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 and bring two researchers into a shop window for a live public conversation.
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!
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.
The contestants are:
Anan Ashrabi Ananno - Linköping University
Johanna Aringer - Linköping University
Anna Asratian - Linköping University
Arvid Erlandsson - Linköping University
Rashmi Ramesh - Linköping University
Read more here: Researchers’ Grand Prix
LiU researchers and friends Gustav Tinghög and Daniel Västfjäll invite guests to join them in the Lindex shop window at Gyllentorget, Linköping, for a live conversation about life as a researcher.
Date and time: 26 September, 11:00-16:00
Gustav and Daniel are the hosts of the podcast Beslutsbotanikerna ("The Decision Botanists"), where they explore and classify different types of decision-making, inspired by how Carl Linnaeus categorised plants and animals. For this special live edition, they are curious about researchers as people: how they think, make decisions, and approach their work. During the five-hour live podcast, guests such as Jan-Ingvar Jönsson, Ingemar Ingemarsson, Lars Stjernkvist, Per Jensen and many others will stop by to share their experiences and perspectives.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to ask questions and interact with the guests in the window. Is there a researcher you would like to hear from, or a question you have always wanted to ask a researcher? Get in touch at event@liu.se, and we will do our best to make it happen.
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
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.
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)
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)
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.
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.
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
