Pekka Tiitinen, Managing Director of ABB Oy, has been awarded an honorary doctorate in technology by the Lappeenranta University of Technology. The honorary title was awarded for his many achievements, including the major role he played in developing modern electrical drives and industrial automation.
"Pekka Tiitinen has a lot of expertise in modern electrical drives and industrial automation. He has many patents and scientific publications in his name in the area of frequency converters. Tiitinen has had a crucial role in launching and developing the Carelian Drives and Motor Center research unit at the Lappeenranta University of Technology. This collaboration has led to a significant number of Masters and Doctors of Science in Technology graduating from the University. Tiitinen also has extensive experience in international management at ABB Group", Lappeenranta University of Technology principal Juha-Matti Saksa states as the reasons for awarding the honorary title.
Tiitinen started working at ABB directly after graduating from the University of Technology in 1990. During the first half of the decade, he had research and management roles in the product development of frequency converters and specialized in motor control. He was one of the main developers of Direct Torque Control (DTC) that revolutionized motor control. The cooperation with the Lappeenranta University of Technology began in 1994 with further development in the DTC method for different synchronous motors. This cooperation led to founding the Carelian Drives and Motor Center, a joint project by ABB and the University, in 1998. Tiitinen also participated in founding the Institute of Intelligent Power Electronics unit at the Helsinki University of Technology.
More recently, Tiitinen was in charge of ABB's global frequency converter business and was responsible for generating significant growth. He was later appointed to ABB Group's Executive Committee as head of the Discrete Automation and Motion division. He began his role as ABB Finland's Managing Director in October 2016.
In addition to research collaboration, ABB is closely involved in student collaboration with the Lappeenranta University of Technology. In the University's ABB classroom of experimental physics, elementary and high school students have the opportunity to test physical phenomena related to electrical energy, electromagnetics and electronics through practical exercises. Each year, around 800 students and their teachers visit the ABB classroom.
The sixth doctoral promotion at the Lappeenranta University of Technology will take place on the 26th of June 2017. Honorary Doctor is a title that the university awards to particularly distinguished persons. It is the highest form of recognition a University can award.
