Emma Laasonen, LUT University
"The absolute best thing about my job is the variety of tasks. I can't even remember when there have been two identical days in a row!"
What have you studied and what influenced this choice back in the day?
I studied chemical engineering at LUT University. I began my Bachelor’s studies in 2015, completed my Master of Science (Technology) in 2020, and went straight on to a doctorate, which I completed in autumn 2024. I’d been interested in chemistry and maths from a young age, but I didn’t want to study pure chemistry or mathematics, so chemical engineering felt like a natural choice. I also didn’t want to become a teacher (although, in a way, that’s where I ended up), so a Master of Science (Technology) seemed a logical path.
How did you end up in your current position?
Honestly, quite by accident. I was about to graduate from LUT when I was offered a place for doctoral studies. At that point I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after graduating, so I decided to take the offer, thinking I could always move into industry later. When I eventually completed my doctorate, I was able to continue at LUT as a postdoctoral researcher — and that’s what I’m doing now.
What is the best thing about your job?
The variety, without a doubt. As a researcher you get to work on very different projects: sometimes you’re in the lab and sometimes in the office, and the partners you collaborate with change from project to project. In addition to research, my role includes teaching, so my days are wonderfully varied. I can’t even remember the last time I had two identical days in a row!
What have been the highlights and key lessons of your career?
The absolute highlight was defending my doctoral thesis — finally bringing years of work to a close. Another memorable moment was publishing my first scientific article. One of the most important lessons has been that challenges and setbacks are inevitable. In the lab, especially when you have to build your own experimental rigs, things rarely work perfectly the first time. And scientific papers don’t always get accepted on the first or even the second submission. As a researcher, you have to be able to tolerate setbacks; the key is to learn from them and keep moving forward.
What are your plans and goals in the future?
Right now, we have several very interesting project plans in the pipeline, and I’m hoping we’ll secure funding so we can put them into practice. At the same time, it’s important to me to maintain a good work–life balance, so there’s time for family, friends and hobbies alongside exciting projects.
What kind of person is suitable for your profession?
I’d say a research career calls for natural curiosity and a desire to learn. Without a genuine interest in your topic, research quickly becomes a slog. Self-direction and independence are also essential: academic freedom means taking responsibility for your own work and its progress.
Your greetings for young people in high school deliberating their future career?
Focus on what genuinely interests you and choose accordingly, don’t listen too much to other people’s opinions. There are no “bad” career choices, but there are choices that aren’t right for you. It’s also good to remember that changing fields and retraining is possible. If the subject or programme you chose turns out not to be the right fit, it’s not the end of the world, you’re not stuck on the “wrong” path forever. You’re never too old to learn something new.