Sedghi remained in Sweden to work at Tetra Pak

At what company do you work and what are you working on?

I am working at Tetra Pak in the Swedish city of Lund as Polymer Application Specialist. In my work, I mainly deal with injection moulding polymer processing techniques and the validation/qualification of various polymers and compounds to be used in caps and closure applications for Tetra Pak packaging.

What might your regular working day look like?

My working day generally consists of project review meetings, factory support issues, reports and documenting ongoing activities and, of course, business trips to run the polymer qualification trials and performance tests in the factories.

Have you worked with anything else since you graduated?

I was so lucky to be able to go straight from graduation to working with polymers in such a well-known company as Tetra Pak.  

Why did you choose this programme at KTH?

I graduated as a Bachelor of Science in Polymer Engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran Polytechnic, in Iran and was looking for just such a programme to continue my studies, one that covered a somewhat wider field of polymer science. Having looked at KTH’s Macromolecular Material Programme and courses, I decided to apply; of course, the fact that KTH is a leading technical university and has an international environment also affected my decision.  

Did you acquire any insights during your studies that have been particularly useful in your career?

One thing that stands out is the need to place greater emphasis on the recyclability of common polymers, biopolymers, biodegradable polymers and the lifecycle of each polymer product, from design through production, which is currently a crucial need for all leading companies in the world.  

What were the best aspects of studying at KTH?

The programme and education system, as well as the opportunity afforded to practice both for working individually and in a team, which is a very necessary prerequisite for the work environment inside all major companies.

What are your plans for the future?

The plan is to focus on my current roll and prepare myself for greater challenges in the polymer industry!

What would you say to a student thinking of applying for this programme?

I think it is a very useful programme, especially bearing in mind that, when it comes to plastics, all big companies are now struggling to change direction to be more compatible with sustainability and circular economy. There are a great many challenges, from how to secure the feedstock for biopolymers to how to process and recycle them to close the loop in a very efficient way, and I think this programme can provide excellent insight for anyone interesting in working with polymeric materials.