Kemiauutiset 2019

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KE MI AU UT ISE T KE MI NYH ET ER CH EM IST RY NE W S

2019

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KEMIALLA

huipulle ja yhteiskuntaan

Suomen suurin ja laaja-alaisin kemian osasto

Syvällisestä perustutkimuksesta teollisiin sovelluksiin.

Monipuolista kotimaista ja kansainvälistä opetus- ja tutkimusyhteistyötä.

Kemianluokka Gadolin koulujen opetuksen tukena.

HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO HELSINGFORS UNIVERSITET UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI

KEMIAN OSASTO AVDELNINGEN FÖR KEMI DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

WWW.HELSINKI.FI/FI/MATEMAATTIS-LUONNONTIETEELLINEN-TIEDEKUNTA/TIEDEKUNTA/KEMIA/KEMIAN-OPISKELU

Yhteishak u 2019

20.3.–3.4 .

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EDITORIAL

I

t has been a great pleasure to compile the 2019 edition of the Chemistry News Magazine, a fantastic platform to sho- wcase our diverse and highly successful research groups and their progress over the last year. In addition to research, Chemistry News 2019 highlights the department's excellent track record in teaching. Over the past year, the department has made great progress on digitizing the teaching of chemistry and introducing new programmes, courses and initiatives. As the new editors, interacting with staff and students from all areas of our Department has been a heartening and enjoyable experience. Our thanks are exten- ded to everyone who contributed to this edition; in particular Heikki Tenhu, Mikko Ritala, Mikko Oivanen, Riitta-Leena Inki and Veikko Somerpuro. We are left to congratulate all those featured in this issue for their many achievements and to wish those leaving the Department the very best of luck in their future endeavours. Here’s to an exciting and pros- perous scientific year ahead!

Editors 2019 William Bower

University Researcher, Radiochemistry Unit Johannes Pernaa

University Lecturer, Chemistry Teacher Education Unit

Over the past year, the department has made great progress on digitizing the teaching of chemistry and introducing new programmes, courses and initiatives.

NOTE FROM

THE EDITORS

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4 kemiauutiset keminyheter chemistrynews

Kemiauutiset 2019 KemiNyheter 2019 ChemistryNews 2019

https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-science/

chemistry-news-magazine Päätoimittajat

William Bower

william.bower@helsinki.fi Johannes Pernaa

johannes.pernaa@helsinki.fi Taitto

Nina Heinonen www.painopalvelu.fi 09 2259 300 Kansikuva:

Zodar / Shutterstock.com Sisällyksen kuva:

Veikko Somerpuro Julkaisija

Helsingin yliopiston kemian osasto

9

12

26 30

IHMISET PEOPLE

Kemian osaston vuoden opettaja 2018 – yliopistonlehtori Markus Metsälä Markku's five decades

of chemistry research Kumpula campus Junior Faculty Club 2019 Professor Emeritus: Jukka Lehto Heleena Karrus

Suomalaisten Kemistien Seuran

toiminnanjohtaja 40

Editorial 3

Openings 6

Paino Unigrafia Oy Painos 1000 kpl Ilmestymisaika Maaliskuu 2019 ISSN 2323-7767

ISSN 2323-7775 (verkkojulkaisu)

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TUTKIMUS RESEARCH

Kemian osasto ja ASM Microchemistry Oy uudistivat 5-vuotisen tutkimussopimuksen

atomikerroskasvatuksesta 25

Numerical Electronic Structure Methods:

a long term research project funded by

the Academy of Finland 44

An essay on periodic tables 48

Finnish academy projects 51

Suomalaisten Kemistien Seuran

100-vuotisjuhlavuosi 38

Kumpulan kampus kehittyy 46

OPISKELU STUDYING

10

18

24

27 28

33

34

14 Opetuksen kehitystä:

ohjausta, digitointia ja videoita Massaluennoista aktivoivaan verkko-opiskeluun:

kemian perusteet verkkokurssina Palkittuja kemian opiskelijoita 2018 — awarded chemistry students in 2018

"TET weeks" with the department of chemistry — a first glance into academic life

Uusille opiskelijoille omaopettaja Kemian opettajien jatkuvan oppimisen tukeminen MOOC-kurssien avulla Winter school on theoretical chemistry 2018 — machine learning

OPINTO-OHJELMAT STUDY PROGRAMMES

Why choose Helsinki for MSC studies?

The first bachelor's programme

in English at the University of Helsinki 16

UUDET TYÖNTEKIJÄT NEW POSITIONS

New professor: Gareth Law 20 New professor: Pedro Camargo 22 Associate professor: Markku Vainio 36 Pekka Joensuu: laboratoriopalveluiden

palvelupäällikkö 42

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OPENINGS

GOOD TEACHERS FOR GOOD

STUDENTS

A

fter a few years break, the Depart- ment of Chemistry has revived its annual award for the Teacher of the Year. In February 2019, this accolade was given to university lecturer Mar- kus Metsälä, a teacher of physical chemistry. The student organization, HYK, was asked to propose the best teachers via electronic voting, which was open to both students and staff. The number of suggestions was delightfully high; however, it was not difficult to select the win- ner!

Markus Metsälä is

awarded Teacher of the Year 2018—2019.

What has Markus done to be awarded this title? First, he views laboratory exercises as an essential part of the learning process, and he aims to enhance learning through practical work. To some, this may be a novel way of viewing the laboratory. In addition, the students are never left alone with mathematical problems. Enough time is always reserved for teachers to help students with chal- lenging concepts. Moreover, student support in the workshops continues to grow. Video tutorials for the laboratory exercises are being constructed, and instructions for the laboratory courses

KUVAT VEIKKO SOMERPURO

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are systematically updated based on the students’ needs. In addition to his pro- ficiency in the laboratories, Markus also lectures several courses.

The Department of Chemistry is constantly evolving to guarantee the highest quality of teaching.

The Department of Chemistry con- sists of 16 professors, 15 lecturers and two university teachers. In addition, a number of doctoral students super- vise younger students in the laboratories. This diverse team is working hard to guarantee the highest quality of teaching. During the last two years, several new professors have been recruited and, for the first time in the history of the Department, three of these have moved to Helsinki from abroad. We are also recruiting two more professors, one in soft matter chemistry and the other in ALD/ALEt chemistry. It is also worth not- ing that over the next few years, several professors will retire and thus, the number of wrinkles in the faces of the teachers should decrease dramatically! The development of teaching methods and

the overall quality assurance of teaching remains a top priority within the Depart- ment. The curriculum is constantly being developed and fine-tuned, as we can see throughout this issue of Kemiauutiset.

For several decades, a major problem in the Department has been that some students initially enrolled in chemistry change their major before graduating.

To tackle this issue, and to get new students better engaged in chemistry studies, an “own teacher” system has been initiated. Further details of this prac- tice can be found in the current issue of Kemiauutiset. The general feeling is that, given a good foundation and some early success, the students can become more motivated to pursue chemistry and will graduate within a reasonable timeframe.

Professors from older generations (i.e. those born shortly after the Sec- ond World War) have recently retired, or soon will. Bright new chemists are needed in all sectors of society, from chemical industries to research institutes and schools. As such, the Department is working hard to provide a new generation of world-class chemists to fill these roles.

Congratulations again to Markus – keep up the excellent work!

