21.12.2007 Professor Pentti Leppänen has been awarded for pioneering research

Marshal Mannerheim military science fund has awarded professor Pentti Leppänen for significant merits in the field of novel radio data communication methods. Professor Leppänen is a pioneer in the research and development of new wide-band radio communication techniques.

20 years ago the Finnish Air Force initiated professor Leppänen into starting the university-level basic research of spread spectrum technique; first in Finland. Consequently, spread spectrum techniques are nowadays successfully utilized both in mobile communication systems and modern military communication systems. Telecommunication laboratory and CWC have grown into world-class research units alongside with professor Leppänen’s work.

The basic research results of professor Leppänen’s group have been utilized by the Finnish defense industry, for 15 years. His group is also a Finnish pioneer in the research and development of new software defined radio communication techniques. In mobile communications Leppänen’s group has been active in, for example, developing European 3G mobile communication concept. The WCDMA research of the Telecommunication laboratory and CWC has raised Finland a forerunner in the 3G mobile communication technologies.

Professor Leppänen has founded solid research cooperation with partners in Europe, USA and Japan.