Our research makes the world a little better
We live in the north of Sweden, in the forest and mountain region of Sweden. This is where we have our roots. This is where we have our resources and this is where we find our inspiration.
When we describe the research at MSU, nature easily gets in the way. It is a case of not being able to see the forest for all the trees, or, put simply, you cannot see the research for all the trees.
The forest is our resource, but our research has, in most cases, moved very far away from the outdoor experience; the pine scent and the wind blowing through the trees.
Our university is new; we have new thoughts and new ideas. Even though we are geographically far away, we are in the middle of the action. We have collaborations across Sweden and all over the world, with other universities and large companies. We want our research to be useful; we want to make the world a better place, more energy efficient, safer.
Right now we are testing the latest 3D technology, which makes you experience the 3D effect without glasses. We are also developing sensors with the ability to warn against for example forest fires and earthquakes. They can also be used for environmental monitoring, reacting to increased carbon emissions. We also have researchers currently analyzing the 2010 election. In addition we are developing a new system that will save money and the environment by reducing the number of empty loads in our infrastructure. We determine how to communicate efficiently in large companies and government agencies. We are working to make global rescue operations more energy efficient. We are even developing a virtual Olympic track that will give our elite athletes the opportunity to practice skeeing anywhere.
Our research centre, FSCN, Fibre Science and Communication Network, is the closest to the actual forest. As the forest industry is in our neighbourhood, it is only natural that important scientific developments in the area are occurring here.
FSCN is currently aiming to be world leading in creating innovative products and systems for the forest industry. A perfect example of this is the new chipper, which we are currently testing, that reduces the energy consumption by 20% in the pulp production.
Researchers here are developing a new technology for the remediation of contaminated land and have also discovered that nature itself can provide environmentally friendly pest control. A surprising insight is that forests can contribute to better health; the forest industry residues can even provide a new cancer drug.
Our research branches, in other words, are often very far from the outdoor experience, but we still have not forgotten where we have our roots.
We realized long ago that we cannot reach success if we isolate ourselves out here. Cooperation with others feeds creativity, and we are very happy when we see that the world benefits from the work we do.
Hans-Erik Nilsson
Dean, Faculty of Science, Technology and Media
Mid Sweden University
