New professors’ inaugural lectures on 4 December 2024

The 26 new professors at the University of Helsinki will present the latest research findings in their fields on Wednesday, 4 December from 14.30 to 16.30. The inaugural lectures will be held in the Main Building at Fabianinkatu 33. The lectures are also available for livestreaming.

For the event programme and livestream links, please visit our website at . Each inaugural lecture will be held in the language of its title indicated in the programme.

Join us in welcoming the University of Helsinki’s new professors and learning about the cutting-edge research being conducted in different disciplines. 

New professors and lecture titles

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry

  • Kirsi Mikkonen, Professor of Food Sciences: Food for thought and thought for food
  • Annukka Vainio, Professor of Sustainability Science (Behavioural Change toward Sustainability Transformations): Globaalien ympäristöongelmien ratkaiseminen edellyttää laaja-alaisia käyttäytymismuutoksia

Faculty of Arts

  • Silvio Cruschina, Professor of Italian Language: The languages of Italy: Navigating linguistic diversity between national and regional languages
  • Ilona Hongisto, Professor of Audiovisual Culture: Audiovisuaalisuus pinnan alla: meri, tieto ja taide
  • Camilla Lindholm, Professor of Scandinavian Languages: Språkforskaren och marginalen
  • Pia Olsson, Professor of Ethnology: Pienen yhteiskunnallinen merkitys
  • Pekka Posio, Professor of Ibero-Romance languages: Kieli ja sukupuoli Meksikossa ja Espanjassa
  • Mikko Tolonen, Professor of Digital Humanities: Tekoäly ja aatehistorian tutkimus
  • Susanna Välimäki, Professor of Art Studies: Sairaus ja kuolema Kaija Saariahon viimeisessä sävellyksessä
  • Roman Yangarber, Professor of Linguistic Inequalities and Translation Technology: TBA

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

  • Petri Ala-Laurila, professor of Neurobiology: Aivotutkimusta näön rajoilla

Faculty of Educational Sciences

  • Raili Hilden, professor of Language Didactics: Kielididaktiikka ja muutoksen mainingit
  • Janne Varjo, professor of Sociology of Education: ’Kansallinen’ ja ’paikallinen’ suomalaisessa koulutuspolitiikassa

Faculty of Law

  • Anette Alén, professor of Civil and Commercial Law: From Battles to Balance and Back

Faculty of Medicine

  • Timo Myöhänen, professor of Pharmacology: Missä mennään hermorappeumasairauksien lääkekehityksessä?

Faculty of Science

  • Federico Bianchi, Professor of Cryosphere-atmosphere interactions: The role of aerosols in a changing climate: on the hunt for the pre-industrial atmosphere
  • Annalea Lohila, Professor of Biogeochemical Cycles: Suot ilmaston muokkaajina
  • Petteri Nurmi, Professor of Computer Science (distributed systems and networking with emphasis on Internet of Things): TBA
  • Markku Vainio, Professor of Physical Chemistry: Kuinka laserin avulla voidaan kammata esiin tietoa aineen koostumuksesta

Faculty of Social Sciences

  • Kris Clarke, professor of Social Work: Abolitionist perspectives on social work through the lens of the AIDS epidemic
  • Joel Hietanen, professor of Sociotechnical Change of Consumer Society: From creative consumer culture to Terminal Marketing
  • Hisayo Katsui, professor of Disability Studies: Miksi vammaistutkimus? / Why disability studies?
  • Jaakko Kuorikoski, professor of Practical Philosophy: Vaikuttava yhteiskuntatiede
  • Franklin Obeng-Odoom, professor of Global Development Studies: Property and Power
  • Salla Sariola, professor of Sociology: Microbes – what does sociology have to do with them?
  • Johanna Sumiala, professor of Communication: Elävät kuolleet mediassa