On this page you can find general descriptions of research topics from professors and lecturers linked to the CCIS programme, ELEC departments. By reading the descriptions you can get an idea of the fields where each professor/lecturer may supervise a thesis. Funded thesis positions in the research groups of the department are announced separately. These descriptions will help you with finding a supervisor (and a topic) when
- it's time to start the thesis work but you don't have a topic yet. Contact the professor(s) whose expertise matches with your interests.
- if you already have your own proposal for a topic, e.g. obtained from industry or elsewhere, and you need to find a suitable supervisor.
Also a professor from another department or school in Aalto may act as the supervisor, as long as the topic itself is connected to the advanced studies of your degree.
Majors:
- Acoustics and Audio Technology AAT
- Communications Engineering CE
- Human-Computer Interaction HCI
Speech and Language Technology SLT
- Signal Processing and Data Science SPDS
Note:Part of the professors of the major in Acoustics and Audio Technology & Human-Computer Interaction work in the department of Computer Science. You can find their information from School of Science Computer Science thesis supervisors list.
Department of Information and Communications Engineering
Professors
Prof. Paavo Alku (SLT)
My research area is speech communication technology. This refers to fundamental and applied research aiming at describing, explaining and reproducing communication by speech. My team works on signal processing and machine learning methods in analysis of human speech production, in speech-based biomarking of state of health, and in other medical applications of speech.
Email: paavo.alku@aalto.fi
Prof. Tom Bäckström (SLT)
My research areas include transmission of speech signals, privacy and security in speech interfaces, speech enhancement (e.g. noise reduction and multi-microphone methods), distributed speech processing and perceptual modeling. Typical tools in this area includes machine learning methods, linear algebra, statistical modeling and subjective listening tests. I am also willing to supervise theses in speaker identification/verification as well as some aspects in the design of voice interfaces.
Preferred contact method: tom.backstrom@aalto.fi
Prof. Filip Elvander (SPDS)
My research field is statistical signal processing and spectral analysis, with applications ranging from audio to biomedical signal processing, as well as theoretical problems in estimation and signal modeling. I am willing to supervise master’s theses of both theoretical and fundamental nature (e.g., how well can we estimate the fundamental frequency of a harmonic signal, or how can we be robust to model errors) as well as applied projects (e.g., how can we morph a human voice from male to female or vice-versa, or how to estimate periodic patterns in climate data from ice-core measurements).
Preferred contact method: filip.elvander@aalto.fi
Prof. Jyri Hämäläinen (CE)
Currently I am serving as a Dean of the School of Electrical Engineering.
Prof. Erkki Ikonen
Research interests are mainly in the field of optical measurements.
Email: erkki.ikonen@aalto.fi
Prof. Lauri Juvela
Email: lauri.juvela@aalto.fi
Prof. Riku Jäntti (CE)
My broad area of interest is wireless communications; especially physical layer and MAC layer related topics. My current research focus on 5G radio access networks (including software radio implementation aspects); Machine Type Communications for IoT; Ambient backscatter communications; Quantum communications and RF inference (Device free localization). I am willing to supervise M.Sc thesis and special assignments on the above mentioned topics or other related topics. The topic can be focused on experimentation and measurements, software development, mathematical modelling or simulation.
Preferred contact methods: Work phone: +358 50 597 8588, email: riku.jantti@aalto.fi.
Prof. Visa Koivunen (SPDS, CE)
Research interest include statistical, communications, sensor array and multichannel signal processing and their applications in wireless comms, future radar systems, cyber-physical systems such as smart grid and large-scale data analytics.
Email: visa.koivunen@aalto.fi
Prof. Mikko Kurimo (SLT)
My current research interests are in machine learning methods for speech and language processing.
Possible MSc thesis topics could be, for example:
- Recognition of proper names in a speech recognition system
- Speech summarization for subtitles
- Speech recognition and speaking proficiency assessment for 2nd language learners
- Mixed language speech recognition
- Combining speech and other audible and visual events into a video-to-text description
- New deep learning methods for improving conversational speech recognition
- New deep learning methods for improving large language models and large speech models
Email: mikko.kurimo@aalto.fi
Prof. Tapio Lokki (AAT)
My main research field is room acoustics in all aspects. Thus, room acoustics modeling, auralization, measurement techniques, 3D sound rendering, and perception to name some research areas. Currently, I’m also interesting in hearing research as well as novel bio based sound absorption materials. In short, I am willing to supervise Master's theses on all areas in acoustics related to room and building acoustics as well as psychoacoustics, measurements, and novel acoustic materials.
Email: tapio.lokki@aalto.fi
Prof. Jukka Manner (CE)
I'm a software and networks expert. Research topics in my team are (or have been) networking in general, mobile networks and wireless links (on the network and transport layer), cloud computing, energy efficient and sustainable ICT (devices, data centers, services), network protocols and in particular transport protocols, cyber security and critical communications. In general, I have knowledge in software engineering and networking topics. I have also done a lot of different performance measurements in the last 20 years.
Email: jukka.manner@aalto.fi (email me for an appointment)
Prof. Petri Mähönen (CE)
My main research field is networked systems. Basically anything that is networked and could be analysed or build better falls under that definition. More specifically I have been working in the last 20 years in diverse topics mainly at OSI-Layers 2-7. This includes working on cognitive radios, AI/ML based network optimisation, spectrum regulation and techno-economics, Internet of Things, Sensor Networks, mmW-networks, Internet protocols and fundamentals, and MAC-layer protocols. In theoretical domain I am currently interested in spatial statistics, network science, and federated machine learning. I like both practical experimental work and some esoteric theoretical topics. Over my career I have supervised nearly 300 M.Sc. theses and close to 50 B.Sc. theses.
