Innovation in Every Fiber: Scientific Seminar on 26 May, 2026
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Welcome to the FinnCERES Seminar: Innovation in Every Fiber, taking place on May 26, 2026 in Espoo and online! This seminar celebrates eight years of the FinnCERES Flagship and presents highlights in green chemistry, futuristic applications of lignocellulosics, and building inter- and transdisciplinary research for systemic change. Explore the latest scientific advances from our invited top experts, discuss emerging opportunities, and reflect on the impact of long-term, cross-disciplinary collaboration.
The seminar will also feature the screening of the new documentary “Innovation in every fiber”, offering an insider’s view into the people, ideas, and discoveries behind FinnCERES. In parallel, an exhibition will showcase key results, demonstrators, and success stories from the Flagship.
The seminar will be organized as a hybrid event in Marsio, Espoo, as well as online. Please note that online participation is open for everyone and free of charge, while on-site participation is by invitation only. For further information and inquiries, please contact us at info (at) finnceres.fi.
Program of the seminar on Tuesday 26 May, 2026 Venue: Marsio (Otakaari 2A, 02150 Espoo, Finland - getting there, accessibility)
8.30 Registration & coffee, with a chance to tune into the theme by visiting the FinnCERES Final
Exhibition
9.30 Online stream starts
9.30 Welcoming words Monika Österberg & Tekla Tammelin-Peltonen FinnCERES Scientific Principal Investigators
9.45-10.30
Keynote: Audrey Moores, McGill University
Mechanochemistry and Aging-Based as Innovative Methods for the Valorization of Biomass into Nanocrystals and Nanofibers
Prof. Audrey Moores is a Canadian Pacific Chair in Biotechnology at McGill University and WISE-guest professor at the University of Stockholm recognized for pioneering work in green and sustainable chemistry. She completed her PhD in 2005 at École Polytechnique, France, followed by postdoctoral work at Yale, and began her independent research career at McGill University in 2007. Moores develops sustainable processes using earth abundant starting materials, biomass and waste starting materials. Her group is particularly interested in using mechanochemical and solid-state reactions for the design of nanomaterials and biopolymers. Her work on transforming shrimp shell waste into functional materials has received significant media attention.
10.30-11.00
Session 1: Futuristic lignocellulosics
Chair: Sandra Kaabel, Aalto University
10.30-11.00
Daniel Söderberg, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Title to be confirmed
Prof. Daniel Söderberg is the Head of Department of Fiber and polymer technology at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. His research is focused on flow-based processing and assembly of cellulose materials for sustainable, high performance applications. His research spans fluid mechanics, fiber and polymer technology, and biobased composites, with notable work on nanocellulose filaments and scalable manufacturing methods. He collaborates closely with industry and is recognized for bridging fundamental science with industrial implementation. He is the CTO and founder of CelluXtreme and board member at Manatee Biomaterials start-up. He is also an active member of the steering committee of Boreal Alliance.
11.00-11.30
Franziska Emmerling, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM)
Mechanochemistry for Sustainable Solid-State Materials Design
Prof. Franziska Emmerling is Head of the Department of Materials Chemistry at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin and a professor at Humboldt University. She received her PhD in Chemistry from Albert-Ludwigs University Freiburg in 2004 and her habilitation from Humboldt University in 2018. Her research focuses on the crystallisation and synthesis of novel materials for green energy and catalysis. A leader in mechanochemistry, Dr Emmerling's expertise also extends to the development and use of synchrotron-based X-ray techniques for in situ characterisation. She is a reviewer for several prestigious journals, including Nature Communications and Angewandte Chemie, and has mentored many researchers and students.
11.30-13.00 Lunch break + exhibition
13.00-14.15
Session 2: Celebrating collaboration
Chair: Guillermo Reyes, VTT
13.00-13.25
Christian Erik Pohl, ETH Zürich
How to construct inter- and transdisciplinary research towards systemic change?
Prof. Dr. Christian Erik Pohl is an environmental scientist and science researcher at ETH Zurich. During his PhD on uncertainty in LCA, he identified the recurring issue of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research being reinvented with each new project, due to the absence of systematic learning and conceptual frameworks. Since the late 1990s, he has dedicated himself to developing and evaluating theories, methods, and tools to advance inter- and transdisciplinary research, specifically in the field of sustainability sciences. He has co-authored the “Handbook for Transdisciplinary Research” and “Principles for Designing Transdisciplinary Research” and serves as the co-director of the transdisciplinarity-net of the Swiss-Academies of Art and Science.
