IDEAS 2024

LiU students to compete in Brazil

Imagine spending a week in Brazil. Sun, beaches – and a global truck manufacturer wanting you to solve a logistics and sustainability-related problem. This is roughly what the spring semester will look like for two LiU students.

High-flying drone research

Drones already deliver defibrillators and medicine in sparsely populated areas, but how should unmanned traffic operate in large cities? With the assistance of AI and visualisation, the UTM City project will show us how.

Brazil: More than samba dancing

Brazil is more than samba dancing, football and sun-drenched beaches – and it’s more than rain forests and a controversial president. It’s also a country with important research and many talented scientists. Just ask Petter Krus.

Henrique: doctorates from both LiU and Brazil

The collaboration between LiU and Brazil is taking a step forward. Henrique Raduenz is a double degree doctoral student and will receive degrees from LiU and Brazilian university UFSC. “There’s a lot of paperwork, but it’s worth the extra effort.”

LiU inspires engineering education in Brazil

Linköping University is one of several universities around the world working together to improve engineering education. Taking inspiration from LiU, several engineering programmes in Brazil are undergoing radical change.

Industrial collaboration worth copying

Aline Kraemer and Marcelo Costa are Brazilian guest researchers at the Division of Automatic Control. Their six-month visit will soon come to an end. As they travel home, they take with them memories, insights and ideas about new ways of working.

LiU to host centre for Swedish aeronautic research

Swedish aeronautical research has been gathered into a common centre, SARC – the Swedish Aeronautic Research Center. The centre will be hosted by the Department of Management and Engineering. Top of priorities is to establish a joint graduate school.

Not a throne, but a royal hunting stool

This is the story of the struggle between aesthetics and function and how Linköping University created a royal hunting stool, handed over as a gift to his Majesty The King in connection with LiU’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The whole of Östergötland congratulates LiU on its 50th anniversary

When LiU turns 50, the whole county joins forces and gives a present of one Swedish krona per inhabitant. The money will be awarded to selected research projects with the aim of contributing to a better society.

A festive day with royal splendour

Almost 50 years to the day since he inaugurated Linköping University, His Majesty The King returned to attend the festivities on Campus Valla. The day was filled with lectures, meetings, speeches and music.

Mechanism in embryonic development makes cancer aggressive

Tumour cells in colorectal cancer exploit an important signalling pathway that normally controls embryo development. Researchers have now shown how a protein that controls limb development make colorectal cancer cells more likely to spread.

Major step for flat and adjustable optics

By carefully placing nanostructures on a flat surface, researchers at LiU have significantly improved the performance of so-called optical metasurfaces in conductive plastics. This is a major step for controllable flat optics.

How molecules can ‘remember’ and contribute to memory

Researchers have discovered how an ion channel in the brain’s neurons has a kind of ‘molecular memory’, which contributes to the formation and preservation of lifelong memories.

Pioneer in education and IT new jubilee doctor at Linköping University

In 1970, Ulla Riis joined LiU as a new lecturer in education. She was encouraged to pursue doctoral studies by the first professor in the subject. At the Academic Ceremony, she will now, more than fifty years later, become a jubilee doctor.

Academic Celebrations for semi-centennial university

This spring’s Academic Celebrations will take place on 23-24 May. Among the highlights are the performance of a new piece of music composed in honour of the university, and open lectures by thonorary doctors, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

LiU’s choir singing number one on the Billboard chart

LiU’s choir singers feature in the intro to the world-famous band Ghosts’ latest album Skeletá, which was released on 25 April. The album became part of music history by reaching number one on the US Billboard chart.

Snus cessation led to increased body weight and blood pressure

Snus users who stopped using snus experienced higher blood pressure and gained weight. This has been shown by a research group at Linköping University in a study on 33 people.

The enthusiast is shaping LiU’s academic symbols again

Mats Nåbo, one of LiU’s true enthusiasts, has been involved in shaping LiU’s symbols for 30 years. Now he is doing it again for LiU's 50th anniversary.

Award winner with an interest in how people solve practical problems

Blood. Engineers. Housewives. The list of subjects Boel Berner, professor emerita at LiU, has taken an interest in is long and still growing. She is now awarded the Ingemar Ingemarsson interdisciplinarity prize.

Disturbance-free city during construction projects

Having a holistic approach to all construction projects in a city is the most important factor for minimising disturbance. But that is easier said than done. This is shown by researchers from LiU in a new book.

