LUT will award 14 honorary doctorates in its upcoming doctoral conferment ceremony. An honorary doctorate is the highest honour bestowed by a university.

LUT's new honorary doctors include highly esteemed scientific and societal figures, such as professors, corporate directors, and Product Developer Jamie Hyneman from the TV series Mythbusters.

The sixth Ceremonial Conferment of Doctoral Degrees at Lappeenranta University of Technology will be held in Lappeenranta on 15-16 June 2017.

Honorary doctors in technology

Chairman of the Board Mika Anttonen

Founder and chair of the energy company St1. Open-mindedly develops and revolutionises the energy industry, and is fit to champion the LUT strategy. Anttonen is also a member of the LUT Advisory Board.

Professor Paula Eerola

Director of the Helsinki Institute of Physics (HIP), and Chair of the Research Council for Natural Sciences and Engineering of the Academy of Finland.

Product Developer Jamie Hyneman

A bold, entrepreneurial trailblazer popularising science and technology. Co-hosting Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel for 14 years, Hyneman has in his own unique style significantly increased the appeal of technology as a field of study. Hyneman currently develops new technologies for industry and public safety.

Professor Monika Ivantysynova

Ivantysynova, chair of a number of organisations that evaluate Finnish mechanical engineering research, has made a valuable contribution to the development of mechanical engineering research at LUT.

Professor Janusz Kacprzyk

World-class expert in fuzzy sets and soft computing. In LUT's strategic focus areas, his expertise relates to sustainability especially in water consumption and waste, and decision-making and big data in digitalisation.

Professor Victor Karkhin

An expert in manufacturing and welding technology, and a long-standing research partner of the LUT School of Energy Systems.

Professor Kalle Lyytinen

A distinguished information systems researcher whose innovation research focuses on how digital innovations transform an organisation and who represents LUT's cross-disciplinary approach to research.

Managing Director Pekka Tiitinen

The Managing Director of ABB Finland has played a key role in launching and developing the activity of LUT's Carelian Drives and Motor Center. As a result of the research collaboration between LUT and ABB, a significant number of LUT's technology students have completed their Master's and doctoral degrees.

Honorary doctors in economics and business administration

Professor Constance E. Helfat

A world-leading expert in modern strategy research. Helfat actively cooperates with LUT's strategy researchers and received LUT's Viipuri award for her academic achievements in 2014.

Principal Associate Christian H.M. Ketels

A Harvard researcher known especially for his annual reports on the competitive position of the Baltic Sea Region. Ketels's research themes are closely related to LUT's focus areas.

President and Group Executive Chairman Reijo Karhinen

An experienced director and leading figure in responsible business and cooperative entrepreneurship. Karhinen has extensive experience in management duties within the OP group and has held a number of important positions of trust, such as Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Economic Education.

Angel Investor Ari Korhonen

Entrepreneur, angel investor, venture capitalist, and shareholder in several technology companies. Korhonen is also an LUT alumnus and a member of the LUT Advisory Board.

Board Member Olli Rehn

A board member of the Bank of Finland and an experienced statesman and political figure in Finland and the EU. Rehn's extensive expertise in industry, innovation and energy policy issues is connected with LUT's focus areas. He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Oxford.

Risto Voipio, Master of Laws with court training

A chairman or key figure in several foundations and associations, such as Karjalan Kulttuurirahasto and the Eevi and Eemil Tanninen foundation. For years, Voipio has actively fostered the Karelian cultural heritage and education and science at LUT.

For more information about LUT's Honorary Doctors, please see our ceremonial conferment website.

Press photos of the Honorary Doctors

Interview requests:

Communications Director Marjo Loisa, +358 40 7479548, marjo.loisa@lut.fi

Further information:

Vice Rector Jaana Sandström, +358 40 5716197, jaana.sandstrom@lut.fi