In this blog we intend to cover topics and activities related to Media Research at Aalto University. Thus we seek to report about the comings and goings in two major departments: Department of Media at the School of Art and Design and the Media Technology Department at the School of Science and Technology.

The Department of Media at Aalto University was launched as a new department of the Aalto School of Art and Design on 1 January 2010. It was created from the merger of the faculties of Graphic Design, Media Lab, and Photography. The new department includes 8 Professors and a staff of 80 persons of which 25 work in research.

Research is carried on in the three units of the department in the following manner:
1. Projects in thematic that are realized through Doctor of Arts and Master of Arts studies.
2. Projects in thematic areas that are realized through post-doc positions.
3. Projects in thematic areas realized through work in the research groups.

Among the uniqueness in the research conducted in the Department of Media is a focus and appreciation on art and design knowledge. Artistic research practices have come to be valued for the insights that they can offer. And during the past few decades design has developed towards a professional and scholarly practice with an ever-growing knowledge base that enables it to deal with the complex situations of today’s world.

The Department of Media Technology was established in the reorganization of Helsinki University of Technology (TKK) in the beginning of 2008. It was formed of two laboratories: the multimedia part of the Telecommunications software and Multimedia Laboratory from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and the Laboratory of Media Technology from the Automation and Systems Technology Department. Currently the department has 5 full professors, a staff of 90 persons. It has a strong research potential and was highly rated in the internal evaluation of Aalto University.