Mikael Forsman

I started in electrical engineering, and have a Ph.D. in Medical Electronics (Chalmers). Since 1994, I have worked with Ergonomics, both deeply in specific research questions, and applied together with practitioners, on a pure individual level and on an organizational level, with: developments of advanced research methods (for assessment and analyses of lab and field data) and methods to be used by practitioners (for ergonomic risks assessment, and to facilitate participative ergonomic interventions), fields studies including quantitative data assessments and analyses (direct measurements, video analyses, and questionnaire data of physical and psychosocial exposure), laboratory experiments (mostly in a scientific lab, but also in field settings). I have lead projects where we have development questionnaires, and investigated correlations between the outcomes work ability/musculoskeletal pain and work load. Lately, I have also studied reasons for – and prevention of – work accidents.
  A key term for prevention of musculoskeletal disorders is reliable measurement methods and interpretation (action) limits, so that practitioners can identify risk situations. With today’s microelectronics, it is possible to develop inexpensive user friendly systems to measure biomechanical exposure, and to generate automatic graphical reports on e.g. a smartphone display. We are now developing and validating such methods.
  My work is often been carried out in collaboration with national and international partners, often of other specialties, for example in the medical field. I think that we should collaborate more in the field of ergonomics, at least nationally and in the Nordic countries, where work life and work life research traditions are similar.

Degrees and qualifications

1987 M.Sc. (E. Eng.) Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg
1995 Ph.D. in medical electronics. Chalmers University of Technology
1999 Docent of Ergonomics, Department of Human Factors Engineering

Educational activities

Responsible, examiner and lecturer for master level courses
Have been supervisor of about 20 master theses.
Have been main supervisor for 3 doctoral theses, and co-supervisor 8 doctoral theses.
Now (Sep 2018) main supervisor of 3 PhD-students, and co-supervisor for 4 PhD-students.

Employments

2018 – Professor and head of Division, Division of Ergonomics, CBH-School, KTH
2017 – Guest Professor, Occupational Medicine, IMM Institute of Environmental Medicine, KI
2014 – 2017 Adjunkt Professor, Occupational Medicine, IMM Institute of Environmental Medicine, KI
2012 – 2016 Guest researcher, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Gävle University
2012 – 2014 Researcher, Occupational Medicine, IMM Institute of Environmental Medicine, KI
2008 – 2011 Research Group leader/Unit leader, Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Ergonomics,
  Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Dept of Public Health Sciences, KI
2003 – 2006 Assistant Head of Department, National Institute for Working Life, Göteborg
2007 – 2012 Researcher, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine,
  Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet (KI)
1999 – Docent of Ergonomics, Department of Human Factors Engineering
1999 - 2007 Researcher, National Institute for Working Life, Göteborg
1994 - 1999 Senior Research Engineer, Lindholmen Development, Göteborg

Research activity

Project manager for around 12 research projects, co-applicant in about 20 projects, from research councils or equivalent.
Author of 78 scientific papers in international peer-reviewed journals, 7 book chapters, and 170 conference abstracts.