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Alumni of the Year

Each year, Linköping University chooses two Alumni of the Year to recognise the work and commitment of previous students.

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 2024

Daniel Hermansson is a history expert and popular educator. Agnes Larsson is the creative director of the world’s best-selling computer game and a role model for young people in the gaming industry. They are Linköping University’s 2024 Alumni of the Year.

The two Alumni of the Year 2024.
Daniel Hermansson och Agnes Larsson, Alumni of the Year 2024.Photographer: Anna Nilsen

Daniel Hermansson is a renowned history expert. After his upper secondary school teacher degree, he worked for a few years before starting the podcast Historiepodden with his colleague Robin Olovsson in 2014. A podcast that quickly grew to become one of Sweden’s largest and most popular. He has also become a member of the expert panel on the Swedish public service television (SVT) quiz show Muren, published his first book in 2023 and often comments on historical events in the media.

“At a time when fake news is increasingly widespread and anti-democratic forces are gaining ground, it is more important than ever to know our history, to avoid repeating old mistakes. Here, Daniel Hermansson is making an important contribution to public education”, reads the Alumn of the Year citation.

Agnes Larsson has a Master of Science in Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering. After her degree, she has advanced quickly in her career in the computer games industry. Today, she is spokesperson for the Mojang game studio and creative director of Minecraft, the world’s best-selling computer game. In 2019, Agnes Larsson was named on one of the business magazine Forbes’ lists of the most influential people under 30 in Europe.

“Agnes Larsson combines deep technical knowledge with leadership skills and inspires young and older people around the world through lectures and workshops. She is an inspiration and role model for young people who dream of working in the gaming industry,” reads part of her citation.


Alumni of the Year 2024 - Daniel Hermansson and Agnes Larsson

Daniel Hermansson

Podcast turned the history teacher into a popular educator

Daniel Hermansson is an upper secondary school teacher who has become a great educator. Whether in podcast, TV or book form, the Alum of the Year tells us about our history in a way that is as entertaining as it is well-informed.
Portrait (Agnes Larsson).

Enjoyment and creativity – key words for Agnes Larsson

With over 100 million users each month, the Swedish game Minecraft is the world’s best-selling computer game. Agnes Larsson, Linköping University Alum of the Year, is the creative director of the ever popular and imaginative world-building game.

Alumni of the Year 2023 - Amanda Borneke and Leif Nixon

A person in a conference.

“My motivation is to make a difference”

With her great drive, knowledge and commitment, Amanda Borneke has come to be the sustainability profile of the construction industry. This year’s Alumna of the Year always sees opportunities and likes an uphill challenge.
Leif Nixon is sitting in Lysator's room with a person with dark hair and a red cap.

Nixon - with the right to break in

He has worked all over the world, finding weaknesses in supposedly foolproof computer systems. He has found hackers that were then brought to justice. This year’s Alumnus of the Year, is ready to crack down on cyber attacks and computer intrusion.

Alumni of the Year 2022 - Gunilla Lööf and Salad Hilowle

Gunilla Lööf stands with her arms crossed in front of a red house.

“All children have the right to know what they’re going to experience”

As a child, she ran and hid because she was afraid of an impending operation. For more than 25 years, nurse Gunilla Lööf has fought for the right of children and adolescents to prepare themselves for their interaction with the healthcare system.
Salad Hilowle

“Art can’t save the world – but it can make us think in new ways”

In cultural history, who is visible and who is invisible? One of LiU’s two Alumni of the Year, Salad Hilowle, asks this question. With his art, he sheds light on people of African descent in Swedish cultural history.

Alumni of the Year 2021 - Cecilia Bödker Pedersen and Martin Hultman

Cecilia Bödker-Pedersen

"Sexual violence is surrounded by wordlessness"

Putting words to one’s experience of violence is a first step in being able to move on in life, explains Cecilia Bödker Pedersen, one of LiU’s Alumni of the Year. She is secretary general of an organisation for people subjected to sexual violence.

Climate denialism dominated by men

Knowledge about climate change is not enough to stop global warming. One of the LiU Alumni of the Year is Martin Hultman. He leads the world’s first researcher network for the study of climate change denialism.

Alumni of the Year 2020 - Linnea Bergman and Anders Tegnell

Linnea Bergman’s life-saving solar cells

Around four million people die every year from diseases caused by the smoke they inhale when cooking over an open fire. This is a problem that this year’s Alumna of the Year, Linnea Bergman, hopes to solve.

Combatting an elusive coronavirus with patience

State epidemiologist Anders Tegnell stood in the centre of events when the novel coronavirus started to spread around the globe. He is one of the Alumni of the Year for 2020.

Alumni of the Year 2019 - Sara Magnusson and Andreas Norlén

Solidarity drives Super-Sara

Put two cans, Classic and Light, of fizzy drink into water. One floats, the other sinks. Magic! Sara Magnusson wanted her Experimentfabrik to make children curious. But they must also be able to read, so today she’s measuring reading ability.

