Hydrogen Research Day 2026

Warmly welcome to University of Oulu´s Hydrogen Research Day 2026 on 10th of February 2026 in Saalastinsali, University of Oulu. The event is arranged by H2FUTURE research programme, and we will again kick off the Nordic Hydrogen Week held in Oulu 10th-12th of February.

This year´s theme for our reserach day is Hydrogen resilience in the North and Arctic. As the climate and our energy needs are changing quickly, how do we make sure we can adapt to the future now? This event will bring together expert speakers on the topic from different Northern parts of the world to combine hydrogen vision, economy and research as part of a bigger resilience plan for the North and the Arctic.

“University of Oulu is engaged in 58 hydrogen-related projects, worth about 68 million euros, and working with several national and global collaborations” - Professor Marko Huttula, leader of H2FUTURE research programme, University of Oulu

Register here by 2nd of February 2026.

Programme:

Opening the event by chairperson Anniina Keiskander, Communication Specialist, University of Oulu

08:30- 09:00 Coffee and breakfast
09:00 - 09:05 Welcoming words by vice-rector for research Prof. Matti Latva-aho, University of Oulu
09:05 - 09:20 General introduction by Prof. Marko Huttula, Head of Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit and H2FUTURE research programme and Hydrogen Synergy Center, University of Oulu
09:20 - 10:00 Hydrogen resilience in North and Arctic, Prof. Pami Aalto, Tampere University
10:00-10:10 Technical break

Theme 1: International infrastructure for H2 research

10:10 - 10:40 OperaRI and H2MIRI - New infrastructures for hydrogen and energy materials research, Samuli Urpelainen, University of Oulu
10:40 - 11:10 Nordic added value from Nordic research cooperation, Lise Nielson, Nordic hydrogen research
11:10 - 11:40 Hydrogen in Canada – from R&D activities to industrial projects Prof. Bruno Pollet, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada
11:40 - 12:30 Lunch

Theme 2: Steels research collaboration

12:30 - 13:00 An overview of European steel research opportunities, Rachel Pettersson, Jernkontoret, Sweden
13:00 - 13:30 New Swift Processing for New Generation Hydrogen Resistance Steels, Dr. Sumit Ghosh ,University of Oulu
13:30 - 14:00 Bothnia Arc Steel Research– Prof. Jukka Kömi, University of Oulu
14:00 - 14:20 Coffee is served

Theme 3: Nordic breakthrough for clean future

14:20 - 14:50 Solar Hydrogen: Building the bright future – Veera Tapionkaski, Zun-H Oy/ University of Oulu
14:50 - 15:20 Hycamite, from the lab at UniOulu to the global markets, Matti Malkamäki, Chairman Hycamite
15:20 - 15:50 H2-plasma in steelmaking and how to optimize the process, Henri Pauna, University of Oulu

Poster session

15:50 – 17:00 Posters session, snacks and discussion
University of Oulu researchers connected to hydrogen themes: Call for posters session is open until 19th of December. Read more in Patio and submit your Poster. (Internal link).

Speakers: Welcoming words

Matti Latva-aho, University of Oulu
Dr.Sc.(Tech.) Vice rector of Research

Prof. Latva-aho was Director of Centre for Wireless Communications CWC during the years 1998-2006 and Head of the Department for Communication Engineering until August 2014. He was a Professor at the University of Oulu on wireless communications and served as Director for the National 6G Flagship Programme until 6/2025. He served as Academy of Finland Professor in 2017 - 2021. He was nominated as a Global Fellow at Tokyo University in 2021. Currently Latva-aho is Vice Rector for Research at University of Oulu. Prof. Latva-aho has published over 600 conference or journal papers in the field of wireless communications. He received the Nokia Foundation Award in 2015 for his achievements in mobile communications research.

Prof. Marko Huttula, University of Oulu
Leader of H2FUTURE programme, Unit Head of Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, Faculty of Science,

Prof. Marko Huttula research focuses on the electronic level and molecular scale understanding of materials and processes . Dynamics of nano systems, structure and behaviour of materials and developing of advanced characterization methods (ex-situ, in-situ, operando) for the research are in heart of the research drives. He is Head of NANOMO research unit with mission on "Physics of green transition". He is leading hydrogen profilation H2FUTURE programme at the University of Oulu and also developing tracks of doctoral training through heading multidisciplinary EU Horizon2020 and Horizon Europe MSCA doctoral programmes I4FUTURE and I4WORLD.

Pami Aalto, Tampere University
Jean Monnet Professor in International Relations in the Politics programme, PI, Research platform on Climate Neutral Energy Systems and Society CNESS, PI, Tampere university profiling area 'Sustainable Security Practices' (2023-25)

Pami Aalto works at the interface of European integration, international relations and political economy, specialising on energy policy issues. His main interest is in interdisciplinary work on energy transitions and energy issues in general, as well as international environmental governance, where alongside scholarly work he also seeks to engage with the business, public administration and NGO sectors. He has worked on all major sources of energy and components of the energy system and has interests in interdisciplinary studies of energy transitions and international environmental governance alongside energy geopolitics and great power relations. The bulk of the work has revolved on the European, Nordic, Baltic, Arctic, Eurasian and East Asian regions.