New cybersecurity lab at LiU

The new cybersecurity lab is a milestone in Linköping University´s investment in education in this field. The students should feel that "wow, it's possible to do something exciting here", said Vice-Rector Matts Karlsson at the inauguration on 7 May.

SEK 26 million for research on the environment and sustainability

Five projects at LiU receive funding when the Kamprad Family Foundation rewards research that can contribute to a better environment and better quality of life for the elderly. The projects at Linköping University are very much about sustainability.

How to reduce global CO2 emissions from industry

Global emissions of carbon dioxide from industry can be reduced by five per cent. But that requires companies and policy makers to take a holistic approach to energy efficiency. This is the conclusion of researchers, including from LiU.

A pipette that can activate individual neurons

Researchers at LiU have developed a type of pipette that can deliver ions to individual neurons without affecting the sensitive extracellular milieu. The technique can provide important insights into how individual braincells are affected.

What goes on in a designer’s brain?

Professor Tomohiko Sakao believes that environmental impact starts at the drawing board. He is launching a study to understand how designers think during the creative phase.

From Kårallen to the European Commission

A photo of a happy young woman in intimate conversation with the Queen. Who is this woman? According to her name tag she is Helen Köpman, and is in charge of Kårallen.

Fewer back problems with BetterBack

Most backs protest at least at once in a lifetime. Movement is often the best help. Therefore, researchers and physiotherapists in healthcare have developed a model of care “BetterBack (BättreRygg)”, which has now attracted international attention.

How property owners can work to prevent flooding

The risk of heavy rainfall and severe flooding increases with climate change. But property owners  often underestimate their own responsibility. In a new scientific article, researchers from LiU show how the can go about the preventive work.

Blurred borders between civilian and military

A tense political situation in the world, a war in Europe and an everyday life with increasing threats to our security – what do the researchers do? More than you might think and there will be even more. Defence research is more active than ever.

The award winner: “Genetics is a bit like the Wild West”

Colm Nestor has been awarded the 2025 Onkel Adam Prize for outstanding research at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. One of his research areas is gender differences in susceptibility to autoimmune diseases and infections.

From Europe to Australia and back

As a child in the 1970s, Claudia Tazreiter emigrated from Austria to Australia with her family. For more than three years now, she has been back in Europe. Now as a professor at LiU. It is not a coincidence that migration is her field of study.

Increase in program applications at LiU

When the application for the autumn semester closed, 411,200 people had submitted at least one application. At LiU, the number of applicants to programs increased by three percent.

Images of a heartbeat can save lives

Researchers at LiU have developed a new method for rapid and safe diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Once fully developed, the method will be able to save lives, reduce suffering and save money worldwide.

Magnus Klofsten – Professor of brilliant ideas

Thousands of business ideas and innovations have passed Magnus Klofsten during his more than 30 years as a researcher in innovation and entrepreneurship. LiU has been involved in many success stories in Swedish industry.

The future of crisis management should be built on openness and transparency

A research group at Linköping University has examined the pandemic response in Nordic municipalities. The findings are summarised in the book Crisis Management, Governance and COVID-19, offering insights for future crises.

A fluid battery that can take any shape

Using electrodes in a fluid form, researchers at LiU have developed a battery that can take any shape. This soft and conformable battery can be integrated into future technology in a completely new way.

From sewing to 3D printing

DigiMaker is a unique place at Linköping University where creativity meets technology. Here, students and employees try out everything from 3D printing to programming, learn more about Excel and how to make films and podcasts.

Nvidia CEO and Riksdag Speaker to be awarded honorary doctorates

Jensen Huang, CEO of the electronics company Nvidia, will become an honorary doctor at Linköping University. So will Riksdag Speaker Andreas Norlén and the international researchers Angela Woods and Gillian Einstein.

English on the screen negatively impacts Swedish children’s language development

Five-year-olds who consume a lot of digital media in English have poorer language skills in Swedish. This is shown in new research from LiU.

The researchers who need to be one step ahead

Today’s society rests on cyber security and the ability to be one step ahead of hackers. In recent years, a new threat has emerged – AI. However, according to researchers Elisa Bertino and Simin Nadjm-Tehrani, AI could also be part of the solution.

