Meet our Creaternity researchers

Within Creaternity, there are a number of researchers in various research subjects who, together, contribute to a more sustainable future.

“A more sustainable use of our resources is absolutely crucial”

Johan Carlson is Professor of Signal processing and one of two leaders for Creaternity's graduate school.

What are you researching right now?

My research today is about developing signal processing methods for different applications of measurement technology with ultrasound. Most projects are about non-destructive testing, detecting and locating damage to materials without having to open up and look. Other projects are about using ultrasound to determine certain properties of materials, mainly metals, which are otherwise determined by destructive testing methods.

How come you started researching signal processing?

I have always been interested in signal processing and data analysis, so when I was offered to start my PhD, it felt more or less obvious. During my PhD studies, I researched ultrasound methods for flow measurement, but after my doctoral degree, the focus changed more towards material characterisation and non-destructive testing. In recent years, my group and I have started working more and more with ultrasound imaging in combination with modern machine learning methods.

How does your research play a role in Creaternity?

Ultrasonic measurement is non-destructive, which means that you can do quality control on components without destroying them. A direct effect is to reduce waste during production. A more long-term effect is that you can use the technology to control and optimise the manufacturing processes so that they become both more reliable and more efficient.

What is the most fun discovery / result you have made / produced as a researcher?

It must be when I woke up in the middle of the night with an idea of how to measure / study the hardening process of plaster / cement with the help of ultrasound. After a few early hours in the lab, I had the first results for something that later became a whole series of articles and seminars.

What do you want to achieve during your research career?

A lot is really about helping to train new, young researchers through my role as a supervisor. Through my own research, I hope to be able to push the boundaries of what is technically possible today with imaging ultrasound. From previously being something that could only be done in large labs or hospitals, technological development has made it possible bring this out into the field. It opens up both new solutions and new challenges.

What is the most fun / challenging part of being a part of Creaternity?

In my role as one of the leaders of the graduate school, it is absolutely most fun to be a part of and see how our PhD students grow in the role and develop. It is a unique opportunity to closely follow several research projects within Creaternity.

Why do you think Creaternity is important?

A more sustainable use of our resources is absolutely crucial, and to get there we need to work together interdisciplinary. Difficult challenges simply require new approaches.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I was born and raised in Umeå, but moved to Luleå in 1993 to study computer science and engineering. After my undergraduate studies, I started as a PhD student. Since 2009, I live with my wife, two sons and a dog in Måttsund, south of Luleå.

“It's more fun to become an engineer today because our role now is to save the world”

Roland Larsson is Professor and Head of subject of Machine elements and one of two scientific leaders of Creaternity.

What are you researching right now?

My basic knowledge is in tribology, but I am diverse in my research. In connection with Creaternity, we work with the lubricants of the future. One percent of all oil, 1.5 cubic meters per second, is used as a lubricant. Replacing the large flow with something else is not easy. There are two ways: replace with something environmentally friendly (for example glycerol that we have worked with for ten years) or to clean the lubricant over and over again. In the latter, we have now started a project together with SKF.
I also work with the ski's tribology – highly topical now during the ski season. We have three PhD students who are focused on this issue in collaboration with the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK). We believe that our long tribology experience will help to understand the friction better and in the long run enable the world's fastest ski.

How come you started researching your subject?

I took a course in tribology and had Erik Höglund and Ove Isaksson as teachers. I liked their way of teaching and their enthusiasm for the subject. I was offered a thesis project in tribology at Nynäs during the summer before the last year of my education. After graduation, I worked with tribology for a few years before I became a PhD student with Erik Höglund. It was not something I planned, but it was a recession and the job I could get when we moved back to Norrbotten. But I have never regretted it, I have experienced so many exciting things during my 30 years at Luleå University of Technology.

How does your research play a role in Creaternity?

It is above all the research on alternative lubricants that connects to Creaternity, as well as the purification of them where we strive for a circular use. Recently, I have also been interested in design to promote circularity, to design a product that will last "forever" and that can be upgraded and repaired time and time again. Sustainability requires a completely new way of thinking and the best solution will be different as it is not only price and performance that matter.

What is the most fun discovery / result you have made / produced as a researcher?

Wow, that's hard! The job with glycerol-based lubricants is of course fun, but also my work with understanding how surfaces behave when they come in contact with each other has been, and is, inspiring. It is so fascinating that we can not yet predict friction and wear despite the fact that there are two everyday processes that we are exposed to every day.

What do you want to achieve during your research career?

I usually tell the students that it is so much more fun to become an engineer today than before because the engineer's role now is to "save the world". We need to find new solutions to the problems that have often been created by engineers. Now the engineer must find ways to use materials in a sustainable way, to produce sustainable electricity and to only use materials that are renewable, non-toxic and easier and cheaper to produce. Such fun challenges and you always feel that "now we fix this"! As a researcher, I want to feel that we make the world a better place.

