To maximize the Swedish benefit from the two facilities ESS and MAX IV, the government has commissioned Vinnova and the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) to establish a joint office. The ESS/MAX IV joint office will take a holistic view and coordinate national efforts.

– Our mission is national and is about maximizing the benefits for Sweden in relation to the facilities in Lund, says Mikaela Rapp, head of the join office. Lund is a key place, but we have a national interest and as such the join office will be located in Stockholm. The government has a vision that the facilities and surrounding area will be a world leading center for materials science and life science. The joint office’s mission is to realise this vision.

In addition to ESS and MAX IV there are many other stakeholders that are important to achieve the vision for the area and therefore a wide reaching collaboration is critical for the joint office’s work.

– This is a huge investment where different types of organizations, universities, private investors, businesses, workplaces and networks are involved in various efforts related to the facilities, continues Mikaela Rapp. Since the responsibility often lies with several different stakeholders, there is a need for a neutral unifying body that views the efforts from an objective standpoint. The joint office’s mission is to coordinate and pursue issues within strategically important areas.

In the near future, the joint office will formulate a national implementation plan. The purpose of the implementation plan, which will be in effect until 2028, is to ensure a common target for Sweden with time-specific and follow-up goals.

Even if the mission of the joint office is not international, the balance between national and international interests is an important component.

– We will evaluate how many Swedes are working at the facilities – but if there are no international applicants then the facility cannot be considered world class. The idea is that both the facilities and Sweden’s use of them will be world class. Our mission is a national one but we must also take an international perspective.

What would be a sign that the joint office has succeeded in their work?

– If there is a wide-reaching and high number of Swedish users of both facilities, then we have succeeded. Sweden has contributed a lot of money, so it is important that the number of users accords with the money that has been invested. If we have really succeeded we will have created an ‘innovation arena’ that produces a ripple effect – where companies thrive, where there is room for innovations between different sectors, where people meet who otherwise would not meet and which continue to take steps forward both nationally and internationally within technological development and tech transfer. Then we have created a place that provides the conditions for academic research, industry and business to work together to solve societal challenges, both now and in the future. A place for opportunities, simply put.

The facilities are of a national interest, but Lund as a place is an important part of the whole.

– Lund is significant because it has a long academic tradition, which is an important cornerstone to creating an excellent place. The relationship of Lund and Skåne to Denmark is also a key prerequisite. In addition, there are many reasons why the facilities have been placed in Lund, one of which being the long history with MAX IV-lab, which in turn has led to the establishment of ESS in Sweden.

Mikaela Rapp has a background as a researcher in biochemistry and has been a user of many synchrotron facilities across the world, including the MAX IV-lab.

– I can relate to what the researchers require in order to succeed. I can also offer an industry perspective because I have set up a collaboration between a company in drug development and a research group at Stockholm University. Many research facilities are inaccessible to companies because they are both difficult to access and also challenging to obtain the knowledge required to use them.

Mikaela Rapp comes most recently from the Stockholm Science City Foundation, where she worked to strengthen Stockholm’s competitiveness in life science, with specific focus on Hagastaden, where they work hard to create a world-leading cluster in life science.  

At the time of the interview Mikaela Rapp had worked as head of the joint office for approximately three months. So far, she has only been to the office in Stockholm once to pick up her computer. In regards to the unusual spring of 2020 she says:

– I had not intended to start up a joint office from the kitchen table. My trip to Lund was also canceled, but right now, with all the digital meeting tools, Stockholm is actually as far away as Lund.

Mikaela Rapp likes adventure and excitement in her spare time and enjoys to climb and mountain bike. When she heard about Lund's undulating topography, she decided that it was time to test – taking the route from the lowest point at Klostergården in southern Lund to ESS. *

– I’ll have to come soon and do a test ride to see if it's right!

* Höje River by Klostergården in the south of Lund is located approximately 10m above sea level while the roundabout by E22 in North Lund is located approximately 83m above sea level (satellitkarta.se)

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Translation: Ben Dohrmann