Years 2010-2019
2019
- Luleå University of Technology will coordinate Europe's largest project on automation and digitalisation solutions for industry, Arrowhead Tools, which has a budget of nearly SEK 950 million and 81 participating partners, from universities to some of Europe's largest companies such as Volvo, Bosch and Philips.
- The remains of the first Swedish Antarctic expedition are threatened by rapid climate change. In a new expedition, Swedish and Argentinian researchers will document and try to preserve the remains before it is too late. Dag Avango, Professor of History at Luleå University of Technology, leads the Swedish research team during the CHAQ 2020 expedition.
- Pär Lärkeryd and Thomas Öström are appointed Honorary doctors of technology.
- The The Swedish Sports Federation appoints Luleå University of Technology as an elite sports-friendly university. The University will make it easier for elite athletes to study – regardless of sport – but also plans for a special focus on cross-country skiing, biathlon and ski orienteering.
- Staffan Sarbäck retires after 31 years as University director. Veronika Sundström, former regional director at Region Norrbotten, is appointed as the new University director at Luleå University of Technology.
- During the year, important collaboration agreements are signed with LKAB, Skogsindustrierna and Svenskt Trä and Piteå municipality, as well as a cooperation agreement with RISE SICOMP.
- Facebook's agency manager Liv Sandberg and Philip Engström, who made a rapid career at the company Important Looking Pirates, are named Alumni of the Year.
- Luleå University of Technology establishes a new research subject: robotics and artificial intelligence. The academic home of the subject will be the Department of Computer Science, Electrical and Space Engineering.
- Luleå University of Technology officially opens one of Sweden's first test environments for the fifth generation mobile phone network, 5G.
- Inauguration of the Activity Laboratory, which is funded by the Kempe Foundation and the University's lab fund.
- The Polar Research Secretariat moves into its new premises at Luleå University of Technology after relocating from Stockholm.
- NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the research group in robotics at Luleå University of Technology begin a long-term collaboration on drone technology.
- The first students graduate from the University's supplementary education for nurses with a foreign degree from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland.
- Successful field trials show that it is possible to get a robot to climb on an airplane in order to inspect it. "We are among the first in the world to do this", says George Nikolakopoulos, Professor of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence.
- Students of the Master programme in space engineering are starting to build their own satellite, a so-called CubeSat. The satellite will carry two scientific instruments and will eventually be launched into space.
- The University's new Service Point in Luleå is inaugurated. It is a central place at the University for visitors, employees and students, with a modern lounge area and discussion rooms.
2018
- Birgitta Bergvall-Kåreborn is installed as the new Vice-Chancellor. The University's new management team consists of her, Pro Vice-Chancellor Pär Weihed and Pro Vice-Chancellor Cathrine Norberg.
- Lilian Ryd and Gertrud Åström are appointed Honorary doctors of philosophy.
- Lars Martinson is appointed Honorary doctor of technology.
- The School of Music at Luleå University of Technology celebrates 40 years.
- Researchers at Luleå University of Technology are involved in three new projects, all of which are about using biochemical methods to capture carbon dioxide.
- Remote-controlled heavy trucks will make mining safer and more efficient. The WROOMM project has come to an end and the researchers at Luleå University of Technology have taken a step closer to the vision of the autonomous mine.
- Luleå University of Technology is granted funding by the Swedish Energy Agency for a preparatory study, to hopefully within a few years produce and test jet fuel based on Swedish forest residues – and test fly the fuel with commercial aircraft in Sweden.
- The research subject for water and wastewater technology celebrates 25 years at Luleå University of Technology with an anniversary conference.
- Luleå Railway Research Centre at Luleå University of Technology celebrates 20 years.
- March for Science is organised in cities around the world. Luleå University of Technology participates by holding a manifestation in central Luleå followed by a panel debate in Vetenskapens hus.
- Erik Westberg, Conductor and professor at Luleå University of Technology, is awarded a star on the pedestrian street in Piteå. Like the more famous Hollywood Walk of Fame, the stars in central Piteå are dedicated to people who have made a big impact in their industry.
- According to research at Luleå University of Technology, Himalayan glaciers are more affected by climate change than previously thought. To obtain information about the remote and inaccessible glaciers, located at an altitude of 4,000–6,000 meters, researchers have analysed temperature data and satellite images of the glaciers in combination with field observations.
