- 10 Sep 2026

Maija Pohjakallio, Metsä

- Group’s Leading Climate and Circularity Expert, Docent and Doctor of Science (Technology), has been appointed Professor of Practice at the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the University of Turku for the term 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2031.

The position is part-time, and Pohjakallio will continue in her current role at Metsä. The appointment strengthens collaboration between the University of Turku and Metsä and creates new opportunities for interaction between research, education, and industry. Pohjakallio’s areas of expertise include the circular economy and polymer materials. She sees the professorship as a platform for building even stronger connections between academic research and industrial practice.

“The Professor of Practice position enables me to engage with the academic community, while my work at Metsä keeps me grounded in industrial practice. I find this combination particularly inspiring, as it allows me to interact with diverse people, ideas, and perspectives. At the same time, it creates new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and societal impact,” says Pohjakallio.

According to Pohjakallio, advancing the circular economy requires new forms of collaboration between different stakeholders.

“One of the most significant barriers to developing the circular economy is society’s siloed way of operating. New models of collaboration are key to overcoming these barriers.”

At the University of Turku, Professors of Practice are appointed to bring diverse perspectives from different sectors of society into academia and to enhance the university’s societal impact. The position may be awarded to a highly accomplished and respected expert, executive or professional.

According to Kati Miettunen, Professor of Materials Engineering at the University of Turku, the appointment strengthens the university’s ability to respond to the challenges and opportunities of sustainable development and the circular economy.

“Access to up-to-date, practical insights are essential for the development of teaching and research in the field.



Pohjakallio combines extensive experience from both industry and research, along with a broad understanding of the needs and operating environment of businesses in Finland and across Europe,” says Miettunen.

Pohjakallio joined Metsä in 2021. Previously, she held positions at Sulapac, VTT and the Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, as well as research and teaching roles. She received her doctorate in Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry from Helsinki University of Technology (now part of Aalto University) in 1996.

Photo/Metsä

RELATED NEWS

Saving 2.3 Billion Gallons of Water: Inside Domtar’s Employee-Driven Conservation

September 10, 2026

Walki announces CEO succession and strengthens Leadership Team

September 9, 2026

Metsä

- Group’s carbon dioxide capture plant receives EUR 21 million in aid

September 9, 2026

Valmet Engraving Solutions expands in North America to support customers closer than ever

September 9, 2026

Paper-based packaging industry generates €110.4 billion and supports 710,000 jobs across Europe

September 8, 2026

Saica Group relies on IBS reel change solutions

September 8, 2026

Metsä

- Fibre starts change negotiations on potential temporary lay-offs at Joutseno pulp mill

September 7, 2026

Essity’s Colombia plant relocation fuels ongoing labour dispute

September 7, 2026

More stroke for optimal paper formation with the new TurboShaker Pro by Bellmer

September 4, 2026

Metsä

- Group’s Rauma mills to undergo annual maintenance shutdown in September

September 4, 2026

Suzano acquires shareholding in Imetame Logística Porto project in Brazil’s Espírito Santo state

September 3, 2026

Ensuring recovery boiler reliability through proactive lifecycle services at Södra Cell Mörrum in Sweden

September 3, 2026

Aize acquires Samp, connecting engineering data with physical reality





September 2, 2026

Asten Johnson announced an important leadership transition.

September 2, 2026

Babcock Wanson Group names Geoffroy Durandet as its new CEO

September 1, 2026

IBS Group improves formation by 15 % with ACTIVITY maXX®

September 1, 2026

SAFEM –

- Dedicated to excellence: supporting a major Spanish paper mill

September 1, 2026

Valmet delivers recovery boiler modification to Stora Enso Varkaus mill in Finland to improve reliability and cost efficiency

August 28, 2026

Valmet delivers the first commercial-scale 3D Fiber line to Metsä

- Group, enabling high-quality molded fiber packaging production

August 27, 2026

Siemens Energy is starting preparations for business area Transformation of Industry to become a standalone company

August 26, 2026

UPM receives European Commission’s Statement of Objections for the JV with Sappi

August 26, 2026

Monadnock Paper Mills Releases 2025 Corporate Sustainability Report, Highlighting Responsible Manufacturing

August 26, 2026

Valmet supports Jeonju Paper Corporation’s energy and machine efficiency targets with press section rebuild

August 26, 2026

Fibre Excellence Saint-Gaudens: industrial consortium formed, €90m investment announced, and a paper industry operator in the running

August 24, 2026

Cristini S.p.A has been awarded the prestigious «

- Historic Trademark » recognition (Marchio Storico) .

August 24, 2026

Annual maintenance shutdown beginning at Metsä

- Group’s Äänekoski bioproduct mill

August 24, 2026

The Russian Naberezhnye Chelny Paper Mill intends to start a recent tissue machine in 2027

August 24, 2026

Södra : Birch – built for reliable performance

August 24, 2026

Sappi confirms improved Q3 outlook and sees materially stronger Q4 ahead

August 21, 2026

British master papermaker James Cropper invites visitors to discover the story behind the paper at London Packaging Week

August 21, 2026

Key takeaways from Fastmarkets’

- Latin America Forest Products Conference 2026

August 21, 2026

Paper &

- Tissue Show moves to March 2027, returns to ADNEC Abu Dhabi

August 20, 2026

📌 Metsä Group’s Maija Pohjakallio appointed Professor of Practice at the University of Turku (Jagadhri)
🏢 PaperFIRST
📍 Jagadhri