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“I can be delivering a speech in the morning, giving a lecture on maritime law in the afternoon, and later visiting a prison.”

Meet Joshua Arteta Gonzalez, a Lund University alumnus from Colombia, currently working as an Associate Programme Officer for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in the Maldives. Joshua studied the Master’s in International Development and Management (LUMID), part of the Department of Human Geography. He was awarded the Lund University Global Scholarship in 2017 and graduated in 2019.

Hi Joshua! What have you been up to since graduation?

Honestly, it’s been the journey I was dreaming to be on. After the summer of 2019, I went back to Colombia, and started applying for jobs in Bogota and abroad like crazy! Luckily, I got several job offers, but ultimately I accepted a United Nations Volunteer (UNV) position in Sri Lanka with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and moved to Colombo in October 2019. I had completed an internship with the same UN agency back in 2018 as part of my master’s at Lund University, so Colombo was familiar to me… and I loved it! I was a Project Support Officer under UNODC’s Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP), assisting the team in the implementation of projects to combat maritime crime.

This was just before COVID-19 hit South Asia. I managed to have a couple of work trips, or ‘missions’, but it was mostly working from home. A decision was made to relocate me to Maldives, so in August 2020 I moved to Hulhumalé, a reclaimed island next to the capital Malé. I was one of the first international attached personnel of my agency to be permanently based here, which meant that there was a lot of work to be done: finding office space, developing good relations with government agencies, team building, proposal writing, you name it. Despite COVID-19 restrictions and countless PCR tests, it has been amazing.

You currently work as Associate Programme Officer at United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s Global Maritime Crime Programme in Maldives. Can you tell us more about the work you do and what a normal workday could look like?

This happened somewhat recently, just six months ago. As I mentioned above, I was a UNV. I was offered a full-time position as an international staff member after months of intense work in the middle of the pandemic. I was beyond proud and excited! This is not at all common, especially for a town boy from Colombia!

As an Associate Programme Officer, I am in charge of UNODC’s maritime portfolio in Maldives. The Programme I work for is the maritime arm of UNODC, which means that I work mostly with actors of the criminal justice system to make sure that crimes committed at sea are timely identified, properly investigated, prosecuted and adjudicated in line with United Nations instruments, principles and standards. I work with police, customs and coast guard, prosecutors, judges and corrections. Topics range from international maritime law and respect for human rights at sea, to humane treatment of prisoners in places of detention. This is somehow unexpected for me – I never thought I would be working on justice or rule of law. But it is a fascinating field and I learn everyday.

Person with facemask

I feel there’s no such thing as a “normal workday” when one works in international development or peace and security, no matter how big or bureaucratic the organization is. Work can be as straightforward as having meetings with national counterparts, or as dynamic (and I’d say cool) as planning and executing a maritime training on board a vessel out at sea with law enforcement members. I’m still working under a work-from-home scheme, so today I might be wearing shorts and slippers from a café in Malé, and tomorrow I might be wearing suit and tie (yes, in hot tropical weather, yes!) to hand over specialized equipment donated to a government agency. What I can say for certain is that there is always something to do. Always. This kind of work can be boring for some, but this is the exact kind of job I studied for and I was wishing to have.

What do you believe to be the biggest challenges in your everyday work?

I identify at least two challenges: first, being a “lone wolf” at times. My team, who I love working with, is based in Sri Lanka. As Maldives-based staff, this means that I’m responsible for a very wide spectrum of activities, everything ranging from contacting vendors for the procurement of goods, to acting as the representative of my agency in high-level events with ministers and ambassadors. I get to be “the big fish in a small pond”, but office/administrative work is just as important, sometimes even more, and there’s no one else to do it but me. This can be overwhelming. The advantage I got over this is that I really like my job: I can be delivering a speech in the morning, giving a lecture on maritime law in the afternoon, and later visiting a prison.

Person with facemask on stage

But too much of anything can be harmful. This links to my second challenge: work-life balance. Maldives has exceptionally beautiful beaches and abundant marine life in every corner (I even became a diver!) but living here is drastically different from being a tourist. Despite its massive maritime space, Maldives’ islands are very small. Male’ is one of the biggest and is only 6.8km2, hosting an impressive 250,000 people. Some estimate a higher number. Space is limited, and so are leisure options, especially if you are coming from a huge Latin American urban centre! If I’m not snorkeling or diving, I’m working, even during weekends.

In a more general sense, the biggest challenge (and at same time achievement!) is taking care of my mental health. I truly enjoy my solitude, but too much of it is simply not good. Fortunately, Maldives has been rolling out a very successful COVID-19 vaccination programme and it has been opening up. I have managed to go to other islands outside of Malé, both for leisure and work, and I have built friendships that I’m sure will last for life. And I’m also diving! I wouldn’t have even considered it if I wasn’t here.

How have your studies and student life at Lund University been beneficial in your work?

The answer is simple: my life in Lund prepared me for this. It sounds almost like an institutional answer, but it is not an overstatement.