- Environmental monitoring, detecting cracks in open pit mines – and helping to solve the mystery of how ore bodies are formed. All this can be made possible with Luleå University of Technology's new custom-made drone Hugin, which is equipped with a camera and magnetometer.
- Researchers in Structural engineering at Luleå University of Technology have developed a self-healing concrete that increases both the safety and longevity of concrete structures.
- Olle Norberg, former Director-General at Swedish National Space Board, becomes Vice Rector for Space at Luleå University of Technology.
- Ella Carlsson Sjöberg and Jonas Gustavsson are named Alumni of the Year at their old university.
- Erik Höglund, Pro Vice-Chancellor at Luleå University of Technology, retires after having been faithful to the University since 1973, first as a master programme student and then employed as a researcher, professor and over four decades in various management positions.
- Luleå University of Technology starts a national research centre – Cloudberry Datacenters – in energy and resource-efficient data centers. The goal is to become a hub for research, development, knowledge creation and implementation in the data centre area.
- There is widespread dissatisfaction in the Swedish teaching profession with the working environment, not least the conditions for skills development. Four out of ten teachers are considering changing jobs, according to a new report from Luleå University of Technology.
- Streamed music and companies like Spotify have today taken over the role as the main distributor of music. Never before has music been so accessible as today, but it is also a development that is rarely problematised, according to new research at Luleå University of Technology.
- Roger Rosenberg and Niki Lindroth von Bahr, Alumni from the scenography and prop making program at Luleå University of Technology in Skellefteå are each awarded a Guldbagge.
2017
- Birgitta Bergvall-Kåreborn is appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Luleå University of Technology.
- The VR studio (Virtual Reality) is inaugurated at the University.
- Research is made visible to the wider public through the start of events under the heading the University presents.
- A new initiative to attract more girls to technical education, 5-TEK, starts.
- In Skellefteå, a new bachelor's degree in wood technology is started, the subject of visual design is established and two new three-year bachelor's programs in film design and digital design. At the School of Music at Luleå University of Technology, a new ear-based education is started.
- The teacher training in Luleå turns 110 years and the Master's degree in Space engineering turns 20 years.
- Anna Krook Riekkola, researcher in Energy engineering, helps the government to choose the smartest path towards a carbon neutral Sweden in 2045 with her energy system model TIMES-Sweden.
- The three-year project Active School Transport starts and receives support from the Crown Princess Couple's Foundation.
- Europe's largest automation research project to date – Arrowhead – is completed. Several products with the technology are on the market, four companies have been created after spin-offs and three ongoing projects use the Arrowhead Framework.
- Norra Skogsägarna is building the world's most modern saw line by installing a unique industrial CT scanner. This is based on 30 years of research at Luleå University of Technology, among others.
- Luleå University of Technology gets one of Sweden's eight new competence centers for world-class research in areas that are important to the country. With DRIZZLE, the University's researchers will develop groundbreaking stormwater solutions in collaboration with companies and municipalities.
- Researchers in LTU Green Fuels show that there is a green alternative for motorsport through the use of biomethanol at a drag racing competition.
- Luleå University of Technology receives a track switch from the Trafikverket and is thus the only Swedish university that has a complete, full-scale track switch mounted on the University campus.
- Luleå University of Technology has a key role in a new large EU project in blasting and mining technology research, SLIM.
- Jan Sandström, Composer and Professor at the School of Music at Luleå University of Technology, receives a Guldbagge for best original music in film.
- Figure skater Alexander Majorov, a student at the Physiotherapy programme at Luleå University of Technology, won bronze in the Universiade – the student sports equivalent of the Olympic Games.
- Jan Lexell. Professor and Chief physician, was appointed Honorary doctor of philosophy.
- Jenny B Osuldsen, Architect, and Geoffrey Vining, Professor, were appointed Honorary doctors of technology.
- This year's Alumni are Fredrik Larsson, Physiotherapist for the Swedish men's national football team, and Victoria van Camp, Head of Business and Product Development at SKF.
2016
- During the year, the University has developed cooperation in major regional, national, European, and international initiatives, including space research and physics, EU projects in the Internet of Things, continued initiatives in space and strengthened research cooperation in the Arctic region. A special effort has been made to strengthen the recruitment of young postgraduate students and researchers.
