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Professor Emerita Kaisa Nyberg at Aalto University has studied mathematical methods of secure communications. Nyberg served as Professor of Cryptology from 2005 until her retirement in 2016. She is very moved by the Finnish Cultural Foundation's award.

'Prizes have been awarded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation since the early 1940s, initially to several builders of Finnish society in the fields of science and art. I feel myself very small in that company. Past recipients of the prize that I could mention are Alvar Aalto in 1949 and Teuvo Kohonen, Professor Emeritus and Member of the Academy of Finland, who is world-known for his research into neural networks and won the prize in 1994' says Kaisa Nyberg.

Kaisa Nyberg succeeded in developing and establishing teaching and research into cryptology in Finland. She has also sought to use her own example to encourage an increasing number of young women to find their own field in the mathematical and technical sciences.

'It was wonderful to get the chance to serve as a professor at Aalto University for more than 11 years before my retirement' Nyberg adds.

Starting in 1987, before her professorship at Aalto University, Kaisa Nyberg had a doctorate in mathematics and served in the Finnish Defence Forces. From the Defence Forces Nyberg went to the Nokia Research Centre in order to gain some industrial experience. This happened in 1998. At Nokia Nyberg did research on encryption methods for mobile phones as part of an international group of experts. The encryption techniques - the standardized solutions developed at that time - are currently in use in billions of mobile devices around the world.

Nyberg has also developed a pairing method for Bluetooth devices in cooperation with other experts from Nokia and Microsoft. Nyberg has also served as an expert in data security in the design of various critical systems, such as preparations for on-line voting for citizens.

At its annual celebration on 27 February the Finnish Cultural Foundation awarded three prizes worth 30,000 euros each for outstanding cultural achievements. The prizes were won by professor emerita Kaisa Nyberg, designer and textile artist Markku Piri and film director and screenwriter Selma Vilhunen.

Further information:

Kaisa Nyberg
Professor emerita
Aalto University
kaisa.nyberg@aalto.fi

The Finnish Cultural Foundation (in Finnish)

Kaisa Nyberg in the photo. Image: The Finnish Cultural Foundation, Heikki Tuuli.