Professionally, I’m constantly applying the knowledge I acquired during my studies at Lund. I graduated from the Master’s in International Development and Management (LUMID). This programme includes modules on various topics within the development sector, from agriculture to global health. Although I’m working in a different field, the theoretical knowledge I gained is transferable to my current career path, and I’m a much nurtured professional thanks to LUMID. Also, having an internship as part of the programme, I think it has been proven that it can make a difference in someone’s professional life.

Personally, I’d say that having normalized interacting with people of different backgrounds, nationalities and customs has been one of the biggest takeaways of my experience in Lund. I wouldn’t be able to put into words how important it is to understand our differences, trying to comprehend where a person is coming from with a statement or an opinion, finding common interests through music or art despite being born thousands of kilometers away, or even spotting different accents! I don’t mean this in a romantic way, no; this is a fundamental part of my job and it sometimes requires patience, an open mind and constant commitment. And obviously it’s a must in the United Nations system.

What current fact about your life would most impress your five-year-old self?

I would say the speed at which I accomplished what I’ve accomplished: learning English by myself out of genuine curiosity, having visited more than 20 countries so far, being awarded scholarships during my undergraduate and graduate studies; being one of the first in my family to complete a master’s programme, and holding a position in the United Nations as an international staff… and I’m only 29! At five years old, my biggest aspiration was to be an English school teacher. I could not have possibly envisioned the life I have today. Little Joshua, you have no idea, boy.

I don’t want this to sound like I’m bragging, that’s not my intention. I just grab every opportunity to take great pride as someone from the Global South, because we must work twice, thrice as hard to get to where we wish to go in the international arena. Yes, I have worked hard and I’ve gone through difficult situations to get to where I am, but so have others! So, to Little Joshua I’d also say, “you are very privileged too”, but I’m sure he won’t forget that.

2021-11-22

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Inspiring alumni LU Alumni around the world LU Global Scholarship Programme 10-Year Jubilee

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Sell your educational background to anyone – This is how Alejandra de Barcena Myrsep did it

Alejandra de Barcena Myrsep
Alejandra de Barcena Myrsep, alumna of Master's programme in Applied Cultural Analysis

The world has changed because our needs have changed. New jobs have appeared on the labor market and new educational programmes have been introduced at universities. Many of those new educational programmes are new and unknown even to employers.

Graduated recently in 2020 and already reached the United Nations.

So, how do you sell yourself if you have studied an “exotic” educational programme that most people have not even heard of? Alejandra de Barcena Myrsep who has a Master’s degree in Applied Cultural Analysis (MACA) from Lund University managed to sell her “exotic” and relatively unknown educational programme to such heavy-weight employers as the European Defense Agency (EDA) and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), despite having graduated only in 2020. How did she manage it?

Alejandra de Barcena Myrsep is currently a trainee responsible for research coordination at EDA. Prior to this role, she worked as a research associate at Africa Center for Strategic Progress as well as a programme management intern at UNDRR. Alejandra is also the first MACA graduate that has been awarded the Hydén Award – an annual award to mark the best thesis on socio-economic and political issues in low- and middle-income countries, as presented by a Bachelor or Master’s level student at Lund University.

Her education gave her transferable skills that proved very useful.

According to Alejandra, the Master’s programme in Applied Cultural Analysis prepares you well for the “real world” because it includes practical components such as assignment to companies to develop project management skills in the second semester and work placement in the third semester. The latter gives you the opportunity to gather data for your master’s thesis at the same time as you gain experience and get more or less ready for future employment. Alejandra further notes that in MACA they did a lot of fieldwork, which involved recording, and later transcribing, a great amount of semi-structured interviews. Being trained in transcription, one knows how to listen and how to write, at the same time as one does it quickly. Alejandra remarks that she never expected this skill to prove so useful in her career. In her current role, one of her responsibilities includes taking notes at meetings and conferences which are sometimes not even recorded. This means that the field work carried out during her Master’s studies is paying off in unexpected ways.

Sell your skills, not your education.

Alejandra notes that it took her some time to realise what competencies MACA had given her. However, when she truly understood the advantages that her education had given her, she started marketing herself through what she calls the “holy trinity”: programme management, project management and stakeholder engagement. Prerequisites for all of these three skills are interdisciplinary and cooperation skills, which she further developed throughout her education in Applied Cultural Analysis, not only through tasks such as work placement but also through intensive group work. Nowadays, these skills are her cornerstones. For instance, at the EDA she works with the military on the one hand and the government on the other hand, each with their own agendas. Alejandra helps different parties unite, work together and reach a consensus so that everybody is on the same page.

Studier

Alejandra would like to share 5 valuable insights with you:

1. Choose one experience and follow the domino effect when marketing your educational background to a potential employer. For example, I would tell the employers about my assignment to two clients in the second semester, the stakeholder engagement skills I acquired there and how I applied them to my work placement.

2. If you are interested in doing an internship or traineeship at an international organisation, make sure to apply early. International organisations offer internships only to fresh graduates and their application process lasts for a few months, meaning that you have at most one year to be able to work there after graduation.

