Photo credit Thor Balkhed
In the end of September every year, Linköping University offer several activities where the public can interact with researchers in a relaxed environment. Researchers are ordinary people with extraordinary jobs!
European Researcher's Night
European Researchers’ Night (ForskarFredag) is a science festival where you can learn more about research and what it’s like to be a researcher. During the last week of September, school classes can borrow a researcher who visits their classroom, and there will be opportunities to listen to and participate in research talks of various kinds. A new feature for 2026 is that LiU will host a qualifying heat of the Researchers’ Grand Prix. Check back for exciting programmes on this page.
Researchers’ Grand Prix on 25 September at Norrköping’s Visualization Center C
A new feature for this year is that LiU will host a Researchers’ Grand Prix qualifying heat, the winner of which will go on to the national final in Stockholm. The competition has more to do with presentation skills than the actual research topic. It comes down to presenting your research in an inspiring and exciting way in four minutes in front of an audience and a jury – a bit like Idol for researchers.
The competition will be held in the dome theatre at Norrköping’s Visualization Center C on 25 September, in front of an audience consisting mainly of upper secondary school students, who will vote for their favourites. A three-member jury, representing academia, the media and the performing arts, will also award points to the contestants.
Would you like to enter the competition?
Take this opportunity to hone your presentation skills. Contestants will be offered coaching at a joint workshop in August and in a 1-hour personal session with an external expert in September. Qualifying heat winners will receive further coaching plus free travel and accommodation to attend the final.
Read more here: Researchers’ Grand Prix
Borrow a researcher – Close contact with a researcher, for school classes
Public lectures from 2023
ChatGPT and other AI assistants: Possibilities and challenges
Technological developments in the area of language models and generative AI have been fast, leading to reactions. Many people are wondering which way developments are going and what consequences this will have for society. In a 15-minute talk, Professor Marco Kuhlmann covers the basics of how language models such as ChatGPT work, gives examples of their applications and highlights various technological, social and environmental challenges linked to AI assistants.
More on Marco Kuhlmann:
https://liu.se/en/employee/marku61
Research, education and collaboration in the area of artificial intelligence at Linköping University:
https://liu.se/en/research/ai
Developing new socially useful materials from elements that are not in short supply
Materials researcher Emma Björk takes us into the world of materials science where small nanosize pores open up enormous possibilities. Porous materials can be used for example to deliver medical drugs to the right place in the body or to store energy from green sources such as wind and solar power. Emma Björk wants to develop new materials based on abundant elements to contribute to sustainable technology development.
Agricultural vulnerability to climate change
Climate change is not in the future – it is happening already. Lotten Wiréhn‘s 15-minute presentation provides an insight into how food production is impacted by a warmer climate and more frequently occurring extreme weather. Her research area is how climate information can be made more useful in underpinning decisions on adaptations in agriculture.
More about Lotten Wiréhn: Lotten Wiréhn - Linköping University (liu.se)
More about research on climate adaptation of Swedish agriculture: Decision support for climate change adaptation in Swedish agriculture and forestry - Linköping University (liu.se)
Internet drugs – occurrence, pharmacology and classification as narcotic drugs
How dangerous are internet drugs really and how do they spread in society? Henrik Gréen, professor of forensic sciences, talks about the never-ending influx of new drugs, and about how his and others‘ research makes a difference in getting drugs classed as narcotic drugs and protecting lives.
More about Henrik Gréen: Henrik Green - Linköping University (liu.se)
More about forensic research at Linköping University: Strategic Research Area in Forensic Sciences - Linköping University (liu.se)
Cyber security and critical systems reliability
Our financial systems, electrical systems and transport systems are controlled by software. There are many examples of what the consequences could be if these systems are hacked. Researcher Mikael Asplund talks about cyber security and how artificial intelligence can be used to make systems more secure.
More about Mikael Asplund.
Opportunities and challenges of an extended working life
Much has changed since the introduction of the public pension system more than 100 years ago. We are getting older. Researcher Susanne Kelfve gives a 15-minute talk on the positive aspects of an ever longer working life – and its drawbacks. What challenges does she see as most important to research more?
More about Susanne Kelfve.
Ethical issues in the allocation of scarce resources in healthcare
The challenge of deciding which care to give – and to whom – will probably increase. How does ethics play a role in these decisions? Lars Sandman, head of the Swedish National Centre for Priorities in Health, talks about different ways of reasoning about different values when limited resources are to be distributed in a way that is perceived as fair.
More about Lars Sandman.
More about Swedish National Centre for Priorities in Health
