Savonia University of Applied Sciences’ Water Safety research area focuses on applied research for companies and projects, aiming to create innovative solutions for water-related challenges through concrete research efforts. As part of this work, several ongoing projects involve pilots. To keep these pilots running smoothly, several students have been hired for the summer. In this article, we interview and share the experiences of three students working at the water lab.

Ashraf Yousefi: From Internship to Summer Employment

Ashraf Yousefi began with an unpaid internship in the spring, which later led to a summer job. Having just completed his fourth year of environmental engineering studies at Savonia, Ashraf has been involved in various tasks during his summer employment. Notably, he has participated in the KIERTO project’s trials, testing the differences between activated carbon and biochar filters. The KIERTO project focuses on nutrient recovery from landfill leachate. Additionally, Ashraf has conducted trials for the Arctic Water Excellence (AWE) project, investigating membrane filtration for removing metals from mining water. He has also visited field sites to do maintenance on measurement devices for the SMAGRI project. Ashraf appreciates the diverse work, where each day brings new and interesting challenges. He praises the team spirit and particularly enjoyed participating in the team’s summer day. Next on Ashraf’s agenda is his thesis, possibly related to the AWE project.

Aliisa Suhonen and Yasinthi Witharamage: International Research in the ReNutriWater Project

Aliisa Suhonen, a first-year student at the University of Turku, is pursuing a degree in Biotechnology Engineering and Yasinthi Witharamage is a student in the Master’s program in Environmental Health and Technology at the University of Eastern Finland. Their summer work has primarily involved the ReNutriWater project. ReNutriWater is an international project with participants from five countries around the Baltic Sea. During the summer, a greenhouse has been set up for growing corn. Before cultivation, water from the wastewater treatment plant has been purified using various methods such as ozonation in Savonia’s water laboratory. The project aims to study how corn irrigated with different water sources grows and whether it is microbiologically safe for consumption.

Aliisa and Yasinthi have been busy with various laboratory analyses, greenhouse work and contributing to project planning and scheduling. Aliisa values the opportunity to learn about project management in an international EU project and Yasinthi has learned valuable lessons in teamwork and communication in international team. Both praise the team spirit within the water team, emphasizing that summer employees are well integrated into the team.

Savonia’s Water Laboratory provides a dynamic and enriching environment for summer employees, allowing them to contribute to meaningful research while gaining valuable experience. Whether testing filters, studying re-use of water, or managing international projects, these students are making a difference in water-related research.

Writer: Tiina Haatainen, Senior Specialist, Savonia University of Applied Sciences