3. Think of three main words to describe your educational background. Have them as a calling card that you can pull out whenever you need to and adjust it to the role you are applying for. This helps you understand what you really want as well as to present yourself clearly. A very good one for MACA graduates is stakeholder engagement.

4. Put yourself out there. That’s when life happens for you.

5. After graduation, it is very important to have that one person that gives you a chance. I think people might be struggling because they haven’t found that person yet. Have patience.

To sum up, it comes down to your ability to truly understand and re-evaluate what your education has prepared you for and what skillset it has helped you develop so that you can explain its value to your potential employer. As Alejandra was told after one of her interviews, sometimes difference is good. Applied Cultural Analysis is different, and maybe not as known as many other educational programmes, but what you acquire throughout the programme got Alejandra to the EDA and UN. Who knows where it can get you!

Text: Katja Woxell

2021-11-16

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Career advice

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“It has been a wild ride with many challenges and valuable lessons”

Tax law alumnus Roberto Ramos, class of 2017, shares his story about his job as Director of the Large Taxpayers Directorate, the “fika” culture in the Honduran public sector and what Roberto would do if he was independently wealthy.

Hi Roberto! You graduated from the Master’s degree programme in European and International Tax Law in 2017. What have you been up to since your graduation?

Well, immediately after my graduation, I was working in the beautiful city of Stockholm. However, I decided to come back to Honduras to implement what I learned on my time in Sweden. There are not many lawyers specialized in international tax law, so I had a competitive advantage when I arrived in the country.

Almost immediately after getting off the airplane, I started my career as a public servant at the Honduran Tax Administration. I started as an Expert for the International Taxation and Transfer Pricing Department and then became Head of this same Department. Later, I was promoted as a Director of the Large Taxpayers Director. It has been a wild ride with many challenges and valuable lessons.

Academically, I have also had the opportunity to come back to my alma mater, the Central American Technological University (UNITEC), and teach a tax law seminar for undergraduate law students. In 2021, we opened the first Master’s degree programme on Tax Law in which I have an active role as a professor. This has been a rewarding experience as I can create impact in the education of future Honduran tax professionals.

Person in front of whiteboard

Today you work as Director of Large Taxpayers Directorate at Servicio de Administración de Rentas in Honduras. Can you tell us more about your job and what a normal workday looks like for you?

I oversee the large taxpayers’ practices on tax compliance, assistance, audits, international taxation, transfer pricing and tax collection. Also, I manage several institutional projects including those related to the OECD’s best practices and digital economy compliance. It is a great job in which I have the opportunity to lead more than 100 amazing professionals.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, I would say I do not have “normal” workdays as our workplace environment has changed. Most of my team members are working from home so we try to interact as much as we can through Microsoft Teams or other electronic means. Nonetheless, there are some elements of my workday that are always present at home or at the office. These are priorities management, effective communication, and coffee.

In what ways have your studies at Lund University, and student life in Lund, been beneficial in your career?

Lund University and its student life had a positive impact in my career.

Person in front of brick wall with painted butterfly wings

First of all, I am thankful of the mentors I had in my Master’s degree programme because they awoke my passion for tax law. My studies opened my mind to new branches of taxation and taught me how to tackle real life issues. When I came back to Honduras, I applied everything I learned on international taxation and complex cross-border transactions in my everyday work. This has let me develop innovative projects at the Honduran Tax Administration and put Honduras on the map of the international tax arena.

Lund’s student life also made a lasting impression on me. Learning to interact and share with students from all around the world taught me how to do proper and effective networking. These skills are certainly helpful when I work with people from international organizations.

How would you describe the workplace culture within the public sector in Honduras?

Workplace culture within the public sector in Honduras is usually rigid. In most government institutions, there are complex hierarchies and siloed working that does not allow employees to reach their full potential.

However, I have implemented a different workplace culture at the Large Taxpayers Directorate. We have created a more flexible and collaborative workplace which has brought us effective results and overall happiness. Also, the heads of departments and myself encourage every teammate on developing independent decision making and open communication.

As part of this change of mindset, I shared my love for “fika” with my team and they have loved it! Some years ago, no one of my directorate would think about taking coffee breaks with other colleagues during the day or the afternoon. Now I see it happening everyday at the office and participate actively as well.

Where do you go to relax in your free-time?

Well, I barely have any free-time but I try to make the most of it when I do.

I spend most of my free-time at home, where you can probably find me reading, painting or watching movies. However, I also enjoy travelling around small towns in Honduras with family and friends. Around Tegucigalpa, the capital city, there are colonial cities with excellent restaurants and coffee shops that I frequent.

Person with dog

If you were independently wealthy and didn’t have to work, what would you do with your time?

Without a doubt, I would be travelling around the world and learning its cultures. I am a history geek and a frustrated anthropologist. For this reason, there is nothing that I enjoy more than visiting a new city, going to its museums and historical sites, wandering around and talking to everyone I meet. For sure, this is something I am going to do when I retire!