Heikki Tenhu

Head of the Department of Chemistry

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M

arkus Metsälä valmistui filoso- fian maisteriksi Helsingin yliopiston kemian laitokselta vuonna 2001 ja väitteli fysikaalisesta kemi- asta vuonna 2006. Väitöskirja käsitteli molekyylien ylivärähdyspektroskopiaa, ja työssä kehitettiin myös uusia herkkiä laserspektroskopian muotoja. Väitök- sen jälkeen Markus työskenteli vuoden post-docina Berliinissä, Fritz Haber -instituutissa. Berliinissä hän oli mukana kehittämässä uusia menetelmiä neu- traalien molekyylien jäähdyttämiseen kaasufaasissa millikelvinin lämpötiloi- hin. Tekniikka perustuu molekyylisuihku- jen manipuloimiseen sähkökentillä (ns.

Stark-hidastaminen). Kemian laitokselle palaamisen jälkeen Markus on suunnan- nut tutkimusintressinsä pienten kaas- upitoisuuksien analysoimiseen optisen spektroskopian ja reaaliaikaisen mas-

KEMIAN OSASTON VUODEN OPETTAJA 2018 –

YLIOPISTONLEHTORI MARKUS METSÄLÄ

PEOPLE

”Fysikaalinen

kemia voi välillä olla haastavaa, mutta se on sen arvoista.”

Markus Metsälä

saspektrometrian keinoin. Tutkimus- ryhmänsä kanssa hän kehittää ja soveltaa hivenkaasuanalyysiä mm. lääketieteelli- seen diagnostiikkaan. Eräs tämänhetki- sistä projekteista käsittelee suun pato- geenisten mikrobien erittämiä kaasuja.

Tutkimuksen alkuvaiheessa mikrobit kasvatetaan maljoilla ja niiden erittämät hivenkaasut analysoidaan reaaliaikaisen massaspektrometrian avulla. Myöhem- min tutkitaan hengitysnäytteitä potilailta, joilla on diagnosoitu näiden patogeenien aiheuttamia infektioita. Tutkimuksen tar- koituksena on siis kehittää uusia hengi- tystestejä suun patogeenien kolonisaa- tion ja infektion havaitsemiseen.

Väitöksensä jälkeen Markus ollut kemian laitoksella töissä useissa eri toi- menkuvissa – laboratorioinsinöörinä vuo- desta 2005 alkaen ja vuosina 2010–2013 Suomen akatemian tutkijatohtorina. Vuo-

desta 2017 alkaen hän on toiminut fysikaalisen kemian yliopistolehtorina. Nimi- tys vakinaistettiin vuoden 2019 alussa.

Yliopistonlehtorina Markus vastaa fysikaalisen kemian kandivaiheen laborato- rio-opetuksesta ja opettaa sekä kandi- että maisterivaiheen luentokursseilla.

Hän on kiinnostunut fysikaalisen kemian opetuksen kehittämisestä selkeämpään ja helpommin lähestyttävään suuntaan.

Fysikaalinen kemia muodostaa tärkeän pohjan koko kemian opinnoille, mutta esim. termodynamiikan ja kvanttimeka- niikan käsitteet ja matemaattinen lähes- tymistapa tuottavat välillä opiskelijoille päänvaivaa. Markus haluaa tuoda teorian ja käytännön väliset yhteydet selvästi esiin opetuksessa ja osoittaa opiskelijoille, kuinka fysikaalisen kemian perusteet ovat läsnä kaikessa kemiassa.

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K

emian koulutusohjelmien opetuksessa on esillä useita mielenkiintoisia kehityskohteita, joihin olemme pystyneet paneutumaan viime vuosien hallinnollisten uudistusten rinnalla. Kokoan tähän katsa- ukseen lyhyesti joitain tärkeimpiä. Monia aiheita esitel- lään myös tarkemmin tämän lehden sivuilla.

Vuoden mielenkiintoisimpia uutuuksia tiedekunnas- samme on englanninkielinen Bachelor of Science -kandiohjelma (s. 16-17). Ensimmäiset opiskelijat aloittavat ohjelmassa syksyllä 2019. Kansainvälinen hakukierros on jo käyty, ja saimme sitä kautta n. 70 hakemusta. Keväällä yhteishaku tuottaa toivottavasti vielä useampia. Tämä ohjelma seuraa yliopiston määrätietoista kansainvälisty- miskehitystä, mistä hyvä näyttö on uusien maisteriohjel- mien kansainvälinen markkinointi. Tänä vuonna maiste- riohjelmien kansainvälisten hakijoiden määrä nousi jälleen 30 % viimevuotisesta.

Opetuksen ohella keskitymme luonnollisesti myös opiskelijoi- den ohjaukseen ja hyvinvointiin . Olemme aloittaneet kemian kan- diohjelmassa hieman uudistetun opiskelijaohjauksen omaopettaja -mallin.

Opetuksen ohella keskitymme luonnollisesti myös opiskelijoiden ohjaukseen ja hyvinvointiin. Olemme aloittaneet kemian kandiohjelmassa hieman uudistetun opiskelijaohjauksen omaopettaja -mallin. Oma luotto-opettaja tutus- tuttaa opiskelijat taloon ja kemian mahdollisuuksiin, seuraa opiskelijoiden etenemistä ja on käytettävissä tukihenkilönä koko kolmivuotisen kandiopintopolun ajan. Tästä toimin- nasta kerrotaan tarkemmin sivuilla 28–29.

Opetuksen menetelmistä digitalisoinnin hyödyntä- minen on nykyään vahvasti esillä valtakunnallisestikin.

Helsingin yliopisto on perustanut erityisen digiloikka-

Opetuksen kehitystä:

OHJAUSTA, DIGITOINTIA JA VIDEOITA

OPISKELU

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hankkeen, josta tarjotaan tukea kaikille kandi- ja maiste- riohjelmille sähköisten opetusmenetelmien kehittämiseen.

Digitalisaation korostaminen ei kuitenkaan saa meitä unohtamaan, mistä kemiassa on kysymys. Kohdennamme kemian kandiohjelman projektissa päähuomion harjoitus- työkurssien kehittämiseen. Digitalisoinnilla ei suinkaan korvata yhtään kokeellista työtä, koska laboratoriotyös- kentely on kemian opiskelun ydin. Tehostamme opiske- lua tuottamalla esittely- ja ohjevideoita sekä muuta materiaalia, joiden avulla harjoituksiin voi valmistautua entistä tehokkaammin etukäteen. Näin laboratoriossa voidaan kiinnittää enemmän huomiota työn varsinaiseen tarkoituk- seen, tarkasteltavaan ilmiöön ja teoreettiseen selitykseen.

Toivomme, että näin saamme harjoituksista entistä innos- tavampia ja tehokkaammin oppimista tukevia.

Digitaalisin menetelmin voimme tehostaa myös koulu- yhteistyötä. Uudessa opetussuunnitelmassa lukiot velvoi- tetaan yhteistyöhön yliopistojen kanssa ja järjestämään niin sanottuja kurkistuskursseja, joilla lukio-opiskelijat voivat tutustua yliopiston opekseen. Monipuolisemmilla aineistoilla parannetaan motivaatiota, ja kursseilla voi myös suorittaa joitakin opintopisteitä hyödynnettäviksi myöhemmissä yliopisto-opinnoissa. Suunnitelmissamme on perustaa yksi tai kaksi verkkokurssia koulukursseja täydentävistä ja kemian osaston tutkimusaloja esittele- vistä aiheista. Samassa tarkoituksessa tiedekunnassa on jo useita vuosia toteutettu ruotsinkielistä, perinteisiin luen- toihin perustuvaa kurssia Naturvetenskaper nu, joka kerää vuosittain runsaasti lukio-opiskelijoita kuulemaan esityksiä yliopiston luonnontieteiden tutkimusaiheista.

