The latest from the Alumni Network at Lund University
At a ball in the AF building or a tandem bike race from Gothenburg to Lund – there are so many different places to meet your loved one. Love@Lund 2020 presents thirteen couples who met and fell in love at Lund University. Read their wonderful stories! ♥
Did you also meet someone special in Lund? We invite you to share your love story!
He is an alumnus, doctor of Medical Science and also active as a physician. However, Henrik Widegren is perhaps best known as an expert on the TV programme Fråga Lund and an acclaimed humorous songwriter and artist.
He is the man behind hit songs such as “A Statistically Significant Love Song” and “Never Google Your Symptoms”, which together have been viewed over 2.5 million times on YouTube.
A heavily involved Lund student
In the 1990s, Henrik Widegren was one of the leading figures on the Lund student cabaret scene and was heavily involved in the carnival right up to 2006. Together with Joel Bexelius, he wrote the lyrics for the winning carnival songs at the 2002 and 2006 carnivals.
“Absolute Landsting 2” and other albums
Before Widegren began his career in “medicine pop” and released the album “Sjuka sånger”, “Absolute Landsting 2” and “Du är inte frisk. Du är bara inte tillräckligt undersökt”, he formed the pop band “Verklighetens Folk” with some friends. The band plays in the “suburban pop” genre, which according to the band is a mixture of wooden joists and Tomas Ledin, with songs such as “Living On The Edge” and “Direktörer och doktorer”.
7,000 Years of Medical History in 70 minutes
The popular live show “7,000 Years of Medical History in 70 Minutes” will be back in the spring of 2020 and Dr. Widegren and the production company, Anagram, promise 70 minutes of science, laughter, history and music. See all the tour dates here.
For more information about Henrik Widegren, visit his website or YouTube channel.
Matt Agnew is Australia’s latest “Bachelor” from the TV-show with the same name. The dapper doctor (PhD) got his Master of Science with a major in Astrophysics at Lund University in 2015. He took some time from his hectic schedule to talk to Lundensaren and, among other things, revealed what he is doing on Valentine’s Day as well as shared some exclusive pictures from his time in Lund.
Hello Matt, what and when did you study at Lund University?
I studied a Master of Science with a major in Astrophysics 2013 – 2015. I remember vividly the excitement of ‘Arrival Day’! I remember dressing up as a superhero for some activity, but I haven’t the foggiest idea what it was for exactly. I also remember many of the LTH students pushing a giant catapult down the street!
How did you end up in Lund?
I had heard of Lund, as it was one of the universities my own university in Australia (The University of Western Australia) had a student exchange agreement with. When I stopped working as an engineer and was deciding what I wanted to try next, I remembered Lund and had a look at the courses they had on offer. I loved space as a kid, and I thought astrophysics is sort of like enjoying space, but as a profession.
Where do you work now?
I toyed around with the idea of taking on a postdoctoral research position after completing my PhD, and was in discussions with a few universities in Europe. I still have a fantastic relationship with my colleagues from Lund so had chatted with them a little. However, I decided I wanted to return to an industry position for a while and I now work for a data science and analytics consultancy called “Quantium.”
What is your best memory from Lund?
It’s hard to choose just one thing. I had so many incredible experiences there. Everyone I had the opportunity to meet was so genuine and lovely to get to know. Living in such a beautiful, old city was such a wonderful experience and something I’ll never forget. The two years I spent in Lund are two of the most treasured years of my life.
What’s your favourite thing about Sweden?
It’s got to be fika, right!? Not just because I love coffee and food (doesn’t everyone?), but even just within the faculty, having a chat and a gathering in the morning and afternoon made for such a lovely atmosphere to work in.
As it is Valentine’s Day today, what is important to you in a relationship?
I think the same things that are important to being a good person; being respectful, compassionate, caring and supportive. Of course, a good sense of humour and not taking yourself too seriously is really important, too! Life is fun, and it’s fun being silly!
What are you doing tonight?
I actually have a show opening at the Adelaide Fringe Festival: Dr Matt Agnew’s Guide to Life Beyond Earth! It’s a really fun show about where we should look for life, both in our own solar system and beyond, and how exactly we would go about doing that.
