Doctoral and master’s degrees conferred in festive events

Aalto University's School of Arts, Design and Architecture will organise a ceremonial conferment of doctoral and master's degrees on Thursday, 13 June at the Undergraduate Centre and in the Väre building in Otaniemi. The Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees in technology will be held on Friday, 14 June in Dipoli.
from 13.00 –16.00. The same online link works for both events.
At the Conferment of Arts, Design and Architecture, eight honorary doctors and 55 masters and doctors will be welcomed to the academic community. The honorary doctors are Artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila, Professor Jacob Buur, Professor Emerita Helena Hyvönen, Landscape Architect Leena Iisakkila, Director Kari Korkman, Professor Irit Rogoff, Artistic Director Gerfried Stocker and Publisher Daniel Thawley.
At the ceremonial conferment for the field of technology, new members of the scientific community will include seven honorary doctors, 155 doctors together with jubilee doctors, who were celebrated in a similar event 50 years ago. The honorary doctors are Technology Manager Matti Kauhanen, Director General Arvo Kokkonen, Professor Enrique J. Lavernia, Director Marja Makarow, Mayor Jukka Mäkelä, President & CEO Jussi Pesonen and Senior Vice President Markku Tilli.
Honorary doctors to give lectures
Four honorary doctors will give lectures. The lectures are in English and open to the public.
Welcome!
Gerfried Stocker
Wednesday 12 June, 10–12, A Grid (Jeti), Otakaari 5
More information on the lecture
Irit Rogoff: Concerning the Curatorial
Wednesday 12 June, 14–16, Väre (Q202), Otaniementie 14
More information on the lecture
Enrique J. Lavernia: High Entropy Metals: Physical and Mechanical Behavior
Thursday 13 June, at 13, Lecture Hall 1, Kemistintie 1
More information on the lecture
Jussi Pesonen: Forest industry for future
Thursday 13 June, at 15, Lecture Hall 1, Kemistintie 1
More information on the lecture
The procession of the academia for Arts on campus
Both conferments will be preceded and concluded with a traditional procession of the academia. Aalto University students and staff can watch the procession on the spot, on Thursday, 13 June 12.45-13.15 at the X wing of the Undergraduate Centre to the U2 Hall, Otakaari 1.
The main event of the day is the Ceremonial Act of Conferment at which the new doctors and masters are accepted as full members of the scientific community. The symbol of the conferment is the doctor's hat. After the day ceremony the celebration continues with a conferment dinner and dance.
The director of the ceremonies in the arts is Professor Lily Díaz-Kommonen and in technology Professor Ari Sihvola.
The conferment ceremonies are part of the Aalto University Ceremony Week to celebrate all who graduated from the university in the academic year 2018–2019.
Further information:
- Ceremonial Conferment of Degrees in Arts, Design and Architecture
- Ceremonial Conferment of Degrees in Technology
- Honorary doctors in arts 2019
- Honorary doctors in technology 2019
Tatu Pohjola, Master of Ceremonies
+358 50 576 0125, tatu.pohjola@aalto.fi
Read more news

Glitch artwork challenges to see art in a different light
Laura Könönen's sculpture was unveiled on 14 October at the Otaniemi campus.
The research puzzle of when humans and AI don’t see eye to eye
Francesco Croce works on robustness in multi-modal foundation models
The certificate for aalto and eduroam networks changes on 14 October 2025
Users may receive a notification or a confirmation request on the change of the certificate