To be chosen as Alumni of the Year, the candidate must have studied at Linköping University for at least two years on a full-time basis, and subsequently achieved highly, devoted her- or himself to an important cause or done something else worthy of recognition.
Alumni of the Year
Alumni of the Year 2023
This year’s Alumni of the Year are Amanda Borneke and Leif Nixon. Amanda Borneke inspires the construction industry to step up its sustainability efforts. Leif Nixon has worked in IT security for many years, hacking and defending almost everything you can think of.
Amanda Borneke and Leif Nixon. Photo credit Thor Balkhed/Magnus Johansson
Amanda Borneke studied the Environmental Science programme and her career as sustainability expert in the construction industry has rocketed. Since 2021, she has been working at Sweco as a circular economy expert, and she is also a board member of Byggcheferna (an organisation representing construction managers in Sweden). ‘Having a significant climate impact, the construction industry is facing a number of sustainability challenges. Through communication and innovation, Amanda Borneke highlights circular economy and re-use, showing that climate change in this industry is both necessary and possible,’ is part of the motivation for her award.
Leif Nixon is a known profile in IT security. With a LiU degree in computer science, he has worked at the National Supercomputer Centre and Sectra Communications, been tasked with hacking CERN in Switzerland and supported police in several countries in their criminal investigations. He is currently a security expert with Combitech in Linköping. ‘In an uncertain world, it is important to reduce the gap between rapid digitalisation and inadequate security measures. Leif Nixon contributes to increasing awareness and knowledge about IT security, and to making the world a safer place’, reads the motivation for his Alumni of the Year award.
Amanda Borneke and Leif Nixon received the award on Friday 6 October in a ceremony on Campus Valla in Linköping.
Nominate someone for Alumni of the Year
Alumni of the Year 2023 - Amanda Borneke and Leif Nixon
Alumni of the Year 2022 - Gunilla Lööf and Salad Hilowle
Alumni of the Year 2021 - Cecilia Bödker Pedersen and Martin Hultman
Alumni of the Year 2020 - Linnea Bergman and Anders Tegnell
Alumni of the Year 2019 - Sara Magnusson and Andreas Norlén
Alumni of the Year 2018 - Rebecka Le Moine and Eva Uustal
Alumni of the Year 2017 - Sofie Lindblom and Oskar Henrikson
Sofie Lindblom
Oskar Henrikson
Alumni of the Year 2016 - Suad Ali and Thomas Lunner
Suad Ali
Thomas Lunner
Alumni of the Year 2015 - Kajsa Andersson Lundblad and Mihai Aldén
Kajsa Andersson Lundblad
Mihai Aldén
Alumni of the Year 2014 - Elnaz Baghlanian and Peter Agnefjäll
Elnaz Baghlanian
Peter Agnefjäll
Alumni of the Year 2013 - Maha Bouzeid and Jonas Ludvigsson
Maha Bouzeid
Jonas Ludvigsson
Alumni of the Year 2012 - Carina Brage and Melker Becker
Carina Brage
Melker Becker
Alumni of the Year 2011 - Jeanette Mikkelsen and Erik Thorstensson
Jeanette Mikkelsen
Erik Thorstensson