Mikael Manngård appointed new Research Manager in Maritime Technology at Novia

Novia University of Applied Sciences has appointed Mikael Manngård as the new Research Manager for the RDI (Research, Development and Innovation) area of Maritime Technology as of March 1, 2026. He succeeds Mirva Salokorpi in the role.

Manngård has worked as a project manager at Novia since 2022 and has been part of the development of research activities within maritime technology.

Broad focus within maritime technology

The research area has recently been restructured to focus more clearly on maritime technology. The ambition is to work broadly with technologies that support the entire maritime sector – from shipbuilding to shipping and education.

“We want to support the development of technologies for the shipbuilding industry, shipping, and education, but also understand how technologies should be developed so that people can use them,” says Manngård.

A central perspective is the interaction between humans and technology, where technology is seen as a tool that must function in practice.

Applied research close to industry

As a university of applied sciences, Novia has a clear mission to work closely with industry.

“Our research should be applied, practically useful, and innovative. We work not only with research, but also with development and innovation,” says Manngård.

The maritime sector is a broad ecosystem consisting of shipyards, subcontractors, design companies, and software developers. Research is conducted in close collaboration with these actors.

Growing research activities

Since Mikael Manngård began working at Novia in 2022, research activities have grown significantly. From being a smaller group of individuals conducting research part-time, it is now a dedicated research team working full-time with maritime technology.

The activities are now organized into three teams: Human Factors (human–technology interaction), Maritime Informatics (data analysis and digital methods), and Simulation and Automation.

This enables the development of specialized expertise and larger research initiatives.

Recently, the focus has included improving efficiency and sustainability within the shipping industry. Artificial intelligence is a growing area.

“The entire industry is currently considering how intelligent solutions can be integrated into work processes. We want both to develop methods and understand how they affect engineering work and shipping,” says Mikael Manngård.

Research has also focused on understanding how situational awareness arises in remote operations, specifically with applications in remote pilotage.

Leadership through collaboration

In his new role, Manngård wants to build on the culture established within the research group.

“Leadership is about creating an environment where researchers thrive, feel safe, and want to discuss their ideas. A well-functioning research group is one where discussions and laughter can be heard in the corridors,” he says.

He also wants to create more opportunities for researchers to present their work and emphasizes the importance of recognizing successes.

“Big shoes to fill”

Taking over from his predecessor is both inspiring and challenging.

“Mirva has built this operation. Those are big shoes to fill, but we must also find our own way to develop the activities further.”

In his free time, Mikael Manngård runs a small-scale brewery in a hall outside Turku together with friends.

“Since I work at a desk, I wanted a hobby where you can be hands-on and make something with your hands. So far, we have developed 212 different types of beer.”

Facts: Mikael Manngård

• Born in 1988 in Turku
• Lives in Hirvensalo, Turku with his wife, two children, and their dog Lyyli
• PhD in Process and Systems Engineering
• Project Manager at Novia since 2022
• Interests: brewing beer and gardening.