News, seminars, people, events and more from Production Area of Advance |
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PRODUCTION AREA OF ADVANCE | Shaping the Future of Production Together2025 has been a year of transformation, marked by rapid technological development, shifting industrial conditions, and rising expectations of research to combine excellence with real societal and industrial impact. In this changing landscape, research communities are challenged to organise and collaborate in new ways.
Following this development, the Production Area of Advance at Chalmers continues to build momentum by addressing complex challenges in innovation, sustainability, resilience, and long-term competitiveness. At the core of this work is our community. Through collaboration across disciplines and time horizons, we co-create visionary research questions and tackle challenges that no single discipline can solve alone.
Our ambition is not only to respond to the future, but to help shape it. By building long-term relationships with industry and other stakeholders, we enable research that is both relevant and impactful. As we look ahead to 2026, we will continue to strengthen these collaborations while advancing both scientific and technical leadership in the area of production.
| As the year comes to a close, we wish you a restful break and a joyful holiday season with family and friends.
Árni Halldórsson (right) and Ola Isaksson (left)Directors of Production Area of Advance, Chalmers | | | |
Chalmers in SEK 90 million project to advance industrial digitalisationExpert Learning Lab is a major national initiative focusing on advanced digitalisation within industry. The project aims to help industrial experts strengthen their companies’ competitiveness through a joint effort involving eight leading Swedish companies and universities in areas such as AI, digital platforms, and Virtual Reality. "The ability to quickly enhance one’s specialist skills is a key capability for everyone working in Swedish industry," says Johan Stahre, Professor and Head of the Chalmers Upskilling Academy. |
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New Research Exchange with NTUIn summer 2026, Chalmers University of Technology and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore will launch a new research exchange with a strong focus on collaboration between researchers. Alongside a student exchange, the initiative opens new pathways for research leaders at Chalmers to connect with NTU counterparts, host visiting students and build long-term academic partnerships. “NTU is an exceptionally strong university, and this collaboration creates valuable contact routes for our researchers,” says Leif Asp. The exchange spans several Areas of Advance and also opens opportunities for future researcher mobility and exchange. |
| | RESEARCH NEWS FROM CHALMERS |
Making metal 3D printing work for extreme environments
Gas turbines operate under extreme heat and stress and the shift towards hydrogen pushes materials even further. Doctor Ahmed Fardan Jabir Hussain is tackling one of additive manufacturing’s toughest challenges: 3D printing high-performance superalloys for gas turbines. By optimising printing processes rather than changing the alloy itself, his research brings crack-free components, improved durability and higher efficiency a step closer to industrial reality. |
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The moment of death for the bacteria. A scanning electron microscopy image of the MOF structure puncturing the bacteria. The image was taken in Myfab's cleanroom at Chalmers. Parts of the photo have been colored. Credit Chalmers University of Technology, Zhejian Cao |
| | Nobel Prize-awarded material that kill bacteriaBacteria that multiply on surfaces are a major headache in healthcare when they gain a foothold on, for example, implants or in catheters. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have found a new weapon to fight these hotbeds of bacterial growth – one that does not rely on antibiotics or toxic metals. | | | Zhejian Cao,
Division of Systems and Synthetic Biology, Life Sciences | | | Lars Öhrström, professor, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering | | | Chalmers at World Economic Forum in Davos 2026When the World Economic Forum (WEF) gathers the world’s leading decision-makers in Davos on 19–23 January 2026, Chalmers University of Technology will participate as an academic main partner in Science House—an international meeting place for science, innovation, and sustainable societal development. The Chalmers delegation is led by Martin Nilsson Jacobi, President of Chalmers University of Technology.
For more information about Chalmers’ participation in the World Economic Forum and Science House, please contact Björn Johansson, Professor and Head of Chalmers’ participation in Science House. | Mineral waste as a resource in new national research schoolThe new national research school RECEM will train future researchers in cement-based materials, focusing on mineral processing and recycling of mineral waste. Funded by the Swedish Research Council with SEK 35 million, the five-year initiative is coordinated by Umeå University in collaboration with Chalmers, Luleå University of Technology and MAX IV at Lund University.
The research school spans the entire value chain, from raw and recycled minerals to low-carbon construction materials, and will involve 14 doctoral students, including new positions starting in spring 2026. At Chalmers, the initiative is supported by Arezou Baba Ahmadi, Associate Professor in Building Technology at the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, who highlights its role in strengthening doctoral education and advancing sustainable innovation in cementitious materials. | | | Nobelpristagaren i kemi:
Vänta inte – våga börja forskaProfessor Omar Yaghi, en av årets Nobelpristagare i kemi, gav unga forskare och studenter råd under ett besök på institutionen för kemi och kemiteknik.
| | | Nobel Laureate: Don’t wait – dare to start your research
Professor Omar Yaghi, one of this year’s Nobel Prize laureates in Chemistry, gave advice to young researchers and students during a visit to the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.
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“Nobel places a smallengineering nation onthe world map of science” President's perspective. “Through its origins and its purpose, the Nobel Prize links the engineering nation of Sweden with the world’s foremost research. This makes it particularly honourable when five of this year’s laureates visit us, including the three pioneers of quantum research who have received the Nobel Prize in Physics.” writes Martin Nilsson Jacobi on chalmers.se.
