This week KTH will carry out an internal review of the environmental work that is done at ITM, as part of their annually evaluations at all schools. During this review they will discuss many topics as well as meet many people. First, they will discuss how the management of ITM supports the activities with our working environment, including specific groups where we discuss the progress regarding our systematic work focusing on the different part of the environment. They will also review how we work systematically on how to handle waste and to decrease the waste at the departments, handle chemicals, fire hazardous materials, etc. Moreover, how we change our habits to replace travels with web meetings etc. to decrease the impact on the environment. Based on this internal review ITM will make a plan to make improvements to become even better. Remember that all of us as individuals can help to improve the environment by, for example, sort materials instead of throwing them away in the regular trash.

Finally, I wish to say some words about wellness activities to promote your health. You have a description of the wellness activities organized by ITM at the ITM intranet.

In addition, as you all know we are approaching darker days. As the days become shorter and the rain and snow appears we all feel that it becomes more difficult to find the motivation to carry out outdoor activities. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend you to fight that resistance and take a walk to get some fresh air and to catch the few glimpses of sun. When I do it I feel that I get so much energy, which I also hope you do. When it comes to other wellness activities I have given up floorball due to a problem with my knee. Instead, I started weight lifting with my son as the personal trainer. This is not maybe the best choice of trainer, since he enjoys pushing his father to lift heavier and heavier weights!

/Pär Jönsson, Vice Dean of School

This is my first blog after the vacation, which by the way was great! I had a 3 weeks road trip in the north western part of the US, to see the red woods, Lake Tahoe, national parks and deserts. However, since the return from vacation I have already been involved in interviews to hire new faculty, been at an international conference in Qingdao in China, and started to teach two courses. Thus, working lite has returned to a normal state!

This fall, ITM is preparing a number of new faculty positions. The department of energy is seeking an assistant professor in integrated system analyses focusing on sustainable energy, the materials science and engineering department is hiring an assistant professor in materials science with a focus on mechanical properties of metals, and the department of industrial production is seeking a professor in cybernetic production systems. Meanwhile, recruitments of the positions advertised before the summer is ongoing. Me and Anton will keep you updated.

I also wish to mention some things about the environment and safety work. Our  systematic work focusing on the working environment for the personnel and the students is ongoing. As we have explained in earlier blogs ITM has appointed the following experts to lead the work in their respective area of expertise:

• Valter Ström for the chemicals
• Anders Tilliander for the fire safety
• Peter Hill for the inflammable goods

They have their meetings with their groups, where each department has a representant. Currently, they are planning for an internal environmental revision and to discuss how environmental issues at ITM can be improved.

On October 17, we will have an internal environmental revision at the ITM school. Allpeople involved are currently being informed.

Finally, I hope that you have a stimulating and exciting start of the fall at work. However, do not forget to enjoy the coming of the fall with its beautiful colors as well as abundance of mushrooms and berries in the forests!

Pär Jönsson, Vice Dean

Currently, the safety inspections are ongoing. So far the inspections at Deans Office, Industrial Economy and Management, Industrial Production, Machine Design and Materials Science and Engineering have been completed. We are currently waiting for the written statements from the inspections. However, so far we have noticed one very positive thing. All the remarks from the 2016 inspections have been corrected. Thus the department Heads and their personnel have worked actively to improve the work environment, which is extremely important to create an attractive and safe work place.

Professor John Ågren at the Materials Science and Engineering department will retire this year. Thus, his colleagues organized a two day conference at KTH last week. It attracted the attention from both a dozen of international experts in the field as well as researchers at institutes, companies and universities in Sweden. All speakers praised the contributions of professor Ågren to both research and education within the materials science field. In addition to the technical contribution, a dinner was organized at Sing-Sing.  For those of us that participated in the dinner it was a remarkable experience.  Some extremely talented girls from Adolf Fredrik school in Stockholm made a breath taking performance.  In addition to the music, many speakers wanted to thank John for his contributions to the materials science field and for his friendship. The most touching moment was when the current professor emeritus Mats Hillert announced that he, at the age of 92 years!, soon would step down from the emeritus position and to let John take over that prestigious position!