Digitaalisten menetelmien käyttö on toki jatkuvasti laa- jentunut ilman erityistä projektiakin. Hyväksi havaittu esi- merkki on laskuharjoitusten vertaisarviointi, jossa opiskelijat arvioivat anonyymisti toistensa suorituksia. Tämä on käytössä monella kemian kurssilla. Luentojen video- tallennukset ovat vähitellen yleistyneet, ja opetusvideoi- den tuottamista helpottaa pian Kumpulaan avattava stu- dio. Yksittäisenä digitointihankkeena suurin ja työllistävin on ollut sivuaineopiskelijoille tarkoitetun Kemian perusteet -kurssin toteutus verkko-opetuksena. Toista vuotta kestä- neen työn tuloksena kaikki oppimateriaali saatiin viime syksyn kurssia varten verkkoon. Tämä usean sadan opiskelijan kurssi onnistui erinomaisesti ja antoi rohkaisevan esi- merkin siitä, miten sähköiset menetelmät mahdollistavat

opiskelijoita aktivoivan opetustavan suurellakin opetus- ryhmällä. Kemian perusteet -kurssia käsitellään tarkemmin artikkelissa ”Massaluennoista aktivoivaan verkko-opiskeluun: Kemian perusteet verkkokurssina” (s. 18-19).

Toinen mielenkiintoinen kurssiuudistus on

Chemicals and Legislation . Mukana on asiantuntijoita yli kahdestakymmenestä yksiköstä.

Toinen mielenkiintoinen kurssiuudistus on Chemicals and Legislation. Se koostuu laajasta videoluentosarjasta, jossa eri aihepiirien asiantuntijat esittelevät käytännön toimintaan liittyviä säännöksiä, riskien hallintaa ja oikeita käytäntöjä. Hanke on toteutettu yhteistyössä Kemianteol- lisuus ry:n ja yliopiston opetusteknologiapalvelujen kanssa.

Kemianteollisuus ry koordinoi asiantuntijoiden haun jäsen- yrityksistään, tutkimuslaitoksista ja viranomaisista. Mukana on asiantuntijoita yli kahdestakymmenestä yksiköstä. Laaja yhteistyö mahdollisti kattavan materiaalipaketin, jollaista tästä aihekokonaisuudesta ei ollut aiemmin tehty. Mate- riaali annetaan vapaasti kaikkien tarvitsevien käyttöön verkkosivun ja MOOC-kurssin kautta. Kiinnostus jo projek- tin aikana on ollut erittäin suurta! Verkkosivu on jo avattu ja videot ovat katsottavissa osoitteessa https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-science/online-lectures-on-chemicals-and-legislation.

Opetus- ja opiskelukäytännöt kehittyvät kovaa vauhtia.

Uudet välineet eivät ole itseisarvoisia, mutta antavat runsaasti mahdollisuuksia aktivoiviin ja oppimista parantaviin työtapoihin.

Mikko Oivanen

Kemian osaston varajohtaja

Kemian kandiohjelman sekä Kemian ja molekyylitieteiden maisteriohjelman johtaja

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P

rofessor Markku Leskelä, who is best known as a pioneer in developing and applying Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology, retired in November 2018. He served as a professor of inorganic chemistry at the Univer- sity of Helsinki and his professional career is outstanding.

Before reviewing Markku’s history, it may be helpful for the reader appreciate his achievements by quantifying them. Specifically, Markku has published an astonishing 700 scientific articles, and written or edited 17 books. Furthermore, he holds 53 patents/patent applications, and has supervised 63 PhD theses. He has certainly been working hard! It is no wonder that he has been the most highly cited (ISI) scientist in material science since 2004. Markku has participated in two Academy of Finland Centers of Excel- lence, one of which (Atomic Layer Depo- sition) he led during 2012–17. He was also appointed as Academy Professor from 2004–2009.

Starting the Expedition: The Early Years Markku studied at the Helsinki University of Technology, TKK, (presently known as Aalto University); even before finalizing his PhD he was offered a company position at Partek. However, he declined the offer and chose to continue his studies.

The next offer came from the University of Oulu, where he started as an acting associate professor in 1979. At the same time, he was offered a grant to work at ETH Zürich, but he preferred the position in Oulu – maybe because he had not completed his doctoral degree, which he spent the next half-year finalizing. In 1982, he was nominated as associate professor at the University of Oulu, where he continued to work until 1986.

Lauri Niinistö was the inorganic chemistry professor at TKK. He was on sabbat- ical during 1981–82 and during this period, Markku replaced him. Markku’s research

work period at TKK continued for several years, where he worked as acting professor or project leader. In 1983, he received a senior scientist grant from the Acad- emy of Finland. This was a one-year grant for scientific research – a grant which the Academy no longer offers.

Markku’s long journey took a turn in 1986, when he was appointed a full pro- fessorship in inorganic chemistry at the University of Turku. During the academic year of 1987–88, Markku was on sabbat- ical in the USA. He returned to his position at Turku and, together with his family, was considering the possibility of moving there. It is worth mentioning that during the long expeditions in Oulu and Turku his home had always been in Helsinki.

However, moving to Turku was no longer an issue when a professorial position became available at the University of Hel- sinki. Markku started in this new post with us in 1990.

Career in Helsinki

The reader may wonder, what was the reason for all these moves? After all, this meant living with a travelling bag for almost ten years! According to Markku, the main reason was the lack of research resources in Oulu and Turku. Since there was money and instruments at TKK, this was where Markku spent one day each week for an entire decade. (How many modern scientists would want to do this?

– secretary’s comment). The personnel at the Department of Chemistry in Oulu consisted of 7 professors and 12 teaching assistants, only one of which worked in inorganic chemistry. Thus, not a big team at all. In Turku, the team was even smaller.

Eventually, the University of Turku and Åbo Akademi started a common materials research center, which started to suc- cessfully collect funding. Markku initiated ALD research in TKK during 1980–81, and the research group received the first funding from the Academy of Finland in

1984. In the following years, more funding was acquired from Tekes.

Markku Leskelä retired in November 2018,

following an astonishingly successful scientific

career.

Given these conditions, the University of Helsinki seemed to be an ideal setting for Markku’s research, owing to its much higher number of teaching and research staff. At the time, there were 14 teaching assistants and six full-time teachers in inorganic chemistry. With this amount of coworkers, it finally became reasonable to start searching for large-scale funding – which Markku was highly successful at. In the spring of 1991, he received substantial three-year funding from the Academy of Finland and Tekes, which was used to pur- chase all of the basic instrumentation for the ALD research. Of the initial key staff, two eventually moved to other positions;

the rest worked with Markku until their retirement. This reflects how agreeable and well-respected Markku was.

In 1992, Markku’s coworkers in Jyväskylä, Hilkka and Pekka Knuut- tila, initiated the formation of the Catal- ysis Research Group. This research was funded by the Neste and Borealis companies for over ten years, as well as by the Academy of Finland and Tekes. The catalysis laboratory (Catlab) started in 1994.