What is the most fun / challenging part of being a part of Creaternity?

The most fun is finding solutions to climate problems. That we should be able to continue to live a good life here in the world and now soon in a way that does not harm the planet and its inhabitants. The challenge is to do it fast enough. But on the other hand, it is the spur. We must do our very, very best to ensure that humanity survives and begins to live in harmony with animals and nature here on Earth.

Why do you think Creaternity is important?

It is about creating a shift in how we think about materials and products: we should be able to use, for example, a vacuum cleaner, a vehicle or a paper mill for any length of time. It may need spare parts, it may need to be upgraded and repaired, but then only minor additions of new material are added. Creating such an idea will require collaboration between companies and individuals in a completely different way than before. The business models will be changed so that all parties want (and make money from) that the "stuff" will last forever. To be able to do that, digitisation is important because we have to automate how we keep track of where the gadget is, in what condition it is, who uses it and who should get paid – something that do research on within Creaternity.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I was born and raised in Norrbotten and now live in Gammelstad with my wife with whom I have three grown children. The river, which is close by, has become an important place for recreation, skiing and skating, swimming and boating. I like to exercise and engage in orienteering, ski orienteering and forestry. During the breaks, I like to read, work in the garden, choir practise, travels, and concerts. I also run a company that works with the green lubricants of the future that are intended to replace the oil.

Professor Lena Abrahamsson is new Scientific leader for Creaternity

Since January, Lena Abrahamsson is the new scientific leader for Luleå University of Technology's future area Creaternity together with Roland Larsson. She is very much looking forward to contributing with research that places people in the center of technological development.
“New technology is rarely the solution in itself. To enable better function and positive development, technological innovations and development work need to include knowledge of the interplay between technology and social aspects”, she says.

How come you started researching in Human work sciences?

When I worked as a civil engineer at a consulting company that had various assignments on production and organisational development in industry, I became increasingly interested in how organisations work. I saw that work organisation was an important part of the work environment, productivity and functionality in the production system. At the same time, I had seen that concepts such as women, men and gender equality (or rather inequality) appeared as explanations among industrial companies as to why they had problems in their organisational changes. I wanted to find out more about that. I got a PhD position in a graduate school for women at Luleå University of Technology, and had the privilege of shaping my PhD project myself. I did it based on the problems I saw in the industry – with a plan to being able to help find solutions. This was of course quite naive, but it was (and still is) an important driving force for me in my research.

What are you researching right now?

The societal challenges and research themes that Creaternity covers are close to my own research that deals with production and organisational development, where the sustainable and attractive workplaces of the future, in combination with digitalisation and green transformation, are current issues. This also includes gender research and gender equality work. Theoretically, I am within the important and growing borderland between engineering and social sciences.

How does your research play a role in Creaternity?

We contribute with research that puts people at the center of technological development. It is important to critically analyse how the circular industrial and digital transformation (and its goal conflicts) affect the work and workplaces of the future. And to, based on this, contribute to new knowledge about integrated sustainable development for people, the environment and machines.

My idea is that the new circular and digital technology should be able to be used to simultaneously ensure a good working environment, and create innovative working methods and agile organisations (and thus sustainable and attractive workplaces). But more research is needed. New technology is rarely the solution in itself. To enable better function and positive development, technological innovations and development work need to include knowledge of the interplay between technology and social aspects.

What is the most fun discovery / result you have made / produced as a researcher?

One funny thing was when I was going to defend my dissertation. I managed to publish my PhD dissertation at a book publisher and after a while the first edition was sold out. I then had the privilege of publishing a second revised edition. Otherwise, I am usually quite happy when I notice that my research has had an impact, when my concepts and research results are used in industry and by other researchers.

What is the most fun / challenging part of being a part of Creaternity?

The circular industrial transformation takes place in a turbulent context where management-oriented production systems such as “lean production” meet the technology-oriented digitisation, Industry 4.0. There are many challenges to work with – both technical and social. What differs from previous technological leaps is that now it's for real, it's big and it's happening fast – and the 'circular' is a strong and important driver.

Why do you think Creaternity is important?

It is simply a matter of contributing to a better world.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I grew up in Kalix in a dynamic and fun environment where sports activities were mixed with art and literature. When I was going to study, I chose Luleå University, as it was called then, and the Master of Science in Industrial Work Environment because I was attracted by combining mathematics and science with working to give people a better life and health. After my degree, I worked for a few years with production development in the industry before I returned to the university in 1995 as a PhD student in Human work sciences. Now I have been a Professor of Human work sciences for over 15 years.

Privately, I am married and have both children and grandchildren. In my free time, there are many fun and interesting trips and pleasant construction projects around our house here in Luleå and one in the countryside in Råneå älvdal. In the summer there is canoeing, forest walks and orienteering. In the winter we ski and skate. I also enjoy photographing and reading crime fiction.