd exploratory seed funding call to explore research collaboration possibilities. The funding call is open until 10 September 2024.