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Olli Varis, Professor of Water Resource Management at Aalto University, has been appointed to the Matti Pursula professorship. Dr Varis has worked as a professor at the Helsinki University of Technology and thereafter at Aalto University School of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, from 2008. He has been the Vice Dean responsible for research at the School of Engineering since 2013.

In 2010, Aalto University established three professorships to honour the work of the rectors of Aalto University’s three founding universities. Persons appointed to these professorships are expected to be especially distinguished in their field of research. Matti Pursula served as Rector of the Helsinki University of Technology between 2003 and 2009. In addition to the now filled professorship, the two other professorships established were the Yrjö Sotamaa professorship in the area of "New frontiers in design" and the Eero Kasanen professorship to which Professor of Finance Matti Keloharju was appointed in 2013.

Olli Varis was appointed Professor of Water Resource Management in 2008. Dr Varis is an internationally distinguished and recognised researcher in water and environmental issues, with a specialisation in global water resources as well as the interaction between development and sustainable use of natural resources. He is especially renowned for his research related to Asia's growth economies. Dr Varis has led numerous international research projects and has a broad publication track record of high quality. He has also acted as an expert in numerous significant positions both in Finland and internationally.