Seminars

Seminar leader: Abeni Wickham, CEO, SciFree

What happens when the next step isn’t another fellowship or faculty position? What if it’s about building something new, from the ground up? The idea of leaving academia can feel daunting, a leap into the unknown. We’ll touch on those very real fears, but more importantly, we’ll see why the ‘unknown’ might just be your next great adventure.

Seminar leaders: Alexandra Kafka, CEO and Co-founder Parsd, and the Parsd team

Autonomous AI agents that can independently conduct research, synthesise knowledge, and make informed decisions represent the next frontier in artificial intelligence. This interactive workshop/seminar tackles the fundamental challenges of building reliable agentic systems for knowledge work, addressing critical questions around trust, verification, and human-AI collaboration that no single organisation can solve alone. Participants will collaborate on breakthrough research directions while exploring real applications in academic research and industry intelligence.

Seminar leader: Tobias Sundqvist, Researcher and WASP Alum, Tietoevry

The goal of my industrial PhD was to explore how AI can support troubleshooters working with large and complex systems. During my research, I developed several ideas with potential to help troubleshooters across multiple domains. Because I work at a consultancy serving many different companies, there are numerous systems where these ideas could be applied.

• In my talk, I will discuss the challenges of applying research from a consultant’s perspective:
• How do you demonstrate to a customer that your methods will truly help them?
• Why is it essential to work closely with customers to deeply understand their needs?
• And what are the hurdles in building a research department within a consultancy that does not have its own product?

If time allows, I will also share some of our work in spreading AI knowledge and encouraging AI adoption across our company and among our employees.

Seminar leader: Elena Hoffer, Co-Founder & CEO, Alma.me

Unlock the hidden job market through strategic networking. Over 80% of positions are filled through connections, yet many PhDs haven’t built networks beyond academia. In this session, we’ll reframe your approach to networking and share actionable tips for making meaningful connections – both in person and online.

Seminar leader: Salla Franzén

A new era of scientific research is here, where AI tools can help to find new patterns in scientific data sets. We will talk about upcoming opportunities for both scientific researchers, and AI experts, to collaborate on interesting research problems.

Seminar leaders: Jonas Unger, Professor, Linköping University; Johanna Björklund, Associate Professor, Umeå University

This seminar, delivered in an interactive workshop format, will explore the value of contributing to open science in fields such as AI and machine learning. Participants will discuss the key challenges that often hinder open collaboration and identify practical strategies for overcoming them. The session will also highlight the opportunities that partnerships with academia can provide, and how both industry and research stakeholders can best leverage these collaborations for mutual benefit.

Seminar leader: Iolanda Leite, Associate Professor, KTH Royal Institute of Technology

In this interactive seminar, we will take a look at the different paths a research career can take. I will share my experiences in robotics research in both Europe and the U.S., exploring the highs and lows of working in academic and industry research positions. We will discuss the key factors to consider when planning your own career, and I will offer practical tips and advice for navigating the challenges and opportunities you might encounter.

Seminar leader: Katarina Iversen, UX designer and Student Coordinator, WARA PS; Pär Andersson, Critical Communication Services and AI, Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency and the MSB challenge team

Introduction to the joint challenge between MSB and WARA-PS launching in spring 2026. MSB will present the scope of the challenge, focusing on investigating and developing sophisticated methods that place artificial intelligence at the core of interaction, with analytical models within complex decision-support environments in crisis management. This is an opportunity to learn more about current challenges as well as a forum to discuss applications for AI in critical functions of society.

Seminar leaders: Anastasia Varava, Head of Research at SEBx; Nicolas Moch, Head of SEBx

Link is a new organization for conducting R&D projects in the areas of AI and Robotics, offering a new career path for PhD graduates in these areas willing to move to industry and work closely with several large companies in Sweden, a possibility for senior researchers to get involved and share their expertise with industry representatives, and a platform for conducting long-term moonshot projects that have disruptive potential for industry. We will discuss the setup, career and collaboration opportunities, the areas of interest and selected industrial challenges, and open up for input from the audience on these challenges as well as ideas on potential moonshot projects.

Seminar leaders: Judith Butepage, Lead Research Scientist – GenArt, SEED/EA, Konrad Tollmar, Head of Research, SEED/EA, and Sahar Asadi, Director of AI Labs at King, Microsoft Gaming

This seminar will provide an overview of the latest advancements in Generative AI (GenAI) and demonstrate how to create immersive worlds and engaging content for digital environments and video games. Additionally, we will share experiences and use cases that illustrate our exploration and development of the future of interactive entertainment. We will focus on how to foster creative thinking and tools, and emphasize how aesthetics and quality have become fundamental drivers of game design and future research in Game AI.

Seminar leader: Ann-Therese Enarsson, CEO, Futurion

This session explores key forces shaping the future of work in Sweden — including the impact of AI and automation, the need for reskilling, and the role of lifelong learning. We’ll also touch on demographic change, the green transition, and how the Swedish labor market model supports adaptation. The session invites reflection on how foresight can guide decision-making in a rapidly changing world.

Seminar leaders: Pegah Nikbakht Bideh, Cyber Security Specialist, CanaryBit and Caroline Tjäder Svahn, Machine Learning Specialist, Saab

Transitioning a PhD to industry involves adapting academic expertise to practical, real-world challenges. It requires learning to communicate across disciplines, aligning with business objectives, and working in faster-paced, collaborative environments.

While the shift can be challenging, demanding flexibility and a new way of thinking, it is also highly rewarding. Many find value in seeing the tangible impact of their work, contributing to innovation at scale, and applying deep analytical skills in ways that drive meaningful outcomes beyond academia.

Seminar leaders: Henrik Aurell, Partner, European Patent Attorney, AWA Sweden AB; Homam Mawaldi, Industrial Phd student at AWA Sweden AB and Linnaeus University

Join us for a fun and informative seminar where we’ll share our experiences working with AWA´s industrial PhD student and talk about why it’s so important to mix legal and tech insights. We’ll dive into how generative AI (GenAI) can boost these insights. Plus, we’ll highlight why the legal field needs to get a grip on the tech and potential of GenAI.

This seminar is all about bridging the gap between law and technology, creating a space where both fields can learn from each other. We’ll explore how GenAI can make legal practices stronger and how legal pros can get a better handle on tech advancements.

Seminar leader: Elena Hoffer, Co-Founder & CEO, Alma.me

Make your academic experience work for industry. The transition from academia to industry isn’t just about changing jobs – it’s about shifting how you present your skills and experience.

In this workshop, we’ll explore the key differences in language, and expectations between academia and non-academic sectors. You’ll learn how to market yourself effectively to employers, write a compelling CV for industry and communicate your expertise in a way that resonates with industry hiring managers.

Seminar leader: Thomas Schön, Professor, Uppsala University

Collaboration between academia and industry holds the potential to drive groundbreaking innovation. Yet, these partnerships often come with significant complexity, presenting both exciting opportunities and real challenges. In this seminar, I will draw on personal experiences to illustrate the dynamics of successful collaborations—highlighting what works, what doesn’t, and why. A key focus will be on collaboration within doctoral education. To ensure that such partnerships are sustainable and effective, clear agreements and robust organizational structures are essential.