During 1994–2014, the inorganic chemistry group was comprised of two labs: ALD and Catlab, which together consisted of over 50 researchers.

The next external initiative came from Dr. Jorma Sundquist (Pulp and Paper Research Institute KCL, now merged with VTT). Together with VTT and Prof. Outi Krause, an exciting Tekes funded project PEOPLE

MARKKU’S FIVE DECADES OF CHEMISTRY RESEARCH

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(SEKAVA; catalytic bleaching of cellulose) was conducted during 1998–2004. This started the research on catalytic revalo- rization of biomass, which has continued ever since.

In the meantime, ALD research continued without a break. Mikrokemia Oy (founded in 1987 by Neste to study surface chemistry, catalysts, and solar cells) became ASM Microchemistry in 1999.

ASM moved to the Department of Chem- istry in 2004, which made national head- lines. Since then, the company has rented laboratories and offices from the Univer- sity and forged strong collaborations with the Inorganic Chemistry Research Group.

Several important grants, primar- ily from the Academy of Finland, helped establish the maturity of the research group, as well as Markku’s position as one of the world’s leading material scientists.

During 2002–2007, a Centre of Excellence in bio- and nanopolymer research was run in collaboration with Aalto University (Jukka Seppälä); the following CoE in ALD was conducted during 2012–2017. Markku held the Academy Professor status from 2004–2009.

How Has the Department Changed?

Over the years, many things have changed in the Department of Chemis- try. For example, the volume of teaching staff has reduced considerably. Cur- rently, the Department has four inorganic chemistry lecturers and two inorganic chemistry doctoral students; the Depart- ment also hires a small group of students who help teach the student labs. There are still only three inorganic chemistry professors, as before.

When it comes to administration, the university – including the Department of Chemistry – is returning to where it was in 1990. Specifically, when Markku started, university democracy did not exist. Instead, decisions were made by consortia and faculties, which only consisted of full professors. A big change was made in 1992, when the faculty and department boards were created. These consisted of representatives of professors, other staff, and students. After a new university law became effective in 2010, the system began to change.

Department boards no longer exist and, as of early 2018, departments became

economically non-independent units of faculties. This change means that the decision making is once again left to only a few people.

Markku has published 700 scientific articles, and written or edited 17 books. Furthermore, he holds 53 patents/

patent applications, and has supervised 63 PhD theses.

Retirement Plans

Thankfully, Markku will not disappear entirely from the Department of Chem- istry. Several of his research projects are still underway, and new research pro- posals continue to be submitted. Evi- dently, there will be more time for writ- ing! In addition, Markku will continue as

an active reviewer in various universities and academies.

Throughout his career, Markku has been an active participant in the activities of scientific societies and founda- tions, including the Finnish Chemical Societies, Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, Finnish Society of Science and Letters, and the Finnish Academy of Technical Sciences. This too will continue in his retirement.

Finally, Markku wishes to underline the importance of professional and scientific societies. Many are suffering from too few active members. Moreover, current students that do not participate in societal activities are unfamiliar with the chemical companies in Finland. Network- ing via society membership is extremely important – and this goes beyond cock- tails after seminars and workshops!

We hope that Markku will continue his successful work for many years to come!

Heikki Tenhu

Head of the Department of Chemistry

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T

he University of Helsinki (UH) strongly supports the mobility of students, by welcoming international students as well as encouraging domestic students to participate in for- eign exchange programs. Helsinki is a popular choice for exchange and international degree students. Indeed, international students represent half of the student body in many courses of the Master’s Programmes, and the number of international applications continues to increase. For example, the Master’s Programme in Chemistry and Molecu- lar Sciences (CHEMS) has seen a three- fold increase within the past three years.

In addition to the international students, several bachelor’s students from other Finnish universities or universities of applied sciences come to complete their Master’s degree in Helsinki.

Prof. Mikko Oivanen interviews three M. Sc.

students to find out their thoughts on studying at the University of Helsinki.

What made this Master’s Programme attractive to apply to, and how do the students feel after their first half year of studies? We have discussed these issues with three students that joined the CHEMS Master’s Programme last autumn. Linda Srbova comes from the Czech Republic, Yangming Zhu from China, and Tatu Martinmäki moved to UH from the University of Turku, Finland.

- Do you still feel that it was a good idea

to do your master’s studies abroad/at another university?

“Definitely! It was one of the best ideas that I have ever had,” says Linda.

She and Yangming both feel that studying abroad offers a different perspec- tive of the world and opens one’s mind to new ideas. They are eager to adapt to new environments and make friend- ships with different people. Even Tatu, coming from another Finnish university, feels that the change was positive.

He is enjoying the increased freedom of choice and the more varied course pal- ette compared to his previous university.

Tatu made particular note of the chance to specialize in both analytical chemistry and radiochemistry within CHEMS.

- What factors made you choose Hel- sinki and the CHEMS Master’s Pro- gramme? Did you have other possibil- ities in mind?

Linda tells us that first and foremost, she wanted to move to Finland! Then, the international ranking of the University of Helsinki was the deciding factor.

“I picked the CHEMS programme because it seemed to be well-structured, and I was highly motivated to widen my chemistry knowledge towards a new direction: molecular science.”

Yangming already had contacts in Finland after an earlier exchange period here and was keen to return. Besides the high ranking and reputation of the education at UH, she also had more personal reasons:

“One of the professors from my bachelor’s university also studied here. I specifically chose the CHEMS master’s programme because it is most closely related to my bachelor’s studies. The Programme’s web page is very attrac-

tive and the content easily accessible, and the University’s international study environment and diverse opportunities are impressive. The cost of living and studying is also an important aspect – Helsinki has quite good benefits for students. Also, the possibility to get a scholarship was taken into consideration.”

- Was it easy find enough information to make the decision? Was the given information reliable?

Linda thinks that the decision was not easy, even though there was enough information provided online.

“What I highly appreciate is that after I was accepted (but before I confirmed my final decision), one of the professors – who was also my future study plan advisor – was extremely helpful. He quickly provided accurate information to answer all of my questions.”

For Yangming, it was slightly easier – although it still took some time to decide:

“It was not so hard to make the decision, especially since I had the chance to get a scholarship. That made the decision much easier.”

- What do you think about the teach- ing and curriculum in the master’s pro- gramme? What are the positive aspects, and where do you suggest changes?

Tatu notes that the scheduling of his lectures is not ideal; lectures could, for example, start earlier – but no earlier than 1000. Most of his classes are (and have been) from 1200–1400.

Linda provides important feedback regarding the teaching:

“The lecturers are professionals;

they have perfect theoretical knowledge, are passionate about their subjects and they know how to effectively

WHY CHOOSE HELSINKI FOR MSC STUDIES?

STUDY PROGRAMMES

KUVAT VEIKKO SOMERPURO

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deliver material to students. Thus, their classes are extremely interesting, motivating and practical. Yet, it has been noted that some lecturers could imple- ment changes to improve their teaching. For example, some teachers do not follow the structures well, or do not use online sources/learning systems, making their teaching slightly old-fashioned.

Luckily, this has only been observed in a few cases. I believe that if feedback from students was taken into account, these weaknesses could easily be fixed.”

The students appreciate the pleasant atmosphere of the classes:

“All the teachers, assistants and advi- sors speak very good English, which makes the environment friendly and accessible to everyone. There is no need to be afraid of having wrong answers;

the teachers will guide you step by step.”

