20 May 2022

During the Swedish Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ annual meeting in 2022, Svjetlana Stekovic was awarded the diploma “Female role model of the year in aeronautics”for her work in aeronautics.

Svjetlana Stekovic
Svjetlana Stekovic, researcherin engineering material. Photographer: Thor Balkhed

Svjetlana Stekovic studied for a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a specialisation in Engineering Materials and graduated from Linköping University in 2001. After graduating, she worked as a lecturer in Finite Element Method (FEM) at Växjö University and then started her PhD studies in Engineering Materials. Svjetlana took her PhD in 2007. During the PhD studies she established contacts with EU projects, where she gained a good understanding of how to lead this type of project with many players and several countries involved.

Svjetlana Stekovic

“It’s nice to get a diploma like this, especially in a male dominated field and to receive it from men, but men have also helped me. My colleagues from Rolls Royce and Innovair have opened some doors for me”, Svjetlana says.

Svjetlana Stekovic gained industry experience by working at Rolls Royce in Derby for five years. There, she studied the extreme material applications that occur in aircraft engines when it comes to fatigue, crack growth, oxidation, and corrosion of nickel-based superalloys.

This international experience is utilised at Linköping University, where Svjetlana Stekovic now works both as a senior coordinator for EU projects and as a senior researcher. Svjetlana Stekovic is active in the strategic innovation programme for aeronautics, Innovair, and she has shaped and participated in a Clean Sky project and national and bilateral collaborations. Svjetlana Stekovic has also made Sweden’s voice heard in Clean Sky as an appreciated panel member at follow-ups.

Ulla Teige diplom to Svjetlana Steikovic

Svjetlana Stekovic has shown the way for how you, as a woman, can make your way in the European world of research and aviation industry, and has established herself as a role model for female students and PhD students. 
Motivation from the Swedish Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2022-05-12

About the Ulla Teige diploma

The Ulla Teige diploma was founded in 2021 as a complement to the Thulin medal, with the intention of encouraging women active in aeronautics and astronautics. The diploma is awarded a female role model and should contribute to an increased balance between the genders in the field. The diploma was named after Ulla Teige, Sweden’s first female civil engineer in aeronautics.

Translation by Erika Andersson Sapir

Svjetlanas workplaces

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