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What do you research and what is your area of expertise?

I study rock engineering and mining engineering, specifically the fracturing of bedrock, changes in the shear strength and flow properties of rock fractures as a function of sample size, and the safe utilization of rock spaces, for example in energy and infrastructure solutions. I specialize in photogrammetry-based rock mechanics and determining the stress state of rock mass through stress inversion.

What interests you about this particular subject?

I have always wanted to research and teach. By nature, I am curious and constantly eager to learn new things, try new technologies, and meet new people. Rock engineering offers plenty of opportunities for this: How can rock cuts be made safe? Is it possible to store heat or hydrogen in rock? Can radionuclides escape via rock fractures? 

I also want to share my expertise with students and inspire them to see the significance of geoengineering and the mining industry for Finland. I enjoy teaching and exploring new teaching methods. I want students to find learning meaningful and to understand how what they have learned relates to the broader context.

What kind of career path led you to this position?

I have previously worked at Aalto University as a researcher and project manager on several projects dealing with rock engineering, mining engineering, and the development of teaching. In these projects, we studied, among other things, the behavior of rock fractures and storing energy in rock. 

Additionally, I have closely collaborated with industry and authorities and took part in founding a startup company that offers services based on photogrammetry. Before my academic career, I have worked as a rock engineer and structural engineer, among other roles.

What are your expectations for your work here at Aalto University?

I want to leverage Aalto University's unique resources, such as the underground research tunnel, first-class laboratory facilities, and specialized expertise related to photogrammetry and inversion, to find new solutions to issues related to the bedrock. 

My goal is to build a research group whose members complement each other's expertise and boldly generate new ideas across disciplines. I aim to develop the European Mining Course master's programme towards Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters status, so that we can attract students more widely from Europe and worldwide.