Semmy Rülf and Margaret-Anne Storey new honorary doctors at the Faculty of Engineering (LTH)

Semmy Rülf is a prominent entrepreneur and innovator with strong links to Lund University and the Faculty of Engineering (LTH), and his efforts in the technology and medical technology sectors have played a key role in turning research results into solutions with global societal benefits.

“It is with great pleasure and awe that I accept this great honour. Being able to round off more than 40 years of working in Lund and for Lund University is like a dream come true,” says Semmy Rülf.

Semmy Rülf holds a Master's degree in economics from Lund University and has had a successful career as an entrepreneur and business leader for many years. He spent eleven years at Axis Communications and during his three years as CEO he was instrumental in the company's growth from a small operation to an international player with over 450 employees. Axis is today one of the single largest employers of LTH students and collaborates closely with the faculty through degree projects and research projects. Semmy Rülf was also an early board member and developer of world-leading IT company Qlicktech.

In medical technology, Sammy Rülf has been central to the success of companies such as ProstaLund AB, Jolife AB, Dignitana, BoneSupport and Xvivo Perfusion. Among other things, he has helped commercialise the Lund University Cardiopulmonary Assist System (LUCAS) heart compression robot and develop pioneering technologies for organ transplantation at Xvivo. These innovations, based on research at Lund University, have revolutionised their respective fields and saved countless lives around the world, and are clear examples how companies translate academic results into broad societal benefits.

Semmy Rülf continues to be active in technology development through companies such as Moroxite AB and UGLK Science AB, where he contributes to solutions for orthopaedic care and transplantation technology. His involvement reflects a long-standing passion for bringing academia, healthcare and business together.

World leader in the human aspects of software engineering

Professor Margaret-Anne Storey is a world-leading researcher in the human and social aspects of software engineering. Storey, who is based at the University of Victoria in Canada, has had a successful academic career and a strong connection to LTH through previous collaborations and her time as Lise Meitner Professor at Lund University. She is highly active as a programme manager, lecturer, and inspirational figure for the international software engineering research community.

Margaret-Anne Storey has made pioneering contributions to the development of software engineering in the field of socio-technical systems. Her research spans user interaction, remote working, gender issues and communication in software development, and she has recently focused on studying how AI can support the interaction between people and technology. She has also introduced qualitative research methods inspired by the social and behavioural sciences, which have changed the way software engineering is studied and applied.

During her time as Lise Meitner Professor at Lund University (2016-2018), Margaret-Anne Storey helped establish software research with a design science perspective at LTH. The collaboration resulted in several well-cited scientific publications and inspired the development of a new course in the theory of science for engineers at LTH. She has also been a role model for improving gender balance in the IT world, both in academia and business.

Margaret-Anne Storey's work is considered an asset for research, teaching and student recruitment, while strengthening LTH's international collaborations and profile areas in AI and digitalisation.