The recipient of the prestigious award for the Marketing Book of the Year 2019 is alumnus Felix Mörée (with co-authors Hermann Simon and Andreas Jonason), who wrote the book Get paid – Why price is everything (Ta betalt – Hur pris påverkar allt). All three authors work with commercial strategy on a daily basis at Simon-Kucher & Partners.
As pricing is currently very topical, Felix Mörée believes this is one of the reasons that this particular book was awarded the prize. According to the jury, the book is written with a practical approach that combines theory with concrete examples. Mörée says that it is possibly pricing in particular that is the most forgotten leveraging tool for profitable business and that pricing has the largest and, in most cases, the fastest impact on a company’s profits.
“Companies increasingly understand that they can boost their profit significantly through smart pricing. Digitisation also plays an important role here, as cost-based pricing that companies have traditionally used no longer works. Digital products have a near-zero marginal cost and companies therefore need to apply value-based pricing.”
Another aspect that companies have understood is that cost savings can take months or years to implement, while in many cases price changes can be implemented directly, he explains.
“Many people believe that prices are set according to some kind of natural law. However, it is possible for companies to have much more of an impact on prices and clients’ willingness to pay than they may believe. There are many dimensions to consider when setting prices – from price positioning to psychological factors.”
1. Price = value.
In Latin, the word for price is the same as the word for value – remember that, and repeat it daily. A good and basic guiding principle for price setting is to remember that the price should reflect the value. It sounds obvious, but far too many companies fail in this respect.
2. Differentiate more.
Your clients are not the same, so your offers should not be the same. Make sure you adapt offers and prices according to client needs.
3. Make pricing a part of the company’s DNA.
Pricing should be a central part of product development – if you think about the price at an early stage it is more likely you that you will develop a product or service that clients actually want to pay for.
4. Choose a pricing model that communicates value.
Ensure that the pricing model and metrics reflect the value you get from the product. On our recommendation, a crane company changed their price metrics from price per crane to price per crane load because it was the crane load that created value for the crane company’s clients. Given that it is possible to measure more today, it is possible to be very innovative here – think beyond metrics based on price per hour or price per licence in favour of price per use and actual value creation.
Text: Helga Heun
…and broadcasted our annual Lucia celebration!
At 08:30 this morning, Carolinae Damkör began their Lucia procession in Pelarsalen in the University Main Building. They sang so beautifully that some of us from the Alumni Office even cried…
We broadcasted the celebration live this morning and had over 1600 people watching! If you missed it, the video is still available for everyone to watch on Lund University’s YouTube channel. Here is the video:
We hope that all of you have a wonderful Lucia and make sure that you treat yourself to a lot of saffron buns and ginger bread cookies today!
On 26 November, the Alumni Network hosted a panel discussion where we invited three international alumni to share their experiences on finding a job in Sweden. Marketa, Angel and Allisa, our three panelists, all had some great tips to share with the audience.
Allisa Lindo, Angel Nikolov and Marketa Urbanova were our three panelists of the night. Allisa now works as a Growth Marketing Manager, Angel as a Sales Development Representative and Marketa works as a Client Engagement Advisor. During the discussion they explained that it was not easy for them to find a job in Sweden. On the contrary, all three panelists agreed that finding a job after their graduation was a bit stressful (to say the least).
– I made a commitment to stay in Sweden. For me, not being an EU-citizen, it was very stressful since staying in Sweden meant I had to find a job fast, Allisa told the audience during the panel.
Angel also had a similar experience and Marketa noted that comparing her situtation with peers also contributed to the stress of the job hunt.
– When you went back to school for your lectures and your peers told you how many interviews they’ve gone to, it was stressful for me, Marketa said during the discussion.
During the panel discussion, our panelists shared their strategies on expanding their network and finding job opportunities. Angel was not only active on Facebook, where he posted in different groups, but he also kept in touch with his former classmates.
– I contacted a former classmate working at a company and sent my CV to him. He then forward it to the manager, who later called me up wanting to do an interview. So my point is to make connections already during your studies. That way, you already have a network once you’re looking for a job, he said.
