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Eight doctoral students selected for research stays at Stanford

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Eight doctoral students from Swedish universities have been awarded funding for research stays at Stanford University. The opportunity will allow them to advance their research, gain new perspectives and develop international networks.

Carles Quilis Alfonso and Anna Hübner are among the doctoral students who have been awarded funding to conduct research at Stanford University.

The research stays will take place in 2027 and last for up to one year. Based at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, the doctoral students will work alongside researchers in their respective fields in an international, interdisciplinary environment. The initiative is supported by SEK 8.3 million in funding from the Knowledge Foundation.

Space weather and satellite signals

Modern society increasingly depends on satellite-based infrastructure, but satellite signals can be disrupted by disturbances in the ionosphere. Carles Quilis Alfonso at Blekinge Institute of Technology is one of the doctoral students awarded funding. His research focuses on developing methods to detect and locate these disturbances using satellite measurements.

" More reliable satellite services can support a more sustainable society by enabling safer transport, more efficient routes and better use of resources.
Carles Quilis Alfonso
Doctoral student at Blekinge Institute of Technology

The opportunity to exchange ideas with researchers at Stanford and gain new perspectives was an important reason for applying. He also hopes that his time at Stanford will lead to new collaborations between Blekinge Institute of Technology and Stanford University.

From climate knowledge to action

What does it take for knowledge about climate change to translate into action? That is the question Anna Hübner, doctoral student at Mid Sweden University, is exploring. Focusing on a coastal destination in Germany, she is investigating the factors that enable or prevent local stakeholders from turning climate knowledge into concrete decisions and action.

" I am very much looking forward to joining the research environment at Stanford. Although its reputation can feel intimidating, I am excited to exchange ideas on my thesis work and to contribute ideas of my own in return.
Anna Hübner
Doctoral student at Mid Sweden University

She is also drawn to the interdisciplinary environment and the opportunity to meet doctoral students and researchers from different fields.

“I would be glad to become a small link that helps build a lasting relationship between Mid-Sweden University and my host lab, the Social Ecology Lab, at Stanford.”

Building links between universities

Building new connections between Stanford University and Swedish universities is a key aim of the initiative. Jimmy Chen leads global partnerships at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability and has been involved in developing the initiative together with the Knowledge Foundation.

“We want to pilot an innovative model for international collaboration that prioritises people exchange as the catalyst for collaboration. By placing students and researchers at the center of the partnership, we aim to accelerate collaboration between Stanford and Knowledge Foundation-supported institutions across a broad range of disciplines”, says Jimmy.

The ambition extends beyond the individual doctoral students and their research projects.

" Ultimately, I hope this initiative will serve as a catalyst for lasting partnerships between Stanford and Swedish universities, enabling breakthrough research, innovation, and impact that neither could achieve as effectively alone.
Jimmy Chen
Managing Director, Stanford Global Institutional Partnerships, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability

  • All funded doctoral projects

    • The diffusion of tourism and climate change knowledge at destinations: Understanding drivers and barriers to knowledge use at the German Baltic Sea Coast
      Project manager: Anna Caroline Hübner, Mid Sweden University
    • GNSS Radio Occultation for Space-Weather Monitoring and Resilient Satellite-Based Infrastructure
      Project manager: Carles Quilis Alfonso, Blekinge Institute of Technology
    • Decision-making under uncertainty for hybrid energy systems
      Project manager: Helen Saragih, Mälardalen University
    • Extending the service life of technical waterproof workwear jackets through circular economy strategies: Assessment of wear, degradation, and remaining useful life.
      Project manager: Janani Thiyagarajan, Mid Sweden University
    • On the conceptual design trade-offs for sustainable supersonic aviation
      Project manager: Lorenzo Carrea, Mälardalen University
    • Holding the process: Leadership, Emergence and Regenerative Collaboration under Uncertainty
      Project manager: Maria Helena Björnsdotter Lindeman, Stockholm University of the Arts
    • Optimization of Long Term and Resilient Energy Storage
      Project manager: Simon Karlsson, Mälardalen University
    • Crop-Responsive Intelligent Control Strategies for Climate-Resilient Agrivoltaic Systems
      Project manager: Sultan Tekie, Mälardalen University

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