Aalto University · Est. 2022

Come change the world with us

Join Us Learn More

What is Effective Altruism?

Effective Altruism is a philosophical movement that aims to find and execute the most effective ways to do good, through evidence and reason. Important causes for us include global health and poverty, animal welfare, and catastrophic risks that threaten the future of humanity.

Want to make a real impact? We are a vibrant community of students with the goal to make a real difference in the world. Aalto EA's mission is to empower Aalto students from all fields of study to reach their potential in solving serious global problems. We're here for you to help identify the right cause(s) and find a personally meaningful career path, as well as a supportive community.

Activities & Events

Reading Groups

In our reading groups, we have thought-provoking discussions about books and reading materials, covering topics such as evidence-based reasoning, cause prioritisation, and global risks.

Workshops

Our career workshops help you plan a fulfilling career that's aligned with the global problem you want to work on and figure out where to start.

Speaker Events

TEA Tuesdays: members of the community and outside speakers give presentations on topics ranging from global health to AI safety and career choices. Afterwards we discuss the ideas.

Fellowships

In collaboration with EA Finland, we host Effective Altruism Intro and In-Depth programs that help you get familiar with important global issues and find the tools to solve them. Apply here.

Social Events

We have weekly vegan lunches at Kipsari Väre and monthly hangouts where you can get to know and spend time with the community.

Movie Nights

We host monthly movie nights where we watch (more or less) EA-themed movies. We have snacks and host post-watch discussions.

Upcoming Events

Aalto EA at Otasuunnistus
Wed 26 Aug · 16:30 Alvarinaukio

Aalto EA is hosting a checkpoint at Otasuunnistus! Come by to say hi :)

Aalto EA at Otasuunnistus
Thu 27 Aug · 16:30 Alvarinaukio

Aalto EA is hosting a checkpoint at Otasuunnistus! Come by to say hi :)

See the full calendar

EA Intro Program

The Effective Altruism Intro Program is a four-week programme for anyone with an active interest in improving the world. Each week, you will read thought-provoking materials and join a small group of 4–7 participants for a guided discussion. The program gives you a chance to explore the principles of effective altruism: how to use evidence and reason to do the most good with the resources we have, and to connect with like-minded people.

Are you passionate about helping others and want to maximize your positive impact on the world?

Join the Program

The board

Sofi

Sofi

Chair

Hi! I'm Sofi and I study in the Sustainable Communities bachelor's programme at Aalto. I'm especially interested in animal welfare and wrote my bachelor's thesis on the welfare of wild animals in urban areas. In my free time I like to work out and play games competitively, especially MTG.

Telegram @sofi_julia
sofi.salin@aaltoea.fi

Vera

Vera

Vice Chair

Hi! I'm Vera, an Economics major at Aalto BIZ. The causes I'm most focused on are AI safety — especially the policy perspective — global poverty, and farmed animal welfare. In my free time, you'll find me at the gym, playing the guitar or listening to finance and economics podcasts.

Telegram @vera_sundstrom
vera.sundstrom@aaltoea.fi

Okko

Okko

Treasurer

Hi, I'm Okko, an AI master's student at Aalto. I'm interested in working on technical AI safety, especially challenges related to superhuman AI. I'm also interested in rationalism, utilitarianism, and economics as tools for thinking. In my free time I enjoy running, games, and watching YouTube videos full of useless trivia. Let's avoid multipolar traps.

Telegram @OkkoKatajamaki
okko.katajamaki@aaltoea.fi

Kuutti

Kuutti

Secretary

Hi, I'm Kuutti, an electrical engineering and mathematics student at Aalto. I'm interested in reducing animal suffering and decision-making under significant uncertainty. In my free time I enjoy running, board games, nature, and cocoa.

Telegram @KuuttiL
kuutti.lappalainen@aaltoea.fi

Lexin

Lexin

Board Member

Hi! I'm Lexin, a second-year economics student at Aalto. I'm especially drawn towards topics like global development, health and inequalities. Currently, most of my free time is spent cooking, looking for new recipes and simply eating. The rest of it most likely goes to listening to my favorite songs on repeat :)

Telegram @Kirakkaaa
lexin.zhang@aaltoea.fi

Ellis

Ellis

Board Member

Hi! I'm Ellis. A student of machine learning with a variety of interests. Contact me if you would like to jam, play a game of chess or debate the nature of intelligence.

Telegram @ellissaav
Chess.com fearlessfencer
ellis.saavalainen@aaltoea.fi

Dmitrii

Dmitrii

Board Member

Hi, I'm Dmitrii, a computer science student at Aalto. I found EA a couple of years ago through my interest in AI safety, and I've been involved in the community since then. I'm doing AI safety community building in Finland; message me if you want to hear more about it! (And join the weekly AI safety reading group that I organize)

Telegram @dimigus
dmitrii.gusev@aaltoea.fi

Success stories

Some of the people who shaped Aalto EA, and the impact they've gone on to make.

Sarah Bluhm

Sarah Bluhm

Co-founder of the Network for EA Support & Training

Sarah studied Life Science Technologies at Aalto. She served as the chairperson of Aalto EA in 2024 and helped develop the EA Crash Course curriculum at EA Finland. After graduating, she took a University Associate position at the Centre for Effective Altruism and moved to the US. She is a co-founder of the Network for EA Support & Training, where she supports EA community-building efforts at universities.

Santeri Koivula

Santeri Koivula

Master's student at ETH Zurich

Santeri did his Bachelor's in Mathematics and Systems Sciences at Aalto. He co-founded Aalto EA in 2021 and served as the association's chairperson in 2022–2023. After his Bachelor's, Santeri is completing his Master's in Science, Technology and Policy at ETH Zurich. In 2025, he completed a 5-month fellowship at the Future of Life Institute, where he worked on topics related to EU AI policy and AI safety.

Aayush Kucheria

Aayush Kucheria

AI Alignment researcher

Aayush studied Machine Learning at Aalto, co-founded Aalto EA in 2021 and ran it for a couple of years. Later, CEA contracted him to mentor EA and AI Safety group organisers at Delft, Stanford, Liverpool, etc. After graduation, he moved to direct AI Alignment work. He led a team at AI Safety Camp 2026, and currently works on Alignment from a design-centred perspective, for example at Groundless.ai. He is also a career advisor at EA Finland.

Get Involved

Join our Telegram
team@aaltoea.fi Announcements channel