Speaker of the Riksdag is Alumnus of the Year

Speaker of the Riksdag Andreas Norlén managed to form a new government after last autumn's chaotic election.

Alumni of the Year 2018 - Rebecka Le Moine and Eva Uustal 

A passion for protecting biological diversity

Optimism or pessimism? Rebecka Le Moine, conservation biologist and Alumna of the Year 2018, prefers optimism. With limitless energy she works to spread knowledge about everything that we can do to preserve biological diversity.
Eva Uustal

Care for the newly delivered gives Alumna of the Year award

A cry of delivery resounds across Sweden. Women are telling their stories of birth injuries, and they are demanding the right to professional care. In the eye of the storm stands gynaecologist and Alumna of the Year Eva Uustal.

Alumni of the Year 2017 - Sofie Lindblom and Oskar Henrikson 

Sofie Lindblom

For her commitment to innovation, diversity and empowering more girls to become master problem solvers in the tech sector. Civil engineer Sofie Lindblom had been global innovation manager at Spotify and then founded the innovation platform Ideation 360 when she received the Alumni of the Year award. 

Oskar Henrikson

In a society with increasing mental illness, he focuses on the healthy and encourages people to take care of themselves mentally in the same way that they exercise and eat right to feel good physically. Psychologist Oskar Henrikson had founded Psykologifabriken and the psychological gym Habitud when he became Alumnus of the Year.

Alumni of the Year 2016 - Suad Ali and Thomas Lunner 

Suad Ali

For her persistent work to help the world's refugees, influence global development and highlight the people behind the numbers. Political scientist Suad Ali was an expert on Sweden's refugee quota at the Migration Agency and part of the director general's staff when she was named Alumna of the Year.

Thomas Lunner

He is one of the researchers behind the world's first digital hearing aid, an invention that has helped millions of people to better hearing. Thomas Lunner was head of a large research group at the company Oticon and adjunct professor of cognitive hearing science at LiU when he was named Alumnus of the Year.

Alumni of the Year 2015 - Kajsa Andersson Lundblad and Mihai Aldén

Kajsa Andersson Lundblad

For her way of bringing together the latest research with the proven experience of the classroom, with the aim of educating future Nobel laureates. Kajsa Andersson Lundblad was principal of Skäggetorpsskolan in Linköping when she was named Alumna of the Year.

Mihai Aldén

He is one of the Oscar-winning creators behind a tool (OpenVDB) that has been used in several major film productions to create advanced effects such as floods and explosions. Mihai Aldén was a developer at Dreamworks Animation in Los Angeles when he became Alumnus of the Year.

Alumni of the Year 2014 - Elnaz Baghlanian and Peter Agnefjäll

Elnaz Baghlanian

She uses her passion for social issues, her artistic talents and knowledge of literature to enable others to express themselves freely. Elnaz Baghlanian was editor of the online magazine Dissidentbloggen and office manager for Svenska Pen when she was named Alumna of the Year.

Peter Agnefjäll

For a remarkable career, starting out at the sales floor at Ikea advancing to leading the group's development in the world. Peter Agnefjäll was president and CEO of Ikea when he received the Alumni of the Year award.

Alumni of the Year 2013 - Maha Bouzeid and Jonas Ludvigsson

Maha Bouzeid

For her efforts to see more women reach senior management roles, in parallel with a fast and fascinating career. Civil engineer Maha Bouzeid was a manager at Ericsson and had worked in several different countries when she received the Alumni of the Year award.

Jonas Ludvigsson

For a successful career as a researcher combined with his practice as a pediatrician and participation in the social debate. Jonas Ludvigsson divided his time between Örebro University Hospital and a part-time professorship at Karolinska Institutet when he became Alumnus of the Year.

Alumni of the Year 2012 - Carina Brage and Melker Becker

Carina Brage

She is passionate about sustainable, joyful learning – outdoors and with one’s whole body – in science and engineering. Carina Brage worked with teacher training and had written several books on outdoor pedagogy when she became Alumna of the Year.

Melker Becker

For his storytelling and public education using the television medium as a tool. The TV producer and presenter Melker Becker had, among other things, made the fact-based series "Hemliga svenska rum" and "En tavlas hemlighet" when he was named Alumnus of the Year.

Alumni of the Year 2011 - Jeanette Mikkelsen and Erik Thorstensson

Jeanette Mikkelsen

For her work for elderly care that makes better use of the elderly's abilities and strengthens their quality of life. Sociologist Jeanette Mikkelsen was operations manager in municipal care for the elderly when she received the Alumni of the Year award. 

Erik Thorstensson

For his drive to create a sustainable society by making new products from industrial waste – play blocks, clothespins and other things that can be produced within the framework of ordinary manufacturing. Civil engineer Erik Thorstensson ran the company Creatables when he was named Alumnus of the Year. 

How LiU keeps in touch with former students

Happy people on stage. Text in the background:

LiU Alumni

LiU Alumni is the network for Linköping University alumni (former students). As a member of LiU Alumni you get invitations to alumni get-togethers and information about what is going on at the university.

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