21 Jun 2023
Daniel Simon is American and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. He has a PhD in Physics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he first entered the world of organic (bio)electronics.
In 2007, he moved to Sweden to do a postdoc at Linköping University focusing on bio/therapeutic applications of organic electronics. Since then, he has risen to group leader and finally Professor.
-I’ve always loved science fiction, and now I lead a group of 15 researchers turning sci-fi into sci-fact using organic bioelectronics and bridging the gap between biology and technology, says Daniel.
You are the research coordinator at WISE. What does the role imply?
As research coordinator, I coordinate (together with Erna Delczeg) all aspects of WISE-funded research. This includes the grant calls and evaluations for academic and industrial PhD and postdoc projects, as well as assisting with strategic recruitment and the associated PhD and postdoc recruitment processes. I’m also deeply involved in coordinating the Research and Technology Platform infrastructure investments. Finally, from my perspective as Professor and Organic Bioelectronics group leader at Linköping University, I provide a research-leader’s perspective on many day-to-day questions and tasks in the Program Office.
What would you say is the best versus the most challenging part of your job?
Best part? Easy! Getting to work on such a large and influential initiative that I believe will have real impact on Swedish, regional, and international efforts to enable a sustainable future! Of course, the scope of WISE leads to the most challenging aspects: coordinating research proposals and grants across so many universities and individual researchers. But so far, it’s been great fun!
9 Oct 2025
In a world increasingly powered by lithium-ion batteries—from smartphones to electric vehicles—the race is on to find cleaner, smarter ways to recover this critical metal.
Photo taken by Retain.
3 Oct 2025
On 2 October 2025, Chalmers University of Technology officially inaugurated its new additive manufacturing infrastructure: AM@Chalmers and the Chalmers WISE Additive node.
3 Oct 2025
The Wallenberg Centre for Quantum Technology (WACQT) and the Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability (WISE) are launching a new call to spark collaboration at the cutting edge of research.
2 Oct 2025
—Imagine a world where vehicles, buildings, and even everyday devices become self-powering, seamlessly merging structure and storage. This is the vision of structural power composites. Structural power composites open the door to a future where every part of a product contributes not only to its form and strength, but also to its function as an energy source, says WISE Guest Professor Madhavi Srinivasan from Nanyang Technological University.
25 Sep 2025
-Our role is to act as a bridge between PhD students, postdocs, and WISE Research School management. We receive questions and concerns both from students and postdocs as well as from the RS management, which we bring to our meetings for discussion, says Yamini Portes, chairperson of the WISE Student Council and PhD student at Stockholm University.
24 Sep 2025
Join us for the 6th Machine Learning Meets Materials Science Seminar, part of the WISE–WASP initiative! Mark your calendars: October 1 at 10:00!
24 Sep 2025
We’re pleased to announce that registration is now open for the AM4Life/WISE Additive Autumn School on the theme “Post-processing in AM and Surface Engineering.”
24 Sep 2025
We are pleased to welcome Professor Johan Hjelm, WISE Guest Professor at Lund University (LU), and Professor Yury Gogotsi, WISE Guest Professor at Linköping University (LiU), for a joint digital event on October 2, 2025, from 15:00 to 16:00.
17 Sep 2025
At WISE, we love to share the stories of the people driving science forward. Meet Professor Chao Zhang, an Associate Professor at Uppsala University who is passionate about reimagining the future of energy.
10 Sep 2025
–Materials science can never be done in “vacuum.” By this I mean that sustainability and circular economy must be considered from the very beginning, and this requires collaboration. No one can be an expert in everything, says WISE Guest Professor Mari Lundström from Aalto University.
2 Sep 2025
On September 11, 2025, from 15:00 to 16:00, WISE (Wallenberg Initiative Materials Science for Sustainability) will host a special guest professor lecture featuring two leading international researchers in materials science.
