Another successful year for WASP is coming to an end. It also marks the end of my five-year tenure as WASP program director and I find myself reflecting over the accomplishments of the program – reflections that go back all the way to start of WASP in 2015 and my appreciation for the deep foresight that led to the initiation of WASP.
We as a community have so much to be grateful for. WASP has had a paramount role in shaping and strengthening the research in our field and promoted exchanges between academy, industry and society in so many ways. The WASP status and activities this year are a manifestation of the role we are playing in Sweden. We are now well under way to reaching all our goals. We have close to 500 PhDs active in the program and over 160 have defended. Close to 80 recruitments of world leading scientists have been done and more than 80 companies are engaged in collaborations with WASP researchers through industrial PhDs or participation in the research arenas. The fact that WASP is generating on average one PhD per week says it all.
Over the year the WASP community has met at several events, but the Academia & Industry Days in October is worth a special mention as it symbolizes the mission of WASP so well. Over two days we had a wonderful mix of senior and junior people from academia and industry listen to great plenary talks and panel discussions, but most importantly met in workshops and mingle sessions crossing borders between domains and in this we paved the way for the needed Swedish AI readiness.
As I am stepping down as program director and stepping into the role as chair of the board, I want to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to the whole WASP organization. The WASP program office is doing an amazing job and just a handful of people are managing so many things so professionally. The WASP management structure is populated by some of the most senior scientists in our field and they are spending a significant amount of their time running the program smoothly and assuring the highest possible academic standards. The board of directors have contributed with deep insights and supported the program with a high-level of engagement and trust. I am deeply grateful to all of you.
My final thoughts in this reflection over WASP goes to all the researchers we are supporting and primarily the WASP graduate students. You are the foundation of WASP and make it all worthwhile.
I hope to see many of you at the Winter Conference and am looking forward to many presentations and conversations with colleagues and friends.
I wish you a restful holiday season.
Anders Ynnerman
Published: December 18th, 2024