CNDS Deputy Director and Associate Professor at Department of Electrical Engineering, Uppsala University

• What is your area of expertise?

​Resilience of offshore renewable energy systems to extreme wave events, with a focus on wave energy systems. Also related topics, such as performance optimization of large wave energy systems, and resilience of the electrical grid to disruptive events.

• What sparked your interest in natural hazards and disaster science?

I am interested in renewable energy systems as these are required for a sustainable society with no negative impact on climate and environment. Wave energy has a lot of potential that has not yet been utilized. The largest challenge for wave energy systems is offshore survivability, which sparked my interest in extreme wave events and disaster science.

• If you could only work on one problem/issue/challenge in natural hazards and disaster science it would be the same topic as now, because the need for renewable energy systems is ever increasing, and many offshore renewable energy systems (mostly wind energy farms) are currently being installed, at even deeper waters. As the energy infrastructure is critical to our society, reliability of those offshore renewable energy systems is of uttermost importance.

• What book or paper has been most influential to your career and why?

Difficult question! My academic career started in theoretical physics, I did my PhD in string theory. The book that motivated me to start studying physics and pursue an academic career was probably "Gekrümmter Raum und verbogene Zeit - Einsteins Vermächtnis" by Kip S. Thorne, a popular science book that I bought and read while living in Berlin and working with art.

• What do you like to do when you’re not working on research?

• What is your golden tip for early career scientists?

Create your own network, and use it. Be pro-active and ask senior researchers for advise and mentoring. Learn to say no and prioritize among your activities. 

Malin's profile on Uppsala University's website