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 recent 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 th

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