Mika Seppala

Dr. Mika Kristian Seppala

Mika Kristian Seppala, PhD of Tallahassee, FL passed away Friday, January 23, 2015. He was born on August 24, 1951 in Helsinki, Finland. Dr. Seppala was a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Florida State University. He received his Master´s degree in 1972 and his Ph.D. in 1978 from the University of Helsinki in Finland.

Professor Seppala had an exceptional international mathematical career. He was the author or coauthor of over sixty-five contributions to the research mathematical literature. He was involved in teaching and mathematical research in Finland, France, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden and Germany prior to beginning his career at FSU in 1995. In recent years, Professor Seppala focused on advancing online education in mathematics and achieved an international reputation for the development of innovative analytical tools to support the learning process.

Professor Seppala taught more than fifty courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level in his career at Florida State University, and worked with several doctoral students. Two of these students will complete their doctorate this year. He was currently directing a seminar at FSU on the "shape of data", a new interdisciplinary field that he was developing.

Dr. Seppala is survived by his loving wife Cici Safkan-Seppala, PhD, specialist dentist of Helsinki, Finland; his daughter Sara Seppala, a student at TCC in Tallahassee; his son Mark Seppala, a high school student in Helsinki, Finland; his mother Anita Seppala, a retired principal in Helsinki; and four siblings, with their families, in Finland. Mika Seppala was the smartest, most caring, and most dedicated man. He was always full of energy and projected exceptional confidence and optimism.

A celebration of Mika Seppala´s life was held at Florida State University on Thursday, February 5, 2015. He will be buried in the family grave in Helsinki, Finland. The Seppala family would like to thank all people who have expressed their condolences in connection to our recent loss of Mika Seppala.