The Finnish Forest Products Engineers’ Association (PI) will once again celebrate all scholarship and recognition award recipients at Pörssitalo in Helsinki on 29 September. This year, PI will award a record amount of more than €220,000 in scholarships to over 50 students and young researchers.
The afternoon seminar held in conjunction with the Scholarship Gala is being further developed as a meeting point for Finland’s forest industry, universities and research community. PI established the Johan Gullichsen Colloquium in 1996 to celebrate the 60th birthday of its late honorary member, Professor Johan Gullichsen. This year, as we mark 90 years since the birth of the renowned professor, PI is reviving this technical and scientific forum. From the very beginning, one of its key missions has been to encourage and highlight the work of young engineers and researchers.
Registration for PI members is open until 21 September. You can register here. Please note that invited guests have received a separate registration link by email.
Preliminary Programme
Moderator of the day: André Noël Chaker
12.00 Arrival, registration & lunch
13.00 Opening and welcome words
Antti Lindqvist, CEO, Finnish Forest Products Engineers’ Association
13.10 Keynote: The Next Chapter of Fiber-Based Innovation: From Science to Sustainable Growth
Wouter Gabrielse, VP, Group Innovation, Ahlstrom
13.35 Session 1: MAN-MADE FIBRES
- BioProTex as an enabling platform for transforming forest-based fibers into high-value functional textiles, Esubalew Kasaw Gebeyehu, Aalto University
- Turning renewable forest resources into tomorrow’s textiles, Yidong Zhang, Åbo Akademi University
- Ionic liquid-induced fiber liberation of wood, Fjor Morante, University of Helsinki
14.15 Research & industry interaction, commentators:
- Monika Kokko, Laboratory Technician, Spinnova
- Heli Kangas, Development Manager, Valmet
14.30 Session 2: SUSTAINABLE BIO-BASED PACKAGING
- Sustainability and technical feasibility of smart tags as data carriers for intelligent packaging and digital product passports, Liisa Hakola, Aalto University (online)
- Nanocellulose-Based Hybrid Aerogels for Thermal Management in Cold-Chain Packaging, Sreenadh Thaikkattu Sankaran, University of Oulu
- Seal Integrity and Durability of Fiber-Based Flexible Packages in VFFS Applications Under Standard, Refrigerated, and Frozen Storage Conditions, Mahdi Merabtene, LUT University
15.10 Research & industry interaction, commentators:
- Sahar Babaeipour, Application Specialist, Boreal Bioproducts
- Teemu Karhu, Technical Product Manager and RCI Site Manager, Stora Enso
15.25 Coffee break
16.00 Video greetings from the 2026 PI Scholarship recipients
16.05 Pitch presentations by the candidates of the 2026 Marcus Wallenberg Prize Event Young Researchers’ Challenge
16.45 Closing remarks
Juhani Lehtonen, CEO and Founder, Glocell Oy
17.00 Event closing
Bubbles, snacks and music at Linnanpiha Courtyard
17.30 PI Scholarship Gala at Linnanpiha Courtyard
17.50 Networking
~19.00 Closing