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Doctoral hats will be set on their heads in Otaniemi on 7 October 2016.

The significance of the Doctoral degree has changed considerably over the last decades and Doctorates were possible for only a rare few. After the graduation the majority of new Doctors continued their scientific work within academia. Nowadays technology experts are needed in all spheres of society: in academic enquiry, in the public sector, and in industry and commerce. Even though the number of graduating Doctors has grown by many factors compared to before, their role in society is much greater.

‘Young Doctors today are in a key position to transmit the results and expertise of university research from the academic world to society at large’, says Jouko Lampinen, Dean of Aalto University School of Science.

In addition to conferring doctors who have earned their doctorates after the ceremonial conferment in 2014, eleven new Honorary Doctorates will also be conferred. Honorary Doctorates in Technology will be awarded to Professor Pedro Echenique, Professor Nader Engheta, Academician Riitta Hari, Professor Akira Isogai, Ilkka Kivimäki, MSc (Tech), Vuorineuvos Matti Lievonen (Vuorineuvos is a Finnish honorary title), Professor Emeritus Yukitaka Murakami, Professor Pei Gang, Brigadier General (Engineering) Kari Renko, Professor Magdalena Salazar Palma and Professor Mirja Salkinoja-Salonen.

This year, also a group of jubilee doctors will participate in the Conferment Ceremony. A person may receive the title of jubilee doctor if at least 50 years has passed since they became Doctor of Technology.

A ceremonial conferment is an academic celebration, in which doctorates and honorary doctorates in different fields are conferred, and in some universities also master's degrees. The idea behind the ceremonial conferment is that new graduates and doctors are accepted as full members of their scientific community and introduced to that community.