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| | | | | | Step inside the antenna lab at ChalmersIn this video, PhD student Teanette van der Spuy from the Antenna Group at Chalmers takes us inside the university’s advanced antenna lab – “like a music studio, but for antennas.” She explains how the room blocks outside signals and absorbs reflections to enable precise measurements. Teanette also shares her journey from South Africa to Chalmers and reflects on the growing importance of satellite communication for global connectivity. | | WISE guest professor explores bio-based routes to sustainable batteries
Professor Madhavi Srinivasan from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, has been appointed WISE Guest Professor within the Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability and will be hosted at Chalmers by Professor Leif Asp at the Department of Industrial and Materials Science.
Her inaugural lecture showcased research on biohydrometallurgy, including metal recovery from spent lithium-ion batteries using orange peels and microorganisms, as well as the development of bio-based electrolytes and structural batteries. | | | | | | | |
Autumn 2025 Summary from
our colleagues in Lund
International
Product Realisation
This semester,
our Master’s program in Production and Materials Engineering offered
students an exceptional opportunity to connect with Swedish industry. Through eight
company visits and several guest lectures, students
explored sustainability, automation, digital transformation, and strategic
decision-making in global production.
Highlights
included:
- Visits to Sandvik
RP, Tetra Pak, Gränges Group, Scania, Sandvik
Coromant, Seco Tools, Essity, and Alfdex
AB.
- Guest lectures from Axis
Communications, Seco Tools and experts on Lean Management and SME
challenges.
These
experiences strengthen the link between theory and practice and prepare our
students for impactful careers in manufacturing. |
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Renewal of the Production Area of Advance: New steering group established |
| | An advisory steering group (SOP Steering Group) has been established as part of the ongoing renewal of the Production Area of Advance. This group will act as a strategic sounding board for the Production Area of Advance leadership team on matters relating to strategy, structure, quality and impact, in line with Chalmers’ overall strategy. The group will also provide recommendations on priorities, collaborations and investments, and contribute to environmental scanning, international connectivity and visibility, and strengthened transparency and legitimacy in planning and operations. | | |
Members (from left top): Árni Halldórsson, Robin Teigland, Ola Isaksson, Diana Bernin, Michael Eriksson (Chalmers), Christina Windmark (Lund University), Anders Skoogh (Chalmers) and Petter Falkman (Chalmers).
Adjunct members: Maria Wåhlin and Carina Schultz (Chalmers)
The steering group is convened by the Area of Advance Director or the Vice Director with administrative coordination provided by the Area of Advance Coordinator.
The steering group meets once per quarter. The mandate period is 2026–2027. | | | | | Where health meets technology
Emerging sciences shaping human healthWelcome to join us for a day that celebrates the future of health and technology! Together with leading researchers we will explore how emerging technologies and AI are transforming healthcare, how new methods are reshaping cancer treatment, and how biomaterials open the door to more personalised medicine. Health Science Day will feature internationally, nationally and locally acclaimed speakers, a poster session showcasing research in health and technology and plenty of opportunities for networking.
| | | FEBRUARY
09:00–16:00 Chalmers conference centre | | | | | | | |
| | Vinnova: Information meeting on upscaling for a sustainable battery value chainLearn more about our funding for increased innovation throughout the battery value chain – from raw materials and production to recycling and reuse.
| | | | | From idea to patient value – welcome to the future of medtechTogether, we are shaping the future of medical technology. On Monday, February 2, 2026, everyone with an interest or role in medical technology research, development, education or innovation is welcome to join the first joint event within the West Sweden Medical Technology Arena (VMTA).
| | | | | Material Matters – Tetrapods based Smart Materials for Advanced TechnologiesWelcome to a seminar in the Material Matters series. Invited speaker: Professor Yogendra Kumar Mishra – an internationally recognized researcher from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU). Professor Mishra is a world-leading scientist whose groundbreaking contributions in nanomaterials, smart materials, and functional coatings place him at the forefront of research in energy, electronics, healthcare, and environmental sustainability. | | | | | The beauty of chaos – new premiereWelcome to Julia Ravani's adventurous and extraordinary world – where black holes cause time and space to switch places, where anything can happen, and even the impossible is possible. A play you definitely haven't seen in a parallel universe by Julia Ravanis, doctor in Physics at Chalmers. | | | | | Wingquist Laboratory's 25th Annual Seminar on Digital Product RealizationMark your calendar! This year, it will be hosted at World of Volvo in Gothenburg! Highlights from Geometry Assurance & Robust Design, Systems Engineering Design, Automation and Geometry & Motion Planning.