- Research groups in Construction management and building technology and Urban water engineering received 45 million for sustainable spatial planning.
- A new portable tester attached directly to railway rails can measure wear and friction and thus reduce maintenance costs by millions of kronor.
- A new lab, DEPICT Lab, was established at the University where researchers can measure people's conscious and unconscious behaviour.
- The University received SEK 100 million for research in space and physics in an initiative by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the University.
- Researchers at the University were granted 37 million for research on intelligent systems in the mining industry.
- New international collaborations in mining research were initiated with several countries in both South America and Africa.
- A new collaboration agreement with Region Norrbotten was signed to solve the challenge of competence supply in healthcare.
- Gerda Helena Lindskog, Author, and Svante Lindqvist, Musician, Playwrighter and Author, were appointed Honorary doctors of philosophy.
- Elisabeth Nilsson, County Governor, was appointed Honorary doctor of technology.
2015
- The University inaugurates a major investment in space research. The initiative is led by one of the University's new space researchers who also leads the research on HABIT, Sweden's first research instrument to be placed on Mars.
- An intelligent rock bolt developed by researchers at Luleå University of Technology in collaboration with companies has won first prize in the prestigious competition IPSO Challenge. It is a competition in the (IoT) Internet of Things and the final was held in San Jose, USA.
- Tribology research at the University results in a glycerol-based sustainable lubricant, which in turn is spun off into a new company.
- A collaboration with SICS, Swedish ICT, is initiated to establish a research center for Big Data.
- Author Katarina Kieri and Head of research Sara Mazur are appointed Honorary doctors of philosophy.
- CEO Hans Hansson and CEO Birgitta Olofsson are appointed Honorary doctors of technology.
- The amount of snow in Luleå is the largest in 50 years. Due to the heavy snowfall, the students in StiL Alpina had to shovel and rebuild the jump for the Big Air competition, which attracted about a thousand spectators to the campus in Luleå.
2014
- Vetenskapens hus is inaugurated. The business is run by the three parties the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA), LKAB and Luleå University of Technology. The house, located in central Luleå, is a meeting place for the public and the University with the aim of spreading knowledge about the University's research.
- Luleå with Luleå University of Technology became one of six locations in Europe that will be responsible for an important part of the European Union's largest raw materials initiative to date, EIT Raw Materials. The announcement is proof that the University's research in the field of raw materials is of the highest international class.
- A record number of women were appointed as professors during the 2014 Academic ceremony at Luleå University of Technology. Of twelve installed professors, seven were women.
- Studentidrotten in Luleå was named Student Sports Association of the Year by Sveriges akademiska Idrottsförbund. Studentidrotten, which is located on the University campus in Luleå, has a sports hall and gym and can offer a variety of activities in 23 different areas.
- The first step was taken to realise the part of Vision LTU 2020 that is about creating Sweden's best study environment. A first step was the start of construction of the rebuilding of the A-building on campus in Luleå.
- Luleå University of Technology is in 60th place when the company Universum ranks Sweden's best employer. The University is joined by companies such as CocaCola (59th place) and Siemens (61st place). The ranking of Luleå University of Technology concerns the category of large employers.
- Opera singer Peter Mattei is appointed Honorary doctor of philosophy.
- Professor Emeritus Russel Lansbury is appointed Honorary doctor of technology.
- Jointly appointed by both faculty boards is Director Per-Erik Lindvall.
2013
- Luleå University of Technology's holding company, LTU Holding, takes over the company Chemrec in Piteå and its gasification plant for green fuels. LTU Green Fuels will be the name of the new company.
- Record number of applicants to the University. The results show that a total of 18 percent more than in 2012 have applied, while the equivalent for the country is 6.5 percent.
- Bachelor and Master programs in Materials Engineering at Luleå University receives the top rating Very high quality when the University Chancellor's Office (UKA) evaluated the country's technology programs.
- The King visited the University together with the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) on August 16.
- 70 students lost everything when their student accommodation burned to the ground. Luleå residents, students and employees at the University showed their compassion through offers of beds, food, clothes, cell phones, student literature and more.
