TEKin väitöskirjapalkittu, apulaisprofessori Onel Luis Alcazar López seisoo tummaa seinää vasten ja pitää kannettavaa tietokonetta kädessään.

TEK, TFiF and MAL give out awards for the best theses in 2021

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News article

This year’s award-winning theses in technology examined the development of connections in the Internet of Things, the Earth's magnetosphere, drone jamming and quasiregularly elliptic manifolds.

Academic Engineers and Architects in Finland TEK and Tekniska Föreningen i Finland TFiF presented the award for the best doctoral thesis of the year to Doctor of Science (Technology) Onel Luis Alcaraz López for his thesis entitled “Resource allocation for machine-type communication: from massive connectivity to ultra-reliable low-latency”. The thesis was completed at the Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering in the University of Oulu. The supervisors were Academy Professor Matti Latva-aho and Assistant Professor Hirley Alves.

The doctoral thesis award is presented annually to acknowledge a doctoral thesis of high international standard which advances knowledge in the field of technology in Finland. The award is worth 7 500 euros.

According to the Award Committee of TEK and TFiF, the subject of the thesis is significant and the thesis offers many new ideas. The Committee also saw a business opportunity in the thesis. It also noted the many merits of the author and the fact that he was exceptionally promoted to professor immediately after defending his thesis.

– By giving out awards, we want to promote wide-ranging competence and the application of cross-disciplinary knowledge, in addition to highlighting meritorious theses and their authors, says Martti Kivioja, Expert in Entrepreneurship at TEK.

TEKin ja TFiFin diplomityöpalkittu Jaakko Marin kuvattuna istumassa punaisella sohvalla Tampereen yliopistolla.
Jaakko Marin, the winner of this year's master's thesis (diplomityö) award. Image: Noora Eilola

Fresh research with international significance

TEK and TFiF also present an award of 5 000 euros to the author of the best master’s thesis of the year (diplomityö). The award is given to one or more graduated academic engineers or architects every year.

This year's master's thesis award goes to Jaakko Marin for his thesis entitled “Full-Duplex Transceiver Inspired by Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave Radar”. The thesis was completed at the Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Sciences in the Tampere University. The thesis was supervised by Assistant Professor Taneli Riihonen and D.Sc. Michael Bernhardt.

The Award Committee considered Jaakko Marin’s thesis a high-quality work for an academic engineer. The author demonstrated an excellent command of the topic and produced new knowledge that advances the field. The thesis is also clearly structured and written in an understandable way.

TEKin ja MALin gradupalkittu Susanna Heikkilä kuvattuna sinisessä nojatuolissa
Susanna Heikkilä, the winner of this year's master's thesis (pro gradu) award. Image: Noora Eilola

TEK and the Academic Association for Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MAL) grant an annual award for the best master’s thesis (pro gradu). In honour of MAL's anniversary year, the award is given to two master’s theses, each receiving a prize worth 4 000 euros. This year's award goes to Masters of Arts Susanna Heikkilä and Laura Vuorinen.

Susanna Heikkilä's master’s thesis entitled “Kvasisäännöllisesti elliptisen moniston rajoitettu kohologia” was completed at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in the University of Helsinki. The thesis supervisor was Professor Pekka Pankka.

According to the Award Committee, the quality of the thesis was exceptionally high. Advanced, recent mathematical theory is presented, applied and developed in an outstanding manner.

TEKin ja MALin gradupalkittu Laura Vuorinen istumassa tuolilla, taustalla näkyy puinen kaide ja viherkasvi
Laura Vuorinen, the winner of this year's master's thesis (pro gradu) award. Image: Noora Eilola

Laura Vuorinen's master’s thesis entitled “Magnetic characteristics of high-speed jets in the Earth's magnetosheath” was completed at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the Faculty of Science in the University of Turku. The supervisor was Adjunct Professor Heli Hietala.

According to the Award Committee, the results of the thesis indisputably demonstrate for the first time the significant role of magnetosheath jets in the transport of solar wind energy into the magnetosphere. These results are already being applied in international cooperation in space weather modelling. Vuorinen's inspiring and visually skilled presentation of the results has also received international recognition.

Contact information

TEK’s Expert in Entrepreneurship Martti Kivioja, martti.kivioja@tek.fi, +358 9 2291 2206

Chair of the Board of MAL Esko Juuso, esko.juuso@mal.fi

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