13.25-13.50
Matthias Stosiek, Technical University of Munich & Jaana Vapaavuori, Aalto University
Artificial intelligence for functional biomaterials: an interdisciplinary perspective
Dr. Matthias Stosiek is a computational physicist and data scientist, and subgroup leader for artificial intelligence at the AI-based Materials Science Chair of Prof. Patrick Rinke at the Technical University of Munich. His research focuses on the development and application of machine-learning methods for materials science, spanning systems from condensed matter to bio-based materials, with a particular focus on lignin. His interests include the optimization of polymer-based actuators, atomistic modeling of lignin and data-driven studies of experimental measurements aimed at understanding structure–property relationships.
Prof. Jaana Vapaavuori (Aalto University, Finland) leads Multifunctional Materials Design group combining three intertwining thematic areas: sustainable bio-based materials and devices, adaptive and interactive textiles, and equal-footed interdisciplinary methods. She is recipient of prestigious ERC starting and consolidator grants. Her core research interest is to map holistically reasonable use cases for the Globe’s scarce, undervalued and overconsumed material resources.
13.50-14.15
Otto Manninen, AQVA Finland & Tuuli Virkkala, VTT
From lab to tap: Synergy from industry - science collaboration
Otto Manninen is Head of Water Purification at AQVA Finland, the country’s leading water purification company built on scientific research. Before joining AQVA in 2015, he spent around 15 years working on water treatment and environmentally friendly technologies across Africa and Europe with both local and international companies. His expertise in product development, laboratory equipment, and industrial systems in chemistry and biochemistry has been central to establishing and leading AQVA’s state-of-the-art laboratory and R&D.
Tuuli Virkkala is a Research Scientist at VTT and a doctoral candidate at Aalto University. She holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular biosciences and master’s degree in biotechnology. Her current work in the Bioinspired materials team at VTT focuses on the interfacial and physicochemical phenomena in cellulose, hemicellulose, and water interactions as well as translation of these into biobased functional materials solutions.
14.15-15.15 Coffee break + exhibition
15.15-16.00
Keynote: Wim Thielemans, KU Leuven
Probing cellulose nanocrystal self-assembly in real time by second harmonic generation microscopy
Prof. Wim Thielemans heads Sustainable Materials Lab and serves as the Campus Chair of Science and Engineering of KU Leuven Kulak. He received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware in 2004, followed by a Marie Curie fellowship in Grenoble and an Associate Professorship at the University of Nottingham before returning to KU Leuven in 2013. His research focuses on the chemical modification and self-assembly of cellulose, starch and chitin nanoparticles, and on bio-based polymers and (nano)composites. His work spans colloid and polymer science, interfacial thermodynamics, and advanced materials manufacturing, with notable contributions to nanoparticle-based aerogels, energy storage, sensors and optical materials, as well as recycling and compatibilization of bio- and petro-based polymers. He collaborates closely with academia and industry and is recognized for connecting fundamental green chemistry with scalable, sustainable materials technologies.
16.00-18.00
Session 3: Flagship in full sail
Chair: Bruno D. Mattos, Aalto University
16.00-16.05 Snapshot of impact
Tekla Tammelin-Peltonen & Monika Österberg
16.05-16.20 Beyond the Flagship: Career journeys with FinnCERES
Panel discussion featuring Kati Miettunen, Alexander Henn and Aayush Jaiswal.
Moderated by Elli Käpylä, FinnCERES Corporate Relation Manager.
16.20 Streaming ends. The documentary movie will be available on YouTube.
16.35-16.40 Setting the scene: A Director's insight to Innovation in Every Fiber
Nina Pulkkis
16.40-17.50 Innovation in Every Fiber Documentary Movie
Watch the trailer
17.50-18.00 Closing ceremony
Tekla Tammelin-Peltonen & Monika Österberg
18.30 Seminar dinner (Bistro O Mat, Tapiola, Ainoa, Länsituuli 5, 02100 Espoo)
Program details are subject to change.