2021-11-08

This entry was posted in

Inspiring alumni LU Alumni around the world LU Global Scholarship Programme 10-Year Jubilee LUSEM Alumni

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LU alumna with a passion for cancer research

Shefali in lab
Visualizing mouse chromosomes by microscopy, BioCev, Czech Republic.

In this alumni interview, we go to France to meet Shefali Thakur. Shefali has a Master’s Degree in Molecular Biology from Lund University and is currently working at the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. 

In her interview, Shefali shares some insights on the future of cancer research and gives some advice for others considering an international research career. 

Hi Shefali! What have you been up to since your graduation from Lund University in 2017?

After my graduation from Lund University, I worked as an assistant researcher for a year at BIOCEV, a centre sponsored by the European Union. I took this time to ruminate about my possible career options before committing to a long project like a PhD. During this time, I met my current PhD supervisor at a conference and moved to France to work for the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, where I study the early stages of disease initiation.

Lund graduation
Graduation day in Lund.

How has your Lund University education been beneficial in your work?

Besides it being a good name on papers, I’ve learnt abundantly from the University’s scientific galore and the international environment that is particularly important in research. The practical format of the master’s course is particularly very helpful for making career decisions later.

Based on your experience and current research on cancer, what do you think are some of the major trends within the future of cancer research?

The field of molecular biology is really dynamic, especially since the emergence of the so-called ‘next generation sequencing’ technologies. These technologies have enabled us to sequence not only the human genome in its entirety, but also disease specific traits that might give us deeper insights into disease initiation and progression. This will also allow for patient-personalized cancer treatments in the future (which are currently not very cost-effective). In addition recent development of sophisticated organoids (a simplified 3D version of a corresponding in vivo organ, which can be cultured in lab) will allow us to rely less on animal models and 2D cell cultures (that don’t always perfectly recapitulate the cancer biology in patients). This will help us in finding organ/tissue specific potential therapeutic targets and also disease prevention by better understanding organ specific mechanisms behind initiation and progression of the disease.

Interestingly a vast majority of cancers (estimates predict 70-90%) are caused by extrinsic/environmental factors and about 50% of these are preventable, thus a shift in focus from mostly cancer cure to cancer prevention (which is the primary focus of the agency I currently work at) would be important. This would have to include a shift in research funds from the former to the latter.

Shefali in lab
A regular workday at IARC/WHO, France.

You have quite a bit of international experience with studies in India and Sweden, research in Czech Republic and now research in France.

How did you go about finding these positions?

Shefali in research elevatorWith the exception of my current work position, for which I personally met my supervisor before I started working for him, all three of my previous work/internship opportunities were secured online. I directly emailed the head of the labs where I wanted to work, expressing my interest and offering a potential research plan for my stay (if offered).

What’s your advice for others interested in pursuing an international research career?

I’d say: Go for it!

Since English is the lingua franca of science, it is easier to have a scientific career in another country without necessarily speaking the local language. Moreover, science and research is international, whether you pursue it internationally or not. These international experiences will bring you lots of collaborations that will get your further than competition ever will. It is also very enriching, both professionally and personally to step out of your comfort zone and experience the nuances of various cultures and work environments. A bit of prior planning and consideration of your inclinations will help you figure out what’s the best place for you. But it’s always good to have more than one place in mind to have a backup and very importantly to not be afraid of directly interrogating for research opportunities in institutes/labs you want to work at.

Shefali presenting research
Poster presentation of the PhD work, IARC/WHO, France.

What is one of your favourite memories from your student days at Lund University?

Oh, I have so many. But since I’ve been so lucky to meet the love of my life in Lund, it’d have to be seeing him the very first week of the semester in a ‘Swedish culture introduction’ session and immediately being smitten.

 

 

 

2021-10-28

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“Being able to experience the diversity of Lund, Malmö, and Sweden as a whole, was an enormous gift.”

Photo of Debra BeightPublic Health alumna Debra Beight tells us about how her time in Sweden influenced her life, her academic career in the US and the challenges within the LGBTQ+ community that lay closest to her heart.

Hi Debra! You graduated with a MSc in Public Health in 2017, what have you been up to since then?

Since graduating from Lund I moved back to the United States, continued my education and earned another master’s degree, in bioethics from the Ohio State University (OSU). I had the opportunity to represent Lund University at the 3rd European Professional Association for Transgender Health (EPATH) Conference in Rome, presenting my MSc thesis, Exploring the Needs, Expectations, and Realities of Mental Healthcare for Transgender Adults: A Grounded Theory Study on Experiences in Sweden.

My research with OSU, Healthcare Providers and Disconnects of Ethical Responsibility: Improving Practices to Support Transgender Reproductive Options, was selected for presentation for the 4th EPATH Conference in Gothenburg. I earned certifications from Stanford University, Johns Hopkins University, and OSU on LGBTQ+ healthcare practices, clinical and research ethics, and COVID-19 education and intervention. Currently, I am applying for PhD programs, including one back in Lund. Amidst my continued studies, I’ve been working part-time as a reviewer and I also worked as a contact tracer for my state’s health department, tracking cases of COVID-19.