Allisa had a different approach in her job hunt. She emailed connections she had made during her internship, asking them for a sit-down where she could get information about their profession and the company. During the “fika,” she asked relevant questions and meanwhile planted the idea in their head that she was on the job hunt. Most importantly, she noted, was that she never directly asked for a job. She simply made connections by showing a genuine interest in the company.
Another question that was raised during the discussion touched upon the differences between the Swedish workplace culture and non-Swedish workplaces. Here, the panelists had some different experiences. Marketa, who had worked for a big international company didn’t really experience that many differences, while Allisa who works within the start-up community, had experienced being the only non-Swede at the office.
– Communication in Swedish is common at the workplace and socializing is usually done in Swedish. What I wish I knew ahead of time when searching for a job in Sweden, was the priority of teamwork. At least within the startup community in Sweden, there is a big focus on a how you as an individual can contribute to the team and the company, she said.
Angel, however, felt that the biggest differences he had experienced in the Swedish workplace was the lack of feedback.
– In my experience, people in Sweden won’t confront you directly. You need to ask for feedback from your manager or even your peers. Always when you’ve taken action at work, ask for feedback and give background to your thoughts, he said.
Another valuable insight Angel has learned while working in Sweden, is the flat hierarchy usually found in Swedish workplaces.
– You don’t formally address people and you’re always on a first name basis. Of course, you have a manager but he or she is more like a peer than a boss. So when you apply for jobs, don’t address people with Miss or Mister, Angel shared.
Thank you, once again, to our alumni panelists!
If you’re a student or recent grad, keep an eye on MyCareer for additional career events in the near future. We wish you the best of luck on your job hunt!
If you’re an alum with some helpful tips for internationals wanting to work in Sweden, please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks!
This time in our “alumni around the world” series, we meet Rebecca Alfaro. She is the first student who has achieved a Master’s degree in Gender Studies as a part of the Global Masters program between Lund University and University of Denver. Rebecca is now living in Denver, where she works for Planned Parenthood as a Development Assistant. Learn more about her experience in Lund, her engagement in the student organisation Project Sex and why she chose to pursue Gender Studies.
Q: How does it feel to be one of the first to achieve a Global Masters?
– I will always be grateful for the experience of being the first to earn a Gender Studies degree as part of the Global Master’s program. It was a thrilling experience that I will never forget. I feel very accomplished as a woman with a Master’s degree from Lund University, but also sad that my time at LU has come to an end.
Q: Why did you chose Gender Studies as your field of study?
– I have studied the gender studies field since my time as an undergrad at the University of Denver. I absolutely love gender studies, and always found it to be one of the subjects that always kept me interested and wanting to learn more. As a Chicana, I have always found myself leaning towards subjects that focused on people of color, especially women of color. I hardly ever learned about Chicana and Mexican-American history in my U.S. courses. Through gender studies, I could explore where I come from, and where my family comes from and the histories that have led to where we are now. I hope to use my Master’s in gender studies to help other women and individuals learn their histories in a way that can empower them.
Q: You graduated quite recently, in June earlier this year. What have you been up to since then?
– Since graduating, I have been busy with searching for a full-time position in the nonprofit sector in Denver, Colorado. I am happy to report that I have started a new position with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains as their Development Assistant II.
Q: During your studies, you’ve been engaged in a lot of volunteer work. For example, you’ve been a LGBT+ initiatives board member at the student organisation Project Sex in Lund. Do you think your volunteer work has been beneficial for your studies? If so, in what way?
– My volunteer work with Projekt Sex (P6) helped me in numerous ways with my studies and determining my future career path. I began my work with P6 as a volunteer, later rising to the communications officer position, and finally as a board member in charge of LGBTQ+ Initiatives. P6 put my gender studies topic courses into practice. We discussed numerous topics such as LGBTQ+ issues around the world, asexuality, and pride week in various parts of the world. Many of the other volunteers and officers were students also studying gender studies. We could begin to put into action, and discuss in relation to some of our own personal lives many of the topics being discussed in our courses.
Q: You’ve both studied at Lund University and University of Denver. Was your experience in Sweden different from your life in America? In what way?
