Contributing to a better future with creativity
According to philosopher Martha Nussbaum, a life worthy of human dignity requires, among other things, the capability to be creative – and not only if there are tools for people to be creative with. But are these tools accessible and if so, for whom? The implications for s our work at Aalto are truly radical: We must ask ourselves if our work supports or stimulates people’s capability for creativity.
Personally, radical creativity is my elixir – I think for many other people too – it motivates and revitalises my interest in research and the world at large. Engaging with art, deep ideas, or work in bridging communities showcase that despite all of our global societal challenges, there is inspiration and perhaps even hope for a better future, and that we can contribute to it.
My work centres on how technology, video games, for instance, can support meaningful and aesthetic experiences. Practising creativity is of course a source of fulfilling experiences, but in my research, we have discovered that interacting with a radically creative game is not only aesthetically pleasing but also opens up people’s mind to new ideas and perspectives, transforming them in a positive way. In that sense, radical creativity begets more radical creativity.
Aalto encourages experimentation and a lot of autonomy. We see that in the world-renowned artistic output, in the boundary-pushing scientific and technical innovations – or in my case, that the Aalto Computer Science department hired a psychologist as faculty! In hindsight, it’s pretty wild that I started out as a student of the humanities, graduated in psychology, and now am surrounded by world-class computer scientists and designers.
If you look for it, it is also very easy to find inspiration everywhere at Aalto: exhibitions, Aalto books and theses, and facilities that enable students to be creative. I admire artists and researchers that keep reinventing themselves, tread new ground, and raise novel yet deep questions over and over again.
Elisa Mekler
Assistant Professor, Computer Science
School of Science
Radical creativity
We enable experimental activities that challenge the status quo.Â
Read more news
Kristian Ritvala is the Spirit of Mercury of the School of Business Ceremonial Conferment 2026
The task of the Spirit of Mercury begins with conducting the weaving of the laurels and ends at the Herring Luncheon, where he delivers a speech to the promovendi
Viron presidenttipari vieraili Aalto-yliopistossa
Viron tasavallan presidentti Alar Karis ja puolisonsa Sirje Karis sekä tasavallan presidentti Alexander Stubb ja Suzanne Innes-Stubb vierailivat Aalto-yliopistossa.
Aalto Inventors turns one: A year of bridging research and real-world impact
Aalto Inventors marks its first anniversary, having engaged 190 researchers across six cohorts in fields including AI, quantum, and biomaterials. New cohorts are planned for the next academic year, stay tuned and join the waitlist.