AktuelLTH - the internal newsletter at the Faculty of Engineering LTH - comes out every second Thursday. If you have news, suggestions or ideas you would like to share with your colleagues, let us know by emailing AktuelLTH@kansli.lth.se. Content must be submitted by Tuesday to appear in the newsletter on Thursday.

Wherever possible, please submit content in both English and Swedish.

AktuelLTH in Swedish 

On 11 February at 19:00, the Flying Dutchman will set off at the AF Castle. LTH staff members are invited to attend this special performance of this year's Jesperspex.The Flying Dutchman was the very first spex presented by the Jesper Spex Company, 50 years ago. The company has its roots at the LTH and most of its members come from the various guilds of the Engineering Students' Union, TLTH.

Spex is amateur comedy theatre performed by university students, traditional in Sweden and parts of Finland. The production is in Swedish, but is well worth experiencing for the visual comedy, music and general ambience.

For tickets, send an email to info@lth.se stating your name, department and the number of tickets you'd like.

"The year is 1726, the place, Cape Town, South Africa. In the small Dutch settlement the tulips are in bloom and the windmills busy milling flour. To celebrate the town's prosperity, the Mayoress gives a speech of praise to the local residents. In the midst of her speech, the harbourmaster comes rushing: a strange dot has been sighted on the horison. Rumours are rife about "The Flying Dutchman", a mythical ghost ship spreading fear and unrest wherever it appears. The quiet little community goes topsy-turvy as everyone engages in the arrival of the ghost ship..."

One Dean, one MAX IV Director, and two world-class researchers in chemistry and physics - that's who made up this year's LTH Lucia procession back in December.

There is a video, and some previously unpublished pictures for those of you who were't there to experience it in person. You can also read more about the Swedish Lucia tradition.

Pictures from the event

Video footage of the procession

Swedish Lucia - what's it all about

Get snapping while you're out and about on the LTH campus. Take a picture, share it on Instagram and tag it using #LTHnow for your chance to win bags, t-shirts, mugs and much more. The ten submissions with the most number of likes will also be rewarded with a cinema ticket.

The competition opens on 1 February and closes on 29 February, and you can enter with as many pictures as you like.

Hint! The easiest way to see all the entries is to download the app LTH Now. Search for "LTH Now" in the Apple Appstore or on Google Play. You can also access the app on our website www.lth.se/now

Christelle Prinz, researcher at the Division of Solid State Physics at the Faculty of Engineering LTH, hs been awarded the 2015 ERC Consolidator Grant. ERC grant is an internationally competitive grant with scientific excellence as its only selection criteria.

Congratulations Christelle!

About the European Research Council

Ulf Ellervik, professor of bioorganic chemistry at the Faculty of Engineering LTH, has been awarded this year's Gunnar Starck medal by the Swedish Chemical Society.

"There is currently no better ambassador for chemistry as a subject than Ulf Ellervik. He meets the criteria for the Gunnar Starck medal extrordinarily well." says Helena Grennberg, chairperson of the Swedish Chemical Society.

Congratlations Ulf!

The Swedish Chemical Society

"One of the biggest challenges for research at LTH is infrastructure - both in terms of 'gadgets' and our buildings. Our rent costs are considerable and I believe a change in Akademiska Hus (our landlord) assignment is necessary to strengthen and develop the infrastructure at Swedish universities in the long term. The high rents for specially equipped rooms are in danger of impoverishing the research groups that use them. Refurbishment of lecture theatres with subsequent rent increases are a strain on already stretched education budgets and affect our students. It's time for a change!"

Viktor Öwall, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering LTH, speaks his mind in the last issue of LTH-nytt.

Stay up to date with what's on the Dean's mind by following the Dean's blog.