Antti Järvenpää, Doctor of Engineering, has been awarded the title of Docent
Antti Järvenpää is currently Research Director in the Future Manufacturing Technologies (FMT) group at the Kerttu Saalasti Institute, University of Oulu. He conducts research in production engineering at the University of Oulu to exploit future manufacturing technologies in industrial applications.
The research focuses on taking the good material properties of metallic materials to the superiority of the final product by using the latest manufacturing techniques such as additive manufacturing or induction heating.
- Optimising material quality in additive manufacturing: traditionally, the manufacturer of the final product has provided the customer with a material certificate from the factory to prove the quality of the material used, but in additive manufacturing the material quality is determined during the manufacturing process of the final product. The study aims to establish the guidelines for service providers to deliver controlled quality through additive manufacturing by taking also the productivity and environmental aspects into account.
- Specialty heat treatments: induction-based rapid heating technology is one part of the green steel industry of the future, but in addition to environmental concerns, the technology will enable processes, materials and structures to be developed for higher performance. Research will focus on the development of new applications in terms of material properties and process simplification.
Sharing expertise in material-based steel research
Antti Järvenpää's docentorship deepens the already close cooperation between the University of Oulu and LUT in the field of steel research and production engineering. The collaboration includes teaching tasks and deepens strategic research cooperation by enabling longer-term development cooperation.
"I have been lecturing at LUT every year at various events and with my docentorship the lectures will become a routine part of the courses at LUT. The aim is to bring a more in-depth materials engineering perspective to the LUT courses from the University of Oulu's area of strength," says Järvenpää.
Recognition for in-depth knowledge
According to Section 89 of the Universities Act, a university may, upon application, award the title of Docent to a person who has a thorough knowledge of his or her field, the ability to carry out independent research or artistic work, as demonstrated by publications or other means, and good teaching skills. Mr Järvenpää has been found by independent experts to meet the requirements for the award of a doctorate.
"I warmly congratulate Antti Järvenpää on achieving the title of Docent. I would also like to thank Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology for awarding him the title. The title is an important step forward in a researcher's career and it enables him to supervise independently, for example, licentiate theses and doctoral dissertations. In addition, for example, the leader of a consortium and the researcher in charge of a work package at the Academy of Finland must be a doctor and at least a researcher at the level of associate professor. It is great that Antti Järvenpää has reached this important stage," says Professor Matti Muhos, Director of the Kerttu Saalasti Institute at the University of Oulu.
"A docentorship is one step on the career path of a researcher, strengthening personal career development and, at the organisational level, cooperation between research groups. As a docent gives me the right to supervise doctoral theses, my responsibilities will also increase in doctoral training," says Järvenpää.