Two photos from the city of Dublin in the US

You are a qualitative analyst and are working as a reviewer of several academic journals in Dublin, USA, what does a normal day look like for you?

When I receive a manuscript or qualitative study for review, I am being asked to assess the appropriateness, quality, validity, and originality of the article to help determine if it should be published. I start by looking at the research design, method of inquiry used, data collection and data analysis procedures, and the interpretation of the findings. I look at the sources and references the author(s) used, starting with the literature review, and I evaluate the purpose of the study and the research question being asked. I review the chosen populations for the study and justifications for selection, assess the strengths and limitations, and determine if the author(s) has met standards of validity and reliability. I compile a series of questions and/or recommendations for the author(s) which can be used to bring clarity, strengthen their arguments, or to address any concerns about the integrity of the work.

Once I receive a response from the author(s), I look over any changes made and can make additional recommendations if needed. Upon receiving the final revision, I provide my feedback to the journal editor(s) and indicate whether I feel the manuscript meets the journal’s standards for publication.

How has your time in Sweden influenced your life?

While I am grateful for the educational opportunities I’ve had in the US, being able to learn from, interact with, and live among persons of different nations of origin, has been the most fulfilling form of education I could have ever received. It highlighted the privileges I had and helped me realize how sheltered my world views had been for most of my life. Being able to experience the diversity of Lund, Malmö, and Sweden as a whole, was an enormous gift.

First and foremost, I strive to maintain a more global perspective and work to incorporate a wider range of viewpoints in my interactions and in my work. My experiences with my classmates helped strengthen my skills to work collaboratively, increased my ability to empathize, and to work with more diverse populations.

Your research interests include issues regarding LGBTQ+ health disparities. Can you tell us more about this research area and the questions that lay close to your heart?

Negative socio-cultural perspectives can exacerbate health disparities in marginalized communities such as LGBTQ+ populations. Prejudices against sexual and gender minorities affect the availability, access, and quality of health care provided. Health care professionals are not exempt from holding on to negative and often inaccurate stereotypes and this can result in harmful or even non-existent care for LGBTQ+ patients.

I look at how socio-structural and socio-cultural practices affect health and healthcare for LGBTQ+ persons and how to evolve educational practices and policy decisions for more inclusive approaches. In Lund I worked closely with the student group Projekt Sex (P6) and their programs that worked to educate and empower students regarding sexual health issues. Working with P6, one could see first-hand the range of inequalities that exist in healthcare education, access, and acceptance for LGBTQ+ persons. The authoritative powers of medical, social, and cultural norms exist in a circularity of reinforcement. Social and cultural norms that command primacy influence the ontological and epistemological perceptions in medicine and in turn medical practices strengthen and confirm norms to our societies and cultures.

My experiences in my public health program and with P6 especially, prompt me to confront the circularity of socio-cultural-medical practices. This motivates me to question why we view differences the way we do, why do we make decisions that label one thing normal and something else not-normal, and how can we challenge those beliefs that undermine the integrity and value of another person. I want to bring those in the margins closer to the centre, to normalize non-normativity in ways that benefit this community and minimize harm.

From a public health perspective in general, and a LGBTQ+ perspective in particular, what do you think are the main challenges that need to be addressed in the next few years within the international community?

I’ve mentioned inclusion before and I feel that’s the underlying need across public health, but especially for LGBTQ+ populations. It’s not simply about giving a marginalized community a ‘seat at the table’, at this point they really need their own ‘tables’, spaces where they are central to the discussion and decision-making processes.

COVID-19 is a poignant example of general disparities between the Global North and South, and the enhanced disparities within LGBTQ+ communities which have inequities aggravated by both racial and socio-economic factors. There is substantial distrust of medicine from Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ+ persons, with good reason. Medicine, historically, has been a place of exclusion and exploitation for these groups. Vaccine availability, clinical trials, follow up studies, and education specific to these populations have all been lacking or treated as an afterthought. This widens disparities for these groups and affects the larger public negatively as well. One can’t expect to dismiss a portion of a society, leading to poor health outcomes, and not have that affect the health outcomes for the rest of society. The interconnectedness of our communities cannot be stressed enough.

What book, movie read/seen recently would you recommend and why?

Cover of the book "The wisdom of whores"My go to book, one that is most responsible for influencing my educational and career choices and one that I have recently re-read is The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels, and the Business of AIDS by Elizabeth Pisani (2008). Pisani worked with the most marginalized populations in the fight against HIV/AIDS. She combines quantitative and qualitative methods in a way that is accessible to laypersons, taking the statistics and figures and humanizing them to build connections between lived experiences and the policies that affect people. Pisani focused on communities that were receiving the least attention and support due to numerous socio-cultural impacts, influencing the accessibility, availability, and affordability of prevention and care treatments. By combining data of infection prevalence and transmission rates with first person stories that piece together the hows and whys that drive our behaviors, Pisani illustrates a nuanced view of the AIDS epidemic, allowing us to consider the ways interventions work or don’t work in the real world. It is a thoughtful presentation that grounds the perspective of the participants through storytelling, melding together the indisputable facts of disease with the subjective nature of policy making and protocol enactment.