– My experiences in Sweden were very different than those in America. The primary difference is the high level of independence that is expected right as you begin your studies at Lund University. I went from having at least 2-3 meeting times each week per class to only meeting once a week at LU. The only way to succeed was to be personally accountable to yourself rather than the multiple projects and almost daily class instruction at the University of Denver. I loved it! It forced me to become more independent and personally accountable to myself as a grad student. It also gave me free time to explore volunteer positions, such as Projekt Sex, that flourished into a large commitment and passion in my life.
Q: Do you have any special memories from your time as a student at Lund University?
– One of the most memorable and special memories from my time as an LU student was the moment I finished my Master’s thesis. It was wonderful! I worked so hard on research, writing, and editing and though it marked the bittersweet end to my time in Lund, it was the final milestone project of my time as a graduate student. I’ll always remember it.
Q: Where do you see yourself in five years?
– In five years, I hope to still be working in the nonprofit field, specifically related to gender, reproductive health and social justice. I hope to also be considering a PhD program at that time, possibly coming back to Lund University, a city and university I’ve come to cherish and love.
Although it’s still November, the streets in Lund have already been decorated with glimmering lights for the holidays.
It doesn’t matter that it gets dark at 3 pm here, because the Christmas decorations all over town light up the streets and provide a cozy feeling. Have a look for yourself:
“You have written the book Ålevangeliet – the story of the world’s most enigmatic fish, which has now been sold to 33 countries and recently won you the August Prize in the category for best Swedish non-fiction book. The book is about eels of course, but also about your relationship with your father – what do you think he would have said about you having just won a prestigious prize for a book that is partly about him?”
He would have been very surprised. He could probably not have imagined that anyone would be interested in reading a story about him, or that it would have even been written. This was also a part of his class identity. The natural ease with which certain people share their story and believe that it’s relevant and interesting to others – that doesn’t apply very often to working-class men born in the 1940s.
“You work on the editorial team for the culture sections of the newspapers Sydsvenskan and Helsingborgs Dagblad and this is your first book. How long did you carry the book around in your head before getting it down on paper?”
Perhaps in an unconscious form ever since I went fishing for eels with my father during my childhood and he told me about the mysterious Sargasso Sea and the eel’s metamorphoses and all the enigmas that still surround it. But more specifically since August 2017, when, for the first time, I sat down and started writing with what was still a rather vague idea of what I actually wanted to do.
“It’s clear that the eel is the world’s most enigmatic fish, but if you had to select the most fascinating characteristic or fact about the eel, which one would you choose?”
One fascinating thing is that time itself appears to be almost relative for the eel. When it goes through its last metamorphosis and becomes a silver eel it is evidently in the last stage of life, its old age you could say. Once it has swum back to the Sargasso Sea and bred, it dies. However, when the age of silver eels on the way to the Sargasso Sea was determined, it was shown that some were under ten years old, whereas others were close to 60. If an eel is prevented from heading to the Sargasso Sea, it does not go through its final metamorphosis and become a silver eel. It’s as if it can put life on hold; delay its own aging in some sense.
“It’s Christmas soon and your book is high on many people’s wish lists this year, but which book is on your wish list?”
I think it will probably be some of the August Prize-nominated books that I haven’t had time to read yet. Marit Kapla’s “Osebol” and Steve Sem-Sandberg’s “W”.
How can I be hopeful? How much trouble are we in? Is it my fault? These are some of the questions raised in “The Bad Environmentalist” – a podcast presented by Phoebe Lewis and Maria Stacke who are two fellow Lund University alumnae.
It all started at an engagement party in Iraq where Phoebe and Maria realized they wanted to pursue the idea of doing a podcast raising climate change and environmental issues. Since then, they have produced eight episodes and have had about two thousand listeners from all around Europe and some from North America. The podcast’s main objective is to give guidance to those that think of themselves as “bad environmentalists,” by giving advice to those who care about the environment although considering themselves being bad at doing so.
– We wanted to capture conversations we have had with friends about feeling guilt and what really matters when it comes to caring about the environment, Maria explains.
Both Phoebe and Maria used to be students at Lund University. Phoebe was an international exchange student and studied geology for one semester. Meanwhile, Maria pursued a Master’s degree in Public Health. They both think that their different fields of study at Lund University were helpful in the making of the podcast by providing them with different outlooks on the topics they discuss.
