Evaluation categories and grades (See External Reviewer Protocol, Appendix 7, for detailed information).
• Research output (publication profile and scientific impact). Grades used: Not convincing so far, reaching international standards or on the frontline.
• Utilisation and Benefits (capacity to transfer research results, stakeholder engagement in problem formulation, impact on society and business, capacity to provide qualified personnel or research based knowledge). Grades used: Not developed satisfactorily, developed satisfactorily or developed with great satisfaction.
• Collaboration (collaboration between co-applicant universities, collaboration with other SRAs, international collaboration, strategic collaboration outside of academia). Grades used: Not effective so far, effective in several dimensions or effective in all dimensions.
• Integration with Education (the integration of the research environment with different levels of education).
Grades used: Not demonstrated so far, under satisfactory development or developed with internationally high standards.
• Management (management of research environment, use of recruitment relative to the goals and intentions of the environment, management capacity in regards of societal needs). Grades used: Not convincing so far, on target and developing with high standards or moving beyond set goals.
CONTENT APPENDIX 4
EVALUATION REPORT FOR ENERGICTH, CTH ... 56 EVALUATION REPORT FOR TRANSCTH, CTH ... 59 EVALUATION REPORT FOR NANOCTH, CTH ... 62 EVALUATION REPORT FOR PRODCTH, CTH ... 64 EVALUATION REPORT FOR MATCTH, CTH ... 67 EVALUATION REPORT FOR VARDGU, GU ... 69 EVALUATION REPORT FOR CANCERKI, KI ... 72 EVALUATION REPORT FOR DIABETESKI, KI ... 75 EVALUATION REPORT FOR EPIKI, KI ... 78 EVALUATION REPORT FOR NEUROKI, KI ... 80 EVALUATION REPORT FOR STAMKI, KI ... 83 EVALUATION REPORT FOR VARDKI, KI ... 85 EVALUATION REPORT FOR MATLIU, LIU ... 88 EVALUATION REPORT FOR ITKLIU, LIU ... 90 EVALUATION REPORT FOR SÄKLIU, LIU ... 93 EVALUATION REPORT FOR HÅLLLTU, LTU ... 95 EVALUATION REPORT FOR CANCERLU, LU ... 98 EVALUATION REPORT FOR DIABETESLU, LU ... 100 EVALUATION REPORT FOR EFFNATLU, LU ... 103 EVALUATION REPORT FOR EPILU, LU ... 106 EVALUATION REPORT FOR KLIMLU, LU ... 108 EVALUATION REPORT FOR NANOLU, LU ... 110 EVALUATION REPORT FOR NEUROLU, LU ... 112 EVALUATION REPORT FOR POLREGLU, LU ... 115 EVALUATION REPORT FOR STAMLU, LU ... 117 EVALUATION REPORT FOR ITKKTH, KTH ... 120 EVALUATION REPORT FOR PRODKTH, KTH ... 123 EVALUATION REPORT FOR TRANSKTH, KTH ... 126 EVALUATION REPORT FOR EVETKTH, KTH ... 128 EVALUATION REPORT FOR MOLBIOKTH, KTH ... 130 EVALUATION REPORT FOR KLIMSU, SU ... 133 EVALUATION REPORT FOR EFFNATSU,SU ... 136
EVALUATION REPORT FOR HAVUMU, UMU ... 144 EVALUATION REPORT FOR ENERGIUMU, UMU ... 147 EVALUATION REPORT FOR SÄKUU, UU ... 150 EVALUATION REPORT FOR POLREGUU, UU ... 153 EVALUATION REPORT FOR MOLBIOUU, UU ... 156 EVALUATION REPORT FOR EVETUU, UU ... 159 EVALUATION REPORT FOR CANCERUU, UU ... 161 EVALUATION REPORT FOR VARDUU, UU ... 163 EVALUATION REPORT FOR ENERGIUU, UU ... 165
Evaluation Report for EnergiCth, CTH (Chalmers Energy initiative)
Research output
The overall grading of research output of EnergyCth in an international perspective is on the frontline.
The research environment has an outstanding publication track record in terms of both number and citation of research with a mean citation rate more than 50% over world average. Almost 15% of the publications are among the 10% highest cited and 1.5% among the top 1%. It is noteworthy that 32% are joint publications with national collaborators and a high 38% with international collaborators. Although the research output has been steady since the CEI started, publications have to a larger degree become co-authored between groups at Chalmers which is a good sign of different types of collaboration and research areas resulting from the centre.