Speakers Theme 1: International infrastructure for H2 research

Samuli Urpelainen, University of Oulu
PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, Faculty of Science

Samuli Urpelainen is an expert on synchrotron radiation and electron spectroscopy of atoms, molecules, nanoparticles and surfaces. His main interests are in developing and applying novel advanced characterization methods - often synchrotron based - in studying the physical and chemical properties of matter. In particular modern in situ and operando experimental techniques give molecular level information on materials under realistic conditions in reactive environments. These methods, especially synchrotron radiation based x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), give insight into the physics and chemistry of, for example, catalysts and atmospheric aerosols, and related model systems. In his research Dr. Urpelainen applies techniques such as ambient pressure XPS (APXPS) in studying heterogeneous chemical reactions and uptake reactions on surfaces under realistic conditions.

Lise Nielson, Nordic Energy Research

Lise Nielson is a senior advisor at Nordic Energy Research, and manages several research and development programmes supporting the joint Nordic energy research agenda for the green transition under the Nordic Council of Ministers. Lise comes from a similar background for a RD&D programme in Denmark but has worked in Danish renewable energy SMEs and organisations too. She holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from DTU. Reading and evaluating proposals, as well as writing call texts, for funding is not just her job, it is her hobby too.

Prof. Bruno Georges Pollet, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Canada

BSc(Hons) MSc PhD FIAHE FRSC is an electrochemist and electrochemical engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Fellow of the International Association for Hydrogen Energy, a full professor of chemistry, director of the Clean Hydrogen Lab and co-director of the Hydrogen Research Institute at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières in Canada. He also holds the NSERC Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Clean Hydrogen. He has worked on Hydrogen Energy in the UK, Japan, South Africa, Norway, and Canada, and has both industrial and academic experience. He has been involved in Hydrogen strategies in various countries. He is a prolific scholar, collaborator, and mentor. He is also regarded as one of the most prominent Hydrogen experts and one of the Hydrogen influencers in the world.

Speakers Theme 2: Steels research collaboration

Rachel Pettersson, Jernkontoret, Sweden
Research Manager at Jernkontoret (The Swedish Steel Producers’ Association)

Rachel Pettersson is responsible for technical areas concerning steel products, development and applications plus European research liaison. She was formerly the department manager of Outokumpu Stainless and section manager at Swerea KIMAB. She is Adjunct professor in Corrosion Science since 2014, and the author of over 150 publications on corrosion and stainless steels.

Sumit Ghosh, University of Oulu
D.Sc. (Tech.)
Adjunct Professor (Docent). Metal fatigue

Dr. Sumit Ghosh works as Adjunct Professor (Docent) and leading the Fatigue research team at Materials and Mechanical Engineering of the University of Oulu, Finland, focusing on Fatigue crack growth in advanced multi-phase high/ultrahigh strength steels, especially under the extreme conditions. His research interests are physical metallurgy of ultra and advanced high-strength steels, fatigue crack growth in advanced multiphase and high/ultrahigh strength steels under the extreme conditions.

Jukka Kömi, University of Oulu
Professor, Head of Materials and Mechanical Engineering Unit

Jukka Kömi has experience in steel business management, production, mechanical properties, and applications, including strong competence in managing research and development organisations. Since 2016, he has headed the Materials and Mechanical Engineering unit and Centre for Advanced Steels Research (CASR). He is a member of European Steel Technology Platform (ESTEP), Association of German Steel Manufacturers (VDEh), the Association of Finnish Steel and Metal Producers, International Institute of Welding (IIW), and Chairman of the Welding Society of Finland. However, physical metallurgy of ultrahigh-strength steels is my interest and hobby on which I have more than 170 publications.

Speakers Theme 3: Nordic breakthrough for clean future

Veera Tapionkaski, Zun-H Oy/ University of Oulu

Veera Tapionkaski is a doctoral researcher at the Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit at the University of Oulu, specializing in the development of photocatalytic films and devices for efficient sunlight harvesting to produce hydrogen. Her work focuses on creating a prototype for a solar hydrogen reactor, which has the potential to generate hydrogen from water using only abundant solar radiation as the energy source.

Matti Malkamäki, Hycamite
Chairman of Hycamite

Matti Malkamäki has over 30 years of experience in the energy and cleantech sector, including more than 20 years as an entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and chairman of Hycamite, a Finnish company advancing graphite production through methane splitting. Matti has played a key role in driving industrial decarbonization and securing critical minerals. As a recognized speaker and industry expert, Matti shares insights on building a low-carbon future and shaping strategic supply chains.

Henri Pauna, University of Oulu

While Henri Pauna´s earlier research career has focused on electric arc furnace and ladle furnace process control with optical emission spectroscopy (OES), recently he has expanded the OES studies to cover also various plasmas, such as H2/Ar plasma for reduction of iron ore, and H2-burners. Overall, the objective of his research is to find OES-based solutions for on-line process control in the steel industry.

Register here by 2nd of February 2026.