Photo of book cover by Amazon.co.uk

2021-10-27

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Inspiring alumni International Women's Day LU Alumni around the world LU Global Scholarship Programme 10-Year Jubilee

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“I want to contribute to the acceptance of a feminist and inclusive economy by society at large”

Isabelle Joswig is an alumna from the master’s degree programme in Managing People, Knowledge and Change and in our interview we learn more about her life as a consultant at Deloitte and as a participant in the redefined Miss Germany 3.0 contest of 2021.

Hi Isabelle! You graduated from the MSc programme in Managing People, Knowledge and Change at the School of Economics and Management in 2019. What have you been up to since then?

Hi everyone! If I am not mistaken, I was in the first year in which the International Master Class was introduced. So, during my time in Lund I realized that the pleasant student lifestyle would not last forever, and so I wanted to extend it by half a year and went to Vienna to study at WU. I joined a student consulting initiative and had the best time with my friends while traveling through Eastern Europe. During my exchange, I applied to a few consulting firms and quickly decided that I wanted to return to Deloitte, to the team that I interned with prior to my Master’s. Not a day has gone by that I have regretted my decision to have taken a short break between studying and working. Since April 2020 I am employed fulltime within the Human Capital practice.

More specifically, you currently work as a consultant in Workforce Strategy and Solutions at Deloitte. Can you tell us about your workday routine?

I am afraid, that in my job, there is no such thing as a workday routine. Since I started, I was staffed on six very diverse client projects – ranging from a finance transformation in the middle east to leadership workshops here in Munich, where I live. For some projects I started working early in the morning, for others I worked rather long hours. What was the same on all my assignments, however, was my morning cup of tea to kick start my day and my evening walk around the block to reflect on it. I started working at COVID-19 peak-times in the first serious lockdown here in Germany and although I miss meeting my colleagues in person, I enjoy the home office situation as I do not have to travel as much as I used to. The bottom line is that in consulting one must be flexible, so my workday routine must be somewhat flexible as well.

In what ways has your education from Lund University been beneficial in your work?

It has been beneficial in two ways: Content wise and soft-skill wise. I have been able to apply a lot of the knowledge gained – for instance on organizational development, cultural change, leadership, and human resource management. Yet, more importantly, my studies taught me to be disciplined, self-organized, structured, and curious. The Lund University’s teaching approach is known to be collaborative and student-centered to foster critical thinking and the freedom of mind. That is most likely also one of the reasons why I developed a reflected and sometimes critical attitude towards the seemingly “flawless” economy.

This year you are one of the participants in the Miss Germany 3.0 contest. This contest has changed its format from being a beauty pageant to a platform to empower women. Can you tell us more about it? What sparked your interest in the contest?

That’s right, Miss Germany has redefined itself: moving beyond the superficial beauty pageant to a platform for women who want to change the world, shape it with their attitude, conviction, and personality. The motto of this year’s campaign is “be part of the movement”. To me, the “movement” symbolizes the historic social change that we are currently experiencing in Germany. By this I refer to our aspirations for greater diversity, inclusion, and equality – for all minorities. Having a change management background, I know what it takes to embed change in a culture sustainably. Simply put, one must create awareness, understanding and acceptance. As a woman with dyslexia I want to contribute to the acceptance of a feminist and inclusive economy by society at large. To do so, I try to create an understanding in the debate with fact-based contributions. Specifically, I am interested in breaking down stigmas and shedding light on structural discrimination so that disabilities and feminine attributes are accepted and regarded as normal in the business world. I want wo=men to be valued for their femininity and people with disabilities to have equal opportunities.

What does women’s empowerment mean to you? Why is it important?

In one sentence it means: giving women an equivalent stake at the table with equal rights and opportunities. And this is where my time in Sweden had a very positive impact on me, realizing that the country is far more developed than Germany. At the beginning of 2021, the proportion of women on management boards in Germany was 11.5%; in Sweden, it was twice as many. And that’s where structural discrimination has its origin. If we do not have management boards representing our society, decisions will always bypass diverse perspectives, leaving certain groups at an advantage over others. It is thus time to question the way we have recruited, trained, and promoted in the past “like we’ve always done it”, to set up systems and structures that do not exclude minorities. This is not only important for social reasons, but also long overdue from an economic perspective, as it would increase overall economic value added, reduce the (un)adjusted gender pay gap, and lower the unemployment rate.

Do you have any lifehacks that you could not live without?

I am not sure if this qualifies as a lifehack, but I use calendar blockers wisely to not be disturbed during phases of high concentration. Sometimes I even arrange calls with myself to make it look like I am busy, when in reality I am taking a short break to recharge my batteries. The underlying lifehack is to prioritize mental health, I guess.

