Newsmakers at KTH
Who has received what when it comes to funding? What findings, results and researchers have attracted attention outside KTH? Under the vignette Newsmakers, we provide a selection of the latest news and events at KTH.
Professor wins award for materials design
Malin Selleby , Professor of Thermodynamic Modelling, has been awarded the 2022 Sefström Medal. Selleby was described by the jury as a world-leading expert in thermodynamic modelling within materials design. She has been awarded the Medal for making vital contributions as a researcher and teacher to raising the level of knowledge around thermodynamic modelling in Sweden. The award is presented every five years by the Swedish Association of Metallurgy and Mining, for outstanding contributions to metallurgy and mining.
Warning System for Natural Catastrophes
Ayse Nyberg , Professor of Nuclear Physics, has been awarded an EU grant for a project about warning systems for natural catastrophes. The researchers aim to be able to predict earthquakes and volcanic eruptions by measuring radioactivity in groundwater. The project, ArtEmis, is going to develop a sensor system that monitors radon, temperature, acidity and other observable values in groundwater in real time. The aim is to produce 100–200 sensors that will be placed in particularly sensitive areas.
AI research against cyber threats
Cyrille Artho , a researcher in theoretical computer science, has been awarded a grant by C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute, a research consortium, for a project within Artificial Intelligence, AI, and cyber security. As part of the project, Artho is going to develop AI technology with the aim of securing critical infrastructure against cyber threats. The consortium, founded by software company C3 AI, Microsoft and leading universities, supports the development of solutions within AI for the enterprise sector and society. In the latest round of grants, USD 6.5 million has been allocated to 24 research projects.
Göran Gustafsson Prize goes to protein researcher
Emma Lundberg , Professor of Cellular Biology and Clinical Proteomics, is one of five researchers who has been awarded a Göran Gustafsson Prize. The Prize consists of a research grant worth SEK 5.1 million and a personal award of SK 250,000. Lundberg has been awarded the Prize in Molecular Biology for her “pioneering work in developing technologies and analysis tools for large scale characterisations of the cellular and subcellular human proteome”, according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Her research group is engaged in further research into how proteins in our human cells are organised, which can provide answers to how these cells work and how diseases develop.
Environment researcher awarded an honorary doctorate
Sverker Sörlin , Professor of Environment History, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bergen. He receives the award for “his research into social challenges, such as environment and climate policies, from a humanistic perspective”. Sörlin was nominated by the Faculty of Humanities.
More women join expert network
Xiaoqing Li , a researcher at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is one of 15 researchers at KTH nominated by the Swedish Research Council for the international AcademiaNet database. The database works to increase the proportion of women in leading positions within the research world and contains over 3,200 researchers that have been nominated by European research financiers and higher education institutes. AcademiaNet is used to search for suitable individuals for review panels and other expert assignments.
Concrete expert on the most powerful people list
Erik Stenberg , an architectural researcher and head of the research project Recreate, has been named one of the 100 most powerful people in Sweden by architecture, interior design and design magazine Rum. This is related to Stenberg’s knowledge of the prefabricated concrete system used in the 1960s and 70s so-called million homes programme ,that is now in need of renovation. Recreate is an EU project that aims to develop knowledge into how prefabricated concrete elements from housing demolitions can be reused in order to reduce climate impact.
Researching student awarded a grant
Simon Thor , who is reading Engineering Physics at KTH, has been awarded an Anders Wall Scholarship for natural science research worth SEK 200,000. In parallel with his studies, Thor is engaged in a space physics project where he is responsible for data analysis and visualisation. He is also researching into particle physics with simulation models. Even as an upper secondary school student, Thor was in contact with KTH researchers within space and plasma physics and had his first scientific article published at the age of 19. He is an ambassador for MATLAB at KTH, a high tech interactive environment within computer science.
Big win for property students
A team of five KTH students has won an international case competition in Canada within property development. The competition was to analyse the potential acquisition of a real estate site in Ontario. The winning team with students Lina Nyman, Svante Forsmark, Bella Franzén, Petter Bergkvist and Alexander Smolentsev, proposed a solution with a mix of homes and stores, adapted to local conditions. The Undergraduate Real Estate Case Competition (URECC) was arranged by the University of Guelph, Toronto.
Text: Christer Gummeson