At the request of LTH’s Dean Annika Olsson, a working group has conducted a study of materials research at LTH to provide guidance for the future development of the research.
During the board meeting, the work was presented by the working group’s project leader, Kimberly Dick Thelander, professor in Materials Science.
Among other things, the working group highlighted that the strong partnerships with Swedish industry and the proximity to world-class research infrastructures such as MAXIV and ESS provide unique opportunities for this field of research in Lund.
In its work, the working group discusses possible paths forward that could lead to even more robust materials research with strong foundations for excellence, visibility, and long-term development.
In the autumn of 2026, LTH’s Faculty management will delve deeper into the study to further develop the direction forward.
Short update on Science Village
Annika Mårtensson, Assistant Dean for sustainable campus development, says that the work on establishing in the Science Village is proceeding as planned.
To provide a comprehensive overview of the location of the new lab environment, Annika Mårtensson discussed the conditions associated with alternative sites for the Nanolab. Various solutions have been compared, and for them to be comparable, they must meet current requirements for structure, size, capacity, and security, explains Annika Mårtensson.
“This includes, among other things, the vibration-free concrete foundation, how chemicals and gases should be handled and transported safely, and how the cleanroom should be designed,” she says.
Another important aspect to consider when setting up a lab environment is to also assess the value of the research, according to Annika Mårtensson.
“It’s difficult to create a graph that shows the value of research in terms of results, funding, and collaboration, but a new lab environment can maintain and strengthen the competitiveness of the lab and its users in research and in collaboration with industry,” she says, continuing:
“A new lab environment demonstrates a long-term commitment to excellence, where researchers continue to have the opportunity to conduct cutting-edge research.”