2021-10-25

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Inspiring alumni International Women's Day LU Alumni around the world LUSEM Alumni

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9 pieces of advice to optimise your job search in Sweden

Interested in learning more about finding work in Sweden?
Every semester we take the opportunity to invite alumni, who once were international students and who now are working in Sweden, to share their experiences with current international students at Lund University.

This event has become a very popular ingredient in our career event programme. At the beginning of this autumn semester, we had the pleasure of meeting with a brand-new alumni panel:
– Fiora Gårdemyr, who has two master’s degrees from Lund University in European Studies and Managing People, Knowledge and Change, and today works as a Driving the Shift Manager at Scania Group in Stockholm.
– Bojana Atanasova, who graduated with MSc in Public Health and works as a Development manager of Public Health at Borås Stad
– David Green, who has graduated with MSc in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and works as Continuous Improvement Manager at Ball Corporation in Malmö.

We asked our new colleague Katja Woxell to gather the best advice from the panel discussion.
Click here if you would like to see the recorded version of the webinar (available until 14 November)

And here they are, 9 pieces of advice to optimise your job search in Sweden:

Get to know yourself
What kind of tasks would you be happy working with? Which companies would you like to work for? And what do you not want to work with?

Keep your CV short and sweet
Do not have more than two pages in your CV and make sure to include the most relevant references, even from your home country.

Check the career sites of the companies you want to work for
A lot of the jobs are not published on recruitment sites. Always check out available vacancies on the website of the company you want to work for.

Highlight your unique skills
When you go through job ads, look for something that can give you an advantage over others, for instance, skills in some rare language which the company might specifically be looking for.

Learn Swedish
When you intend to work on the Swedish labour market, learning the Swedish language is essential, even if you work in an international company. Swedish language skills help you understand the Swedish culture and how things work here.

Be prepared to work hard
It might take a great number of applications before you land your first interview. You should never give up though because your chance is always just around the corner.

Do your research
When you get called to the interview, research everything about the company and the person you are going to meet.

Prepare for an extensive interview process
Be prepared for at least two interviews. One can occur digitally and the other face-to-face, depending on the company. Expect more competence-related questions at the digital interview while at the face-to-face interview they may have more specific questions such as how you would solve certain problems.

Find out if your potential employer shares your values
Be yourself and stay true to your values. Find out whether the company you like shares values like yours. Find out what kind of manager you would have if you got the position? Is it a manager that will help you grow?

Text: Katja Woxell

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

2021-10-21

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Breakthroughs to face the future in the best possible way

What breakthroughs are needed in research and across society for us to tackle the future in the most effective way?

What breakthroughs are we expecting to happen soon?

And at what point during the creative process can we talk about breakthroughs?

These questions and many more will be discussed during the annual Future Week at Lund University.

Future Week, held 18-24 October, is an initiative with the aim to give Lund University a platform to raise crucial and pressing issues regarding the future, connected to a specific theme. The popular science events are designed for audiences both from within and outside the academic world. Many events will be offered physically and digitally. Below you find a list of the events offered digitally and in English. For the full programme, check the link above.

Click here to learn more about the Future Week 2021

Digital Future Week events in English

Click on the event title for more information.

2021-10-18

17.00-18.00 Online Political Polarization: Which Knowledge Breakthroughs Do We Need to Understand It?

2021-10-19

09.00-10.00 Oatly’s John Schoolcraft on fearless leadership

09.00-10.15 From breakthroughs in climate science to new legal frameworks and climate actions: what are the potentials and pitfalls?

10.00-11.30 Artificial Persons – breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and personhood

17.00-18.00
From Robots to Rust: Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Development

2021-10-20

12.45-14.00 MAX IV and ESS as engines for breakthrough science

17.00-18.00 A Breakthrough in the Diagnosis of Mental Illness: Artificial Intelligence for the Analysis of Language

2021-10-21

10.00-11.00 EUGLOH Roundtable discussion: Has eHealth implementation reached a breakthrough in Europe?

2021-10-22

13.30-16.15 A new look at breakthrough innovation – how women can change the world

17.00 Podcast The Meridian: Neutrons at ESS during Future Week

For full programme, including events in Swedish, please go to https://www.lu.se/samverkan-innovation/popularvetenskapliga-arrangemang/framtidsveckan

 

 

2021-10-15

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And the winners are…

Thanks to all the participants who entered their names for the chance to win one out of three copies of the book Beppe och Farmor. We simply put all your names in a jar and randomly picked three names. The winners will be contacted by email.
Congratulations to:

Anouk Dahlqvist

Bo Thornberg

Eva Lundin

2021-10-01

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Psssssst! You’ve got mail!

Fall

Lundensaren, the Alumni Newsletter, is sailing into your inbox today! It will be absolutely jam-packed with interesting events that you don’t want to miss this autumn – some taking place offline in Lund/Malmö (yes, can you believe it?!) and some will be online.

