08 December 2022

In 2022 the research program approved its first ever PhD and Postdoc projects. Out of the 18 approved projects from LiU, nine came from IFM. 

Johanna Rosén

In total, WISE (The Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability) approved 90 projects. They are awarded in total SEK 260 million by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW) for a period of up to four years. For IFM and the material research at LiU, this was a great success, more approved projects than any other university in Sweden.

- The granted projects are of very high quality and relevance for sustainability and are carried out by prominent researchers in each project’s research area, says Magnus Berggren, WISE Program Director, on their webpage.

Awarded projects are also distributed to Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Lund University, Luleå University of Technology, Stockholm University, Uppsala University, and selected groups at Umeå University and Karlstad University.

For IFM, this is confirmation that LiU is an essential part of material research in Sweden and abroad. Johanna Rosén, professor, deputy head of department at IFM and one of the recipients of a PhD project grant says that material research is one om LiU’s areas of excellence, and this success is further proof that LiU is at the forefront, both nationally and internationally.

- The applications were assessed by international evaluators and the fact that we did so well is a good sign that our applications were of high quality, and were very relevant for sustainability, she says.

As for LiU, this further strengthens the materials research by recruiting 18 new postdocs and PhD students.

- The new recruits and their supervisors will also be a part of the WISE network, offering conferences, courses, and a research school. This means it will hopefully strengthen our collaborations with other universities in Sweden, says Johanna Rosén.

In total, WISE (The Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability) approved 90 projects. They are awarded in total SEK 260 million by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW) for a period of up to four years. For IFM and the material research at LiU, this was a great success, more approved projects than any other university in Sweden.

- The granted projects are of very high quality and relevance for sustainability and are carried out by prominent researchers in each project’s research area, says Magnus Berggren, WISE Program Director, on their webpage.

Awarded projects are also distributed to Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Lund University, Luleå University of Technology, Stockholm University, Uppsala University, and selected groups at Umeå University and Karlstad University.

For IFM, this is confirmation that LiU is an essential part of material research in Sweden and abroad. Johanna Rosén, professor, deputy head of department at IFM and one of the recipients of a PhD project grant says that material research is one om LiU’s areas of excellence, and this success is further proof that LiU is at the forefront, both nationally and internationally.

- The applications were assessed by international evaluators and the fact that we did so well is a good sign that our applications were of high quality, and were very relevant for sustainability, she says.

As for LiU, this further strengthens the materials research by recruiting 18 new postdocs and PhD students.

- The new recruits and their supervisors will also be a part of the WISE network, offering conferences, courses, and a research school. This means it will hopefully strengthen our collaborations with other universities in Sweden, says Johanna Rosén.

The recipients at IFM are:
Björn Alling (Teoretisk fysik) - PhD student-project
Feng Gao (Electronic and photonic materials) - PhD student-project
Fengling Zhang (Electronic and photonic materials) - PhD student-project
Henrik Pedersen (Chemistry) - Postdoc-project
Johanna Rosen (Materials design) - PhD student-project
Jonas Björk - PhD student-project
Lars Hultman - Postdoc-project
Per Persson - PhD student-project
Vanya Darakchieva - Postdoc-project




Latest news from LiU

A boy playing with a dog on the floor.

Playing with your dog creates a stronger bond

Playing a little extra with your dog improves the emotional bond between owner and dog, according to a study from LiU. However, training did not give the same results. The study is relevant for all dog owners, whether they have young or adult dogs.

En närbild på en kvinna som bär en kofta.

Duty and gratitude behind academic diligence

A sense of gratitude towards parents for their sacrifices, and a desire to succeed and give something back. These are powerful drivers in studies of high-achieving young people with a migration background, according to a study from LiU.

A woman standing in front of a display of vegetables.

Future visions for sustainable food consumption

The food we eat drains our planet and takes a toll on human health, which is why we have to change what we put on our plates. But for the individual consumer, eating sustainably is not that easy. This transition requires changes at several levels.