Prizes and awards

Smart Photoic Materials group is a part of a European consortium awarded €3 million under the EIC Pathfinder Open program. The project, entitled HoloMorPh — Holographic surface Morphing for ready-to-use planar Photonic components, aims to revolutionize the way flat-optics are designed and fabricated. Tampere University's share in the consortium is 0.63 million euros that will be used to develop novel photomorphers for ready-to-use and reprogrammable diffractive optical elemen

The Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded a Pioneer Innovator Grant to Prof. Arri Priimägi for the groundbreaking project titled “GeL-Cell: Evaluation and validation of a light-responsive hydrogel for commercializing a novel biomechanical assay” . About the Novo Nordisk Foundation The Novo Nordisk Foundation is one of the largest philanthropic organizations in Europe, supporting scientific, humanitarian, and social causes. Its Pioneer Innovator Grant program is designed to c

Dr. Hongshuang Guo , a valued member of our Smart Photonic Materials (SPM) group, has been awarded a prestigious four-year Academy Research Fellowship  by the Research Council of Finland. His project will be impremented at Tampere University from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2029 . Hongshuang’s project, STAR  ( Smart Biomedical PlaTforms Using Advanced Stimuli-Responsive Materials ), will explore the development of intelligent biomedical platforms using stimuli-responsiv

Second year in a row an SPMer wins one of the two Best Poster Awards  at the Optics and Photonics Days 2025 ( OPD2025 ). Congratulations to Sudharsana Pillailokam on the impressive achievement during his first year of PhD studies . OPD is Finland’s premier annual event in optics and photonics, bringing together researchers, industry leaders, and students from across the globe. The 2025 edition featured parallel academic and industry sessions, a vibrant exhibition, and nume

Roshan with the best poster award at LIBER Sympoisum 2025 21 people from SPM participated in the annual LIBER Symposium 15-16.05.2025...

Professor Arri Priimägi, has been named Finland’s Ambassador for the European Research Council (ERC)! Out of over 200 applicants, Arri is...

Arri Priimägi has received the 2025 Pirkanmaa Cultural Foundation Prize of €15,000 for his groundbreaking research at the crossroads of chemistry, materials science, and photonics. This award honors his daring scientific contributions and interdisciplinary innovations. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Arri!

Doctoral researcher Matias Paatelainen  has been awarded a personal working grant  from the Finnish Cultural Foundation (Suomen Kulttuurirahasto)  to support his PhD studies. The Finnish Cultural Foundation is one of Finland’s most significant private supporters of science, arts, and culture, and its personal grants are highly competitive, recognizing promising researchers and supporting high-quality academic work at crucial stages of their careers. Warm congratulations to Ma

Matias in the laboratory Matias has been awarded a personal 1-year grant from the KAUTE Foundation  for his PhD studies on light-sensitive hydrogels. His project, “Development of Light-Sensitive Hydrogels for Photonics and Biomedical Applications,”  explores smart materials that respond to light, with potential uses in drug delivery and optical devices. SPM congratulates Matias on the achievement!

Mari Isomäki  received a €28,500 doctoral grant  from the Instrumentarium Science Foundation! 🎉 Her research focuses on developing a light-controlled hydrogel platform  for cell manipulation—an exciting innovation that could open new doors in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Mari is one of six Tampere University researchers awarded this year, with the university receiving a total of €353,500  in funding. Amazing work and well-deserved recognition!