“The curriculum of CHEMS is appre- ciated for providing specialized content, while allowing flexibility in the studies according to the students’ interests and needs. Thus, besides the specific package of the chosen programme, I still have space to choose courses from other programmes or departments,”

notes Linda.

Yangming addresses the intensive nature of the studies, as the content of a course is taught in one study period:

“Some courses have three lectures a week; maybe two per week would be a better way to spread the energy evenly.”

- Do you believe that your time in Hel- sinki will be beneficial for your future career?

Tatu: “I am currently planning on find- ing a job in the private sector after graduating. I assume that a MSc degree from UH is valued and respected.”

Linda: “I believe this university provides a great starting point for scientifi- cally-oriented people. One of my options is to continue with a PhD degree and do research for a little longer. However, if I get a chance to apply my knowledge and skills in a relevant start-up or small company, I would prefer to go right into the industry after I finish my master’s degree.”

Yangming: “Yes, I believe so. Profes- sional competence and various abilities will be improved, compared to studying in China. Studying at the University of Helsinki gives me a great competitive angle when looking for jobs either here or at home. My friends here have found quite satisfying careers after studying at the University of Helsinki. I have consid- ered pursuing a PhD, but it depends on how my master’s studies and thesis go.

After that, I’ll try to find a job here in a company related to chemistry.”

- What would you say to prospective students when advertising the Univer- sity of Helsinki and the master’s pro- gramme?

Tatu: “I’d advertise the University’s laid-back atmosphere (at least at the Kumpula campus) and the city as safe and functioning.”

Linda: “It is a well-structured programme, fully taught in English. It is located at the Kumpula campus, with richly equipped chemistry and physics laboratories. Also, many different student organizations and guilds are based here, which makes the study environment lively and friendly.”

Yangming: “It is a high-quality university where you can pursue your studies in a friendly, international, and welcoming environment. The teachers are interesting and kind. You can have flexible studies regarding the master’s programme. It is also in a city worth exploring.”

"The lecturers have perfect theoretical

knowledge, are passionate about their subjects

and they know how to effectively deliver material to students. Thus, their classes are extremely interesting, motivating and practical. "

Mikko Oivanen

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I

n the autumn of 2019, the University of Helsinki will commence the first bachelor’s programme to be taught entirely in English: the Bachelor’s Programme in Science. This represents a great step forward for the aspirations of the university on the international stage.

There are several international schools in Finland; for the most part, the Master’s and Doctoral Programmes at the major universities are conducted in English. Never- theless, a gap has remained at the undergraduate level;

until now, it has not been possible to complete an Eng- lish-language bachelor’s degree. There is a strong call for education in English, since the non-Finnish population in the Helsinki area continues to rise – it already represents more than 14% of the total population (2017). Thus, the new B. Sc. programme is not only targeting international applicants from abroad, but also those already living in Finland without adequate Finnish (or Swedish) language skills. Native Finnish students will, of course, also be welcome.

The upcoming Bachelor’s

Programme in Science marks the first bachelor’s programme to be offered entirely in English.

We anticipate that this new programme will enhance the friendly and international atmosphere within the Faculty and promote cooperation between departments.

The application period for international students closed in January 2019. Nearly 70 applications were submitted, which is a respectable amount for a brand- new programme. The second application round will take place in March 2019 for Finnish high school graduates, as well as IB and RP graduates.

Even though we are starting a programme in English, we guarantee that our capacity for Finnish and Swedish teaching will not be reduced. Additional arrangements are being put in place to handle the increased teaching demand for the new English courses. Indeed, international professors and researchers will now have a chance to take part in undergraduate teaching. Laboratory work, which forms an essential component of the chemistry studies, will be arranged concurrently with native Finn- ish students. In this way, it is hoped that an engaging,

THE FIRST

BACHELOR’S PROGRAMME IN ENGLISH

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI

STUDY PROGRAMMES

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Bachelor’s programme in Science 180 cr

Study track in Chemistry Study track in

Physics Study track in

Computer and Data Science Study track in

Mathematics

Compulsory common studies 25 cr

(Language and communication skills, career orientation and professional skills, ICT-skills)

Mandatory studies for all students

Other studies according to personal study plan

Basic studies Choose at least

one of these Subject studies

Choose one of these

Physics studies for Chemistry study

track 10-25 cr

Compulsory subject studies in Chemistry

35-45 cr

Study module in Science 15-30 cr Basic studies in

Mathematics 25 cr

Elective studies in Chemistry

0-45 cr Freely chosen studies at least 35 cr

For example: Elective Geography and Geology courses, Basic studies in Statistics

Methodological studies for Physics

study track 5-15 cr

Basic studies in Computer and

Data Science 25 cr

Basic studies in Chemistry

25 cr Compulsory subject

studies in Computer and Data Science 35-50 cr Elective subject studies

in Computer and Data Science 0-35 cr Mathematics and Statistics studies for Computer and Data Science study

track 25 cr Freely chosen

module 25 cr

Subject studies in Mathematics 35-55 cr:

Compulsory 15-25 cr

Alternative 20-30 Compulsory subject

studies in Physics 35-45 cr Elective studies in

Physics 0-45 cr

Basic studies in Physics

25 cr

internationally collaborative atmosphere will be brought into the laboratory.

The programme will include study tracks in chemistry, physics, mathematics, and computer sciences. The applicant’s specialization does not need to be confirmed by the application deadline, however it must be declared by the first spring term. During the first term (autumn 2019), all students will take the same courses. The programme will have a foundation in mathematics, statistics, and programming. Additionally, language studies and general skills training must be undertaken. All study tracks provide eligibility for several Master’s Pro- grammes. In total, the university offers nine optional Master’s Programmes that students can pursue directly from this Bachelor’s Programme, without the need for a new application.

We anticipate that this new programme will enhance the friendly and international atmosphere within the Fac- ulty and promote cooperation between departments.

For more information, please visit:

https://www.helsinki.fi/en/programmes/bachelor/science

Mikko Oivanen,

Professor of Organic Chemistry

Member of the steering group of the Bachelor’s Programme in Science

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OPISKELU

Massaluennoista

aktivoivaan verkko-opiskeluun:

KEMIAN PERUSTEET VERKKOKURSSINA

K

emian perustiedot ja -taidot han- kitaan monessa Helsingin yliopiston kandiohjelmassa kurssilla nimeltä Kemian perusteet. Se on ensim- mäisiä yliopistokursseja useiden satojen opiskelijoiden opinto-ohjelmassa esim.

maatalous-metsätieteellisessä, bio- ja ympäristötieteellisessä sekä farmasian tiedekunnissa. Yhden periodin aikana tulisi ottaa haltuun yleisen ja orgaanisen kemian perusasiat oppien sekä teoriaa että laskurutiineja. Kun edeltävät kemian opinnot saattavat rajoittua yhteen pakol- liseen lukion kemian kurssiin, on selvää, että uutta omaksuttavaa on paljon.

Kurssi on pidetty aiemmin perintei- senä luentokurssina, jossa aktiivinen oppiminen ja tehtävien parissa työs-

kentely on ollut vaikea toteuttaa yli 600 opiskelijan joukolle. Kurssin hylkäyspro- sentti onkin ollut varsin suuri (kuva 1 sininen palkki; vuoden 2017 osalta on vain ensimmäiseen tenttikertaan osallistuvien tiedot). Yleisesti ottaen kurssi on koettu vaikeaksi ja epämotivoivaksi.

