Milla Jokihaara, who is graduating with a degree in Energy and environmental engineering, developed a particular interest during her studies in topics related to water, the environment, and microbiology. Through internships and her thesis work, she became familiar with WANDER’s research activities and is now continuing her career as a researcher within the same team.
My name is Milla Jokihaara, and I will graduate from Satakunta University of Applied Sciences with a degree in Energy and environmental engineering in June 2026. During my studies, I became especially interested in topics related to water, the environment, and microbiology.
I first became acquainted with WANDER’s work during an internship in spring 2025, where I had the opportunity to see what research and project work are like in practice. The experience strengthened my interest in the field, and I returned to WANDER for another internship in spring 2026. At the same time, I completed my thesis at WANDER, in which I compared rapid tests designed for detecting Legionella and evaluated their suitability for analysing water samples. Through this work, I gained deeper insights into water microbiology, laboratory analyses, and practical research work.
After my internships and thesis, it felt natural to continue at WANDER as a researcher. It is rewarding to keep working in a familiar team and to transition from being a student to a professional in my own field. In my work as a researcher, I am particularly interested in topics related to water and microbes, environmental health, and the opportunity to carry out research in practice.