Topic outline

  • CHEMARTS Summer School 2.0, 07.06.2021 - 02.07.2021, 5 cr

    CHEMARTS Summer School 2.0 is an intensive, experimental and interdisciplinary course focusing on wood-derived materials research. It is strongly based on ecological values. During the course students familiarise with Finnish wood-based biomaterials and explore working methods used in materials research and design practice. On the summer 2021 the course is organized as a mix of online and onsite studies, including thematic lectures with group discussions, field trips, creative hands-on workshops and independent background research.


    Learning Outcomes:

    After the course the student will

    • be familiar with and inspired by Finnish biomaterials, including cellulose fibers, micro- and nanofibrillar cellulose, cellulose derivatives, lignin, bark extractives and novel combinations of these, and other biomaterials from the Finnish nature
    • recognise the main sustainability issues related to these materials
    • know some working methods for material exploration in laboratory environment, and have ability to apply those in their material experiments
    • understand the basics of up-scaling processes related to bio-based material innovations
    • have ability to envision how advanced bio-based materials could make life comfortable and more sustainable in the future

    Assessment Methods and Criteria: 

    • Active participation in the lab work, lectures and tutoring sessions. (25%)
    • Learning diary including documentation of your working process and weekly reflections of your learnings. (50%)
    • Ideation and experimentation in the labs. (25%)


    Teachers:

    • Pirjo Kääriäinen pirjo.kaariainen@aalto.fi
    • Tapani Vuorinen tapani.vuorinen@aalto.fi
    • Janika Lehtonen janika.lehtonen@aalto.fi
    • Nina Riutta nina.riutta@aalto.fi
    • Iines Jakovlev iines.jakovlev@aalto.fi


    Course content 2021 

    This year the CHEMARTS Summer School 2.0 consists of 3 days of lectures, 3 field trips and several short workshops to learn certain techniques or tools. In addition to the half day workshops, you will spend one day in the labs piloting the new CHEMARTS Master Chef concept. If your aim is to continue to the CHEMARTS project course, you’ll have some tutoring to develop your project idea. Otherwise, you work with your own small test series.

    Half day workshops:

    In Natural colors workshop you learn to extract colors from plants and how to use them. If you already have some ideas of the plants you want to use in your experiments, inform Iines before the workshop. Otherwise, we will provide materials and tools.  

    In Microscopy workshop you will learn how to use different microscopes and look at the pre prepared samples. If you want, you can bring your own materials, or you can collect some small samples from the field trip.  

    In Fiber workshop you learn more about different fibers and how they can be used in material experiments. You also learn how to separate fibers.  

    In Ioncell workshop we will dissolve cellulose material into ionic liquid for some experiments.