The academic year 2024/25 was filled with exciting and interesting OCAMM events. Many talks were linked to the AI in CHEM seminar series, but we also listened to world-class experts that were visiting Aalto University or the Otaniemi area. This is also the last summary of activities focusing on seasonal periods. Starting from 2025 we will give summary of activities for the whole calendar year, as it is more manageable for us.
Special seminar on ALD by Michael Nolan
Dr Michael Nolan from the Tyndall National Institute, Cork, Ireland, gave a great talk about simulation of atomic-layer deposition (ALD) and atomic-layer etching (ALE) processes. Modern ALD technology, which traces its origins to Finland, is of great importance for the Finnish high-tech sector, especially in the areas of semiconductor and thin-film coatings. Dr Nolan is a renowned expert in the field of ALD modeling and his talk gathered a lot of local interest and was followed up with focused discussions.
Special seminar on aerospace materials by Konstantinos Konstantinou
Academy Fellow Dr Konstantinos Konstantinou from the Univeristy of Turku gave a seminar on the simulation of materials for aerospace applications, which involves studying the effects of radiation on the structure and structural defects in these materials, as well as their evolution. This seminar sparked an ongoing collaboration with one of the local groups at Aalto University’s School of Chemical Engineering, precisely the kind of thing we want to achieve with these talks!
AI in CHEM Seminar Series (2024 events)
The AI in CHEM Seminar Series showcased examples of AI and machine learning used to tackle research problems in chemistry and materials science. The series straddled years 2024 and 2025 as it was run as an official course of the School of Chemical Engineering (open to all audiences). Here we just summarize the seminars given in 2024.
Intro by Miguel Caro
The Series organizer Dr Miguel Caro from Aalto University’s School of Chemical Engineering gave the introductory lecture of the series, paving the way for the exciting science ahead. He summarized the state of the field and spoke a bit about his own specialty, machine learning interatomic potentials.
Seminar by Árpád Toldy on catalysis
Dr Árpád Toldy from the Aalto University School of Engineering talked about how they are using AI tools to make predictions about the properties of chemical mixtures, in this case the properties of fuel blends in a project done in collaboration with Neste. A perfect example of how academic research can enable and accelerate the adoption of new and emerging methods by industry, and thus have a direct impact on society.