Alumni of the Year 2021: Shilpi Sinha, Amanda Jansson and Maria Häll.
Actor Amanda Jansson, IT pioneer Maria Häll and engineer in technical design Shilpi Sinha have been named Alumni of the Year at Luleå University of Technology in the anniversary year 2021.
The title of Alumni of the Year is awarded to someone who has been a student at Luleå University of Technology and then achieved particularly great success in their career. Previous recipients of the award include Northvolt's CEO Peter Carlsson, actor Sofia Ledarp and the Swedish men's national football team's physiotherapist Fredrik Larsson.
This year, Luleå University of Technology celebrates 50 years and therefore hits big with three anniversary alumni in 2021:
The actor Amanda Jansson, who has captured the attention of viewers and been praised by critics for the role of the police officer Sara in the award-winning SVT series "Tunna blå linjen". Amanda, who grew up in Gävle, graduated from the Theatre Academy at Luleå University of Technology's acting program in 2016.
- I am so happy about this! When I went to the Theater Academy, Sofia Ledarp was named Alumnus of the Year and came and talked to us students. It is fantastic that I can also be a role model and show that it is possible, despite a tough industry," says Amanda Jansson.
IT pioneer Maria Häll grew up in Luleå and in 1988 became the first woman in Sweden to graduate with a master's degree in computer engineering. She has previously been named one of Sweden's foremost IT leaders and since 2013 is the head of the university computer network Sunet.
- It's great fun and I feel very honoured! My heart beats warmly for Luleå University of Technology and I have maintained regular contact with LTU over the years, says Maria Häll.
Shilpi Sinha, who grew up in Luleå, is a senior engineer in technical design and graduated from Luleå University of Technology in 2016. After a stay in Silicon Valley, she made a quick career at Ikea. Today, Shilpi is the jewellery company Pandora's first UX researcher. From the head office in Copenhagen, she works to ensure that customers are met with a good user experience, whether they are shopping via the website or in physical stores.
- Becoming Alumni of the Year feels unexpected and very honorable. I have always felt very proud to have studied at Luleå University of Technology, says Shilpi Sinha.
The three winners will receive their awards on November 11 in Kulturens hus in Luleå, in connection with the university's Jubilee Concert.
Motivations - Alumni of the Year 2021
"In 1988, Maria Häll became the first woman in Sweden to graduate with a master's degree in computer engineering. Since then, she has had a very successful career with several high positions in the IT industry, including at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the then SKL. In 2005, she was named one of Sweden's foremost IT influencers by the magazine Ny Teknik; she is influential in Sweden's digitization and an important role model - not least for women - as a pioneer in the IT sector.
Since 2013, Maria Häll has been the head of the university computer network Sunet, while at the same time having several important board assignments for the industry. She is a very worthy representative of alumni at Luleå University of Technology."
"After graduating from the acting program in 2016, Amanda Jansson has been seen in the acclaimed "Our time is now", "Beck" and on the theater stage. The big breakthrough came in the role of the newly graduated police officer Sara in the critically acclaimed SVT series "Tunna blå linjen". The series was named TV drama of the year and program of the year at the Kristallen gala.
Amanda Jansson is a versatile actress and contributes greatly to maintaining the good reputation that the Theatre Academy at Luleå University of Technology has in film and theater Sweden. She is a very worthy representative of alumni at Luleå University of Technology."
"Shilpi Sinha has made an impressively fast career after graduating as an engineer in technical design in 2016.
After completing her education, she received a scholarship to work with startups in Silicon Valley in the United States and then a trainee program at Ikea. Shilp Sinha was entrusted with setting up and leading Ikea's UX design organization and took on the role of acting global UX manager for digital channels. Today, she is working in Copenhagen as Pandora's first UX researcher.
She is passionate about encouraging women to pursue technical education and has been involved in university initiatives, lecturing to both current and prospective students. Shilpi is a very worthy representative of alumni at Luleå University of Technology."
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