Erillisellä kehityshankkeella on pyritty tehostamaan kurssilla tapahtuvaa oppimista. Vuonna 2017 opiskelun tueksi tuotiin Moodlessa tehtäviä, lisäpisteitä antavia viikkotehtäväpaketteja. Vuo- deksi 2018 kurssin luennoista luovuttiin ja tilalle tuotiin kahdesti viikossa pidetyt työpajat. Opiskelumateriaali vietiin verkkoon Moodle-kirjaksi, ja sisältö pilkottiin viikkopaketeiksi, jotka koostuvat ”oppi- tunneista”. Oppitunnit sisältävät selittä-

viä lyhytvideoita, interaktiivisia harjoi- tustehtäviä ja muuta materiaalia, jonka avulla kurssikirjaa on mahdollista opis- kella asia kerrallaan. Kurssin nykyisessä suoritustavassa kokonaispisteistä noin puolet ansaitaan viikkotehtävillä ja noin puolet kahdella välikokeella, jotka suori- tetaan verkkotenttinä Moodlessa.

Vuonna 2018 kurssin hylättyjen suoritusten osuus oli alle puolet edellisvuodesta (kuva 1 sininen palkki). Kurssipa- lautteissa moni opiskelija vastasi, että sisällön pilkkominen selkeisiin oppitun- teihin tuki oppimista. Näin jaksettiin opis- kella loppuun asti. Kuvan 2 kaavio osoittaa, että vuonna 2018 kurssin lopussa n.

80 % opiskelijoista koki ymmärtävänsä käsitettä ainemäärä aika hyvin tai hyvin,

Uudistetulla

verkkokurssilla hylättyjen suoritusten osuus oli alle puolet edellisvuodesta.

KUVAT LAURA KORPPINEN JA STEFAN TAUBERT

Arvosana 2017 2018

0 35,20% 14,50%

1 8,10% 8,60%

2 6,50% 13,70%

3 8,10% 16,50%

4 9,90% 20,30%

5 32,20% 26,40%

0 1

1-4 tuntia 46,15% 46,55%

5-10 tuntia 53,85% 39,66%

10-15 tuntia 0,00% 10,34%

yli 15 tuntia 0,00% 3,45%

Ymmärrän käsitettä heikosti;

en osaa soveltaa sitä lainkaan 0,75%

Ymmärrän käsitettä aika heikosti;

osaan soveltaa sitä vain harvassa tilanteissa 1,35%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%25%

30%

35%

40%

1 2 3 4 5 6

Arvosanat 2017 ja 2018

2017 2018 Kuva 1. Arvosanajakaumat vuosina 2017 ja 2018.

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ja vain pari prosenttia koki, ettei juuri lainkaan osaisi soveltaa sitä. Palauttei- den perusteella suurimman viikoittaisen työmäärän tekivät ne opiskelijat, jotka saivat arvosanan 3 (kuva 3). Tämä joh- tunee siitä, että monella opiskelijalla on varsin hyvä kemian tausta lukiosta, ja he pystyvät suorittamaan kurssin hyvin arvosanoin varsin vähäisellä työmää- rällä. Toisaalta ne opiskelijat, jotka eivät ole lukiossa suorittaneet kuin yhden

pakollisen kemian kurssin, pystyvät suo- riutumaan hyvin vain tekemällä töitä kurssimateriaalin parissa. Onnistunut kurssisuoritus oli mahdollista saavuttaa kohtuullisella työmäärällä, sillä vain har- vat arvioivat tehneensä enemmän kuin 15 tuntia viikossa (laskennallisesti 5 op vastaa keskimäärin 135 tuntia opiskelijan työtä, eli n. 17 tuntia/viikko). Materiaalin pilkkominen pieniin osiin auttoi pitämään motivaation yllä ja tekemään töitä mate-

riaalin parissa läpi koko kurssin. Suori- tustulosten valossa voidaan todeta, että kurssin kehittämisessä verkkokurssiksi onnistuttiin hyvin. Verkkokurssipilotti oli rohkaiseva, ja sen pohjalta on hyvä jatkaa tulevaisuuden sisällöllistä ja pedagogista kehittämistä.

Stefan Taubert Yliopistonlehtori

Verkkokurssipilotti oli rohkaiseva, ja sen pohjalta on hyvä jatkaa tulevaisuuden sisällöllistä ja pedagogista kehittämistä.

Arvosana 2017 2018

0 35,20% 14,50%

1 8,10% 8,60%

2 6,50% 13,70%

3 8,10% 16,50%

4 9,90% 20,30%

5 32,20% 26,40%

0 1

1-4 tuntia 46,15% 46,55%

5-10 tuntia 53,85% 39,66%

10-15 tuntia 0,00% 10,34%

yli 15 tuntia 0,00% 3,45%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

en osaa soveltaa sitä lainkaan Ymmärrän käsitettä aika heikosti;

osaan soveltaa sitä vain harvassa tilanteissa Ymmärrän käsitettä aika heikosti;

osaan soveltaa sitä joissain tilanteissa Ymmärrän käsitettä aika hyvin;

osaan soveltaa sitä useissa tilanteissa Ymmärrän käsitettä täysin;

osaan soveltaa sitä kaikissa tilanteissa

Ainemäärän käsitteen hallinta

Arvosana 2017 2018

0 35,20% 14,50%

1 8,10% 8,60%

2 6,50% 13,70%

3 8,10% 16,50%

4 9,90% 20,30%

5 32,20% 26,40%

0 1

1-4 tuntia 46,15% 46,55%

5-10 tuntia 53,85% 39,66%

10-15 tuntia 0,00% 10,34%

yli 15 tuntia 0,00% 3,45%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

0 1 2 3 4 5

Kurssiarvosana ja viikoittainen opiskelumäärä

1-4 tuntia 5-10 tuntia 10-15 tuntia yli 15 tuntia Kuva 2. Opiskelijoiden itse koettu kyky ymmärtää ja soveltaa

käsitettä ainemäärä. Kuva 3. Viikoittainen työmäärä ja kurssiarvosana vuonna 2018.

Indypendenz / Shutterstock.com

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T

he management of radioactive wastes, contaminated nuclear sites, and nuclear facility decommissioning represent some of the most demanding managerial, technical, and environmental challenges facing developed nations in the coming decades. The estimated cost of handling these challenges is in the region of €100’s of billion in Europe alone. Radioche- mistry research and training new generations of radiochemists are vital to our chances of success.

Welcome to Gareth Law, the Department’s new Professor of Radiochemistry.

The Department of Chemistry is home to the Univer- sity of Helsinki Radiochemistry Unit, staffed by approximately 40 members (including PhD students). The unit plays a vital role in supporting the Finnish nuclear industry, both in terms of conducting research and supplying trained personnel.

In 2018, Prof. Gareth Law became the new head of the Radiochemistry Unit, following Prof. Jukka Lehto’s retirement from this position. Previously, Gareth was a research team leader at the Centre for Radiochemistry Research at the University of Manchester (UK). He joined the University of Helsinki in September 2018, along with several team members from Manchester: Dr. William Bower (University Researcher), and PhD students Con- naugh Fallon, Mallory Ho, Joyce Ang and Katie Doig.

Gareth’s research group has diverse radiochemistry research interests. These include environmental issues relating to NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) and NORM wastes, nuclear site management (in particular, contaminated land management), nuclear accident response, and environmental radiochemistry.

