Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability

In the spring sunshine, the Uppsala node of Wise-EST was officially inaugurated at Uppsala University by Vice Rector Charlotte Platzer Björkman and WISE co-director Olle Eriksson, marking the launch of a new research infrastructure for tribology.

An international team of researchers has developed a high-performance, biodegradable membrane made from jute agricultural waste to filter oily water. The material is produced using a simple and scalable process and it can be removed using ultrasound and easily re-casted, restoring its performance again and again. Even after repeated use, the membrane maintains over 99% separation efficiency.

The purpose of the grants is to bridge the gap from academic basic research to innovations in materials science for sustainability.

On April 16, 2026, the Uppsala node of WISE-EST will be officially inaugurated at the Ångströmlaboratoriet in Uppsala. The event will take place from 09:30 to 15:00 CET in the Siegbahn lecture hall.

When the WISE research and technology platform (WISE RTP) CII at Chalmers University of Technology was launched a year ago, the team expected a gradual development after inauguration.

We are pleased to announce that WISE Networking Day 2026 will take place on November 23–24, 2026.

Are you preparing a proposal for WISE-ap3? Make sure you’re fully equipped to meet its strong sustainability ambitions.

”My appointment reflects the board’s ambition to further strengthen and embed sustainability within WISE. In this role, my responsibility is to ensure that sustainability is fully integrated across all WISE activities”, says Professor Joseph Samec, WISE Director for Sustainability.

What if electronic devices could simply disappear once their job is done? From temporary medical implants to short-term diagnostic tools, researchers are exploring materials that perform like conventional electronics but safely degrade when no longer needed.

WISE Dialogue 2026 has successfully wrapped up, gathering nearly 400 participants from academia, industry, and the public sector.