When we meet, Petter Alsén has received feedback on his first study from a scientific journal. It is a literature review that now needs to be revised. He works within the Cirkuträ project, a collaborative initiative between four universities funded by the Kamprad Foundation.
“I study design solutions and methods to strengthen business models in the reuse of furniture that contains wood. I’ve translated design strategies to make products last longer and put them into a framework for furniture,” he explains.
Petter and his wife Alexandra had only recently left upper secondary school when they had their first child. Petter had completed the Technology Programme at Ebersteinska Upper Secondary School in Norrköping.
No regrets
“It was a big change. But we’ve gained a lot from it, things that might never have happened otherwise.”
He has no regrets about his years as a painter. He enjoyed working on construction sites and still misses it sometimes. But continuing his studies felt like a natural step.
Anna Nilsen
His acceptance letter came in the middle of the summer holidays.
“Then I rang my boss and said I needed a leave of absence. So I went on holiday and never came back,” he laughs.
What was it like returning to studies?
“At first, I struggled with study techniques. There were times when I lost motivation, but my wife encouraged me. I’m grateful for that today.”
As an older person, you
have a different perspective
He thinks more people could return to education later in life. Work experience is often an advantage.
“As an older person, you have a different perspective. You’ve experienced things and can relate. And you understand that there are harder things in life than having to read an article by tomorrow.”
Petter Alsén specialised in design for his master’s degree.
“In the Environmental Science programme, you learn to understand problems and why they arise, and a bit about the politics around them, but not so much about problem solving. I chose design at master’s level because it’s a problem-solving discipline. Linking sustainability to design issues suited me.”
A growing research field
LiU was looking for a PhD student in this exact field, and he applied for the position.
“And now I’m here. Maybe it's a bit unusual going from painter to PhD student. But it’s not something I think about every day. I try to make good use of my time. I read articles or do other work-related things on the bus, for example. Then I might only need an extra half-hour at home in the evening.”
Sustainability is a growing research field, in response to increasing awareness of climate change and the planet’s limited resources. To conserve raw materials, one way of thinking is to view resource use as a hierarchy, with reuse at the top. A concept within reuse is remanufacturing, in which all parts of a product are restored to as-new condition or better.
Three dimensions
“Recycling, where you only use the material, comes further down in this model. And at the bottom is waste, where the parts are burned for energy or end up in landfill.”
Petter Alsén studies design strategies and attributes that extend a product’s lifespan. Adaptability and modularity are important.
Anna Nilsen
What is it like to explore these ideas as a PhD student at LiU?
“Very fun and inspiring. I’ve always been a bit nerdy, especially as a child. I like delving into how things work. I get to do that here.”
Going to concerts together
His daughter is now 15 and wants to attend the Way Out West festival this summer. But she is too young and needs a guardian:
“...which I love. I could never have imagined that we’d one day enjoy the same music and go to concerts together.”
Did you have to grow up quickly, becoming a parent so early?
“Yes, you could say that. But it's not a bad thing. I didn’t get completely caught up in my own interests. I kept my curiosity and followed along with the children. My daughter started Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the age of five, so I started too and became an instructor for children and young people. Now she focuses on volleyball, and I’m more involved in my son’s basketball team instead. Both children enjoy cosplay, so it’s become a tradition for us to attend the NärCon festival together!”
Anna Nilsen
