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Meeting Notes: October 2025

Place: AlbaNova, Roslagstullsbacken 21

Time: Wednesday, October 29 12:20- 13:15

Opening formalities (5 min)

  • Meeting opening

  • Choice of meeting chairperson – board suggests: Maria

  • Choice of meeting secretary – board suggests: Nils

  • Choice of meeting minutes checker – board suggests: Sai

  • Approval of agenda and meeting procedures.

    • The council approved the agenda and meeting procedures.

  • Present: Nils, Sai, Maria, Emanuele, Oscar, Erik, Teodor, Sebastian.

Meeting started at 12:20 due to issues with room booking with no objections.

Reports & updates (30 min)

  • Update from PADs (15 min)

    • Solid Mechanics (Emanuele): Issues from female student who has been mistreated by male professor. Situation complicated by gender imbalance. Brought up to PA, but PA is reluctant to act and Emanuele will follow up on this.
      Study plans value is discussed as it is important for PhD students but only if integrated in LADOK, which is planned.
      Discussion regarding Salary ladder, and what has been decided. Nils pointed out that the decision is made but formal discussion is ongoing on the extent.

    • Applied Physics (Erik): No major updates

    • Physics (Oscar): No major updates

    • Mathematics (Teodor, Sebastian): Met with PA/FOA to discuss course structure. Agreement reached to fix issues, courses will be scheduled further in advance.

    • Vehicle Engineering (Sai): No major updates

  • JML Workshop (10 min)

    • Four workshops planned: two for Physics/Applied Physics, and two for Mathematics/Engineering Mechanics. Two formats considered: story-based and case-based. Discussion about structure and frequency, suggestion to make them more frequent (at least once every other year).

  • Elections (5 min)

    • Nils Wikström was elected new chair of the PhD Council.

  • Time compensation (5 min)

    • Meeting will be held with Erik on the 4th of November to discuss.

Discussion points (30 min) 

  • Mentorship program (5 min)

    • Maria will create a form and send out to the PhD students to see to what extent they would like a mentorship program.

  • Structural changes (5 min)

    • Nils brought up the need for the minutes checker to read through all documents and for written reports from PADs to be sent in before each meeting.

  • FF errand (5 min)

    • Sebastian will take the FF errand if it is possible to participate online.

  • Election announcement (5 min)

    • Elections announced before next meeting, Sai will assist.
      Promote women to join the council for better diversity.

  • Recurring points: (10 min)

    • Equality at KTH: The council sees good progress and is pleased with the discussion in FN and around KTH. Erik points out that you have to remind the head of departments frequently regarding the JML workshops, as this might not be prioritized.
       

Development of Current Events/Initiatives (5 min)

  • Next Event Ideas

    • JML event next week, but low participation. Send next event ideas to Maria, but will probably be Christmas themed.

Additional issues and information (5 min)

  • Next Meeting Location and Date

    • 24 November, 12:15, Freja – Council meeting
      17 November, Board meeting

Actions required

  • Nils to bring PhD Survey Summary to FN meeting.

  • Create a template for PAD reports in the PADs folder - PADs should prepare a short summary before each meeting.

  • Ask how to increase storage space in Onedrive for PhD students.

  • Post elections before next meeting.

Meeting closed

  • Meeting closed at 13.15.