With a higher degree of cross fertilization between groups, combined with already excellent international collaboration, the centre will likely develop even stronger in terms of research publications in the years to come.
The self-assessment indicates that all four groups included in the centre are performing equally well, which is commendable. The research environment had an output of 18 Patents (the majority jointly with industry) and established 6 companies in the project period so far. In the period, the research environment has produced 70 PhD´s (22 female) and 71 Licentiates (21 female) and over 600 MSc candidates
In addition, other outputs include: Invited speakers at international meetings. Due to the reputation and the level of research activities, the environment had four international conferences within smart grid technologies, process integration, life cycle management and chemical looping.
Opening of new research. Due to the strategic funding not least investment in experimental infrastructure has led to novel bio refinery concepts. Other highlights include energy modelling packages (incl. comprehensive European dataset) and experimental research at the Battery Research Lab complemented by LCA
Utilization and benefits
The overall grading of utilization and benefits for EnergyCth in an international perspective is on the frontline.
The research environment collaborates very actively/closely with industry and appears to be effective in transfer of knowledge and research results to these partners. In addition, the research environment participates in both national and EU-level policy committees, transferring energy system research findings into societal use.
18 Patents, the majority jointly with industry, is indicative of a high degree of utilization of research results.
The establishment of 6 companies in the project period so far is impressive. Examples of utilization and benefits:
Research collaboration includes four strategic research collaboration with industry (ABB, Göteborg energi, E.ON and Preem), 85% of patent application is together with industry, ~200 industrial PhD, adjunct professors and researchers spend time at partner industries
External grants: The environment is partner in 46 EU projects, 5 of which are coordinated by the
environment. Included are also an ERC starting grant and an ERC advanced grant. Account is also given to the Area of Advance energy which includes the environment in a larger strategic energy initiative together with other energy related areas at Chalmers – additional 35 EU projects are highlighted. All in all, the strategic funding has been instrumental to broaden the competences in critical areas, to be an attractive partner in international projects and thereby obtain further funding.
Education collaboration includes efforts to increase master thesis together with industry. E.g. ABB offers 20 master projects and 40 summer trainee positions on a yearly basis. Further the environment is linked to the Chalmers professional Education offering a range of contracted courses (36 clients being reported table 9).
The Chalmers School of entrepreneurship is also an excellent example of efforts to nurture a culture of bringing research result to business.
The environment has, through the case study, demonstrated and excellent approach to bringing research into society with multiple benefits for research, education and business.
The fact that the research environment is often called upon in societal energy debate and policy discussions (national transport- and environment roadmaps etc.), is a good sign of societal impact/benefit.
Collaboration
The overall grading of collaboration of EnergyCth in an international perspective is effective in several dimensions.
Due to the strategic funding and not least the investments in infrastructure and experimental facilities, the environment is internationally attractive for a range of academic and industry partners and collaborations have increased during the time period, leading to participation in many EU projects, hosting of four international conferences and a steady number of co-publications. This has been pursued through a two tiered approach, one where each research area identifying the international partners most likely to contribute to the further
development of the area, and the other cross cutting managed by the international coordinator of the environment.
There are no other partner University co-applicants. However, research institutes Innventia and SP are part of the centre with 10% of its budget. The collaboration between CTU and the institutes appears to be
developing positively as the centre is progressing with a common strategy of researcher mobility and adjunct positions. The self-assessment implies that the collaboration has become better with a clarification of roles and focus areas. Joint use of research infrastructure is emphasized and evaluated positively. The partners also have plans for joint national and EU policy work. As future sense is used in the self-assessment, this is interpreted as plans which have to date not been actualized.
The content of collaboration between CEI and other SRA´s is described poorly in the self-assessment. It however appears as if CEI collaborates effectively with other CTU SRA´s (Transport, Materials) and has some researcher exchange activities with other Energy SREs outside Chalmers such as Bio4Energy and STandUP for Energy. The international collaboration has been developed strategically (choosing attractive partners that can contribute to CEI development) over the funding period and an increased number of joint publications with international partners has been reported from 2011–2013 (USA, Europe, China and Japan. An extensive international collaboration on e-book publication is noteworthy. The engagement in EU projects has also increased over the funding period and environment is partner in 46 EU projects, 5 of which are coordinated by the environment. On a strategic level, the centre has engaged the former director for the Swedish Energy Authority as responsible for external relations. He is Executive Board Chair of the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation, securing a strategically important relationship and standing in Asia.