– Maria comes from a social science perspective, whereas I am coming at the topics from an environmental sciences point of view. It created an interesting balance between us, says Phoebe.
Nowadays, Maria works at the Red Cross in Iraq and Phoebe works for the United Nations in Egypt. However, they both believe that their experience from Lund University not only influenced their podcast, but also prepared them for the work they do today.
– I had lots of international students in my Master’s programme and learning from my classmates was an incredible addition to learning from my teachers. In my current job, I work with people from all around the world. I think the experience of interacting with people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds during my studies at Lund University prepared me for that, Maria tells us.
Phoebe also had a similar experience in her semester being an international student herself.
– I was mostly surrounded by other international students, especially from France. So I really started to re-engage in the language, which I now speak in my current line of work. Secondly, because my course was heavily focused on colonialism and development, it gave me some thoughts about how we approach development now. This is incredibly helpful for the approach I take working in development today, Phoebe says.
The podcast has finished its first season, but Phoebe and Maria are planning on producing a second season. Until then, the advice they have for fellow alumni that consider themselves being “bad environmentalists” is to remember that small things matter and it is okay not to get it right every single time.
– The whole purpose is to identify one single thing that you as an individual can do that has the greatest amount of impact, Phoebe says.
You can listen to Phoebe and Marias podcast here. It’s also available on most podcast apps (Spotify, Apple Podcast etc.)
Ethnologist, doctoral student and author are three words that describe alumna Linda Sturesson. In April earlier this year she released her debut novel Diskvalificering av det positiva (Disqualification of the positive), a feel-bad novel with room for humour amidst all the grief. Lundensaren took the opportunity to ask the author a few questions about the book, the writing process and balancing a doctoral studentship with being an author.
Tell us a bit about your novel. What is Diskvalificering av det positiva about?
– Diskvalificiering av det positiva is about Alexandra who rather reluctantly has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She reaches out to a patient association for people with psychiatric diagnoses, which at the same time is organising a writing course. In the writing course, participants with ambitions to become authors as well as psychiatric diagnoses come together. The participants turn the meetings into therapy sessions to Alexandra’s annoyance. Alongside Alexandra and the writing course, the reader is able to follow a young girl born in post-war Warsaw, who is taken to a children’s home. After a few years she is returned home and her life transforms into a nightmare.
Where did the idea for the novel come from?
– There were several events. On the one hand, I happened to hear a conversation between two young women who were saying that they wanted a specific diagnosis confirmed before they went on to university studies because they believed it would give them certain advantages. On the other hand, I have personal experience of anxiety and depression. I am interested in matters concerning mental health issues, how they are managed and how they arise, medication, an individual’s responsibility for their wellbeing, the need for diagnoses and labelling as well as how trauma may be inherited.
In addition to being an author, you are also a doctoral student at Karolinska Institutet. Is it hard to find a balance between your writing and your work there?
– Yes, sometimes it is hard to find a balance. My work involves a lot of reading, analysing and writing and I can become very focused on my work, which can make it difficult to redirect my thoughts to my literary texts. During intensive writing periods at work, I sometimes cannot even think about my manuscripts that are waiting for me. If I am writing a lot at work, I do less writing at home. That might be a shame, however, I think all writing is fun and challenging, irrespective of whether it is scientific or literary.
You also have a Master’s degree in Ethnology from Lund University. What have your studies meant for you as an author?
– It has meant an awful lot. I do not think I would have received a book contract without the additional dimensions that my background in ethnology has given me. As an example, with my background, I have been able to twist and turn things and examine issues that interest me and been able to do that between the lines. Generally, I think my studies in ethnology, and my research studies as well, have meant that my descriptions of environments and characters are not so value-loaded, instead they are more concise and matter-of-fact.”
Finally, do you have any advice for other alumni who dream about writing a novel?
– One tip is to dig beneath your feet. Try to find material for your texts in yourself or your own surroundings. Another piece of advice is to read and write about everything, either during the writing process or when you think that you are finished with the manuscript. Sometimes it is necessary to rewrite a text many times. Furthermore, you should not think about the fact that the novel is going to be read by someone else, because then the story may be limited to what you believe others will accept. The risk is that the story may then lose some of its soul.
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