Other interests include nuclear waste disposal (particularly for low, intermediate, and operating wastes), nuclear decommissioning, nuclear forensics, and tech- nique development. The members of this research group hope to promote these interests within the nuclear industry in Finland.

The team’s research complements the existing research portfolio of the Radiochemistry Unit, which includes topics such as the development of novel ion exchange technologies for radioactive waste treatment (PI Dr. Risto Koivula), geological disposal research (PI Dr. Marja Siitari-Kauppi), radiopharmaceutical chemistry (PI Assoc. Prof. Anu Airaksinen), radioecology (PI Dr.

Susanna Salminen Paatero), and microbiology and bio- sphere research (PI Dr. Merja Lusa).

Gareth shares some insights into his research fields and introduces his research group.

Finland has a mature nuclear industry, with four nuclear reactors that are currently operational across two sites (Loviisa and Olkiluoto). Nuclear power was first supplied to Finland’s national grid in 1977. Presently, approximately 30% of the country’s energy comes from nuclear power production. The first-generation Finnish nuclear reactors will move towards decommissioning in the coming decade, but nuclear has a confirmed place in Finland’s forward plans for energy production. A new reactor is currently being built at Olkiluoto, and another is planned for construction in Pyhäjoki.

Finland is also a world leader in terms of its plans for nuclear waste management. Currently, a deep geological disposal facility for spent nuclear fuel is being built at Onkalo. If all goes well, waste emplacement will begin NEW POSITIONS

NEW PROFESSOR:

GARETH LAW

KUVA MAARIT KYTÖHARJU

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within the next decade, making Finland the first nuclear nation to operate a deep geological disposal facility.

Gareth conducts applied research in an effort to solve problems in the nuclear industry. He felt the research opportunities available in Finland for nuclear waste disposal and nuclear decommissioning research – a topic of growing importance in Finland – were too good to pass up. Finland also has issues with NORM wastes at mining sites, which Gareth hopes to help address. To do this, Gareth hopes to grow the Radiochemistry Unit’s links with the Finnish nuclear industry, while also expanding international participation – particularly with emerging nuclear nations. He also hopes to expand radiochemistry education at the University of Helsinki. Presently, there is a global lack of graduates in radiochemistry, yet the demand for trained personnel in the nuclear industry is high. The University of Helsinki is well placed to meet these training needs, as it currently delivers a wide range of radiochemistry course units to master’s-level chemistry students who can graduate with a NRC accredited EuroMaster in radiochemistry if they choose to specialize in the subject. The Radiochemistry Unit also trains a number of PhD students enrolled in the CHEMS doctoral programme.

Gareth Law

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M

y career as a chemist started during my undergraduate studies in 2000. At that time, I was atten- ding the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil. I had the opportunity to work as an undergraduate research student in the group of Prof. Jaisa Soares, whose research was focused on the synthesis of metal complexes. The topic of my project was bimetallic alkoxides. After taking Prof. Aldo Zarbin’s class in materials chemistry, I became fascinated by this topic and knew that I would like to pursue my career in this field. Prof. Aldo Zarbin became my co-supervisor, and my project shifted to the interface between the synthesis of complexes and materials chemistry. Specifically, I started focu- sing on the utilization of bimetallic alko- xide complexes as precursors for the sol- gel synthesis of mixed-metal oxides. This project evolved and became the topic of my master’s thesis, which I completed in 2005 at the Federal University of Paraná.

Welcome to Pedro Camargo, the Department’s new Professor of Inorganic Materials Chemistry.

After completing my master’s degree, I received a fellowship from the Fulbright Foundation and the Brazilian Ministry of Education (CAPES) to pursue my PhD in the United States of America. I was very interested in the field of nanomaterials, so I joined Prof. Younan Xia’s group at the University of Washington in Seat- tle. My project focused on nanomaterials synthesis, photonic crystals, surface-en-

hanced Raman scattering, and electro- catalysis. We targeted protocols for the synthesis of nanomaterials with controlled compositions, morphologies, and size distribution, in which these tightly controlled physical and chemical fea- tures enabled better performances and structure-performance relationships. In 2007, the Xia group relocated to Wash- ington University in Saint Louis, where I completed my PhD degree in August of 2009. I then returned to Brazil to continue my research as a post-doc at the Brazilian National Laboratory and Uni- versity of Sao Paulo, until 2010. I began my independent career in February of 2011, when I was hired as an assistant professor at the University of Sao Paulo.

There, I was promoted to associate and full professor in 2015 and 2018, respec- tively. In early 2019, I joined the Depart- ment of Chemistry at the University of Helsinki.

Over the past years, I have taught undergraduate courses in general chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and analytical chemistry. I have also organized the Department Seminar Series for several years and taught a graduate-level organometallic chemistry course. As a teacher, I strive to develop student’s problem-solving skills, ensuring that they understand the fundamental concepts, as well as developing teamwork/

collaboration, and reducing science-related anxiety. The central elements of my teaching are courses that are well organized and have a clear sense of direction, enthusiasm, and a friendly classroom environment. Importantly, I like to rein- force theoretical concepts with practical examples. Furthermore, I believe that teaching also serves as a platform for

fostering interest in subjects (i.e. teaching becomes most effective when students are truly intrigued).

Pedro discusses his research fields and his successful career to date.

Currently, the research topics that my group works on involve: i) the development of facile and versatile strategies for the solution-phase synthesis of metallic nanomaterials with well-controlled sizes, shapes, structures (solid vs. hollow inte- riors), and compositions (bi- and trime- tallic); ii) application of these materials in the areas of plasmonic nanocatalysis and “conventional” nanocatalysis; and iii) understanding properties and estab- lishing structure-performance relationships by a combination of modeling, controlled synthesis, catalytic assess- ment, and advanced characterization.

I believe that by carefully maneuvering all the physical and chemical parame- ters that define these nanomaterials via design-controlled synthesis, advanced characterization, and modeling, it is possible to gain a fundamental understanding of their properties. In the context of plasmonic nanocatalysis, for example, this knowledge is central to achieving optimized performances, as well as the discovery of new catalytic behavior. We are particularly interested in developing plasmonic nanocatalysts to achieve not only catalytic enhancements, but also control over reaction selectivities.

It is noteworthy that plasmonic nanocatalysis represents a new frontier in the field of nanocatalysis that enables, at least in principle, the utilization of visible NEW POSITIONS

NEW PROFESSOR:

PEDRO CAMARGO

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and near-infrared light as a sustainable energy input to drive and control chemical transformations. This opens the possibility of replacing contemporary indus- trial processes based on terrestrial fuels through the conversion of radiant energy into chemical energy, which could lead to a paradigm shift in the chemical industry in the future. Some of the key papers from our group in these areas include i) Nano Letters, 2018, 18, 7289; ii) Chem.

Soc. Rev., 2018, 47, 7783; iii) Angew.

Chem. Int. Ed., 2016, 55, 7111.; iv) Angew.

Chem. Int. Ed., 2015, 54, 6909; and v) Nano Lett., 2014, 14, 1921.

