GeoTeko 2023 award granted to Professor Leena Korkiala-Tanttu

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GeoTeko 2023 award granted to Professor Leena Korkiala-Tanttu

Published: 7.11.2023

The award justification cites Korkiala-Tanttu's research efforts to shrink the carbon footprint of dry deep mixing – potentially even turning it into a carbon sink.

GeoTeko 2023 -tunnustuspalkinto professori Leena Korkiala-Tantulle — Left to right: members of the SGY communications committee Henry Gustavsson (left) and Monica Löfman, Professor Leena Korkiala-Tanttu, and SGY chair Mirva Koskinen, who presented the award.

GeoTeko 2023 -tunnustuspalkinto — The GeoTeko 2023 trophy.

The Finnish Geotechnical Society, SGY, has recognised Professor Leena Korkiala-Tanttu with its GeoTeko award, presented as part of the Geotekniikan päivä event on 2 November 2023.

The recipient of the award was selected by Green Building Council Finland CEO Antti Ruuska, who the SGY board appointed as honorary judge.

"This year's award recipient represents high-quality Finnish expertise in geotechnics. The following factors were emphasised in the selection: pioneering and level of challenge, societal and international significance, and technological, economical and ecological merits. In addition to the recipient being recognised within the field as an influential figure, a role model, and an expert in life-cycle issues, she has been able to renew herself continuously and to highlight issues important to the field."

"Through her research, Leena Korkiala-Tanttu has worked toward solving challenges related to one of the biggest sources of emissions in the field of geotechnics – making dry deep mixing less carbon-intensive – perhaps even transforming it into a carbon sink and a permanent carbon storage", Ruuska explains.

SGY gives out the GeoTeko recognition once every two years for a geotechnical innovation, project, or person, or for a party that has in some way advanced the field of geotechnics. This year marked the seventh GeoTeko award.

Professor Leena Korkiala-Tanttu has a wealth of experience in collaborating with Finnish industry. The topics of her research include road pavements, soil improvement, building information modelling, permanent disposal of nuclear waste, and the environmental impacts of infrastructure construction. She is currently studying soil stabilisation in the Business Finland-funded project DeMiCo, which investigates low-carbon and even carbon-negative solutions for dry deep mixing. Korkiala-Tanttu served for several years as vice head and head of the Department of Civil Engineering. During 2016–2021, she acted as a link between students and faculty in her role as oltermanni of the Guild of Civil Engineers (IK).