Energy Linkage
Energy Linkage
- how the energy sector works from a commercial perspective, and how to make an impact and get innovations implemented in that sector
- meeting and working with key decision-makers, experts, and changemakers from the energy sector
- working with like-minded, ambitious students from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds.
A joint course by
About the Course
This course is a unique learning experience, limited to 20 participants and by application. It is open to all Master’s and PhD level students from Aalto University and University of Helsinki and worth 10 ECTS credits. It is taught by a teaching team that combines academic and practical knowledge how the energy sector works and how to successfully innovate.
- the transformation of industrial energy supply and the strategies to solve the triangle of cost, sustainability and reliability
- innovations in making mobility sustainable, from charging infrastructure, storage to sustainable aviation fuels
- the fundamental shift in electricity production from the perspective of grid operators, solar and wind power developers, bioenergy providers, legacy power producers and power markets
- how energy changes from a user perspective and which opportunities for innovation exist.
In previous years during the course students met people who shared insights from the following companies, among others: Neste, Fortum, Fingrid, Helen, Ilmatar, Ren-Gas, Intergrid, Freyr Battery, and Calectra.
The course is set to run from mid-January to the end of April. During these 3.5 months we will spend every Thursday afternoon from 14:15 to 18:00 together. The course has mandatory in-person attendance, with only a couple of absences allowed. We will have many guests from different parts of the industry. You will also work outside of the weekly sessions, mainly in teams to solve innovation challenges, and to prepare and reflect on the guest lectures.
There will be a hackathon in the beginning of the course, a two-week challenge that allows you to be creative, and a seven-week challenge where you solve a problem and innovate for a company. The course culminates in a community event where you present your solution to the seven-week challenge to a panel and an audience from industry experts and decision-makers.
The course will be a highly intense but highly rewarding experience!
If you still have questions about the course, please send them to the address energy-linkage [at] aalto.fi. We are happy to help you with any questions you might have.
Participants are selected
based on the following criteria:
Prior experience and accomplishments
Please submit your study transcripts and CV, more details below.
Motivation
Tell us why you want to take part in the program. Please submit a motivation letter, see below.
Diversity
We want to have a good mix of students from different backgrounds, all sharing an interest in the industry.
Your application should consist of the following:
1. Copies of your Bachelor's and Master's transcripts, and a copy of your CV
These we ask so we can undestand your academic background, and we are equally, if not more, interested in what you have done and achieved outside of your studies too. Therefore we ask you to make sure that relevant prior experiences are visible from your CV.
2. A short letter explaining your motivation to attend this course
- Describe any previous experiences that have inspired you to pursue this course. How did these experiences shape your interest in the field?
- What are your career goals, and how will this course help you achieve them?
- What is the unique experience or insight you bring to the course?
Write a motivation letter of max. 250 words that answers the above questions. We are interested to get to know you as a person from your motivation letter (so using ChatGPT to write the letter or parts of it might not be a good idea).
energy-linkage [at] aalto.fi
Important dates
Friday 15.11.2024 - Application deadline.
Early December - Applicants are informed of the selection. Selected participants will be informed on how to register for the course in Sisu.
Thursday 16.01.2025 - Course kickoff event.
Saturday 25.01. to Sunday 26.01. - Weekend-long hackathon event.
Thursday 17.04. - Final presentations & community event.
Course Alumni
Backgrounds of the participants include:
- Advanced Energy Solutions; Sustainable Energy Systems and Markets
- Energy and Environmental Technology
- Computer, Communication and Information Sciences
- Engineering Physics
- Contemporary Societies
- Marketing
- Automation and Electrical Engineering
- Innovative and Sustainable Energy Engineering
- Agricultural, Environmental and Resource Economics
- Real Estate Economics
Not on the list?
Apply and diversify the alumni network!
There is a certain entrepreneurial spirit that has been once again awoken inside of me. Previously, I would have been rather anxious to explore the path of intra- or entrepreneurship. Today, I have more confidence, some tools and a better intuition. Thank you for a fantastic course!
Stella Keijzer, Agricultural, Environmental and Resource Economics - Energy Linkage 2023 Alumni
Course Staff and Contacts
Jens Schmidt is a strategy professor at Aalto University, currently working as the head of the department of IEM
Christian Langen has been in leadership roles in the global renewable energy industry for 20 years.
Dayyan Khan is pursuing his MSc in Automation and Electrical Engineering with his majors in Power and Energy Engineering. His focus lies at the intersection of advanced computational methods and AI, aiming to optimize and innovate within the energy sector.
energy-linkage [at] aalto.fi
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