Inspirational Wednesdays

Welcome to our biweekly inspirational lunch seminars!

Join us as we in a relaxing environment take part of our alumni and current PhD students personal journeys. How did they end up where they are today and what have they learnt along the way? 

While our aim is to finish each session within the lunch hour we have scheduled in an extra 30 min (totalling a 90 min session) so that there is time for all of you to put your questions across. 

We will forever be thankful towards our PhD community and our alumni who have so generously helped us put this programme together for you. We hope you get as excited and inspired as we are when you read the presentations below.

Enjoy!

---

Writing a thesis and the path to a career in Academia featuring Isabelle Karlsson, PhD Candidate, Dep. of Strategic Communication

Isabelle is a PhD student at the Department of Strategic Communication. She holds a Master's degree (MSc) in Strategic Communication from Lund University and a Bachelor's degree (BA) in Communication Science and Sociology from Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, which included one semester at the University La Sapienza in Rome.

Her current research focuses on public diplomacy, nation branding, discourse analysis and foreign policy.

Join us to hear Isabelle's journey, from her studies to her practical experience and current PhD studies.

---

Alumni portrait: Working in the world's largest refugee camp at the time of the pandemic featuring Suedip Joshi, WFP, Banglades.

Join us and meet our alumni Suedip Joshi who is the Deputy Emergency Coordinator and Deputy Head of Office at Cox's Bazar, the WFP.

In his role he has led the food assistance portfolio, cash-based transfers, and rapid response for sudden onset emergencies. He also coordinated the Safe Access to Fuel and Energy project, jointly with IOM and FAO, and co-designed the multi-year public work and community services project with the World Bank.

Prior to joining WFP Bangladesh, Mr. Joshi held a range of roles across the organisation, including the Regional Emergencies Officer in the Bangkok Regional Bureau, supported two emergency responses in Papua New Guinea, and national contingency planning exercises in Bhutan, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Philippines.

He also worked for People in Need, a Czech INGO, in Afghanistan and led their Nepal emergency response after 2015 earthquake. Apart of humanitarian operations, he has worked with UNOPS in Myanmar and at public donor foundations in Finland.

---

Writing a thesis and the path to a career in Academia featuring Jana Wrange, PhD Candidate, Dep. of Political Science

Jana Wrange was employed as a doctoral student at the Department of Political Science on 1 September 2018, after graduating from the European Affairs programme at Lund University, following European studies at Malmö University and employment as consultant at the Estonian Government Office during its Precidency of the Council of the European Union in 2017.

Her main research and teaching Interests are:

• Security and Defence
• The European Union
• Small States Studies
• Intelligence Analysis

Jana Wrange's current project aims at producing new knowledge and better understanding of the international preconditions to develop, strengthen and direct Sweden’s civil defence. The study focuses on how these preconditions have been affected by societal processes of change on the international level, directing attention to how the government’s bi- and multilateral interaction with other countries and in international forums affects the decision-making capacity, scope of action and organization of the state.

---

Alumni portrait: Having the courage to jump ships! When everyone says you need a masters but what if you don't? Featuring Jone Sestaukaskaite, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, Lithuania

In this session you will meet Jone Sestakauskaite who works as the Managing Director of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania.

Jone was a registrered Master student at LU but came across a job ad that screamed her name. Would she have the courage to leave the safety of academia och make a jump? Join us in hearing her inspirational story and get to know more about how it is to work at the Swedish Chamber of Commerce.

---

Writing a thesis and the path to a career in Academia featuring Isabelle Johansson, PhD Candidate, Dep. of Sociology

Isabelle became interested in research on the trade in sexual services during the time she worked with sex workers in Italy, in a project aimed at securing the rights of sex workers, such as access to healthcare and information on immigration and prostitution legislation. She values applied research and collaboration between researchers and other societal actors. Among other things, she has worked as a consultant for human trafficking policies at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Isabelle has a bachelor's degree in social anthropology from Lund University and a master's degree in International Migration & Ethnic Relations from Malmö University, where she was awarded the MIM Master Essay award for her master's thesis "Swedish Anti-Trafficking Policy: Official Framework and Local Practices". She has also received stipends from the Centre for European Studies Stipend at Lund University and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

Her main research interests are:

• Sexuality
• Migration
• Rights
• Social Norms & The Regulation of Behaviour
• Qualitative Methods

To learn more about Isabelle and see her current research please visit her research profile by clicking here.

---

Alumni portrait: Which way to go? When the choice is between working as a diplomat or an entreprenuer. Featuring Kim Strömberg, Shotluckan, Sweden

In this session you will meet and get to know Kim Strömberg who has a degree in Political Science and Economics. Kim has a different journey than most and in this session he will talk about his internship in Mexico, reaching his dream when getting admitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs diplomatprogramme and then resigning to pursue another dream.

---

Writing a thesis and the path to a career in Academia featuring Alicia Fjällhed, PhD Candidate, Dep. of Strategic Communication

---

Alumni portrait: Combining your passion with your degree - meet basketpall enthusiast and project manager Irene Otamiri.

Irene Otamiri has been active on the Swedish basketball scene for a long time and her journey started in Lund when she at the age of 12 started playing the game. Since then she has played at the highest level on Eos Basketballteam and Norrköping Dolphins as well as on college in USA at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). As one of Sweden's talents Irene represented the country in the junior national team and the senior national team. After a few years away, she is now back making a difference as a project manager at Skånes basketbollförbund and as assistant coach for Eos Basket women's team, Eos girls 06 and U15 national team. Irene is one of five assistant coaching in the Swedish Basketball league.

---

Alumni portrait: Working as a psychologist with a passion in children's development - meet our alumni Erika Svensson

Erika Svensson is a certified psychologist who's passionate about children's development and children with learning disabilities. She is currently one of the members of a team of psychologist who provide guidance for teachers across the Svedala municipality. Erika was admitted to and studied psychology at Lund University, after a long struggle trying to convert her BSc in Psychology from the UK to a Swedish one. As part of her studies in Lund she also did an exchange semester at Alliant International University in San Diego. 

---

Inspirational seminar: The Innovation Podd and Tim Schultz

---