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Olli Ikkala and Esa Saarinen found a common thread in baroque music and lecturing
Olli Ikkala will continue his research on nature-inspired materials and will find himself again as an organist after his busy research career. Esa Saarinen, on the other hand, continued to lecture the Philosophy and Systems Thinking (Filosofia ja systeemiajattelu) course to packed halls this spring. When they met, they discussed the organ and the atmosphere of the lectures.

An entrepreneurial researcher takes action and creates something new
When a researcher thinks like an entrepreneur, they can create something truly groundbreaking.

Experimentation, risk-taking, seeking the new – entrepreneurial mindset permeates Aalto
For Aalto University employees, entrepreneurial mindset means daring to try something new

Koos Zevenhoven: The scientific world doesn't know this kind of unusual path very well
'There have also been PhD students in my group, and I haven’t been able to officially act as their advisor. Some of my students have finished their PhD before me.'
Kari Tammi: When we are lean enough, we have time to think without rushing
'Aalto is a pretty calm and safe environment to work in. The management and evaluation system is relatively kind, and the rules are just right for an odd and absent-minded person like me.'

Jussi Ryynänen: In the back row, I wondered what on earth I was doing here and whether I would survive
'I meet a lot of people, and I have a finite social battery that gets drained during the working day. When I want to clear my head of the day's thoughts, I go and lie down under the car to fix it. The best part is that I don't have to talk to the car.'

Internship in Denmark: as toy designer at LEGO Group
Teamwork and a playful attitude inspired Joona Järvinen, MA student of Collaborative and Industrial Design.

Albert Devasagayam Francis: We are bringing community gardening and beekeeping together
'My main aim is to have clean energy, which can happen far into the future. In beekeeping, I can see the impact at the end of each season.'

Pärttyli Rinne: My work is both internally rewarding and economically fragile
'Academics without a permanent post experience uncertainty and stress, mainly related to financial fragility. It is not just my experience.'

Abhiteg Jammu: There's so much untapped talent because of the language barrier
'Coming to Finland as an Indian student means that I lack the implicit understanding of the Finnish culture to be able to truly connect with someone. I don’t know the local way to communicate, or what’s the emotional intelligence like.'

Konsta Klemetti: Creative artistic thinking and finding surprising perspectives are ingrained in me
'It has been fun and enlightening to discover that there is a tribe, i.e., like-minded people at Aalto. Everyone accepts an idea, no matter how crazy it is. The culture is open-minded and accepting in a fun way.'

Annukka Svanda: It's important to challenge yourself to do hard things
'I believe that those of us who can and are capable have a duty to work to make the world a little better place all the time. For example, we can try to improve the situation of those who are not so well off.'

Irma Pasanen: Curiosity is an asset
‘You have to be curious. If I don't know something, then I'll find it out. I think that’s the core of being an information specialist. I believe that I can do things that feel good to me. Curiosity is an asset.’

Gary Marquis: If I had a magic wand, I would use one wish to enliven our sense of community
'Cooking together was fun, relaxing, and we could meet people in a non-work-related situation. It seemed to be a very good way to build community for the new professors and their family members – even children in some cases.'

Assistant Professor Viktar Asadchy: Teachers and supervisors have played an important role throughout my career
An ambitious goal in the field is to find some completely new applications that do not exist yet.

Dominik Baumann does research for the common good
Assistant Professor Dominik Baumann is researching systems and control theory with machine learning and communication networks

Erika Renedo Illarregi: I love being a design researcher and navigating a variety of emotional landscapes
'I came with a lot of energy and a lot of willingness to do different things and integrate, but also, the winter was coming. Even though I like new experiences, it was not always easy to arrive in the moment when every day was a little bit darker.'

Valentina Arrietta: Feedback is always a gift
'Sometimes I feel like I’m struggling alone with rejection and expectations of publication. But if I talk to someone else, I find that they too have their own struggles. It’s important to talk to people and realise that at the end of the day, I’m not walking alone in these shoes.'

Anu Honkalinna appointed Head of Spinoff Asset Management
She will build and manage university's investments in startups with roots in Aalto University

Jessica Sinikoski: Events must have room for a little magic
'My mission is to communicate what Aalto sounds, looks, smells, tastes and feels like, make the message tangible. As we are very close to nature in Otaniemi, the experience should have a bit of tree needles and soil in it, but it should also represent innovation, creativity and social impact.'
