Assistant Professor Vlatko Milic began his career at LiU in 2011. He is currently working as a researcher in the Energy Systems Division at the Department of Management and Engineering (IEI). However, it was not evident from the beginning that this was where he would end up.
Originally from Croatia, Vlatko came to Sweden at the age of two, when his family moved to escape the unrest in the Balkans in the 90s. After living in Flen for a few years, the family moved to Eskilstuna. During his upper secondary school years he studied the natural science programme and then chose to go to university immediately after graduating.
“I wanted to leave the town. See something new and study at a university with a good reputation and student life, but at the same time not move too far away from my family. It was going to be either Uppsala or Linköping University,” says Vlatko Milik.
Thanks to a friend saying good things about LiU, Linköping won. In the autumn of 2011, Vlatko began studying for an MSc in Mechanical Engineering.
“I didn’t know that I’d come to work with energy, considering that I chose mechanical engineering. I wanted a pretty broad education. Mechanical engineering is, in my opinion, probably the broadest engineering programme available.”
A step into research
During his fifth year, he became interested in doing a PhD programme, which was promoted both by the then head of the department and during classes. This later led to a project employment during his degree project.
“It was a bit of a coincidence that I ended up there.”
After graduating, Vlatko chose to do a PhD and defended his doctoral thesis in May 2021. Since then, he has been involved in several research projects, and today also works as an innovation advisor at LiU Innovation.
Looking back, what has your time at LiU been like?
“Super fun, when I started studying I never thought I’d go for a PhD. I don’t think I had any idea what that meant when I became a doctoral student. I just thought the title ‘doctor’ sounded awesome. That’s probably what attracted me to it at first,” says Vlatko, and continues:
“The more time that passed, the more I enjoyed the research. We have amazing colleagues in the Energy Systems Division, I’m really grateful to be working with them. The job is a little different from other jobs – it’s not a regular eight to five job. But it's something I enjoy.”
It was a bit of a shock.
In November last year, Vlatko was informed that he had received a career grant from Formas for early-career researchers. A total of SEK 4,997,523.
“I hadn’t expected that. That was one of the best days I’ve had as a researcher. It was a bit of a shock,” he recalls.
Confluent Jets
Confluent Jets is basically a ventilation technology developed by, among others, Professor Emeritus Bahram Moshfegh at the Energy Systems Division. The technology enables control of indoor temperature, relative humidity, air velocity and carbon dioxide levels in one single system.
During the research project, the system will also be powered by waste heat, for example from industries. An important part of the project is the connection to industry and other research institutes, and project results are to be continuously communicated to companies in greenhouse construction, as well as to greenhouse growers. Research institutes in crop production, such as the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), are also part of the collaboration.
What are you hoping to achieve with your research?
“Cost-effective and sustainable food production that contributes to Sweden’s resilience, but also to new industries and possibly new jobs. That this technology is used in Sweden.”
Vlatko notes that much of the food in Sweden is imported and highlights the importance of more locally grown food.
“Given everything that’s happening in the world today, linked to conflicts, rising energy prices, it’s of interest to develop methods to achieve cost-effective food production.”
I’m no cultivation expert. But solving a technical challenge is what drives me.
What motivates you?
“My colleagues find it funny that I work with greenhouses, because I’m no cultivation expert. But solving a technical challenge is what drives me. I have a toolbox that I’ve developed over the years I’ve spent on research. I’ll now apply it to solve this problem. Basically, what motivates me is solving new problems to create a better society for all of us,” says Vlatko Milic.
