Newsmakers
Award for research cooperation with China
Licheng Sun , professor in organic chemistry at KTH has been awarded the 2018 International Science and Technology Cooperation Award Peoplés Republic of China.
China’s National Office for Science and Technology Awards (NOSTA) awarded Licheng Sun for his important contribution in Sino-Sweden academic cooperation and exchange. The award has received media attention in China and the award ceremony was held in People’s Congress Hall in Beijing with the presence of an officer from Swedish Embassy on January 08, 2019.
The International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of P.R. China is conferred on foreigners or foreign organizations that have made important contribution to China’s science and technology undertaking.
Sun is a conducts researcher within the field of artificial photosynthesis. NOSTA stress his contributions to the design and synthesis of molecular catalysts, which can oxidize water to oxygen very quickly.
He has built up a joint education and research center on molecular devices at the Dalian University of Technology where he, together with colleagues from the Chinese university, has conducted intensive research collaborations in the fields of artificial photosynthesis.
He has also created a channel for personnel and student exchange and training between China and Sweden and has participated in organizing several international symposia on solar fuels and solar cells.
Celebrated development of online courses
Malin Engquist , a student in the Master of Science in Engineering and in Education programmes at KTH, has won the award for the best thesis project of 2018 within "skills development and learning with the help of digital media". Her thesis looks at the social interaction within two open and large-scale online courses, known as MOOCs. According to the jury’s motivation, the study gives an increased understanding of how chat forum discussion can contribute to increased learning in MOOCs.
The awarded is given by the trade association Promise and was established in order to stimulate development in e-learning and interactive media among students, teachers and businesses.
Award for the Live-in Lab
Jonas Anund Vogel , doctoral student at KTH, has been named Project Manager of the Year 2018 for his work with the research platform KTH Live-In Lab, which aims to increase the rate of innovation in the public construction sector. The work is conducted in physical test beds and brings together companies, researchers and government agencies in joint development projects. Live-In Lab was started in 2012 on Anund Vogel’s initiative, and students moved into four test apartments in September 2018.
The Project Manager of the Year award is handed out by the Swedish Project Academy, which is tasked with promoting development and implementation of the project format in Swedish working life.
KTH researchers in the IVA management
Cecilia Hermansson , economist and guest researcher at KTH, has been appointed to the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences’ (IVA) Steering Committee. Hermansson has a PhD in Business Studies from KTH with a thesis on how financial advisory services influence saving behaviour.
Computer scientist receives international award
Johan Håstad , Professor of Theoretical Computer Science at KTH, has been appointed a Fellow of the Association for Computing Machinery, one of the largest trade associations in its field. Members are elected to the organisation based on professional experience, performances and contributions to the development of computer sciences in the public service.
The research in theoretical computer science at KTH looks at the foundations of effective algorithms and software through the processing of computing problems. Programme areas include software development, data security, language tools and computer science development.
Awarded for cleaner drinking water
Prosun Bhattacharya , Professor of Land and Water Resources Engineering at KTH, has been awarded a Fellowship from the International Water Association (IWA), a non-profit organisation working with global water issues. Bhattacharya is receiving this award for his significant contributions to water research, particularly relating to arsenic in drinking water, which is a public health issue for millions of people. Through this award, Bhattacharya is commissioned to support IWA’s work in various activities and events.
Reinforced research on the Arctic
After joining the University of the Arctic (UArctic), KTH has new opportunities for research and education concerning the Arctic region. The network has members from all Arctic countries and focuses on the challenges entailed by the development of the Arctic – climate changes, new economic activities, geopolitics, and their consequences for environments and societies. Through UArctic, KTH’s students gain access to education programmes relating to the Arctic offered at the universities of the network, and researchers have a chance to build and develop closer collaborations.
At KTH, Arctic research is being conducted in a number of different environments, such as the Centre for Naval Architecture, which measures environmental changes on the sea floor of the Arctic Ocean, and the Division of Geodesy and Satellite Positioning, which is developing GPS/GNSS-based methods for positioning and mapping of the Arctic.
Leading the work at KTH is Dag Avango , researcher at the Division of History of Science, Technology and Environment. KTH is helping to organise the UArctic council meeting in Stockholm on 17–20 September 2019.