Great exchange when the research school met at Jönköping University

Seminar participants
The reserach school Smart Industry Sweden met on 7-8 December at JTH for its first seminar.

The research school Smart Industry Sweden had its first seminar on 7-8 December and it took place at the School of Engineering at Jönköping University. The purpose was to get to know each other, exchange experiences and find new collaborations.

Peter Thorvald, director of the research school, thinks that they have had two fantastic days at Jönköping University with many rewarding discussions about both individual doctoral projects and how they can work together to make Smart Industry Sweden even better.

“The seminar has been great and personally it was fantastic fun for me to finally be able to put faces on all names within the research school,” says Peter Thorvald.

Smart Industry Sweden consists of: Halmstad University, Skövde University, University West, Jönköping University and Mid Sweden University in Sundsvall.

Important to create surfaces

Peter Thorvald emphasizes that it is a challenge to make a research school that is distributed across five universities and that it is important to create spaces for the doctoral students, supervisors and company representatives to meet.

During the seminar the doctoral students presented their research projects, meetings were held and the participants were to identify strengths, opportunities and more with the research school. Tuesday night was devoted to dinner and bowling.

Peter Thorvald thinks that the seminar confirms the importance of the participants in the research school being able to meet and feel that they are part of a larger context.

“The goal we had has been achieved”

Jenny Bäckstrand, local project manager for the research school at Jönköping University, is also pleased with the seminar.

“I think that the goal we had, that everyone should get to know each other better and that any collaborations between doctoral projects could be identified has been achieved. In addition to this, it was really nice to meet everyone in real life and despite varied results, I think everyone appreciated the disco bowling on Tuesday night”, says Jenny Bäckstrand.

Jenny Bäckstrand and Peter Thorvald
Jenny Bäckstrand, local project manager for the reserach school at Jönköping University, and Peter Thorvald, director of the research school, during the seminar.

A golden opportunity

Viktor Döhlen, doctoral student at Mid Sweden University, is employed at Sollefteåforsen’s power plant and his research is on power electronics as a support service for the electricity grid. He sees the doctoral student position as a golden opportunity to learn more about the subject of his research and to get paid while he studies.

He thinks that the seminar was great and has during the two days in Jönköping received several new contacts and tips on people to contact about their research.

“It was fun to meet the other doctoral students and get an insight into their research. We are a bit like classmates, but in different fields,” says Viktor Döhlen.

Viktor Döhlen and Gabriel Sebastian
Viktor Döhlen, Mid Sweden University, and Gabriel Sebastian, University West, thought it was valuable to meet the participants in the research school during the two days at the School of Engineering, Jönköping University.

“Valuable”

Gabriel Sebastian, University West, is a doctoral student at Volvo Group’s main concept lab in Gothenburg and his research focuses on creating a digital module as a planning tool for reconfigurable production. He thinks it is valuable to meet the other doctoral students and says that he during the two days in Jönköping has gained new knowledge for his own research.

“Smart Industry Sweden is a perfect platform for me because my research focuses on smart industry,” says Gabriel Sebastian.