Helsinki University of Technology

From Wikispooks
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Group.png Helsinki University of Technology  
(University)Rdf-entity.pngRdf-icon.png
Helsinki University of Technology logo.png
MottoLabor et scientia
(Latin)
Formation1849
HeadquartersHelsinki, Finland
TypeUniversity
Finnish research university

The Helsinki University of Technology (TKK) was a technical university in Finland. It was located in Otaniemi, Espoo in the metropolitan area of Greater Helsinki. The university was founded in 1849 by Grand Duke of Finland, Emperor Nicholas I and received university status in 1908. It moved from Helsinki to Otaniemi campus area in 1966. It was merged into Aalto University in 2010 and briefly had the name Aalto University School of Science and Technology before being split into four schools in 2011.

Much of the university's Otaniemi campus was designed by Alvar Aalto.

History

Alvar Aalto's landmark auditorium of the main building. The amphitheatre-like structure contains the main auditoriums, while its exterior can be used for plays and other activities.
The main library of the university, designed by Alvar Aalto and built in 1970.

In 1849, TKK was established in Helsinki by the decree of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I, Grand Duke of Finland as a "manufacture and handicraft school", with the name Helsingin teknillinen reaalikoulu/Helsingfors tekniska realskola, along with two other similar schools, situated in Vaasa and Turku. In 1872, the school's name was changed to Polyteknillinen koulu/Polytekniska skolan ("Polytechnical School") and in 1878, to Polyteknillinen opisto/Polytekniska institutet ("Polytechnical Institute"), while the two other manufacture and handiwork schools were demoted to institutions of lower level. As the proportion of matriculation diploma holders in the student intake gradually increased, the school gained more social respectability. In 1908, TKK was given university status along with its present name, thus becoming the second university to be founded in Finland. In 1955, building of the new campus area started with the housing village. In 1966, TKK moved from Helsinki to the new campus in Otaniemi, Espoo.

In the past, the university was also known by the abbreviations HUT and TH, from its English language and Swedish language names, but in 2005 a decision was made to officially solely use the abbreviation TKK for branding reasons.

In 2010, TKK was merged with Helsinki School of Economics and University of Art and Design Helsinki into Aalto University. After brief existence in the new university as own institution, Aalto University School of Science and Technology, it was split into four schools, corresponding to four old faculties, School of Engineering, School of Science, School of Electrical Engineering, and Aalto University School of Chemical Technology. In 2012, the Department of Architecture of the School of Engineering, formerly of Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, was merged with Aalto University School of Art and Design into Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture.

Research

Researchers at TKK have achieved notability in, among other things, low temperature physics (holding the current world record for the lowest temperature achieved), the development of devices and methods for magnetoencephalography, mobile communications, wood processing, and neural networks, with professor Teuvo Kohonen initiating research in self-organizing maps. Additionally, the first commercialised total synthesis, the synthesis of camphor, was invented by Gustaf Komppa, the first professor of chemistry at TKK[1] and the Nobel laureate (chemistry, 1945) Artturi Virtanen held a professorship in biochemistry at TKK. More recently, the university has notably invested in the research of nanotechnology, operating the largest cleanroom facility in Northern Europe[2] and of the largest microscopy clusters in Europe.[3]

The Nokia Research Center has operated a "lablet" on university premises since 2008, in order to establish joint research programs and daily interaction between Nokia and university researchers, who would share the same facilities.


 

Alumni on Wikispooks

PersonBornNationalitySummaryDescription
Krister Ahlstrom29 August 1940FinlandPolitician
Businessperson
Finnish businessman. Attended 1994 Bilderberg meeting as President and CEO of the family consortium Ahlström.
Matti Alahuhta22 June 1952FinlandBusinesspersonFinnish business executive who attended Bilderberg/2014 as outgoing CEO of KONE Corporation.
Caj FrostellCanadian?
Finnish?
Pilot
Aircraft investigator
Finnish-born expert in accident investigation who he led the International Civil Aviation Organization investigation into KAL Flight 007
Jaako Ihamuotila25 November 1939FinlandBusinesspersonOne of the most influential business leaders of his time in Finland
Jorma Ollila15 August 1950FinlandDeep state operative
Businessperson
Shell chairman, Nokia CEO, Bilderberg steering committee, WEF
Risto Siilasmaa17 April 1966FinlandBusinesspersonFinnish Bilderberger and Nokia chairman
Kari Stadigh5 December 1955FinlandBanker
Businessperson
Finnish businessman/banker
Elina Valtonen23 October 1981FinlandPoliticianFinnish über-liberal politician with Emmanuel Macron as role model. Promotes the idea of universal basic income, which explains her attendance at the 2018 Bilderberg at age 36, where one of the agenda points was "the future of work".
Many thanks to our Patrons who cover ~2/3 of our hosting bill. Please join them if you can.


References