Doctoral Programme Committee (School of Science)
Members of the Doctoral Programme Committee
The doctoral programme committee comprises a chair and 4-6 professorial members merited in doctoral education and representing the central fields of research of the school. One of the professorial members may be from another school within Aalto University. In addition, the committee has a doctoral student member representing the fields of research of the school. The committee elects a vice chair from among its members. The committee may have deputy members.
The term of the Doctoral Programme Committee is three calendar years. The term of the current committee continues until the end of year 2028. Student representatives are appointed for one calendar year at a time, by the proposal of the Student Union AYY.
Chairperson, Professor Adam Foster
| Members | Deputy members |
|---|---|
| Professor Adam Foster, Chairperson Department of Applied Physics |
Professor Mathias Groth Department of Applied Physics |
| Professor Johanna Viitanen Department of Computer Science |
Professor Arno Solin Department of Computer Science |
| Professor Jan Holmström, Vice Chair Department of Industrial Engineering and Management |
Professor Kari Tanskanen Department of Industrial Engineering and Management |
| Professor Kalle Kytölä Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis |
Professor Eveliina Peltola Department of Mathematics and Systems Analysis |
| Professor Iiro Jääskeläinen Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering |
Professor Matias Palva Department of Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering |
| Doctoral student Saija Simola 2026 | Doctoral student Joni Herttuainen 2026 |
Secretary of the Doctoral Programme Committee: Coordinator Miika Remahl
Meetings and deadlines 2026-2027
Doctoral students will be informed of the decisions concerning them after the meeting.
Christmas break 2026-2027: the DPC does not make decisions between Mon 21.12.2026 - Wed 6.1.2027
Summer holiday 2027: the DPC does not make decisions between Fri 25.6.2027 - Sun 1.8.2027
| Deadlines for proposals | Meetings |
|---|---|
| Tue 11.8.2026 | Tue 25.8.2026 |
| Tue 8.9.2026 | Tue 22.9.2026 |
| Tue 6.10.2026 | Tue 20.10.2026 |
| Tue 3.11.2026 | Tue 17.11.2026 |
| Tue 1.12.2026 | Tue 15.12.2026 |
| Tue 5.1.2027 | Tue 19.1.2027 |
| Tue 2.2.2027 | Tue 16.2.2027 |
| Tue 2.3.2027 | Tue 16.3.2027 |
| Tue 6.4.2027 | Tue 20.4.2027 |
| Tue 4.5.2027 | Tue 18.5.2027 |
| Tue 8.6.2027 | Tue 22.6.2027 |
Tasks of the Doctoral Programme Committee
The doctoral programme committee shall
- develop the content of the doctoral programmes and the joint studies offered by the school;
- put forth proposals to the school academic committee on the fields of research in doctoral programmes;
- prepare proposals for the Dean on admission of doctoral students;
- appoint the preliminary examiners of dissertations and decide on the permission for public defence of dissertation;
- appoint the opponents for doctoral dissertations;
- evaluate the dissertations;
- appoint the examiners of licentiate theses;
- evaluate licentiate theses; and
- perform other duties assigned to it by the Dean or in the degree regulations.
In addition, the doctoral programme committee shall, unless it has assigned the chair to decide on any of the matters:
- appoint a supervising professor and advisor(s) for the doctoral student;
- decide on the degree language of the doctoral student, and on the topic and language of the licentiate's or doctoral thesis;
- confirm the individual study plans of doctoral students;
- decide on the time and language of the of public defence of the doctoral dissertation, and appoint the custos for it.
The Doctoral Programme Committee assigned the following matters to the Chair of the Doctoral Programme Committee from 1.8.2018 onwards (updated 11.2.2025):
- appointing a new supervising professor or thesis advisor, after the start of the doctoral studies, but before the pre-examination begins;
- deciding on the degree language of the doctoral student and on the topic and language of the licentiate or doctoral thesis, if the change is done after the start of the doctoral studies, but before the pre-examination begins;
- deciding on the time and language of the public examination of the doctoral thesis and appointing the custos, if these have not been decided at the same time as the opponent or if they change; and
- confirming the full-time / part-time status of the doctoral student, if it changes after the start of the doctoral studies
- confirming the change of a research field of the doctoral student, if it changes after the start of the doctoral studies.
The Doctoral Programme Committee (DPC) of the Doctoral Programme in Science include one student representative and a deputy representative. The student representatives are appointed by The Council of Academic Affairs of the School of Science based on a proposal by Aalto University Student Union (AYY).
The role of the student representative is to
- participate in the decision-making of the DPC
- serve as an information intermediary between the students and the DPC. Please remember to maintain anonymity in the discussions.
- soliciting and sharing informal feedback from doctoral students for programme development
- identifying and voicing pressing student concerns and challenges related to their work and wellbeing to the DPC, or the Director of the doctoral programme.
- actively liaising with Aallonhuiput—the Aalto University doctoral student association—to facilitate a close working relationship between Aallonhuiput and the doctoral programme.
The student representative may not
- participate in decision making related to the evaluation of a study attainment of a degree which they have not obtained themselves (e.g. permission for public defense and evaluating the doctoral thesis).
- talk about matters related to individual students or sensitive matters. All decisions made in the meetings are communicated to the students/applicants by the Doctoral Education Services.