HM The King to celebrate 50 years of innovation with LiU

Linköping University is celebrating its 50th birthday, and in May there will be an intensive party week with lectures, a festival and a birthday reception. King Carl XVI Gustaf, who inaugurated the university in 1975, is the guest of honour.

LiU to invest in AI lab for future learning

Linköping University is investing SEK 3 million in the AIST lab, a new platform for research and education on AI in teaching. The goal is to develop and critically examine how AI can improve learning and teacher education.

LiU receives mark of excellence from EU

Linköping University has been awarded the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award. It is a mark of excellence that shows that the university is making systematic efforts to improve the working conditions of researchers.

Academic freedom in practice

The group of master’s students on the Ethnicity and Migration programme at LiU are unique. They are the first in Sweden to take a university course in how to create a campaign in support of an imprisoned researcher and for academic freedom.

Mathias Fridahl nominated to the Swedish Climate Policy Council

Mathias Fridahl, researcher at Linköping University, has been nominated to the Swedish Climate Policy Council, a government agency that evaluates how the government's policies align with Sweden's climate goals.

LiU and Siemens Energy enter into strategic partnership

In order to find long-term solutions to future challenges in the energy field, Linköping University and Siemens Energy AB sign a strategic partnership agreement.

Alumni's success driving electrification in Kenya

Almost seven years ago, they left LiU to start a company in Nairobi. Today, Roam produces several hundred self-built electric motorcycles a month. And the journey has only just begun.

The entrepreneur who shaped his idea at LiU

Niclas Söör really got the most out of his student life at LiU. That’s what shaped his career. It was here that he got the idea for Dospace, a kind of office hotel with close to 1,400 members at eleven locations in Sweden.

Amanda Sternberg from LiU is “Tech Girl of the Year” 2025

The winner of the Tech Girl of the Year award for 2025 is LiU student Amanda Sternberg. She is a fourth-year student on the master’s programme in information technology and is passionate about getting more women to choose a career in tech.

Japan meets Sweden in linguistic research

Eiko Yasui is from Japan. For a year, she has been researching language, grammar, and movements at Linköping University. Her work has provided new insights into how we communicate and interact, and she has thoroughly enjoyed the Swedish work culture.

Radioactive legacy at the bottom of the Baltic Sea

Researchers have mapped radioactivity in the marine environment at a nuclear research facility. The research has resulted in maps, that can be used to assess the risks in connection with releases of radioactive substances into the environment.

LiU new on World Reputation Rankings list

For the first time, Linköping University has made it onto the British Times Higher Education magazine’s World Reputation Rankings list.

Prestigious physics award for Feng Gao

This year's Göran Gustafsson Prize in Physics goes to LiU professor Feng Gao. His research focuses on how new materials can be used for the next generation of solar cells and LEDs, among other things. The total prize money is SEK 7.5 million.

Next generation LEDs are cheap and sustainable

Cost, technical performance and environmental impact – these are the three most important aspects for a new type of LED technology to have a broad commercial impact on society. This has been demonstrated by LiU-researchers in a new study.

Theopisti Stylianou-Lambert is the next Moa Martinson Professor

Theopisti Stylianou-Lambert is a visual artist, researcher and a professor at the Cyprus University of Technology. Her research and artistic practice focus on museum studies and visual sociology, particularly on photography and emerging technologies.

Highly radioactive nuclear waste – how to keep it from oblivion

Sweden’s radioactive nuclear waste will be stored in a sealed bedrock repository for 100,000 years. How can we ensure that it is not forgotten? Researchers at Linköping University have come up with a proposal.

Reindeer husbandry in the shadow of war – then and now

Sweden’s NATO membership may entail increased military activity in Sami reindeer herding areas. One way of trying to predict the consequences of this is to look back in history. This is what a new research project at LiU will do.

How we can reduce loneliness among older adults

"We need to understand why some individuals become lonely and provide them with support at various levels in society before it happens," says Bianca Suanet, professor at LiU who researches an inclusive society for the elderly.

Pain relief through artificial touch in new research project

Can a garment made from smart textiles relieve long-term pain? This is what researchers in neuroscience, materials science, pain research, textile science and biomechanics are seeking to find out in a new interdisciplinary research project.

The next-generation solar cell is fully recyclable

In a study published in Nature, researchers at LiU have developed a method to recycle all parts of a perovskite solar cell repeatedly without environmentally hazardous solvents. The recycled solar cell has the same efficiency as the original one.