Preferred contact methods: email: petri.mahonen@aalto.fi
Prof. Esa Ollila (SPDS)
My research interests lie in the intersection of the fields of statistical signal processing, high-dimensional statistics, and machine learning.
Email: esa.ollila@aalto.fi
Prof Antti Oulasvirta (CE, HCI)
I am broadly interested in human-computer interaction. My specific topics include computational models of human behavior, interactive AI, and user interface technology. For examples, see our group page http://cbl.aalto.fi.
email: antti.oulasvirta@aalto.fi
Prof. Ville Pulkki
My research group works on capturing and reproduction of spatial audio with microphone or hydrophone grids, on psychoacoustic sound perception studies, on acoustic measurements, and on machine-learning-based rendering of sound for virtual reality.
Email: ville.pulkki@aalto.fi
Prof. Lauri Savioja (AAT)
Prof. Stephan Sigg (CE)
My research is focused on the design, analysis and optimisation of (randomized) algorithms in Mobile and Pervasive Computing domains, in particular focusing on (wireless) networking and security. In recent years I have worked on problems related to usable security, device-free activity recognition, pro-active context computing, distributed adaptive beamforming, and calculation of mathematical functions by superimposing signals on the wireless channel. I am willing to supervise M.Sc thesis on the above mentioned topics or other related topics.
Preferred contact method: Work phone: +358 504666941
Prof. Olav Tirkkonen (CE)
My research My research interests include wireless networks, physical layer processingcommunication, machine learning for wireless communications, coding theory, and quantum information processing. The topic can be focused on experimentation mathematical modelling and measurementsanalysis, simulation or software development, mathematical modelling or simulation.
Preferred contact method email: olav.tirkkonen@aalto.fi
Prof. Sergiy Vorobyov (SPDS, CE)
Research Interests: Optimization and Linear Algebra Methods in Signal Processing, Communications, and Machine Learning; Statistical and Array Signal Processing; Sparse Signal Processing; Estimation and Detection Theory; Sampling
Theory; Multi-Antenna, Very Large, Cooperative and Cognitive Systems
Email: sergiy.vorobyov@aalto.fi
Prof. Vesa Välimäki (AAT)
My research field is audio signal processing, which includes digital signal processing related to wideband audio, such as sound reproduction and music technology. My current interests are equalizers, headphones, loudspeakers, sound synthesis techniques, audio effects processing, and artificial reverberation. I am also willing to supervise Master's theses on areas related to room acoustics (when measurements and signal analysis are involved) and noise control (especially active noise control).
Email: vesa.valimaki@aalto.fi
Prof. Risto Wichman (SPDS, CE)
My field is digital signal processing and especially applications to wireless communications. In general this covers physical layer in the protocol stack. Past, current, and future research topics include multiantenna techniques,design and analysis of transceiver algorithms, design of communication waveforms, phase, time, frequency synchronization, compensation of impairments caused by analog components by digital signal processing, design and analysis of network topologies, massive satellite communications, vehicular-to-X networks, spectrum sharing, co-existence of different wireless systems, and so on.
Email: risto.wichman@aalto.fi
Prof. Yu Xiao (CE, HCI)
I am broadly interested in experimental systems research in the field of mobile computing. In recent years, I have mainly worked on edge computing, augmented/virtual reality, wearable sensing, and haptics. My research often takes the approach of building potentially large-scale prototype systems and then evaluating them experimentally. I can provide MSc topics and guidance in the area of wearable computing and mobile cloud computing. More information about my research work can be found from mobilecloud.aalto.fi.
Preferred contact method: email: yu.xiao@aalto.fi.
Prof. Patric Östergård (CE)
As a professor in information theory, I am interested in mathematical aspects of communications. I also have a background in computer science and an interest in all kinds of algorithms and computational methods. I am willing to supervise an MSc thesis with a mathematical or computational flavor also outside the area of communications.
Preferred contact method: email: patric.ostergard@aalto.fi
University lecturers
Samuli Aalto (CE)
My research interests include queueing theory, teletraffic theory, and performance analysis of modern ICT systems and networks.
My course ELEC-E7450 (Performance Analysis) gives a good background for your thesis.
Preferred contact method: email: samuli.aalto@aalto.fi
Yusein Ali
email: yusein.ali@aalto.fi
Doc. Petri Kärhä
My research field is Measurement Science and Technology. I am interested in measurements in general, and in particular measurements related with Photometry and Radiometry. I have research experience in optical power measurements, spectral irradiance and radiance measurements, photometry, color measurements, ageing of materials, lighting measurements, LED light sources, and ultraviolet measurements (both artificial and Solar). Also items close to measurement, such as uncertainty estimation, measurement automation, quality systems, and development of measurement or testing equipment are familiar to me, and possible subjects to supervise.
Email: petri.karha@aalto.fi
Pasi Lassila (CE)
My research typically involves stochastic modeling of ICT systems and data networks. Recently, I have been working on various resource allocation and scheduling problems in the context of future cellular systems as well as data centers. Methodologically I am interested in applying queuing theoretic analysis on the models, including stochastiuc optimization techniques, as well as also using discrete event simulation to study the systems. A good background for a master's thesis is provided by basic understanding of Markov processes, the M/G/1 queue and good programming skills, for example from the course ELEC-E7450 Performance Analysis and/or ELEC-E7460 Modeling and Simulation.
Preferred contact method: email: pasi.lassila@aalto.fi
Kalle Ruttik (CE)
I am interested in software implementation of radio transceivers and using those for radio environment measurements. The keywords that cover those areas would be software defined radio, remote radio heads, O-RAN, implementation of base stations and user receivers in software. The thesis could cover implementation, measuring system performance, using systems for radio environment measurements, or integration of the radio platform into some larger system, for instance into industrial processes.
email: kalle.ruttik@aalto.fi