The department awards researchers, teachers, and person of the year

The Department of Computer Science gives annual awards for teachers who have actively improved the quality of teaching and researchers for high-standard scientific work. In addition, the department rewards a person or team that has stood out in a positive way during the year.

ositiivisella tavalla erottun

On 16 December, at the annual Christmas coffees this year, the awards were given to the following people (listed in order of photo):

 

Teacher of the Year for junior teachers: Kati Kyllönen, Bachelor of Science

“For several years now, Kati has participated actively and on her own initiative in various committees for improving the teaching at the department. One good example of this is the MSc thesis seminar that was resumed at the department after a long pause on her proposal, which she also coordinated.”

 

Teacher of the Year University Lecturer Juha Kärkkäinen

”Juha’s expertise in his field of research allows him to create unique and original teaching material that does not follow any book, but rather reflects modern methods and techniques. He constantly revises them in order to keep them up to date with the current state of knowledge, which often includes his own findings. One example is the “DC3” algorithm to construct the suffix array that Juha co-invented. Since its discovery in 2003, the algorithm has become the standard textbook algorithm and is nowadays routinely taught during algorithm courses in universities all over the world.”

 

Researcher of the Year for senior researchers: University Researcher Leena Salmela

“Leena is an internationally merited bioinformatics researcher. She has several international collaboration partners and nearly 40 publications, most of them on top forums. She has also gained distinction as a scientific expert, by popularising science, organising conferences, managing research projects, and tutoring postgraduates.”

 

Person of the Year: Leena Kekäläinen

”Leena is responsible for processing invoices, travel cost reports, and most importantly accounting of particularly EU projects that have complex requirements. As one of many examples, Leena has supported accounting and reporting in large European projects coordinated at the department, which have received the highest score in the annual reviews by the EC several times. The patience, foresight and expertise of Leena has contributed substantially to making the department a great place to work. Her important work contribution and positive thinking has made us feel like one team across research and administrative staff, allowing researchers to focus on the research and helping to achieve efficient use of funding.”

 

Researcher of the Year for junior researchers: Doctoral Student Juho-Kustaa Kangas

“Kangas has finished his thesis in the stipulated four years, and five of its sub-articles have been published in the top conferences of the field. In addition, Kangas has had an article on his thesis topic co-written with his international partners published in the prestigious ESA’16 conference. Kangas has held a central role in producing the research findings: besides standing for nearly all of the programming and experimentation, he has also answered for the main thinking behind some of the solutions, developed most of the mathematical evidence, and written the main part of the articles.”

 

Our heartiest congratulations to all the award-winners!

Christmas coffees on 16 December 2016

21.12.2016 - 16:11 Marina Kurtén
21.12.2016 - 16:11 Marina Kurtén