Our research has been recognized by a series of awards and important appointments. For example, I was featured in the 2017 Emerging Investigators Special Issue of Chemical Communica- tions, the 2017 Emerging Investigators Special Issue of the Journal of Materi- als Chemistry A, and the 2018 Young Chemists Special Issue of Chemistry – A European Journal. I received the Young Chemist Award (Hans Viertler Prize) from the Brazilian Chemical Society in 2014 and was appointed as an affiliated member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences in 2017. In addition to this rec- ognition, I have been serving as an editor for the Journal of Materials Science (published by Springer Nature) since 2014. This appointment has allowed me to directly impact the research commu- nity at a level that transcends my own research and discipline. Being able to work as an editor has provided me with an excellent opportunity for learning, evaluating the papers of international authors and researchers, and contrib- uting to advancing the field. Working with more senior editors from our board

has also been an excellent opportunity for learning, guidance, and networking, which continues to help me achieve a broader impact on the research com- munity. In 2015, I was also appointed as an associate editor for the Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society.

I look forward to developing an active research programme in the areas of inorganic materials synthesis and plasmonic nanocatalysis at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Helsinki

– one of the top universities in the world.

Moreover, I envision a great potential for strong interactions and collaborations with various groups at the Department of Chemistry, in which I aim to learn new subjects and begin various collaborative projects. I am also very excited about the opportunity to teach both undergraduate and graduate classes at the Univer- sity of Helsinki.

Pedro Camargo

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Opetuksen palautepäivässä 26.4.2018 palkittiin stipendein hyvästä opinto- menestyksestä seuraavat toisen vuoden kemian opiskelijat:

Suomalaisten Kemistien Seuran sti- pendi:

Santeri Larnimaa

Kemian kandiohjelman stipendit:

Severi Juttula Niko Vuorio

Tiedeiltapäivän (Chemistry and Beer) yhteydessä 8.11.2018 jaettiin seuraavat palkinnot lukuvuonna 2017–2018 suoritetuista opinnäytetöistä.

Kemian kandiohjelma palkitsi hyvätasoisesta kandidaatintutkiel- masta seuraavat kaksi opiskelijaa:

LuK Heli Eronen tutkielmastaan Sili- kapartikkelien pintainitioitu atomin- siirtoradikaalipolymerointi

LuK Anton Vihervaara tutkielmas- taan Nanokuitujen sähkökehräys pii- dioksidista ja sen johdannaisista

Masters’ Programme in Chemistry and Molecular Sciences awarded scholarships for the most qualified Masters’ Thesis (pro gradu) to the following students:

Liangsupree Thanaporn, M.Sc., for her thesis entitled: Affinity Monolith Chromatography in the Isolation and Separation of Biomacromolecules Aleksi Sahari, M.Sc., for his thesis entitled: Asymmetric Hydrogena- tion of Imines, Enamines and N-het- eroarenes with Frustrated Lewis Pairs in Combination with Chiral Count- er-Ion Catalysis

STUDYING

PALKITTUJA KEMIAN OPISKELIJOITA 2018 – AWARDED CHEMISTRY STUDENTS IN 2018

KUVA RIITTA-LEENA INKI

Professor Mikko Oivanen (left) and the students awarded for their thesis work: Liangsupree Thanaporn, Heli Eronen, Anton Vihervaara and Aleksi Sahari

Kuva: Sutulo / Pixabay.com

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H

elsingin yliopiston kemian osasto on uudistanut pitkäkestoisen tutkimussopimuksen ASM Microche- mistry Oy:n kanssa. Uusi sopimus muodostaa saumattoman jatkon jo vuonna 2004 alkaneelle yhteistyölle, jonka kes- toksi tulee tämän uuden sopimuksen myötä jo 20 vuotta. Aiempien sopimus- ten tavoin tämäkin takaa rahoituksen vii- deksi vuodeksi neljälle tutkijalle, joista kolme on jatko-opiskelijoita.

ASM Microchemistry Oy on hollanti- laisen puolijohdealan valmistuslaitteita toimittavan yrityksen ASM International N.V.:n tytäryhtiö, mikä on erikoistunut atomikerroskasvatukseen (Atomic Layer Deposition, ALD). ASM Microchemistryn laboratoriotilat ovat Chemicumissa Kum- pulan kampuksella.

Yhteistyö keskittyy atomikerroskasvatukseen, joka on edistyksellinen

menetelmä ohutkalvojen kontrolloituun valmistamiseen integroituihin piireihin ja muihin sovelluksiin. Kaikissa uusissa puhelimisissa ja tietokoneissa on ALD:llä valmistettuja materiaaleja. ALD-mene- telmän merkittävyydestä kertoo osal- taan sen kehittäjän, TkT Tuomo Suntolan saama miljoonan euron Millennium-pal- kinto vuonna 2018.

– ASM-yhteistyö on poikkeuksellinen sekä pitkäjänteisyytensä että laajuutensa ansiosta, toteavat professori Mikko Ritala ja juuri emeritusprofessoriksi siirtynyt Markku Leskelä, yliopiston ALD-ryhmän vetäjät. – Me ja opiskelijamme arvos- tamme tällaista yhteistyötä teollisuu- den kanssa, missä raja perustutkimuk- sen ja soveltavan tutkimuksen väliltä häviää. Ongelmat, joiden parissa työs- kentelemme, ovat luonteeltaan perus- tavaa laatua, mutta ne nousevat käy-

tännön sovelluksista ja niiden ratkaisuja voidaan käyttää tulevaisuuden puolijoh- dekomponenttien valmistuksessa. Tutki- muksemme ja koulutuksemme merkitys näkyy hyvin myös siinä kuinka kysyttyjä meiltä valmistuvat kemistit ovat alan yri- tyksissä.

Lähitulevaisuudessa yliopiston ALD- ryhmä saa lisävahvistusta yliopiston profilointirahoituksen turvin. ALD-tutkimus kuuluu Helsingin yliopiston strate- giseen tutkimusalaan ”Aineen rakenne ja materiaalit”. Vuonna 2019 tullaan palk- kaamaan uusi professori atomikerroskasvatukseen ja -etsaukseen ja vuosina 2020–21 tehdään merkittävä investointi tutkimuslaitteisiin, joilla voidaan tut- kia atomitason prosesseja aivan uudella tarkkuudella.

Mikko Ritala

KEMIAN OSASTO JA ASM MICROCHEMISTRY OY UUDISTIVAT 5-VUOTISEN

TUTKIMUSSOPIMUKSEN

ATOMIKERROSKASVATUKSESTA

RESEARCH

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upport for early career researchers is important for the growth of world-class research institutes, as it helps give junior scientists a head start in the competitive world of academia. The University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Science has recognized this need, and gener- ously granted financial assistance to the Kumpula Junior Faculty Club (JFC) for a second year running.

Launched in October 2018, the JFC meets monthly, hosting events across the campus. The specific aims include:

• Supporting the career development and networking of early-career researchers

• Promoting and advocating the well-being of the junior faculty

• Fostering the connections between the early-career staff and the permanent faculty

JFC events typically take two forms: social coffee breaks to promote peer support, as well as networking and career-building seminars with faculty members and external experts, moderated by the board members.

Everyone interested is warmly welcomed to join in the planning and execution of the JFC activities. We recog- nize that to start a successful career in academia, a little help from like-minded peers can go a long way.

Reach out to the board members if you are interested. If you are a new member of the junior faculty, we would love to hear how we can be of service to you. If you would like more information, or want to suggest an event, contact the committee by emailing

kumpula-junior-faculty@helsinki.fi.

We hope to see you at our next event!

The Junior Faculty Club Committee

KUMPULA CAMPUS

JUNIOR FACULTY CLUB 2019

PEOPLE