The research environment has built strong relationships with companies both in Sweden (ABB, Göteborg Energi etc etc) and internationally (E.ON etc). According to the Leiden 2014 ranking, Chalmers has been placed as number two in the world in terms of research collaboration with Industry – a very prestigious position which seems to reflect the operation of the CEI. The chosen case study on large scale production of transport fuels from Biomass together with Göteborg Energi and Valmet Power illustrates well the successful
collaboration between CTH and industry during the life cycle from small scale laboratory experiments to a full scale commercial 80–100MW plant (in 2017).
Integration with education
The overall grading of integration with education for EnergyCth in an international perspective is that it has developed with internationally high standards.
During the first years of the environment, the Chalmers Energy Academy played a role in exchanging information, knowledge, and ideas about how to adapt BSc, MSc, PhD programs and courses and continuing education to comply with societal need for skilled personnel in the energy area. With the institutionalization of
the environment in the Area of Advance, this Academy seems to have fulfilled its role. It is evident that the 10 energy related MSc. Programs and PhD courses have benefitted from the strengthened strategic energy
research, first and foremost through the teaching obligation of the researchers, guest lecturers from industry and abroad, easy access to and collaboration with industry partners and with revised and new courses reflecting the state of the art knowledge within the field. The environment also promotes the student participation in a number of international energy related competitions such as Solar Decathlon, ECO-Marathon etc. and participates in a number of international educational activities, including an Erasmus Mundus program on energy storage and conversion materials
This has led to the top evaluation score of the MSc. Programmes in a recent national evaluation (2013), with 5 programs receiving the top grade ‘very high quality’ and the other 5 receiving the grade ‘high quality’. It should also be noticed that some MSc. Energy programmes attract a high proportion of international students and in general Chalmers has a high reputations in the International Student Barometer.
Management
The overall grading of management of the EnergyCth in an international perspective for is that it is moving beyond set goals.
The CEI has held ‘meeting societal challenges’ high on its research agenda. It has significantly contributed to scientific knowledge in the energy area, been instrumental in developing industrial processes and products and graduated many candidates for recruitment in industry, academia and the public sector who will solve future energy challenges. It has attracted and educated an acceptable balance of both female (approx. 1/3) and male candidates.
The environment has continued its original management set-up with a director, an industry advisory board and a scientific advisory board and building on the existing Chalmers Energy Centre (CEC) established in 2004. It has been an advantage that Chalmers has further strengthened the strategic area though the launch of the Area of Advance in Energy, which has been important to include other energy areas otherwise, being excluded. It has therefore been wise to have the same director for both the AoA and for the environment so that these two bodies could be aligned to create synergy and avoid overlap in research and educational efforts. This environment is well managed, due to its management set-up with a director and a management team taking constantly the initiative externally towards strategic partners, stakeholders and the society at large and internally towards the researchers involved, educational activities and administration. Strategic management has also been applied in attention to cooperation between research areas in the centre, opening up for new research areas Leadership training for both experienced and young researcher has clearly also paid off given the strong international standing of CEI researchers, making them attractive as leaders and participants in a large number of EU projects (46 incl. 5 coordinated). This certainly promotes the environments international standing.
Part of the CEI success is a very clear and efficient recruitment strategy. Effort has gone into recruiting international top talent in form of assistant professors with a tenure track. The same goes for international PhD students, achieving a good mix of international and national researchers and a dynamic, well connected environment. In addition, the research area has been very strategic in identifying gaps and developing the research portfolio in terms of new recruitment filling the gaps. A smooth transition between staff generations is attempted by employment of experienced professors in addition to younger researchers. The strong focus on research leadership and training at Chalmers is commendable.
Evaluation Report for TransCth, CTH
(Chalmers Sustainable Transport Initiative)
Research output
The overall grading of research output for TransCth in an international perspective is reaching international standards.
