Our alumni from graduate and postgraduate education contribute in shaping the built society of the future. Meet some of our graduated doctors and find out more about their specific research focus and how they experienced their time at Chalmers!
Sanjay Somanath, Building Technology
Doctoral Degree in Autumn 2024
"I have enjoyed my time at Chalmers. Being a PhD student here has allowed me to learn much from those around me and participate in many exciting projects. At my division, I am fortunate to be surrounded by colleagues who have made my time here truly memorable"
About Sanjay's research
Sanjay´s research was focused on developing an analysis method that brings in the residents’ perspectives on neighbourhood planning, particularly regarding accessibility. Accessibility studies in neighbourhood planning traditionally focus on destinations – the places people want to reach. In my research, however, I tried to look at the residents’ perspectives to understand who might be left out in the planning process.
One of his most interesting findings is how this resident-focused approach aligns closely with planners’ concepts of social sustainability. The planners he interviewed prioritised the residents in their definition of social sustainability and placed them right at the centre, and his analysis method works similarly: it creates an artificial neighbourhood that has a composition similar to that of a real neighbourhood in Gothenburg. It then simulates all the different activities the residents would engage in throughout the day, assessing how well they can accomplish those activities. Placing the resident’s daily needs at the centre of the planning process and offering a way to make neighbourhoods more inclusive and equitable.
Marie Abadikhah, Water Environment Technology
Doctoral Degree in Spring 2024
"My time as a PhD student has been a journey filled with both highs and lows. One of the main lessons I've learned is how to adapt to unexpected challenges, such as experiments not yielding the expected results, and to view these challenges as opportunities rather than setbacks. Additionally, meeting people with diverse experiences and perspectives has enriched my personal and professional growth immensely."
About Marie's research
Marie's research focus was on the microbial communities in bioelectrochemical systems and the various factors that affect their development and performance, such as system design, material, and interactions with other organisms. One of her most interesting research findings was the identification of viruses and their specific associations with function-specific bacteria within the system. At the time – and to the best of the researchers knowledge – the first time viruses and their associations had been observed in bioelectrochemical systems!
Paul Drenning, Geology and Geotechnics
Doctoral Degree in Spring 2024
"It's been great! Of course, it is challenging to do a PhD, but it is also stimulating to be able to dive deep into so many exciting things. My work is interdisciplinary, so I've explored a lot of exciting topics (although I've actually learned how much I don't know). I have also been able to work more independently with good support from my supervisors and have presented a lot in different contexts. I have tried to work closely with the industry all the time, so I have learned how important it is to be able to communicate your research results so that it is both accessible and useful for the industry, and I really hope that what I have done will promote the use of GRO"
About Paul's research
Paul's research is about exploring different uses of gentle remediation options (GRO) to both manage risks and improve soil health (i.e., delivering ecosystem services) at contaminated sites. Their use today is quite limited, and Paul developed applied knowledge and methods to show the possibilities/challenges and pros/cons of these techniques that aim to widen the opportunity windows and demonstrate the added value for successful use of GRO in practice.
Ali Naman Karim, Building Technology
Doctoral Degree in Autumn 2023
"My time as a PhD student has been incredibly educational. I have encountered challenges that I have overcome with the support of my supervisors and have learned that doctoral studies are not only about technical research, but also about time management, project management and collaboration with various actors. These experiences will be valuable in my future personal and professional life."
About Ali's research
Ali focused on evaluating the moisture performance of coating systems with aerogel-based coating mortars. This type of coating has similar thermal insulation properties to traditional insulation materials and can be used as an insulating layer in building walls, not least in in culturally significant structures. Ali developed and evaluated a new small-scale test method and presented quantitative data on water absorption under different rainwater loads and drying times with respect to Swedish climate conditions. In addition he has also presented practical recommendations for use aerogel-based coating systems in Swedish buildings.
Erica Hörteborn, Architectural Theory and Methods
Doctoral Degree in autumn 2023
"It hasn't been a straight and easy path all along, but over time important pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place, and the path has become increasingly clear. One of the great advantages of being at Chalmers is that it is easy to network with people, and I have had the luxury of being surrounded by a group of people open to letting me follow the directions that I’ve found interesting. It has been amazing being surrounded by so many curious and committed colleagues!"
About Erica’s research
Erica investigated the interaction between wind and loose knitted textiles. The focus has been both on how the wind can be used as a design element, to shape a textile structure and on how these structures affect the wind environment in their vicinity. By subjecting the textile to wind tunnel tests and measuring its capacity for wind reduction, Erica could conclude that loosely assembled knitted structures can effectively reduce wind speed and turbulent winds, and adapts well to variations in wind speed.