Shedding light on sex differences in human disease

Researchers made an unexpected discovery while investigating genetically unique women. Their insights advance our understanding of our most enigmatic chromosome, the X chromosome.

Searching for materials for ultra-fast quantum computers

The number of materials that could be used in the fast quantum computers of the future has increased thanks to Oscar Groppfeldt’s degree project, for which he had access to the university’s supercomputers.

LiU flies the flag at half mast

Following the tragic school shooting in Örebro yesterday, the university is flying its flags at half-mast.

digitala-simuleringar-utvecklar-larares-ledarskap

Diplomatic talks focusing on nuclear waste and climate

Do the environmental organisations still have a role to play in Swedish nuclear waste final repository design? And is it possible to reach understanding between oil producer Saudi Arabia and the island nation of Fiji?

"Solving a technical challenge is what drives me"

Uppsala or Linköping? Vlatko Milic chose LiU 14 years ago. Staying on after his studies, doing a PhD and being employed as a researcher was not an obvious path. Now, he has started a research project that could increase Swedish resilience.

Better digital memories with the help of noble gases

The electronics of the future can be made even smaller and more efficient by getting more memory cells to fit in less space. One way to achieve this is by adding the noble gas xenon when manufacturing digital memories.

LiU leads the development of teacher education in Europe

LiU is taking a leading role in driving pedagogical innovation across Europe. With a focus on international collaboration and the role of AI in education, LiU is strengthening its efforts to prepare future teachers and transform teaching practices.

Individual cells can be connected to plastic electrodes

Researchers at LiU have succeeded in creating a close connection between individual cells and organic electronics. The study lays the foundation for future treatment of neurological and other diseases with very high precision.

Network to measure consensus among researchers is growing

In 2023, LiU joined a worldwide project to measure the extent of consensus among researchers on burning scientific issues. After a successful test, the number of higher education institutions that have registered interest has more than doubled.

Hundreds of materials in one room

The Material Realisation Laboratory is a perfect place to learn more about different materials, their properties - and what they feel like. With more than 1,500 samples gathered in one room, it's a great resource for LiU's students.

Linköping University launches new advanced composite laboratory

LiU Composite Laboratory (LCL) is the name of a newly established laboratory at Linköping University. Here, research into polymer composite materials will be conducted in collaboration with industry and other universities.

Machine Psychology – a bridge to general AI

AI that is as intelligent as humans may become possible thanks to psychological learning models, combined with certain types of AI. This is the conclusion of Robert Johansson, who in his dissertation has developed the concept of Machine Psychology.

Research for a sustainable future awarded almost SEK 20 million grant

An unexpected collaboration between materials science and behavioural science. The development of better and more useful services to tackle climate change. Two projects at LiU are to receive support from the Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation.

Innovative idea for more effective cancer treatments rewarded

Lisa Menacher has been awarded the 2024 Christer Gilén Scholarship in statistics and machine learning for her master’s thesis. She utilised machine learning in an effort to make the selection of cancer treatments more effective.

Linda Carlsson is the new Director of Communications at LiU

Linköping University has appointed Linda Carlsson as new Director of Communications. She comes most recently from the Swedish Council for Higher Education.

AI can boost financial decision making

Do you have limited financial knowledge, or prefer not to think about financial issues? Then there is great potential that AI can help, according to LiU researcher Kinga Barrafrem.

Religious people are not more generous – with one exception

Believers are no more generous than atheists – at least as long as they don’t know what the recipient believes in. This is the conclusion of a study carried out at LiU

Sweden to host European AI Factory

Sweden has been selected to host one of seven European AI Factories that will strengthen the EU’s competitiveness in the field. The AI Factory combines a state-of-the-art AI-optimised supercomputer with support for education, research and innovation.

Quantum theory and information theory connected

With the help of a new experiment, researchers at LiU, have succeeded in confirming a ten-year-old theoretical study, which connects the complementarity principle with information theory.

Maths Coach Online – university students help with maths

“Mattecoach på nätet”, the online maths coach, has helped close to 70,000 students with maths. This collaboration between KTH, Linköping University and Chalmers has now spread internationally.

Josefina Syssner – Professor visiting academia

In her teens, Josefina Syssner wanted to be a cartoonist. She had no intention of studying at university. A few decades later, she is a professor  with a specific eye on the parts of Sweden that are losing population year after year.

