KTH Logo

Have you already logged out?

Dear colleagues,
I just wanted to send a short message to thank all of you for your efforts during the first half of this year!

Many of you have already attended the graduation ceremonies at your children’s schools. I am sure that you have sang the traditional song “Den blomstertid nu kommer..” and left the school with your children thinking “finally the best part of the year has begun”. Some of my colleagues has told me that the “ITM personel has already logged out from KTH in their minds”. Thus, my message will be short:

Enjoy you summer vacation with friends and family! Take the chance to do those things you love to do but never had time to do during this first half year.

Myself I will make a trip to the US to visit family and friends. Besides this we have spotted some really interesting Frisbee golf courses in both the mountains and deserts that we will will try.

I am looking forward to meet you again after the summer. Do not forget to come to the ITM summer party on August 21 at Brazilia. Here, we can share our vacation memories.

/Pär Jönsson, Head of the ITM School

Photo: Unsplash

Fostering future leaders at work and g(r)o(w)ing bananas at home

Magnus Åkesson, Claes Tissel, Ida Naimi-Akbar, Mia Hesselgren, Farazee Mohammad Abdullah Asif, Per Johansson, Nathalie Kirchmeyer, Saman Gunasekara, Fredrik Asplund, Tecla Malmström, Robert Tomkowski, Mana Farshid, Pär Jönsson. Graduates missing in the photo: Chris Hulme and Johan Lundberg.

Dear colleagues,

We have reached the end of the spring semester. This is one of the most intensive periods of the year, since we need to finish important things before we can enjoy a vacation. Many of you are involved in preparing for and correcting exams. Also, many PhD defenses are made during this period. However, this year I believe it feels a little bit easier for most of us to handle this intensive period. This is because the weather has been fantastic and we can enjoy the activities we love to do during the warm, long and bright evenings.

Battling the economic situation

Since January, all units and departments have worked with a “balanced economy”. The situation at each department is unique, and different solutions have been found or need to be found. On May 29, when we met the President for a “School dialogue” we presented the situation at each department. It was clear to him that the you, the ITM staff, do your best to assist in improving the economy. For example, we showed that we decreased the cost for offices and labs by sharing rooms. Here, I want to point out that the President is quite upset about the situation regarding the high rents, as you can read more about in his blog.

Enough is enough (blog post)

We were also able to show that we have increased the number of students. For example, the number of masters students admitted to ITM programmes have increased by 30 percent compared to last year. Strong educational efforts have been made especially at the Departments of Learning, Industrial economics and management and Engineering Design. Also, our researchers have obtained many new research contracts during 2023 and submitted many proposals during 2024. Here, especially the faculties at the Departments of Materials Science and Engineering and Energy Technology have done an impressive job, but also personnel at Production Engineering and Engineering Design increased the number of contracts in 2023. Despite these positive developments we will still do not reach a balanced economy during 2024! However, most of our departments will reach a balanced economy during 2025 if we continue to increase the number of students and external contracts, and at the same time continue to control our financial situation by not hiring people if there is no money, for example.

Foster future leaders at ITM

The graduation of the first class in the 13 months ITM future leader program – FLITM1- took place on Näsby Castle on May 31, see photo. The course leader Magnus Åkesson was praised by the graduation class for his ability to teach them about relevant tools for leadership development, team building, coaching etc. Thus, all these abilities which are of highest importance in order to serve as a leader. This is a unique program that has the goal to teach potential leaders relevant abilities, before they obtain leader positions. The FLITM program has been developed by Magnus Åkesson, who has a long experience working with coaching and leadership development in academia. After discussions with Anna Wahl I have also provided some ideas to the content.

G(r)o(w)ing bananas

Banana tree wanting to be planted outside, after surviving the winter in the garage.

As usual, I comment on my work as a hobby gardener at home. This year my wife thought that I have gone bananas, since I decided to grow bananas outdoors in Sweden. I have studied some different techniques on youtube to get some inspiration, but of course, most gardeners do it in warmer climates compared to ours. However, then suddenly I run in to my neighbor who is a storeowner and meet many people. He told me that he met a man that has succeeded to grow bananas outdoors in Österåker. The only problem is that it took him twenty years to get banana fruits! So, I will just have to wait and see if I live long enough to see if I also succeed…

/Pär Jönsson, Head of the ITM School

New roommates during “fake spring”

In English further down.