Further details and registration information will be shared soon. For now, be sure to save the date in your calendar. | | | | | Production Area of Advance Initiative SeminarSave the date! We will contiune to investigate the theme collaborate. Stay tuned! | | | DOCTORAL THESIS PRESENTATIONS | | | Work design and redesign in productionFinal seminar: Elin Edén, Technology Management and Economics
| | | | | Upcoming doctoral thesis defences at i
Industrial and Materials ScienceMartin Bergman, 21 January 2026, 10:15 Ases Akas Mishra, 9 February 2026, 09:00 Greta Braun, 25 February 2026, 10:00 Sahith Kokkirala, 26 February 2026, 09:00 Xiao Qin, 27 February 2026, 09:00
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“It is a strong and committed group of faculty members who are now commencing the Chalmers Academic Excellence Program,” says Susanne Aalto, Deputy President with responsibility for academic environment and excellence. Chalmers launches excellence program to reach the top in EuropeThis is a unique, long-term initiative to strengthen research quality and international competitiveness. In the pilot phase, 22 researchers have been selected for the program. Each researcher receives SEK 5 million per year for five years in enhanced base funding. The initiative also includes individual research support aimed at reducing administrative workloads and giving researchers better opportunities to focus on their core activities. Congratulations to all of you! Architecture and Civil Engineering:
Alexander Hollberg and Meta Berghauser Pont
Chemistry and Chemical Engineering:
Christian Müller and Jia Chew
Computer Science and Engineering:
Robert Feldt and Simon Olsson
Electrical Engineering:
Henk Wymeersch and Silvia Muceli
Industrial and Materials Science:
Mélanie Despeisse and Sheng Guo
Life Sciences:
Rikard Landberg and Ivan Mijakovic
Mathematical Sciences:
Annika Lang and Robert Berman
Mechanics and Maritime Sciences:
Tomas Grönstedt
Microtechnology and Nanoscience:
Anton Frisk Kockum and Floriana Lombardi
Physics:
Christoph Langhammer and Paul Erhart
Space, Earth and Environment:
Jessica Jewell and Wouter Vlemmings
Technology Management and Economics:
Anna Bergek |
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Sweden funds 45 projects to strengthen future technologies – strong Chalmers involvement“We are very proud that several research groups at Chalmers are now developing their ideas for excellence clusters during the first quarters of 2026,” says Árni Halldórsson, Vice Director of the Chalmers Production Area of Advance. The statement follows Vinnova’s announcement of the first funding decisions within its new clusters of excellence initiative, in which 45 projects have been launched across six strategic technology areas aimed at strengthening Sweden’s position in future technologies. The areas include artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, advanced digital technology, quantum technology, materials and production technology, energy technology, and biotechnology. Chalmers plays a strong role in the initiative. Researchers at the university are leading four of twelve projects in Materials and Production Technology, one of ten in AI and Autonomous Systems, one of six in Advanced Digital Technology, and one of four in Quantum Technology. |
| | Fem nya Wallenberg
Academy Fellows på Chalmers
Fem lovande chalmersforskare får i år ta del av Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelses femåriga grundforskningsanslag, som ger unga forskare en möjlighet att bidra med ny, banbrytande kunskap genom att angripa svåra och långsiktiga forskningsfrågor.
| | | Five new Wallenberg
Academy Fellows at Chalmers
Five promising Chalmers researchers will this year receive the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation’s five-year basic research grants. These grants give early-career researchers the opportunity to contribute new, ground-breaking knowledge by tackling difficult, long-term research questions.
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Expertise shared in Atlas Copco talk showAtlas Copco produces a series called Momentum Talks for its YouTube channel, presented as “your gateway to the transition to sustainable manufacturing”. In two episodes this year, Atlas Copco has invited expertise from Chalmers. Cecilia Berlin (left), Associate Professor, appears in the most recently published episode, titled “Fitting the task to the human: rethinking ergonomics in manufacturing”. Mélanie Despeisse, Associate Professor in Sustainable Digitalised Production, was invited to discuss how circular solutions and sustainable partnerships can support the industry’s transition. |
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Ola Isaksson on aerospace innovation and the transition to net zero
Professor Ola Isaksson from Chalmers University of Technology has recently shared his expertise in two prominent newsletters. In EASN Newsletter 2025, Issue #3, he reflects on the critical role that universities play in supporting Europe’s aerospace innovation and the transition to net-zero carbon aviation, emphasising how academic research and education must contribute to technological integration and real-world implementation.
Isaksson has also been featured in Net Zero Industry’s newsletter, where he discusses the industrial transition to net-zero emissions in Sweden. |
| | Dagens Industri: Amferias
plåster är en revolution Saba Atefyekta, medgrundare av medicinteknikbolaget Amferia, får priset Årets nystart av en jury där bland annat Dagens Industri ingår. I ett porträtt i tidningen berättar hon om sin flytt från Iran till Sverige, utvecklingen av företagets bakteriedödande material som startade när hon var doktorand på Kemi och kemiteknik, och att handledaren och medgrundaren Martin Andersson pushade henne att gå vidare till entreprenörskap. | | | Nobel Week took off
with a quantum feature Dagens Nyheter has visited Chalmers' quantum labs and spoken with Göran Johansson, MC2, and Mårten Skogh, Chalmers Next Labs. The report focuses on talks about the future and development of quantum computers, and about the fact that John Martinis, one of this year's Nobel Prize laureates in physics, has been a visiting professor at Chalmers and as such has helped lay the foundation for the quantum computer initiative.
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