Annual Report 2021: HIIT Focus Areas
In 2021, HIIT supported the following strategic focus areas:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Computational Health
- Cybersecurity
- Data Science
- Foundations of Computing
Artificial Intelligence
Focus Area Leader: Professor Samuel Kaski, Aalto University
Artificial intelligence (AI) is without a doubt one of the most important factors in the development of modern digital societies. Our main research focus is the study of methodological issues in AI and their wide applications, involving statistical and/or symbolic problems or their combinations, with partner usage.
Affiliated Unit: Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI)

Computational Health
Focus Area Leader: Professor Juho Rousu, Aalto University
The computational health focus area studies computational challenges faced by the emerging digitalization and wide adoption of data-driven approaches in heathcare.
The goal is to develop state-of-the-art computational methods and tools for large, real-world data arising in biomedicine, pharmaceuticals and healthcare.
Affiliated Unit: Finnish Center for Artificial Intelligence (FCAI)

Cybersecurity
Focus Area Leader: Professor Valtteri Niemi, University of Helsinki
Cybersecurity is the protection of computer systems and networks from the theft of or damage to their hardware, software, or electronic data, as well as from the disruption or misdirection of the services they provide. This research area studies secure systems including human factors, software and hardware.
Affiliated Unit: Helsinki-Aalto Institute for Cybersecurity (HAIC)

Data Science
Focus Area Leader: Professor Sasu Tarkoma, University of Helsinki
The data science focus area deals with the task of extracting knowledge and insights from data, which is important across many fields of science. The aim is to solve significant societal and industrial challenges related to data analysis.
Affiliated Unit: Helsinki Centre for Data Science (HiDATA)

Foundations of Computing
Focus Area Leader: Professor Petteri Kaski, Aalto University
The foundations of computing focus area integrates a broad range of foundational expertise spanning multiple areas of algorithmics, cryptography, logic, and quantum computing.