Finally, I wish to say that one specific sign of that spring is approaching is that the Annual step competition at KTH soon will start. The interest at different schools at KTH has increased compared to last year. Thus, this year the following schools will participate: ITM, CSC, ICT, ABE, and CHE. In addition, the university administration (UF) will also take part in the competition.  This year, a lecture on health will be held both in Swedish and English at the start of the competition. Thus, we hope that this can motivate more people to increase their exercise activities to improve their health. When all details are finalized, Anton Lagerbäck will send out detailed information to all of you.

Enjoy the sun and take some moments to admire the signs of spring in the nature!

/Pär Jönsson, Vice Dean

As you all know, the leadership at ITM and at the departments strive to make the working environment at ITM’s offices and laboratories of highest standard to create a safe and inspiring working environment as well as to meet the requirements from the Swedish laws. As a part of these efforts, it is time for our yearly safety inspections at each department. More specifically, they will take place at the following occasions:

• Department of Industrial Production: March 9
• Deans office education office: March 16
• Deans office Sing Sing: March 16
• Department of Materials Science and Engineering March 17
• Department of Applied Mechanical Engineering: March 20
• Department of Machine Design March 21
• Department of Industrial Economy and Management: March 22
• Department of Energy: March 22

After each inspection, a document will be made that summarizes the findings. Possible corrections will be pointed out. Thereafter, each Department Head will make a plan to specify how and when these corrections should be completed in order to meet our standards as well as to meet the regulations. Please contact your nearest manager if you need more information regarding the safety inspection at your department.

ITM organizes several activities to stimulate the health of the personnel. Many of you already take part in activities such as badminton, floor hockey, body pump etc at the KTH hall. However, the most attended event has been the annual step competition. Initially, it focused on a competition within and between the departments at ITM. Later, it was expanded to also include the central university administration (UF) and the CSC school. The 2017, step competition will include all Schools at KTH. We believe that personnel at other schools have heard about this fun event and said to their leaders that they also wish to take part in this activity.

From the evaluation of our previous step competitions we know that many of you have said that this step competition inspired you to carry out more exercises. Of course, we think it is valuable that you make sure that your health is kept or improved by doing exercise on a regular basis. So, if you do not already have a comfortable pair of shoes in your wardrobe it is time to look for a suitable sale. Get ready for the 2017 step competition!

/Pär Jönsson, Vice Dean

I hope all of you had a joyful vacation. Probably those of you with children missed the snow during the first part of the holiday, since it was so warm. At least in our neighborhood the kids were excited when the snow finally came.

As the new year just started ITM gathered 45 unit and department leaders for a leadership conference during two days. The first day had a focus on learning about stress and how we as leaders could work to decreases the stress among the personnel. The lectures were given by a psychologist and he explained to us how the brain works in relation to stress. It was interesting to learn how, for example, the oldest part of our brain, the so called reptile brain, works. It takes over when we encounter danger, such as when we see a snake while out looking for mushrooms. However, it can be trained if we force ourselves to get in to situations we are afraid of. If you are interested to learn more, for example, check out “Dagens nyheter”, since they recently wrote some articles about stress and fatigue.

The remaining part of the conference focused on how it is possible to increase the collaboration between the departments as well as between the departments and the administration. This was done in four set of groups works. This is a concept that we have tried several times with good success. This time we were for example focusing on how we better could use the separate knowledge in different department in writing larger future proposals. This has already been initiated with the circular economy initiative that has started. Furthermore, it will continue with an initiative on additive manufacturing. In the future we might see other collaborations focusing on big data, teaching etc.

Finally, I wish to say one more thing about the vacation. As I mentioned it was quite warm during especially new year. Thus, when it was +11C on the first day of the year I decided to dig in my garden to see if there were any potatoes left in the soil. I find a bunch of them so that we could fix a nice dinner. Who said that you need to wait for midsummer to get fresh potatoes in the new year!

Pär Jönsson, Vice Dean