Inaugural lectures showcase the work of new professors – meet five new professors at MAB
The inaugural lectures of newly appointed professors in all the faculties at Tampere University are delivered virtually in the spring of 2021 due to Covid-19 restrictions. Inaugural lectures are given by 15 newly appointed professors from all the faculties at Tampere University. The videos are published on the University’s YouTube channel.
“An inaugural lecture is traditionally an opportunity for colleagues to welcome newly appointed professors to the campus community, but this time, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are delighted to be able to showcase our new professors in a virtual environment. The brief lectures provide an overview of our new professors’ fields of research and perfectly illustrate the broad range of multidisciplinary research carried out across the University,” says Jarmo Takala, provost at Tampere University.
Five recorded lectures exploring industrial engineering and management, economics and public law
Inaugural lectures are given by Professor Leena Aarikka-Stenroos, Professor Kaisa Kotakorpi, Professor Teemu Laine, Industry Professor Arho Suominen and Professor Jukka Viljanen from MAB.
Leena Aarikka-Stenroos, professor of industrial engineering and management, explores tech business in the age of circular economy and climate change in her lecture. Her research interests focus on technology- and innovation-based business and how circular economy technologies can be integrated into societies and turned into a business.
“Our society is in desperate need of sustainable technology. The knowledge generated by our research helps technology companies and the whole of society to evolve and develop to ensure that these technologies remain available to us in the future, too,” Aarikka-Stenroos says.
Kaisa Kotakorpi is a professor of economics and specialises in the study of public finance. Her research interests focus, among other things, on tax evasion and how welfare states can preserve and uphold their prosperity.
“The details of the tax system and related monitoring practices have a significant influence on tax revenues. It is important to study these questions to know what kind of a tax system works best in maintaining the funding base for welfare services,” Kotakorpi says.
Teemu Laine is a professor of industrial engineering and management. He studies the performance of service businesses and the concept of success in a variety of business contexts. His special focus is on exploring how the achievement of goals can be tangibly supported in different organisations.
“My research is about understanding the choices people make, how they overcome challenges and, in particular, the related business impacts. I carry out research to shed light on these questions,” Laine says.
Arho Suominen is an industry professor of industrial engineering and management. His area of expertise is the evolution of technology, especially technological forecasting.
“I seek to understand how the evolution of technology will reshape industry, business and our society. Through research, we try to construct an overall picture of our future technological environment while also taking an active role in creating the future we want,” Arho Suominen says.
Jukka Viljanen is a professor of public law. His areas of expertise include, among other things, public law, constitutional law, fundamental and human rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
“I study the influences of the ECHR’s doctrines of the European Convention on Human Rights at the national and international levels. I assess the future challenges that will come up in the human rights discourse and examine how the related division of responsibilities is changing between the national and international levels,” Viljanen describes.
An inaugural lecture is part of academic tradition and a prestigious occasion for newly appointed professors to present their research to the scientific community, their stakeholders and the general public and for the University to welcome them to the campus community. Inaugural lectures are traditionally public events that are open to all.
Meet our new professors at tuni.fi/newprofessors.
Inquiries:
The University's people search returns the contact details of all professors who delivered an inaugural lecture.