Nya rumskompisar under fejkvåren

Kära kollegor,

2024 har vi satt igång med en rad aktiviteter. En av de mest utmanande aktiviteterna är att arbeta med en “ekonomi i balans”. Som ni har hört i olika bloggar från ITM och från KTH:s rektor under 2023, har kostnaderna, särskilt för kontor och laboratorier, ökat dramatiskt på grund av inflationen. På de flesta av ITM:s institutioner försöker vi därför utnyttja utrymmena effektivare, bland annat genom att låta medarbetarna dela rum. Många har efter pandemin vant sig vid att arbeta två dagar i veckan hemifrån, och därför är det ganska tomt i de flesta korridorer. Om vi delar rum kommer fler människor att träffas på jobbet och det kommer i sin tur att leda till fler möjligheter till fruktbara interaktioner. I mitt fall kommer jag att få en rumskamrat på mitt kontor på MSE från och med den 1 mars 2024. Jag ser fram emot detta, eftersom jag tror att fler möjligheter till intressanta diskussioner om utbildning och forskning väntar.

Vi har även startat upp fakultetsnämnden på ITM. Ni har kanske läst om de valda personerna i tidigare: Ledamöter i ITM-skolans fakultetsnämnd

Vi har haft både ett möte och en workshop, hittills mest fokuserat på grundutbildningen. Min bedömning efter dessa första möten är att denna grupp är mycket villig att hjälpa till att utveckla kvaliteten på ITM. Förutom att hantera löpande frågor om utbildningskvalitet, till exempel att godkänna nya kurser, kommer nämnden att arbeta med mer långsiktiga kvalitetsfrågor. Som du kanske har läst på intranätet har KTH tagit fram KTH:s vision och övergripande mål 2024-2028. Fakultetsnämnden kommer att ha en viktig roll i att ge input till hur den framtida utbildningen ska utformas för att vi ska kunna möta de krav som ställs av KTH och samhället. Detta är både svårt och spännande.

Slutligen måste jag kommentera mitt arbete som trädgårdsmästare hemma. I takt med att dagarna blir längre och temperaturen stiger känner jag ett starkt behov av att förbereda den kommande växtsäsongen. Jag längtar också efter att se ett tecken på blommor i naturen – en indikation att det finns en chans att våren kommer även i år. Hittills har jag inte sett några, men flera av mina kollegor har sett blommor när de promenerat i olika delar av Stockholm. Jag måste erkänna att jag i år bestämde mig för att prova något nytt, eftersom jag inte hade tålamod att vänta på att blommorna skulle dyka upp i naturen. Så när jag planterade tulpanlökar i trädgården i höstas sparade jag några som jag planterade i krukor i början av året. Nu kan jag se en grupp röda tulpanblommor öppna sig, vilket får mig att känna att min “låtsasvår” har börjat inomhus!

/Pär Jönsson, skolchef för ITM-skolan

New roommates during “fake spring”

Dear colleagues,

We have started 2024 with many activities. One of the most challenging ones is to work with a “balanced economy”. As you may have heard in different blogs from ITM and from the KTH President during 2023, the costs for especially offices and laboratories have increased dramatically due to the inflation. Thus, in most of the ITM departments intense efforts are ongoing to utilize the space more efficiently, by, for example, letting people share rooms. At the same time, it is clear that after the pandemic many people are used to work two days a week from home. Thus, it is quite empty in most corridors. If we share rooms, more people will meet at work and this, in turn, will lead to more possibilities to fruitful interactions. In my case, I will get a roommate in my office at MSE from March 1, 2024. I am looking forward to this, because I can foresee that I will have more opportunities to have interesting discussions about education and research.

We have also started up the faculty board at ITM. You might have read about the elected people in earlier information from ITM: Members of the Faculty Board at ITM

We have had one meeting and one workshop, so far mostly focused on the First and second cycle education. My judgement after these first meetings is that this group is very willing to help to develop the quality at ITM. Besides dealing with ongoing educational quality issues, such as approving new courses, the group will work with more long-term quality matters. As you might have read on the intranet, KTH has formed KTH’s vision and overall goals 2024–2028. The faculty board will have an important role in providing input on how the future education on all levels should be designed in order for us to meet these demands set by KTH and the society. This is both difficult and exciting.

