Professorships of Practice with the support of donors
Clean water is a vital natural resource and a prerequisite for a functioning society. Professors of Practice Elin Lavonen and Ilkka Miettinen will strengthen Aalto's internationally renowned expertise in water engineering. The professorships in clean water technologies have been donated by the Erkki Paasikivi Foundation.
In her research, Lavonen focuses on the risks around and the quality assurance of drinking water and the health impacts of micro-pollutants in wastewater. Miettinen is an expert in water epidemics, water microbiology and domestic water production.
‘Aalto is very progressive in the way that cutting-edge academic research is done in collaboration with water utilities and companies. This is essential to move things forward. The complex problems in the water industry require cooperation between different sectors,’ says Lavonen.
Building better living conditions
As climate change and other crises drive people from their homes, humanitarian architecture brings safety and shelter in the midst of distress and poverty.
'The basis for improving the living conditions of vulnerable communities is understanding and respecting the local culture. Multidisciplinary collaboration with universities, organisations and other regional operators is also needed,' says Saija Hollmén, Professor of Practice in Humanitarian Architecture.
The professorship was funded by a private donation and is the only one of its kind in the world.
Hollmén and her students have travelled to Ghana to conduct urban research and to Rwanda to design a teaching hospital. The aim is to strengthen local knowledge and promote sustainable construction. ‘Collaborating with local universities opens doors for us to create societal impact. The professorship plays a huge role in this.’
Training the multiskilled experts of the future
Professors of Practice Heikki Ihasalo and Jaakko Ketomäki will accelerate the development of smart building technology and expertise. The shared professorship has been established with donations from companies, foundations and organisations.
Pekka Töytäri, Professor of Practice in Product-service Systems Sales, trains sales professionals to have the skills to develop service-based business for the technology industry. The professorship was funded by donations from the Weisell Foundation, Valmet and Wärtsilä.
In his role as Professor of Practice in Information Networks, Risto Sarvas trained revolutionaries of the information society and all-rounders in working life. The professorship was made possible by donations from several companies, the City of Espoo and the Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation. After the end of the professorship, Sarvas has continued his work as a university lecturer.
In his Executive in Residence role, vuorineuvos (honorary title) Taavi Heikkilä focuses on cooperative business. The endowed position is based at the Department of Marketing at the School of Business. 'I am excited to build bridges between Aalto's expertise and the needs of businesses. I am delighted that my experience in modern cooperative business and sustainability supports Aalto's success story,' says Heikkilä.
Text: Marjukka Puolakka
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