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In the Shaking up Tech event at Aalto University on 11 October 2018, high school students met women who rule the world of technology. Especially the inspirational talks made a strong impression on the students.

200 young women from various high schools in Finland took part in Shaking up Tech event at Aalto University on the International Day of the Girl 11 October. The morning's talks from tech influencers—receiving loud cheers—outlined the various and exciting education and career opportunities in the field of technology.

Programmer and author Linda Liukas encouraged the students to reflect on their inner self and their own strengths to change the world—and find their own unique place in the world of technology.

Other speakers included Annu Nieminen from The Upright Project, Hanna Nikkilä from Microsoft, Professor of Energy Technology and Energy Economics Sanna Syri, Professor of Statistics Pauliina Ilmonen, and Irena Bakić who leads the CodeBus Africa project from Aalto University.

In her speech Annu Nieminen talked about using artificial intelligence to assess the overall impact of companies on the world, and Pauliina Ilmonen described her love for mathematical theorems and formulas and how easy it easy it is to mislead and create alternative truths with statistical information.

In the workshops, some of the participants got to combine mathematics and art, some had their first try at coding, while others had a chance to produce a new kind of cellulose-based textile fibre from recycled materials.

During the study fair in the evening, students were able to get to know Aalto University’s study opportunities and student life, and also meet the event’s partner companies. At the fair, they were also introduced to Valo Motion’s Augmented Climbing Wall which took off from an Aalto University research project and has since been sold to multiple countries around the world.

Shaking up Tech will be organised in 2019 as well.

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