Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences

Our success in winning competitive external grants is a testament to the outstanding research undertaken by our researchers. It steers our research direction and strengthens our impact on the broader society. We receive research funding from the EU, the Academy of Finland, Business Finland, companies in Finland and abroad, the EU’s structural funds, communities and foundations.    

The European Research Council (ERC) runs a highly competitive and prestigious grant scheme. Our Faculty is home to three researchers who have won a coveted ERC grant: 

• Prof. Micrea Guina, AMETIST: Advanced III-V Materials and Processes Enabling Ultrahigh-efficiency (50%) Photovoltaics (ERC-2015-AdG, Physics)
• Prof. Humeyra Caglayan, aQUARiUM: QUAntum nanophotonics in Rolled-Up Metamaterials (ERC-2018-STG, Physics)
• Prof. Arri Priimägi, PHOTOTUNE: Tunable Photonic Structures via Photomechanical Actuation (ERC-2015-STG) and Optical sensing of relative humidity using photoswitchable molecules (ERC-2017-PoC) Materials Science and Environmental Engineering)

The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) have a mission to enhance the competitiveness of EU member states by bringing together leading universities, research institutions and companies. We coordinate six high-profile EU projects:

•  AMPLITUDE: Advanced Multimodal Photonics Laser Imaging Tool for Urothelial Diagnosis in Endoscopy (the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, Physics)
• BL2F: Black Liquor to Fuel by Efficient HydroThermal Application integrated to Pulp Mill (the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, Materials Science and Environmental Engineering)
• MORE: Helping heavy mobile equipment light the way (the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, Automation and Mechanical Engineering)
•  OPMO: Operation monitoring of mineral crushing machinery (EIT RawMaterials, Automation and Mechanical Engineering)
•  PULSE: High-Power Ultrafast LaSErs using Tapered Double-Clad Fibre (the EU's Horizon 2020 programme, Physics)
•  TRINITY: Digital Technologies, Advanced Robotics and increased Cyber-security for Agile Production in Future European Manufacturing Ecosystems (the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, Automation and Mechanical Engineering)

The Academy of Finland’s Strategic Research Council (SRC) supports high-quality research that delivers impact for society. We are carrying out two SRC-funded research projects:

• EL-TRAN: Transition towards a resource-efficient and climate neutral electrical energy system (Automation and Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science and Environmental Engineering)
•  CICAT2025: Circular economy catalysts: From Innovation to Business Ecosystems (Materials Science and Environmental Engineering) 

The fields represented by our Faculty have a central role in the overall research profile of Tampere University. Our research in these fields has been further strengthened with funding awarded by the Academy of Finland under the Profi call:

• PROFI1: Intelligent machines (Automation and Mechanical Engineering)
• PROFI2: Intelligent machines (Automation and Mechanical Engineering) and Photonics (Physics, Materials Science and Environmental Engineering)
• PROFI4: Circular economy (Physics, Materials Science and Environmental Engineering)

Our advanced research infrastructure comprises the range of facilities, resources and services that are necessary for conducting high-quality research. Please visit the web pages of our research units to read more about their state-of-the-art facilities and equipment and find their contact information. 

World-class research infrastructures selected for Finland’s national roadmap are funded by the Academy of Finland and Finnish higher education institutions. Our Faculty is a member in four infrastructure consortia included in the roadmap:

• CSC/PRACE (Physics), partners: other Finnish higher education institutions
  • Contact person Professor Esa Räsänen
• HIP/CERN/FAIR (Automation and Mechanical Engineering), partners: Aalto University, the University of Helsinki, the University of Jyväskylä and Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUT 
  • Contact persons Professor Esa Räsänen and Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) Roel Pieters
• INAR RI/ACTRIS-FI (Physics), partners: the University of Helsinki, the University of Eastern Finland and the Finnish Meteorological Institute.
  • Contact person professor Jorma Keskinen
• FSRUO/MAX IV (Physics), partners: Aalto University, the University of Helsinki, the University of Eastern Finland, the University of Oulu and the University of Turku.
  • Contact person Professor Mika Valden