Nine new honorary doctors appointed at Faculty of Science and Technology

Susanne Siebentritt is a professor of physics at the University of Luxembourg. She is leading the development of new thin-film solar cells there, along with research into complex material systems in these, including chalcopyrites and kesterites. She is also a member of the board of the Kopernikus projects, a ten-year energy transition research programme in Germany. Professor Siebentritt is extremely dynamic in the field of photovoltaics, and over the years she has been involved in a wide variety of collaborations with photovoltaic researchers within the faculty.

Nguyen Duc Hoa is a professor at Hanoi University of Science and Technology in Vietnam. His research covers a wide range of nanostructured materials, from their synthesis to their fundamental properties and various applications in both medical technology and environmental monitoring. Professor Nguyen has been collaborating with researchers at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering since 2011, particularly with regard to chemical sensors based on nanostructured metal oxide sensors.

Computer science

Ahmed Bouajjani is a professor of computer science at Université Denis Diderot, Paris, France. He researches in the fields of verification, specification and semantics for parallel and distributed programs and computer systems. Professor Bouajjani has worked very closely with the Department of Information Technology for more than 20 years, including co-publications, researcher exchanges and participation in joint projects.

Dr Marcos Dracos has been associated with CERN since 1988 and is Director of Research at the Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), Université de Strasbourg, France. His research concerns experimental particle physics, and he was collaborating with Uppsala physicists in the development of detectors for CERN as early as the 1980s. He has been coordinating the EU’s ESS neutrino superbeam project, which also involves Uppsala University, since 2018. Its goal is to create the world’s most intense neutrino beam.

Jochen Schneider is a professor of materials chemistry at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. He conducts research at the interface between physics and chemistry, uniquely combining theoretical calculations with advanced experimental studies to develop new materials with tailored properties. Professor Schneider has also driven the development of instruments and manufacturing processes, contributing greatly to the development of additive manufacturing, which is often referred to as 3D printing. Collaborations with the Faculty of Materials Physics, Materials Chemistry and Ion Physics and the Tandem Laboratory have resulted in a large number of joint publications.

Mapping electron and nuclear dynamics

Linda Young is a professor at Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago in the US. She is one of the pioneers of atomic and molecular physics at free-electron laser facilities and has made important studies in nonlinear X-ray physics. She is driving the development of experiments dedicated to mapping electron and nuclear dynamics using intense ultrashort X-ray pulses. Professor Young has collaborated with Uppsala researchers in the fields of basic atomic and molecular physics and ultrafast chemical dynamics, as well as in the field of free-electron laser-based imaging of biomolecules.

Agnes Wold is a professor of clinical bacteriology and senior consultant at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg. She specialises in the normal bacterial flora of the gut and its interaction with the immune system, particularly allergies and inflammatory bowel diseases. She is also active in various media and frequently debates common health myths. Professor Wold has published high-profile articles showing that women have been systematically disadvantaged in academic appointments, and that women have had to have significantly better academic credentials than men to succeed in applications for posts and research grants.

Evolution of animal-based ecosystems

David Harper is a professor of palaeontology at Durham University in the UK. His research focuses on the origin and early evolution of animal-based ecosystems, their impact on and relationship to climate and the environment, and characteristics such as biodiversity and biogeography. He is renowned for his research into the important evolutionary phase known as the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event. Professor Harper has worked extensively with the palaeontologists at the Department of Earth Sciences and has also been involved in the evaluation of the Faculty’s Masters programme.

Regine Hock is a professor at the University of Oslo. She is a glaciologist and has provided models to calculate the extent to which the world’s glaciers are melting, along with projections of how quickly they will melt in the future. With her unique experience in mass balance modelling, she headed the IPCC’s work on describing the status of snow and ice masses in the world’s high mountain areas. Professor Hock has been associated with the Department of Earth Sciences for a long time, working with the department as a researcher, visiting lecturer and visiting professor.