The 5th of November, 1829, is forever etched in Gothenburg’s history. On this day, the Chalmers School of Crafts began its operations with an inauguration ceremony at the Freemasons’ Hall by the harbour canal, just a stone’s throw from both the Chalmers House and the East India Company’s buildings, and very close to the school’s first premises at Lilla Bommen.
Since 1991, we have commemorated this date with the “William Chalmers Lecture,” held as close to the date as possible. This honorary event invites one of our professors to give an accessible introduction to their field of research, open to anyone interested. This type of celebration is characteristic of academia, and one I find charming – that our way of marking a celebration often includes arranging a seminar or lecture, or perhaps publishing a Festschrift. Sharing knowledge is, in both everyday life and celebration, what we value most.
This year, Leif Asp presented his work on multifunctional composites – lightweight, strong materials that can be used in various structures but can also, for example, serve as sensors or store electrical energy. The latter application, known as structural batteries, has tremendous potential for a world seeking solutions to aid the green transition. This research achieved significant media coverage worldwide when Chalmers released a press statement on the matter earlier this autumn.
Besides helping those present better understand how these multifunctional materials work, Leif’s presentation illustrated the interdisciplinary nature of this type of research. As a professor of composite mechanics, Leif coordinates contributions from experts in physics and chemistry at the molecular level, as well as from people who can model and analyse functionality at the system level for various applications, such as in vehicle design. Many individuals contribute, including colleagues from other universities.
it’s remarkable how well the foundational ideas still hold today – both William Chalmers’ global perspective and Palmstedt’s scientific focus
As the title suggests, we have expanded this year’s celebration of our founding by instituting an Annual ceremony. This formal ceremony is an occasion to recognise exceptional contributions through various awards. These might be awarded to individuals at Chalmers who have made significant strides in advancing our equality work, outstanding educators, those who have helped bring our academic knowledge to broader societal use, or alumni who are making a real difference to create a better world. More about this year's award recipients can be found here on our web.
This was the first time we organised such an annual celebration, but it will likely not be the last. The founding of Chalmers is worth celebrating every year, and this event builds momentum for 2029, when we will celebrate 200 years. Exactly how that celebration will look remains to be seen, but I expect much will happen on November 5th, marking two centuries since that Thursday in the Freemasons’ Hall in 1829, when my predecessor, Carl Palmstedt, delivered his inaugural address. As a disciple of the chemist Jacob Berzelius, a scientist of international calibre, Palmstedt already exemplified a vital connection to the forefront of research.
In many ways, it was a long time ago, yet it’s remarkable how well the foundational ideas still hold today – both William Chalmers’ global perspective and Palmstedt’s scientific focus. It’s truly something worth celebrating.
Martin Nilsson Jacobi, President and CEO of Chalmers University of Technology
Under the headline "President’s perspective" the President and CEO for Chalmers University of Technology, shares his reflections on current topics that concern education, research and utilisation.