May 30th, 2007
Dr. Riikka Puurunen awarded the Young Scientist Prize of the Year
The Technological Foundation of Finland (Tekniikan edistämissäätiö) awarded Dr. Riikka Puurunen, a senior researcher of VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, the Young Scientist Prize of the year 2007. In the celebration held in the Finlandia house on the 30th of May were also announced the awardees of the Technology Prize and the Good Teacher prize.
Dr. Puurunen works at the VTT's MEMS- and micro packaging expertise center. In her work she applies the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). With her work, Dr. Puurunen has had a strong impact on the successful demonstration of a new type of miniaturized electronic compass as well as on developing the production technology for a nanolaminate dielectric deposited utilizing SUNALE™ ALD reactors at VTT. The successful 2-year Nanorems-project lead by Dr. Puurunen has strongly promoted global sales of ALD reactors produced by Picosun Oy.
Puurunen's doctoral thesis for the Helsinki University of Technology in 2002 was entitled "Preparation by atomic layer deposition and characterization of catalyst supports surfaced with aluminium nitride". Within the past ten years she has written 23 referred articles, two review articles and given 19 conference discourses. She has been invited to lecture in the world's most important international conferences of the field as well as in the occasions held by the local scientific community.
According to Tekniikan edistämissäätiö, the Young Scientist Prize is admitted to a young scientist on the technology field having achieved remarkable scientific results with his/her research work and/or created important technological or techno-economical innovations. The prize is worth of 15 000 euros.
Riikka Puurunen, winner of the Young Scientist Prize of the year 2007, giving her thankwords at the celebration held in Finlandia house. Listening her speech, Award Committee Members, Professor, Vice Rector Outi Krause (center) and Professor Yrjö Neuvo (on the right).
