The PhD students at Space, Earth and Environment study space, the atmosphere and the Earth, energy technology and systems, as well as sustainable development in transport, energy and consumption.
Here you can read about what some of those who have received a doctorate have recently studied – and what they thought of their time as PhD students.
Sebastian Karlsson: Transition of industry to low CO2 emissions
"My thesis focus on the connection between the industrial transition and the infrastructure that is required to enable the transition"
Sebastian Karlsson, Energy Technology, defended his doctoral thesis "Energy infrastructures for low-carbon-emitting industries" on November 5, 2024.
"In order to successfully decarbonize industry, supporting infrastructures such as the electricity grid, CO2 transportation and storage networks, and biomass supply systems need to be developed in parallel with the implementation of process changes at industrial sites. The thesis focuses on the transition of industry to low CO2 emissions, and specifically the connection between the industrial transition and the infrastructure that is required to enable the transition".
What has your research found?
"The work shows that infrastructure development is highly important in enabling the transition of industry to meet climate targets, and that regional variations between different infrastructure conditions can make different technological pathways suitable. Furthermore, the thesis highlights that clear policy, secure financing and timely infrastructure deployment are crucial to enable the industrial transition".
Read Sebastian's thesis: "Energy infrastructures for low-carbon-emitting industries".
Ella Rebalski: Self-driving vehicles.
"The environmental and societal effects of self-driving vehicles have been the focus of my research"
Ella Rebalski, Physical Resource Theory, defended her doctoral thesis "Almost there: Examining the travel demand, emissions, and effects associated with a socio-technical transition to automated vehicles in Sweden", on October 4, 2024.
"When I started my PhD, I thought that the technology was really exciting. Since then it has faced some challenges and has a bit of a reality check, and I’m not sure if we’ll ever have fully self-driving vehicles everywhere in Sweden. But it’s still an important and exciting technology".
What would you say has been the most rewarding part of your PhD journey?
"Defending. Talking to someone who read my thesis and had questions was exhausting, but also fun".
Nasrin Nemati: Advancements in reactor design
"My research focuses on a novel reactor design for thermochemical processes"
Nasrin Nemati, Energy Technology, defended her doctoral thesis "Characterization and Development of Packed-Fluidized Bed Reactors" on September 23, 2024.
"My research focuses on a novel reactor design for thermochemical processes, which are the heart of many industrial operations. These processes are critical for generating heat and power, producing hydrogen, chemicals, and fuels, and playing a role in climate change mitigation through CO2 capture. However, traditional reactor types used for these processes often underperform compared to the theoretical maxima, leading to energy losses, high costs, and excessive material use. This gap highlights the need for advancements in reactor design, to meet the growing demands for energy and resource efficiency.".
What would you say has been the most rewarding part of your PhD journey?
"The most rewarding aspect of my PhD journey has been the opportunity to explore a totally novel reactor design and dig into the concept from multiple perspectives. Additionally, I’ve greatly valued the insightful discussions with my colleagues, which have enriched my understanding and guided my work. The fikas and the opportunity to practice my Swedish have been memorable highlights as well".
Read Nasrin's thesis: "Characterization and Development of Packed-Fluidized Bed Reactors".
Simon Öberg: Interplay between technologies in our electricity system
"A large part of my research has focused on shifting electricity generation in time via hydrogen production, storage, and reconversion back to electricity".
Simon Öberg, Energy Technology, defended his doctoral thesis "Managing wind power variations through dispatchable generation in carbon-constrained energy systems", on September 20, 2024.
"As a measure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Europe, weather-dependent electricity generation, such as wind power and solar power, is growing and supplying an increasing share of the electricity demand. Since these weather-dependent technologies do not necessarily generate electricity when we need it, additional technologies and flexibility options will play an important role in ensuring a reliable electricity supply at all times. In this context, a large part of my research has focused on shifting electricity generation in time via hydrogen production, storage, and reconversion back to electricity".
Karl Vilén: Evolution of future heating systems
"I have been focused on the heating solution for future housing in cities"
Karl Vilén, Energy Technology, defended his doctoral thesis "Evolution of Future Heating Systems - Modeling of an Expanding City Using a Dynamic Systems Approach" on February 6, 2024. In his research Karl has focused on the heating solution for future housing in cities.
"Generally, the use of district heating has been the most prominent heating solution, but the technological development of other solutions, such as heat pumps, have made these other solutions viable also in cities. My research has been on modeling on how future heating systems which are sustainable and cost-efficient may look like".
What would you say has been the most rewarding part of your PhD journey?
"That I have had the opportunity to dig deep into many parts of the full energy system and decide how to use that knowledge when doing my own research. The discussions with my colleagues have also been something which I have valued highly".
Iskra Georgieva: "The quest for exoplanets"
"To me, exoplanets are the best of two worlds – mysterious, yet tangible”.
Iskra Georgieva, at the division of Astronomy and Plasma Physics, defended her doctoral thesis on June 16, 2023. Her research is about methods for identifying and characterising exoplanet. We are living in an exciting time for exoplanet research, according to Iskra.
“We keep discovering more and more of these mysterious planets. We can’t go there with the technology and physics we have today, they are not within our reach even if we travel for several lifetimes, we can’t really see what they look like. They inspire many questions, not least ‘Could there be life there?’”
Emil Fransson: Fusion Energy
"All the benefits of nuclear fission but none of the drawbacks"
Emil Fransson, PhD Student at Astronomy and Plasma Physics, has worked on improving computer simulations of how particles move and collide in a fusion reactor. He defended his doctoral thesis on April 12, 2023.