Aalto Media Lab is a transdisciplinary laboratory focusing on digital design and its impact to culture and society. The Lab is part of the Department of Media at the School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Aalto University in Finland. Media Lab is a base for MA and Doctoral studies, and for research on design and production of digital culture, digital media, interaction design, games, new media art and sound and the effect they have on society. The current MA programs and majors of the Aalto Media Lab are MA in New Media, Sound in New Media and Game Design. The Lab is a coordinator and a partner in number of international research, design and development projects focusing on digital technology, art, design, media and culture. History Media Lab was founded in 1993. The first MA program was started in 1994 and the first research group assembled in 1996. The roots of the Media Lab are in the early Scandinavian media art, demoscene, game design, hacker culture, and participatory design communities. Since its formation the Media Lab has been part of a relatively active digital culture scene in Helsinki and its surroundings. Since 1995 Media Lab has collaborated in, generated and coordinated research and development projects funded by the European Commission, Tekes (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation), Nordic Council, UNESCO and a number of industrial partners, including Nokia, Elisa, TeliaSonera, Sanoma, YLE and MTV3. In 1998 the lab became an official department at the university. In January 2000 the Media Centre Lume, the National Research and Development Center of audiovisual media was officially opened. Lume was located in the same premises as the Media Lab and offered its resources for study and research projects carried out in the Lab. The Lume was closed in 2016 as part of the new Aalto University's reorganisation. In 2001, the Ministry of Education Finland chose Media Lab as one of the national top educational units. In 2006 Media Lab was invited to the Ars Electronica. The Beta Lounge, Campus Exhibition presented over 20 works by Media Lab's MA, DA and alumni students and its four research groups of that time. Since then Media Lab researchers, designers and artist have collaborated in with the Ars Electronica Center in various projects. 2008 saw the beginnings of Aalto University, a new university. Aalto is the fusion of the University of Art and Design Helsinki where