How the nervous system distinguishes social touch

Two types of neurons in the skin may be particularly important for how the brain interprets social contact between people. Knowledge of how the nervous system processes social touch is important in order to develop ways to restore sensation.

How non-toxic and efficient solar cells can be produced

Large-scale production of organic solar cells with high efficiency and minimal environmental impact. This can now be made possible through a new design principle developed at Linköping University.

Marietta Radomska has a lively interest in death

Marietta Radomska is a surprising researcher. She researches death and grief but is lively and full of passion for what she does. She is currently running a project on ecological grief. Somewhere there is hope to change the world.

New research strengthens municipal crisis preparedness

A new research project at Linköping University is investigating how leadership can be improved to strengthen and organise municipal crisis preparedness.

Sectra – a world-leading company with roots in LiU research

It started as an extra assignment for four researchers and grew into a cutting-edge company in medical IT and cybersecurity. Follow Sectra’s journey from its roots at LiU to the global business it is today.

Shaping AI technology for the benefit of society globally

To explore similarities and challenges faced by Europe and Japan in the digital transformation era and to foster cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange - researchers and industry professionals from Europe and Japan met at LiU.

Political opinions influence our choice of chocolate

We distance ourselves from completely neutral products if they are liked by people who have political views that we find disagreeable. This is shown in four studies from Linköping University.

The collaboration pushing back the boundaries of physics

Theoretician Florian Trybel has an irreplaceable role in creating new materials. Together with his experimental research colleague in Scotland he aims to expand the possibilities of materials in extreme conditions.

Discovery about pain signalling may contribute to better treatment

LiU researchers have pinpointed the exact location of a specific protein fine-tuning the strength of pain signals. The knowledge can be used to develop drugs for chronic pain that are more effective and have fewer side effects.

Unequal conditions for young people at UN climate summits

Today, young people can participate in major UN climate conferences. But inequality and bureaucracy make this impossible for many. This is the conclusion of a study carried out at Linköping University.

LiU researchers explore sustainable forest management in the Amazon

Can climate action go hand in hand with the needs of local Amazonian communities? A research team from Linköping University is investigating this question through interdisciplinary work with communities in the Mamirauá Reserve, Brazil.

Ancient seeds give clues on climate change

Thousand-year-old seeds, and traces hidden in the soil for more than 5,000 years, provide clues to how people and their crops were affected by climate change. This knowledge may help us adapt to changes in our lifetime and in the future.

New director for Sweden’s supercomputer infrastructure

Professor Erik Lindahl will be the new director of the National Academic Infrastructure for Supercomputing in Sweden (NAISS) – the most widely used research infrastructure in the country.

Amy Loutfi new programme director of WASP

Professor Amy Loutfi will take over as programme director for the Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP). She succeeds Professor Anders Ynnerman from LiU, who will take on the role of chairman of the board for WASP.

Interdisciplinary research on IVA’s 100 List

Five research projects from LiU are on the 100 List of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA). The list pulls together projects with great potential to create value in society.

LiU receives SEK 232 million from the Swedish Research Council

The Swedish Research Council has now decided on the allocation of research grants in four areas. At Linköping University, the area of natural and engineering sciences is to receive the most funding.

Our sense of touch consists of 16 unique types of nerve cells

No less than 16 different types of nerve cells have been identified by scientists in a new study on the human sense of touch. Comparisons between humans, mice and macaques show both similarities and significant differences.

Improving Alphafold to predict very large proteins

The AI tool Alphafold has been improved so that it can now predict the shape of very large and complex protein structures. Linköping University researchers have also succeeded in integrating experimental data into the tool.

LiU researcher ahead of UN climate summit - "I’m optimistic"

Azerbaijan will host the International Climate Summit this year. Although the country is heavily dependent on its oil production, holding the meeting there could actually be an advantage, according to Rinata Kazak, who will represent LiU.

Working together for a less biased world

In what ways does modern technology risk giving us a distorted picture of the world? Seeking answers, researchers at Tema Genus are working with colleagues in computer science.

Student choirs add to festive mood in Linköping

Streets, squares and concert venues in Linköping will be filled with song as 42 student choirs from 5 different countries converge on the city.

Creating the flexible X-ray technology of the future

Professor Feng Gao has been granted SEK 31 million from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation over five years to develop a new type of X-ray technology. The goal is a flexible material that can improve X-ray detector image quality.