Scientific advisory board

Evaluation from the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

Significant research in a topical field

The Measurement, Monitoring and Environmental Efficiency Assessment research program focused on an area which is developing rapidly at present and in upcoming years. We progressively measure our environment, for several reasons starting from climate change and pollution.

In the current situation, it is worth noting that most phenomena are measured and dealt with separately, although people are inevitably exposed to several phenomena together. This research program was one of the first efforts at combining measurements and observation to develop them into useful information. I feel it succeeded in this task well. The program had the critical mass of knowledge and competence and its timing was excellent. It promoted the creation of information, as well as its development and sharing. The MMEA Platform that was created in the program is a unique tool which could be used as a foundation in the open and international development of environmental knowledge.

The research program was also a great challenge and not only in terms of its scientific and technological goals, but also as a cultural and intellectual leap. First of all, an ecosystem of companies and research institutes had to be created to form a foundation for the research work. It is clear that corporations starting this kind of cooperation find it hard to let go of their intellectual capital and learn how to share. The program’s coordinator CLEEN invested a lot of effort to pave the path for its partners, and they ended up succeeding very well in cooperation.

In addition to the ecosystem, methods had to be created for participants to reach out of their own society and all the way to other countries, which does not necessarily come all that naturally to Finns. It was however a pleasure to notice that the cooperation advanced promisingly, especially with Chinese partners. I would be happy to see the cooperation spread in such a strong manner to other countries as well. I believe we can enhance international cooperation by investing in foreign students, who are familiarizing with various aspects of environmental monitoring. After all, in a few years they will become international representatives of their fields.

As the program ends it is important that at least some of the partners continue their well-warmed cooperation in new ventures. Thus the large and beneficial investment will grow even more valuable. Finns have reason to be happy and even proud of this kind of research collaboration.

Kostas Karatzas participated in assessing the Measurement, Monitoring and Environmental Efficiency Assessment research program as a member of the scientific advisory board.

The board also included:

Michel Matti Maricq / Research and Advanced Engineering, Ford Motor Company USA

Professor V. Chandrasekar / Colorado State University USA

Professor Herman Russchenberg / TU Delft Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, Telecommunications THE NETHERLANDS

Andreas Ciroth / GreenDeltaTC GmbH GERMANY

Professor Hongjung Mao / Nankai University CHINA