Societal Dialogue and Impact
The Gothenburg U-GOT KIES centre can help promote societal impact and societal dialogue with the surrounding society. They occur in dialogue between the Gothenburg U-GOT KIES centre members and various decision makers in large firms, entrepreneurial firms, public organizations and universities. We do so by diffusing our research results, engaging in direct dialogue such as public seminars, and through diffusing knowledge in undergraduate and advanced education.
We will work with additional types of activities for realizing our mission, including communication platform inside and outside the university community, developing national and international networks, arenas, seminars and theme days. To stimulate societal dialogue, we will organize specific theme days and seminars, which bring in a wider variety of external stakeholders, as well as digital diffusion. Bachelor and Masters Students are also highly relevant for working with society, and the host department has a long and extensive experience of working with companies and public organizations through student projects.
Advisory Council for Societal Dialogue and Impact
The Advisory Council for Societal Impact and Dialogue includes an interesting mix of people from multinational companies, entrepreneurial companies, public organizations and temporary organizations.
Stefan Christiernin
Prof. Christiernin is Director of External Research and chairperson of the Strategic Knowledge & Research Committee at Volvo Cars Corporation, or Volvo Cars or just Cars as we say in Gothenburg.
He has an illustrious career between industry and universities. He has been professor in Simulation technology / computer engineering at University West, where he was vice-president, and is currently Associate prof in physics at GU/Chalmers since 20 years, with PhD in Physics. Prof Christiernin also worked at NEVS – National Electric Vehicle Sweden – which was the phoenix arising from the bankruptcy of Saab Automobiles.
Erik Gatenholm
Erik Gatenholm is Co-Founder at BICO, the world’s leading Bio Convergence company. He is a dynamic American/Swedish entrepreneur who is leveraging his passion for life sciences and his leadership to create the future of health. Under Gatenholm, BICO has built one of the world’s most expansive portfolio of life science products that spans bioprinting, diagnostics, lab automation and biosciences. Today, BICO and its 14+ subsidiaries operate tech development, sales, and distribution in 65+ countries with more than 25,000 systems in the field, across 1,000+ brilliant employees. BICO’s current customers include esteemed organizations like Harvard, MIT, Pfizer, Merck and the FDA.
Gatenholm has been recognized worldwide for his work as an entrepreneur and for the rising success of BICO. His tireless spirit quickly distinguished BICO in the field and led him to become the pioneer of the Bio Convergence revolution, and one of the prominent faces of the life science industry.
José González
José González is a folk singer, songwriter and guitarist from Gothenburg. His goal with music as art is to both create ”good music, beautiful and at times groovy” as well as to be, ”at closer glance, intriguing and at time provocative, depending on your worldview”.
José has a long list of musical impact ranging from collaborating in bands; released four solo albums – the latest Local Valley; won lots of awards; packs concert houses when that is possible; recognized by the Stena A Olsson Foundation; and his music has been downloaded with more than a billion streams. José’s interest in improving society is reflected in his actions and interest in topics such as effective altruism, secular humanism, science over fake facts, and ecomodernism.
Anna Sandström
Anna Sandström is Director Science Policy and Relations Europe, atAstraZeneca. She is a physicist by training, with a PhD in Molecular Biophysics from Karolinska Institutet and a career at Government Agencies such as Vinnova and the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation.
Anna Sandström is today Science Policy and Relations Director for Europe at AstraZeneca, with focus on Sweden, United Kingdom and EU. She is elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and is board member of the Royal Institute of Technology and the synchrotron light source MaxIV as well as EIT Health Scandinavia and heads the R&D committee of the trade body SwedenBIO.
