People and machines excel at different things, says our new professor Jyrki Kivinen Jyrki Kivinen, our new professor in algorithms and data structures, was nominated at the ceremonious inauguration on 10th December. He received his PhD in 1992 in computer science from our department, and first started working here as early as 1987. His own research interests specifically lie in machine learning and computational learning theory. Jyrki started his studies at the Department of Computer Science
right after graduating from school in 1984. His parents both worked
in the
IT sector, and Jyrki had been interested in natural sciences from
an early age. "I remember visiting my parents' workplace, where
the
computers were still huge cabinets. When I was in the second year
of upper secondary school, we got our first computer to the school."
From the beginning of his studies, Jyrki had his sights set on a career in academia and research. "That was one reason why I chose computer science: it is a rapidly growing discipline, and contrary to many other disciplines, you can get straight into the latest innovations in the field. With the rapid growth of the field and thanks to practical applications, it is easier to get funding, as well." At the time when Jyrki was looking for a Pro gradu subject, Esko Ukkonen had just started a new project on machine learning, which Jyrki could join. "At that time, machine learning was a new field, and at an interesting stage. Machine learning combines the theoretical basis of computer science on the one hand, and learning as a phenomenon on the other. People and machines excel at different things. People and machines learn in different ways, and there is no reason why machines should learn in the same way as people do. People are still better at learning," Jyrki declares. In addition to research, it is also a part of a professor's duties to teach, which Jyrki finds challenging. "If you really want to invest in teaching, you have to be prepared to spend time on it. Teaching is basically very rewarding, all the new faces keep you alert!" Jyrki feels at home at the department: "I've grown here gradually. As a working community, it is very nice here, many of my colleagues are old friends of mine now." When he is not working at the department, Jyrki relaxes by playing
go, going to the cinema or reading. |
