Moving forward with a thirst for knowledge and a spirit of exploration

Midsummer is just around the corner – and most of LTH’s students have already completed their final exams and left campus. In festive surroundings, students were recognised with diplomas and scholarships at LTH’s graduation ceremony at AF-borgen.

It is gratifying to see particularly outstanding students receive their scholarships and to see the diversity of students ready to take the next step into working life after their studies at LTH.
 

It is also with pride that I note initiatives such as the mathematics initiative at Kungsskolan in Örkelljunga, which excellently helps to broaden interest among more talented young people in our engineering programmes.

This spring has continued to demonstrate the excellence that characterises LTH in research, creativity and innovation alike. LTH is involved in three of the proposed SFO environments, and the spring has engaged many in the excellence cluster applications that have involved large parts of the Swedish research community.

This spring, in addition to my engagement in research, I have been impressed by hearing about a number of new, socially beneficial innovations that have in one way or another emerged from, or are linked to, LTH.

Last year, LTH ranked at the top of Lund University with 53 registered new, research-based innovation ideas at LU Innovation – an increase of almost 40 per cent compared to the previous year.
 

This rise in creativity and willingness to explore new products and systems can be seen in light of Lund University being ranked as Europe’s third most innovative university, based on the number of patents filed by start-up companies.

Most people have probably already heard of Bluetooth, medical ultrasound technology, and food innovations such as Oatly or Proviva.

But new stars are also born at LTH – when research results and student projects are transformed into innovations that renew and improve.

The list of innovations that have seen the light of day at LTH is so long that it is almost impossible to compile. Nevertheless, here are a few brief examples of innovations linked to LTH research that benefit society in various ways:

• Acconeer – ultra-low-power radar systems – now a listed company on Nasdaq First North
• AlignedBio – next-generation DNA sequencing and detection of molecular biomarkers for disease diagnosis, prediction and therapeutic monitoring
• AlixLabs – semiconductor technology that may soon be manufactured in Skåne
• Cognibotics – the world’s fastest “pick-and-place” robot and now one of the leading innovators in industrial robotics
• Elonroad – charging vehicles while in motion enables smaller and cheaper batteries, especially for heavy vehicles
• Ironic Biotech – has developed a range of patented, plant-based iron compounds that the body absorbs almost as effectively as iron from meat
• Spec Imaging – technology for chemical analysis of opaque liquids using light, enabling improved quality and safety in the food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in wastewater treatment
• Xenergic – memory IP for low-power, high-speed applications.
   

LU Innovation is Lund University’s innovation office, where LTH researchers and students can turn for business advice.

Perhaps it is as simple as Annika Lindström, innovation adviser focusing on students at LU Innovation, suggested in the LTH alumni magazine LTH-nytt’s special issue on innovation:

Fall in love with the customer’s needs – not your own idea. Build networks and create a strong team with diverse expertise and backgrounds. Test early and dare to make contact – take that first step.

On the other side of the summer break, we will meet again, hopefully re-energised. Then we will move forward with a thirst for knowledge and a spirit of exploration, for the benefit of the world.

But first, to all friends of LTH: thank you for this term! Have a wonderful summer, with plenty of time off.

Annika Olsson

Dean of LTH