Newsmail #91, 2024-04-19

Dear all,

On Wednesday this week the MMK Faculty met to discuss PhD supervision. Requirements and criteria for the different salary levels, rules and best-practices for departmental duties, the organization of the new seminar series. We also discussed the revised general study plan (ASP) that now will be submitted to KTH for approval. The discussions are led by our Director for PhD studies, Ulf Olofsson. In the next step, Ulf and Nils (the PhD student representative) will invite all PhD students at MMK to discuss as well, with pizza included. These discussions are important in an academic environment, there is not one single person who knows best and who makes all the right decisions (even if Ulf and Nils are very close to being the best), the best solutions are most often found in a collegial discussion – which in essence is defined as an academic seminar, based on facts and science, where the combined knowledge and experiences play a big part.

On Wednesday this week, a hearing was held to evaluate TECoSA, our large research center. This was the mid-term evaluation. If the funding agency grants us a a second term, we’ll be able to continue for another five years. The hearing was a massive event, with presentations and demonstrations, perfectly tuned and prepared by our Martin Törngren who leads the center. The reviewers were, as expected, impressed to say the least.

This week I have also met with the head of security at KTH to talk about work environment, issues relating to access to our buildings etc. As you have seen, the new KTH Security and Safety Dept (SSD) are now running a campaign to raise the awareness of access to buildings. Please do not let people in to our buildings without asking about their reasons.

Finally, I have myself joined two separate workshops this week with the purpose of evaluating new systems, by invitation from the IT dept. One focused on a new budget system and one workshop to evaluate a proposed new travel order and travel reporting system, to replace KTH-RES. I have experienced at least three travel reporting systems at KTH. The new system I evaluated would be put on fourth place in comparison, so I keep my thumbs crossed that KTH will procure a different system. I made sure to mention that in my evaluation.

Best,

Martin