Aki Härmä (A.S.)

I did my PhD (2001) at the Aalto University in Finland, focusing on signal processing and machine learning algorithms for speech and audio processing. However, my professional trajectory has evolved over the years. During almost 20 years at Philips Research, as a principal scientist and team leader, I widened my expertise to encompass applications in various fields in healthcare and a broader scope of computational intelligence, with a particular emphasis on natural language processing.

In May 2023, I transitioned into the role of an assistant professor at Maastricht University, where I do research and teach in the areas of language technology and computing sciences. The shift to academia had always been a part of my long-term plan but the rapid progress in language technology in recent years made it clear to me that I want to ride this wave on the side of the academia. My current research interests contain better understanding and optimization of foundation models, and their applications in university education and sustainable farming.