Five questions for Linus Hammar Perry - New Station Manager at Kristineberg Center
Just over twenty years ago, Linus Hammar Perry first came to Kristineberg as a student. In June, he will become the manager of the research station, which he describes as "the most amazing place in the world".
Why did you apply for the job as manager at Kristineberg Center?
"I've previously worked at Kristineberg and have always loved the station. The best in our field work here, it has fantastic infrastructure and a wonderful environment. Kristineberg is truly at the forefront when it comes to new ways of thinking, making better use of modern technology, and improving our relationship with the ocean. Being part of that development is incredibly exciting. When it comes to the future of the ocean, I believe it's important that we start using it in a more diversified way," says Linus Hammar Perry.
What makes you the right person for the job?
"I have quite a broad background, with experiences from the private sector, academia, and most recently, ten years in public administration. At the start of my career, I worked in environmental assessment and evaluation, focusing on how sea-related activities could be conducted as environmentally friendly as possible. Most recently, I come from the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management where I mainly worked with marine planning in Sweden and internationally. Marine planning is a new and more holistic way of managing the use of the sea, where all sectors such as shipping, fishing, aquaculture, and tourism are handled together, based on the objectives of the government, municipalities, and the sectors. We've also worked a lot on understanding how different organisations can collaborate with each other. I believe it's a great advantage to have seen the marine environment from many different perspectives and to understand both the role of research and the various stakeholders' views on the sea."
You've worked at Kristineberg before, tell us more!
"After graduation, I had the opportunity to work at the company Marine Monitoring, which was located at Kristineberg at the time. I started with seal safaris, as a guide on the old icebreaker Ran. Then I worked for five years as an environmental consultant and got to work alongside the researchers at Kristineberg. It felt really fun and it was a pride to be part of the infrastructure and get to know the very talented people at the centre. It feels good to be coming back."
How do you like to spend your free time?
"I'm quite hooked on everything to do with the sea, so I enjoy all things sea-related even in my spare time. Like being out with the boat, or exploring the depths of the fjord with my little underwater drone. Then of course, there are my kids, who fill my life with all sorts of fun and time-consuming activities. I've even written an interactive children's book, where the reader takes on the role of a fish, dodging dangers in the deep and growing from a tiny fry to a full-grown cod. Nerdy, yes, but fun."
What is the first thing you will do as the new manager?
"The first thing I'll do is try to understand how everything works. It's important to grasp everyone's perspectives. That's not something one can figure out alone, and it will take time. Kristineberg is the most amazing place in the world with the best conditions for conducting research. Harnessing that potential might be my most important task. Just consider all the advanced climate-related research that's been done at the centre. The work done here is already very, very strong and I see my job as supporting that and striving for long-term base funding. There are many who could use Kristineberg as a testing platform, both international and national actors. The direction we must take is to future-proof the station by leading the way in the use of modern technology and new ways to use the sea. It should be a given that this type of research and testing takes place at Kristineberg."
Linus Hammar Perry will start as the manager of the Kristineberg Center on 16 June.
About Linus Hammar Perry
Origin: Möllevången Malmö
Age: 44
Family: Wife Diana and two adorable children
Pets: Clownfish and dead corals
Education: MSc Marine Biology, PhD Environmental System Analysis
Idol: Steve Zissou
Previous position: Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management, International Development Unit
Besides the role as manager: Alongside his position, Linus will conduct research at Chalmers University of Technology, focusing on ecological risk assessment and cumulative environmental assessment.
Pondering: It's said that there's a Greenland shark at the bottom of the Gullmarn Fjord...
Kristineberg Center for Marine Research and Innovation is located in Fiskebäckskil and offers infrastructure and services for researchers, educational programs, companies, and entrepreneurs. Here you will find testing environments, vessels, laboratories, meeting rooms, and, not least, the rich marine environments of Gullmar fjord, which provide excellent conditions for research, education, and innovation.
Kristineberg Center is operated and developed jointly by Chalmers University of Technology, University of Gothenburg, IVL Swedish Environmental Institute, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden.