We invited researchers on board the schooner m/aux Svanhild, hoisted the sails, and enjoyed each other’s company for half a day. The late summer winds carried us as we touched upon topics ranging from research to life and the future.
The program was hosted by the skilled crew of m/aux Svanhild and Riikka Aaltonen, winner of the 2024 KAUTE Business Journalism Award, who spoke about the kind of seas a researcher must navigate when seeking media visibility for their work.
Read what three participating researchers shared about their work.
AmirAli Faridi studies sustainable agriculture and forestry, University of Helsinki
What is your research about?
I study how Finnish forest owners and dairy farmers adopt new technologies and practices that support sustainability and biodiversity. For example, precision forestry tools can be used to protect nature. At the same time, I examine how social and cultural factors influence the sustainability of dairy farms.
Why is it important?
Finland’s forests and farms are vital both for the economy and the environment. By understanding what motivates landowners to adopt sustainable practices, we can design better policies and support systems that protect biodiversity and ensure long-term food production.
What inspires you about being a researcher?
I love how research reveals hidden connections between people, nature, and technology. As a researcher, I can ask big questions, explore complex systems, and seek solutions that make a difference for communities as well as for the planet as a whole.
Oona Hilkamo explores the opportunities and challenges of quantum computing, Aalto University
What is your research about?
I am writing my doctoral thesis on quantum computing as a new field of science, technology, and business. I am interested in how the field takes shape: what kinds of linguistic, temporal, and material factors are involved, and how actors navigate an uncertain future.
Why is it important?
The development of quantum computing will affect many fields, such as cybersecurity, medicine, materials science, and artificial intelligence. By understanding how the field evolves and how related technologies are valued, we can maximize its benefits and manage its risks.
What inspires you about being a researcher?
The constant opportunity to learn and challenge myself. I have a lot of freedom to influence the content of my work, and the academic community offers new ideas every day. Through research, I get to peek into other worlds—for example, the world of quantum technologies!
Jani Patrakka studies bio-based sensors, Tampere University
What is your research about?
I study bio-based sensors that can be measured using light. For example, a fiber or film made of cellulose allows light to pass through, making it possible to measure environmental conditions such as temperature or humidity.
Why is your research important?
Industry and the economy are undergoing a sustainability transition. Renewable and sustainable technologies are essential if we want to reduce our dependence on fossil raw materials as well as micro- and nanoplastics. Bio-based polymers offer solutions to these challenges.
What inspires you about being a researcher?
Working with the new and the extraordinary, continuous learning, and the possibility to influence issues that matter to me. For instance, promoting the green transition by commercializing the technology I study feels like a tangible way to change the world.