Finally, I need to comment on my work as a gardener at home. As the days are getting longer and the temperatures are getting higher, I feel this strong urge to prepare for this growing season. I also long for seeing a sign of flowers in the nature to indicate that there is a chance that the spring will arrive even this year. So far, I have not seen any, but several of my office mates have seen flowers when walking in different parts of Stockholm. I must admit that this year I decided to try something new, because I did not only want to wait for the flowers to show up in the nature. So last autumn when I planted tulips in the garden, I saved some which I planted in pots in the beginning of the year. Now I can see a group of red tulip flowers open up, which make me feel that my “fake spring” has started indoors!

/Pär Jönsson, Head of the ITM School

Ready to lead another four years

In English further down.

Redo att leda i fyra år till

Kära kollegor, jag har nu fått besked från rektor att jag kan fortsätta leda ITM i ytterligare fyra år, med start den 1 januari 2024. Jag är mycket glad över chansen att fortsätta på den här positionen. Det är ett sant nöje att arbeta med er, mina kollegor på ITM, och fortsätta utveckla ITM-andan med en öppenhet och samarbetsvilja som vi har lagt grunden för det senaste decenniet.

Som vi alla vet har många förändringar skett under de senaste fyra åren, där kanske pandemin var den största utmaningen då vi var tvungna att övergå till att utföra arbetet hemifrån. Vi kommer naturligtvis behöva hantera utmaningar även under de kommande fyra åren.

Från och med den 1 januari 2024 kommer vi att införa ITM:s fakultetsnämnd som består av representanter från fakulteten, studenter, externa organisationer och fackföreningar. Denna nämnd kommer att fokusera på hur kvalitén i forskning och undervisning kan förbättras. Möten kommer att hållas en gång i månaden. Den nya fakultetsnämnden kommer att hjälpa ITM:s skolledning att utveckla skolan i framtiden. ITM:s skolledning kommer naturligtvis också att fortsätta att arbeta med den viktiga ledningsgruppen där prefekter och administrativ chef diskuterar skolans framtid ur en strategisk och operativ synvinkel.

När vi nu går över från höst- till vintersäsong blir dagarna kortare för varje dag. Jag tycker att det är extra viktigt att ta tillfället i akt och promenera för att njuta av solen eller åtminstone det ljus som finns tillgängligt. På kvällarna hamnar jag ofta framför brasan för att få lite ljus och värme från elden. För mig är det en sorts meditation där jag slappnar av och njuter av livet. Kanske var det likadant för de första människorna, som lärde sig att tända en eld, efter att ha ägnat hela dagen åt att samla mat och ved?

Jag ser fram emot att fortsätta arbeta med er alla under de kommande fyra åren. Tack än en gång för att ni tror på mig!

/Pär Jönsson, skolchef för ITM-skolan

Ready to lead another four years

Dear colleagues,
I have received the decision from the President that I can continue to lead ITM for another four years, starting from January 1, 2024. I feel very happy to have a chance to continue at this position. It is a pleasure to work with you my colleagues at ITM and continue to develop the ITM spirit with an openness and collaboration willingness we have laid the foundation for the last decade.

As we all know, many changes have taken place in the last four years, where maybe the pandemic was the biggest challenge where we had to make a transition to carry out our work from home. We will, of course, also have to deal with challenges during the coming four years.

From January 1, 2024 we will introduce the ITM Faculty Board consisting of representatives from the faculty, students, external organisations and unions. This board will focus on how the quality in research and teaching can be improved. Meetings will be held once a month. This new faculty board will assist the ITM School Management to develop the school in the future. The ITM School Management will, of course, also continue to work with the important group ITM Management Group where the Department Heads and the Administrative Head discusses the school’s future from a strategic and operational point of view.

As we are making a transition from the fall to the winter seasons, the days are getting shorter for every day. I feel it is extra important to take the opportunities to find time for walks to catch any of the sun or at least light available. In the evenings, I end up in front of the fire place to catch some light and warmth from the fire. For me it is some kind of meditation where I relax and enjoy life. Maybe it was similar to the first humans, who learned how to start at fire, after having spent the whole day to gather food and wood ?

