Hello Sascha! What made you want to become Head of Department at Physics?
"Personal growth, I think. I believe you need to challenge yourself to grow, to not become stagnant. If you feel like you know the ropes well – you know how to conduct good research, you publish scientific articles, you are active on the business side – then it may be time to start working with the larger perspectives."
What is your view on the role?
"I think the Head of Department can affect people's lives a lot. More so than you can as a professor or group leader. As Head, you have a chance to make things better at the department, and also at the university as a whole. You get opportunities to make your voice heard at the higher levels, and the odds are higher that someone will actually listen to your suggestions if you hold such a position."
In what way will you use your new role to wield influence?
"I want to make the university environment better, for everyone who works and studies here.
The university must be a better place tomorrow compared to today.
I think that collegiality is extremely important, and I have previously been active in pursuing these types of issues at the faculty level."
What are you most looking forward to?
"Interacting with people and absorbing their ideas, then turning those ideas into something that makes a difference. It's quite similar to doing science: you figure things out, you think about them carefully, and then you try to make something out of that knowledge."
What will happen to your research group now that you are Head of Department?
"We will continue our research. I don't have that big of a group and I don't think it will grow in the next few years, although of course we will continue to apply for funding on an ongoing basis, just like always. I have previously been on exchanges and sabbaticals at Stanford and in New Zealand, and we managed to find ways of operating where I could lead the group remotely. So I think it will all work out."
Anything else you'd like to add before this new challenge kicks off?
"There will be no revolution in the Department! There are no drastic changes in the plans. We must continue to do things we are good at, and we are good at a great many things here at the Physics Department. We will focus on improving what we can. I like to see people grow and thrive, so I want everyone at the institution to have the opportunity and tools available to them for that. I myself will grow by stepping into this role. I guess I just want everyone to feel enthusiastic about personal and professional momentum, because that makes life interesting. And I will not give any orders, but instead lead by example."
Text and photo: Carolina Svensson