1 Sep 2025
The Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation is delighted to announce the 2025 call for Proof of Concept Grants in Materials Science for Sustainability, is now open for applications until October 15, 2025, at 13:00.
26 Aug 2025
In a recent report published in Scientific Reports, Professor Saeed Chehreh Chelgani from Luleå University of Technology and WISE-affiliated researcher and his colleagues tackled one of the cement industry’s most pressing challenges: energy efficiency.
25 Aug 2025
WIRA-SuPRA invites industry professionals to Husqvarna, Sweden, for a two-day event exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming the plastics industry.
25 Aug 2025
Welcome Meeting 2025 is now wrapped up – and what an event it was!
22 Aug 2025
Can smarter recycling pave the way for a more sustainable industry?
19 Aug 2025
“To achieve climate neutrality by 2050, research and innovations in energy, transport, manufacturing industry, and sustainable practices globally are crucial”, says Professor Ange Nzihou from IMT Mines Albi, France.
16 Aug 2025
On Wednesday, 20 August, Prof. Hjörvarsson will give a talk at the WISE Welcome Meeting at Louis De Geer Konsert & Kongress in Norrköping.
– I’ll give you a teaser: the title of my talk is “Bullerbyn 2.0 / El Dorado,” says Hjörvarsson with a big smile.
12 Aug 2025
The call for KAW Proof of Concept Grants in Materials Science for Sustainability will open soon.
11 Aug 2025
The Wallenberg Initiative Material Science for Sustainability (WISE) is proud to launch its second major faculty recruitment drive, opening up new opportunities to lead cutting-edge research in sustainable materials science.
Picture by Luleå University of Technology.
7 Aug 2025
An international team of scientists from France, Germany, and Sweden has taken a closer look at how magnetism can change incredibly fast—a phenomenon called ultrafast demagnetization.
For the first time, they were able to observe some of the key steps in this process as it happens in a magnetic material. Their work, published in Nature Communications, could help pave the way for faster and more energy-efficient spintronic devices used for storing and processing information.
7 Aug 2025
Get ready—one of the most anticipated events of the year is just around the corner! The WISE Welcome Meeting 2025 is fast approaching, and you won’t want to miss it!
17 Jun 2025
MAX IV is awarded 200 million SEK from Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and WISE to construct and establish a 3D imaging X-ray technology aimed at studying and developing advanced materials for the transition to a sustainable society.
16 Jun 2025
The Wallenberg Initiative Material Science for Sustainability (WISE) is excited to announce the launch of its second major faculty recruitment call.
Picture by Luleå University of technology.
9 Jun 2025
Do not miss out as the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation soon is set to open applications for its 2025 Proof of Concept Grants in Materials Science for Sustainability. The call opens on September 1 and closes on October 15, 2025, at 13:00.
26 May 2025
The Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, in partnership with the WISE research program, has selected nine promising innovation projects to receive Proof-of-Concept (PoC) grants. ,
22 May 2025
Making steel the traditional way pushes a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere—about 8% of all global energy-related emissions, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). But there’s a greener way forward.
Picture taken by Smoltek Hydrogen.
19 May 2025
A notable ensemble of WISE expertise—including Vladislav Borisov (WISE-affiliated researcher, Uppsala University), Prof. Mikhail I. Katsnelson (Radboud University, WISE Guest Professor), Prof. Konstantin Novoselov (National University of Singapore, member of WISE’s International Scientific Advisory Board), Prof. Olle Eriksson (Uppsala University, WISE co-director), and collaborators—uncovered a novel form of magnetic order in 2D materials.
16 May 2025
Chalmers University of Technology has officially inaugurated a new high-end research infrastructure to support Sweden’s transition to sustainable materials, as part of the national WISE initiative.
13 May 2025
The hazardous materials within e-waste can pose severe environmental and health risks if not managed properly. To pave the way for a sustainable future, we need to embrace cutting-edge technologies and innovative approaches.
Picture taken by Mycronic.