I am looking forward to continue working with all of you the coming four years! Thanks again for believing in me!

/Pär Jönsson, Head of the ITM School

Looking forward to see the light in the tunnel

Photo: Hölickgrottorna at gladahudik.se.

In English further down.

Längtar efter att se ljuset i tunneln

Välkommen tillbaka till KTH, kära kollegor! Jag hoppas att ni njutit av er sommarledighet trots det något instabila vädret.

Den här tiden på året är väldigt hektisk och ljudintensiv – som det ska när de nya studenterna kommer. Jag har faktiskt redan hört dem sjunga utanför mitt rum. Utbildningen är en av de viktiga hörnstenarna för KTH och speciellt för ITM, som har del i undervisningen av nästan en tredjedel av studenterna på KTH. I år har ITM tagit in fler studenter än förra året på de flesta utbildningsprogram. Det följer rektor Anders strategi att uppfylla de utbildningsmål som regeringen ställt upp, men som KTH inte uppfyllde förra året.

Jag tror att denna höst kommer att bli krävande – men också givande – för oss alla. Oavsett om vi är anställda som lärare, administratör, tekniker, forskare etc kommer vi alla att vara delaktiga i nya processer som drivs av den nya rektorn för att vi ska få ett ännu mer konkurrenskraftigt KTH. Låt oss arbeta tillsammans så gott vi kan i team för att lyckas med dessa utmaningar. Inspiration kanske vi kan hämta från det fantastiska svenska fotbollslaget, som verkligen har visat oss hur ett lag ska arbeta tillsammans för att bli framgångsrika!

Som vanligt delar jag med mig av några av de saker jag gjorde under min semester. I år provade jag något helt nytt, tack vare min son. Jag försökte krypa i grottor, Hölickgrottorna som ligger strax utanför Hudiksvall. Jag måste säga att det var ett riktigt äventyr. Jag var inte lika modig som min son som kröp överallt i grottsystemet, men jag utforskade några. Jag måste erkänna att jag blev riktigt glad över att se ljuset i tunneln när jag kröp mot utgången. Jag rekommenderar inte personer som har en tendens till klaustrofobi att prova grottkrypning!

I övrigt tillbringade jag det mesta av tiden med att arbeta i trädgården. Jag byggde en pergola utifrån idéer som jag fick på Youtube där folk bygger fantastiska saker. Som du kan se har pergolan stora möjligheter för växter att klättra på sidorna. Nu är frågan: vad man ska plantera?

Jag ser fram emot att ses på KTH igen!

/Pär Jönsson, skolchef för ITM-skolan

 

Looking forward to see the light in the tunnel

Welcome back to KTH, dear colleagues! I hope that you enjoyed your summer vacations despite the unstable weather.

This time of the year is very hectic and noisy, it’s the new students arriving. As a matter of fact, I have already heard them singing outside my room. The education is one of the important corner stones for KTH and especially for ITM, who takes part in teaching of almost one third of the students at KTH. This year ITM has admitted more students than last year in most educational programs. It follows President Anders’ strategy to meet the educational goals set by the government, which KTH did not meet last year.

I believe that this fall will be demanding – but rewarding – for all of us. Regardless of our employment as a teacher, administrator, technician, researcher, etc we will all be involved in new processes, which are driven by the new President to form an even more competitive KTH. Let us work together the best we can in teams to be succeed with these challenges. Let us take inspiration from the fantastic Swedish soccer team, who has really showed us how a team should work together to be successful!

As usual I share some of the things I did during my vacation. This year I tried something totally new, thanks to my son. I tried crawling in caves! More specifically, we visited the Hölick caves just outside Hudiksvall. I must say that it was quite an adventure. I was not as brave as my son, who crawled everywhere in the cave system, but I explored some of the caves. I must admit that I was really happy to see the light in the tunnel as I crawled towards the exit. Based on that experience, I do not recommend people that have a tendency for claustrophobia to try it!

Overall, I spent most of the time working in the garden. I constructed a pergola based on ideas I got from other people building fantastic things on Youtube. As you can see, the pergola has ample opportunities for plants to climb on the sides. Now, the questions is what to plant?

I am looking forward to meet you at KTH again!

/Pär Jönsson, Head of the ITM School