- Luleå University of Technology becomes the first in Sweden with a new technology that scales up the production of nano cellulose from forest residues. It can eventually provide the forest industry with new profitable products, such as nano filters that can purify both gas and process water, but also drinking water.
- Stina Honkamaa is appointed Honorary doctor of philosophy.
- Ulf Marklund is appointed Honorary doctor of technology.
- Karl Petersen is appointed Honorary doctor of technology and Honorary doctor of philosophy.
2012
- Luleå University of Technology will be the new main authority of the historic Bergsskolan in Filipstad, Värmland.
- Luleå University of Technology's new super organ is inaugurated during the year by Benny Andersson, composer and world-famous former member of ABBA, who performs his, for the organ, specially written work "writings in the snow".
- Luleå University of Technology has the largest increase of all universities in Sweden on first choice. The increase amounts to 15 percent from the previous year.
- Luleå University of Technology is chosen as coordinator of the billion-dollar project Arrowhead, Europe's largest research project in the development of automation for the manufacturing, energy and process industries.
- Luleå University of Technology is commissioned to coordinate mining research in all the Nordic countries in the NordMin project. The Nordic Council of Ministers invests almost SEK 35 million over three years in the project.
- Together with Boliden, the University signs a five-year research agreement. Boliden invests SEK 17 million in the field of process metallurgy.
- The new popular student housing area Klintbacken in Luleå is growing rapidly. Over two years, a total of 325 apartments will be built in the area, which is a ten-minute bike ride from the center of Luleå and within walking distance of the University.
- Luleå University of Technology gets the go-ahead from the Ministry of Industry to establish an innovation office.
- Benny Andersson and Margareta Kempe are appointed Honorary doctors of philosophy.
- Eva Karlsson and Tore Lundmark are appointed Honorary doctors of technology.
2011
- Percussion and trumpets began the autumn 40th anniversary celebration at Luleå University of Technology. The opening was the prelude to a series of activities that will take place during the autumn celebration.
- After another year of positive financial results, the University begins a strategic investment in the future through, among other things, new education, innovation, better classrooms, and labs.
- On January 1, the 13 former institutions will be transferred to six new institutions; HLV Health Sciences, SBN Community Building and Natural Resources, KKL Art, Communication and Learning, TVM Engineering and Mathematics, SRT Systems and Space Engineering and ETS Economics, Technology and Society.
- Luleå University of Technology touches all time high in recruitment. For the autumn semester of 2011, 3236 students have applied for education at Luleå University of Technology in the first place, which is almost 5 percent more than in the autumn of 2010. The number of applicants to the civil engineering programme has increased by 14 percent.
- There is a huge demand for trained civil engineers from the Civil Engineering programme at Luleå University of Technology, both in Sweden and abroad. Already four months before graduation, many have received several different offers from employers.
- The University is given graduate permission of Higher Education for all eleven subjects in secondary teacher education and award degrees to five substances on the subject teacher level, grades 7-9.
- A new national center of excellence, CIIR (Center for Interorganisational Innovation Research) has been launched at the University and will conduct research on entrepreneurial innovation systems.
- Elisabeth Holmgren is appointed Honorary doctor of philosophy.
- Malin Frenning, Martin Jonsson and Per-Ola Eriksson are appointed Honorary doctors of technology.
2010
- The centre of excellence CAMM is established at the University as part of the government's strategic initiative and will work with sustainable use of natural resources in the mining and mineral area with the aim of building world-class research in the area
- Thanks to a positive financial result, the University can act strategically in the coming years and invest in further improving the quality of both education and research.
- The University breaks a new record in the number of students admitted to the autumn programmes.
- Luleå University of Technology and the Energy Technology Center (ETC) in Piteå are part of a major Nordic investment in climate, energy and environment totalling SEK 500 million. For the University and ETC, the programme area focuses on thermal gasification of biomass.
- New centre for e-health (EIC) starts at Luleå University of Technology. Need-driven, patient-oriented and internationally leading research combined with business development of new services and products is the focus of the centre.
- Preschool Teacher Education at the University gets permitted to award degrees but the basic teaching qualification is rejected.
- Karin Mamma Andersson is appointed Honorary doctor of philosophy.
- Björn Paulsson is appointed Honorary doctor of technology.
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