Meet ITRL’s new vice-director

So tell me about your background?’

I have a PhD in Machine Design from KTH and I’ve have worked in the transportation sector for almost 10 years now - as a researcher, writer, and project manager. My predominant focus has been in the electrification of transport. During my PhD I studied the financial consequences of owning and using electric vehicles compared to internal combustion engine vehicles. My interests have continuously evolved, and I have since worked in multiple areas of the transportation eco-system. Such as last-mile delivery, charging infrastructure, electric aviation, and traffic management. Since completing my PhD I have worked as a head of research and project manager at Sustainable Innovation and Senior Researcher at RISE. The transportation industry is rapidly changing, and I have been fortunate to follow some of these changes up-close as a writer for the e-mobility newsletter omEV. I am excited to now join ITRL and hope that I can assist the rest of the team to build knowledge and contribute to a more sustainable future of transportation.

What is it that you’re going to do at ITRL?

I will join ITRL as Vice Director. My focus will be to work together with the ITRL-team to shape the next steps for centre. I believe that an important part of this assignment will be to gather and analysis expertise from researchers at KTH as well as from corporate partners, government agencies and to learn from international best practices. I believe that ITRL should play an important role in deciphering current and future transportation challenges.

What was it about the role that appealed to you?

I have some previous positive experience working with ITRL researchers and I spend some of the best years of my (PhD) life just a few minutes’ walk from ITRL. I am fascinated by ITRL’s future orientation and its integrated approach to research. These characteristics together with a broad set of partners and access to expertise at KTH allows ITRL to tackle big research challenges within transportation. As Vice Director you get to be part of shaping the goals and organisation to address these challenges. Who doesn’t want to be part of that?

Is there a particular challenge you look forward to working with?

I am interested in exploring the crossroads of various technologies. Obviously the big three megatrends of automation, connectivity, and electrification that ITRL is already working on. In addition, the integration of the transport system and the energy system is an interesting challenge that I hope to explore further. I also believe that a diverse set of challenges concerning resilience of the transport system will become increasingly important, which is an area I hope to be able to contribute to. Finally, I look forward to better understand the challenges that ITRL’s partners have identified as critical.

And final question, what do you like to do in your free time?

I have two small children, so they take up most of my spare time. Otherwise, I enjoy travelling, being outdoors, and work in the garden (which now mostly involves monitoring our robotic lawn mower). I also have a keen interest in reading about cars, science, and current events.