As you know from my previous blogs, the recruitment of new faculty members is a time consuming task that needs good planning. Here, it is clear that most of us think that everybody knows a lot more about what we do, than is true in the reality. Thus, it is extremely important that we prepare applications for the recruitment of new faculty that clearly describes their place in the organization as well as their tasks in a pedagogic manner. We are not fully there yet but we have taken some major steps towards that direction. For example, we have defined some key numbers of estimating how many faculty members we can “afford to have” in different departments.
I also want to give you an update on the recruitments of new faculty members. On March 8 the ITM school presented 8 new faculty positions at the KTH faculty council. As a comparison, the remaining schools at KTH presented three positions all together. So it is clear that we have a larger demand for finding new faculty compared to the rest of KTH. The following new positions were presented for the Faculty Council:
- Lecturer in leadership and business development (TMT)
- Assistant Professor in Industrial Dynamics with focus on innovation and business models for a circular economy (INDEK)
- Industrial Marketing with Specialization in E-Commerce (INDEK)
- Associate Professor in Crystallization Processes (MSE)
- Assistant Professor in Powder Metallurgy (MSE)
- Assistant Professor in Materials Design with Focus on Additive Manufacturing (MSE)
- Assistant Professor in Mechatronics with a focus on robotic design (MMK)
- Assistant Professor in Renewable Energy (EGI)
Next the employment profiles of these positions will be scrutinized carefully, before they will be advertised. Here, we hope for a large number of applications from talented candidates.
This week an important survey was sent out to all employees at ITM. In Swedish it is called “medarbetarundersökning (MUS)”, which it is a survey regarding how you as an employee can express your individual opinions regarding your situation at work. I would strongly encourage you all to fill out this survey form, since this is an excellent way for you to give a feedback to the management. We look very seriously on these results. Specifically, we try to analyze good and bad parts. The bad parts we will initiate task groups to start improvements. As you know, as a result of previous surveys we have initiated many groups focusing on improving the working environment in the school with respect to chemicals, fire prevention etc. I should also mention that we are preparing a survey for scholarship students to be distributed separately.
So before you take your break to enjoy the sunny spring weather this weekend, please spend 10-20 minutes to fill out the employee survey. It is very important for us to know YOUR opinion !!!!!!
/Pär Jönsson, Vice Dean