Another fun thing to mention from the newsletter is, of course, the competition where you can win a copy of the book featured in the picture of this blog post. It could be the perfect thing to give as a holiday gift (believe it or not, but the holidays are coming fast!).  Who would you want to give it to? (The competition is now closed 1 October 2021)

About the book
When Beppe digs into his sweet treats, he ends up with a sour candy. Ugh! Beppe hates sour candies. Is there any way to avoid sour candies? What is sour anyway? And what is the pH scale?

Beppe Singer is an LU alumnus, chemist and has been the TV-presenter for the children’s TV-show Hjärnkontoret. He also writes books (in Swedish) for curious children! All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment on this blog post telling us to whom you want to give the book. Three names will be drawn at random on Friday 1 October.

That’s all for now.
Happy reading and have an awesome weekend!

Kind regards from
Helga at the Alumni Office 😊

2021-09-24

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The future is already here – New, free online course will help you and your company to not fall behind!

The lives of people all over the world are increasingly enhanced and shaped by artificial intelligence (AI). Whether you are in the public or private sector, in a large organisation or a small shop, AI has a growing impact on your business and your life. According to Dr. Anamaria Dutceac Segesten, senior lecturer at Lund University, AI is slowly becoming the type of technology without which no industries or fields can survive. With this in mind, Lund University has long nurtured a network where AI researchers get the opportunity to exchange ideas and form partnerships within research and innovation. The course AI, Business and the Future of Work is partly an outcome of those partnerships.

Anamaria Dutceac Segesten states that mass media often describe AI as a type of “machine” that does not exist yet. This is unrealistic, which makes it important to inform the public about what AI is, how it works and how it can be used to run a company effectively. Anamaria Dutceac Segesten uses a definition formulated by Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to explain what artificial intelligence really is:

“An AI system is a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions influencing real or virtual environments. AI systems are designed to operate with varying levels of autonomy.”

The course AI, Business and the Future of Work, created by Lund Unievrsity, is a free four-week online course on www.coursera.org. The course is meant for the broad public. You do not need to be working at an AI company or have technical skills within IT to benefit from it. The course helps you and your organisation to understand artificial intelligence as well as how AI can be implemented with regards to work organisation, business models, human resources and customer strategy among others in order to lead your organisation towards efficiency, sustainability and innovation.

”The course also presents risks associated with the implementation of an AI-system and concludes with a few thoughts on the relation between humans and machines in the distant future. By understanding the technology and its place in the workplace, the course learners can ponder upon how they themselves want to relate to AI, how they want to expand their knowledge of the subject and how they can eventually design an AI-strategy for their company or organisation,” says Anamaria Dutceac Segesten.

In other words, if you are interested in using AI to make your organisation more efficient through automation processes and to learn about how AI impacts your industry so that you can avoid the pitfalls and seize the benefits, this course is for you.

Anamaria Dutceac Segesten will guide you through the topics with short lectures, interviews and interactive exercises meant to get you thinking about your own context. 12 industry professionals, AI experts and thought leaders from different industries have been interviewed and will complement the short lectures to give you a broad overview of the topics. Each module further includes a few readings complemented with a quiz to make sure you have understood the material and are able to apply it in practice.

Visit the course website

Lund University also offers another online course in AI & Law on Coursera, which explores the way in which the increased use of artificial intelligence affects the practice and administration of law defined in a broad sense.

Text: Katja Woxell

2021-09-23

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Welcome to the 100th anniversary celebration of the esteemed poet Javier Sologuren

“Javier Sologuren is a reminder that it is often the quiet ones who make themselves heard the longest and most intensely in an alarming and publicity-seeking world.”

This is what author Kjell A. Johansson wrote in an obituary about his friend and former teacher, Javier Sologuren, on 12 July 2004 in Sydsvenskan.

Javier Sologuren (1921-2004) was one of Peru’s foremost poets and also worked as a translator of Swedish poetry. During the years 1951 to 1957, he was a lecturer at Lund University. Once a week, he taught Spanish for beginners and literature classes at the Centre for Languages and Literature.

Although the lectures had few listeners, they were “extremely interesting and stimulating,” said Kjell Johansson in the obituary.

Sologuren was not only a poet, senior lecturer and translator but also a successful essayist, anthology writer and publisher. He fell in love with poetry at a young age during his time in primary school, and in 1968 he received his doctorate in Hispanic literature from the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. He was one of the foremost members of Génération de 50 – a Spanish literary movement with writers who wrote in a new lyrical style as a way to avoid censorship.

His poems are collected in the book Vida continua (Continuous Life), which he re-edited multiple times during his life. He has also published several anthologies as well as cultural and literary journals. His poems have been published in various Peruvian and international anthologies, and many of his works have been translated into fifteen languages.

On 28 September, Lund University celebrates this world-famous poet’s 100th anniversary in connection with the Peruvian embassy’s visit to Lund University.

Diego Valverde, also a poet and son of Javier Sologuren, will give a 30-minute lecture followed by time for questions and reflections. Thirty students are invited to participate on site and all other guests are welcome to watch the event via a live stream on YouTube.

28 September at 15:00-16:00 (CEST)

Watch the event here on YouTube

2021-09-22

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