The Oskari Vilamo Fund recognised the best theses in the construction sector

The Oskari Vilamo Fund, part of the Foundation for Economic Education, annually recognises the best theses in the construction sector completed during the previous year. In 2026, awards were presented for two doctoral dissertations and six master’s theses. 

The doctoral dissertation awards were presented to D.Sc. (Tech.) Lauri Jaamala, (Tampere University, Faculty of Built Environment) and D.Sc. (Tech.) Teemu Ojala, (Aalto University, Department of Civil Engineering). Each doctoral dissertation award is worth EUR 5,000. 

The Fund’s master’s thesis awards were presented to M.Sc. (Tech.) Simo Kauppila, (Aalto University, Department of Civil Engineering), M.Sc. (Tech.) Iida Kinnunen, (University of Oulu, Faculty of Technology, Civil Engineering), M.Sc. (Tech.) Julia Pasanen, (Tampere University, Faculty of Built Environment), Architect Lasse Tikkamäki, Aalto University, Department of Architecture), Sandaru Vidanage, (Aalto University, Department of Civil Engineering), Simon Örnberg, Architect (Aalto University, Department of Architecture). Each master’s thesis award is worth EUR 3,000. 

Award recipients from left to right: Teemu Ojala, Lauri Jaamala, Iida Kinnunen, Lasse Tikkamäki, Julia Pasanen, Sandaru Vidanage, Simon Örnberg.

The Oskari Vilamo and Heikki Pentti Funds: advancing the construction sector

The purpose of the Oskari Vilamo Fund, part of the Foundation for Economic Education, is to promote advanced research in construction. The Fund was established in 1985 through a donation from Lemminkäinen Oy and named after Oskari Vilamo (1880–1952), who held the Finnish honorary title of Economic Counsellor and was a key figure in the company’s history. The Oskari Vilamo Fund’s advisory board began presenting awards for academic theses in 1993.

Since 2019, the Heikki Pentti Fund, also part of the Foundation for Economic Education, has contributed to the awards. It was established in 2007 through a donation from Heikki Pentti (1946–2008), who held the Finnish honorary title of Mining Counsellor. Together, the funds have recognised 81 doctoral dissertations, 20 licentiate theses and 189 master’s theses, including the theses recognised in 2026.

The Oskari Vilamo and Heikki Pentti Funds have awarded a total of EUR 1.2 million in prizes since 1985.

YIT Corporation has supported the Fund since 2018.