The environment itself explains that the increase in publications is due to the fact that more researchers are active in the field. The number of journal articles has increased by 3.3 and the numbers of other publications have also increased. It is positive that a publication strategy is pursued to increase publications per researcher (publications in reviewed journals have risen from 1.4 to 1.9 per researcher – no evidence provided) and co-publications with industry (no evidence provided).
The mean citation rate is about 1 while the proportion in top 10% is 6.9% and top 1% is 0.2%. Since the funding in the last year was 4.6M euros, the journal articles per M euros of funding was 76. It should however be mentioned that app. 31% of the publications is not covered by WoS. The proportion of publications based on national and international collaboration is 31% and 43% respectively, which compared to other environments are high.
To properly assess the publication profile, better statistics is needed, for example number and category of full time equivalent researchers involved. It is not convincing just to count participating researchers (more than 10% of full time personnel), nor mentioning the increase of principal investigators from 10 to 50, nor
highlighting that 190 senior researchers are involved in 2012. And it is misleading to mention the CWTS Leiden Ranking 2014 for co-publications with industry, which ranks universities and not cross-institutional strategic research environments such as the Transport environment.
All in all, their transport efficiency and transport safety approaches seem unique and forward looking and bring together an interdisciplinary approach which is good. This includes the new programme on Li-S technology in Sustainable Vehicle Technology and the world's first full-scale test facility for future traffic safety solutions in Traffic Safety, not only for its large size, but for the possibility to test all modes of road transportation, and their interaction, in different types of traffic environments such as city, highway and rural roads.
The environment is expanding internationally with collaborations with US partners who have US funding.
Also, the environment has participated or participates in many EU projects. However, there is some data quality issues regarding the timing of projects and also if the environment per se has had an impact on participation and success rate of such grants.
Utilization and benefits
The overall grading of utilization and benefit for TransCth in an international perspective has developed satisfactorily.
This is an area of particularly strong results – based on the project’s evaluation. They have worked to enable the establishment of Joint research centres and collaboration with industry and societal actors. This has been accomplished through 135 researchers (of 557) working with 202 companies and about half that number having connections with Swedish and international societal organizations, and 92 with research institutes in Sweden and abroad. Through their education program, there were 58 industrial PhDs, 380 master’s theses through work with companies, 10 patents and 5 start-up firms. They have also involved society in educational programs.
There is good interplay with and participation in governmental strategy processes and commissions, including contributing to national research agendas.
Joint research projects are highlighted as the main mechanism to engage stakeholders and these have led to improvements and optimization and improvements in vehicle controls and there have been over 80 such direct impacts. Industry has also been invited to help set research agendas in two specialized research centres (no information of which). Chalmers has involved stakeholders in transfer of research results with an innovation
office that supports overall strategies, processes and methodologies for knowledge transfer and impact
generation. They seem to be responding to societal needs through the attention to transport challenges, such as, the need to change technologies and behaviors in the transport system and to other developments that can contribute to making future transport solutions green, safe and efficient. The number of PhD degrees increased from 19 in 2010 to 34 in 2013, although the number of females was the same in the two years. The number of licentiates increased more significantly, from 6 to 43 with similar increases in both male and female students.
They report that their graduates are consistently employed in highly relevant positions, and the Swedish Higher Education Authority has given it high ranking. Importantly in terms of the connectivity and expansion of the field is that their transport research impacts directly on over 50% of Chalmers’ education programs. A final positive impact on the research based knowledge is that the number of conference s, visiting researchers and research visits has increased.
Collaboration
The overall grading of collaboration for TransCth in an international perspective is effective in several dimensions.
Chalmers receives 85% of the strategic funding, and thus is far the dominating part in the collaboration.
Perhaps therefore, the environment has chosen to use own institutions and existing centres as communication platform instead of building its own platform. This was further institutionalized when Chalmers established Transport as an Area of Advance, which has strongly contributed with strategic direction and operation
management capability and capacity. It is positive that efforts are made to integrate the Gothenburg coordinator in the AoA management set-up, though evidently it remains an unequal collaboration with unequal influence.
There are some difficulties as noted: ‘Our two universities are large organisations and transport research is a multi-disciplinary activity, engaging about 200 senior researchers from almost all Chalmers departments and four University of Gothenburg faculties. Thus, it has been challenging to find and bring together researchers doing relevant work. This was particularly challenging at the University of Gothenburg, where researchers must identify as members of particular disciplines who study transport, rather than as transport researchers.’
Since the Energy SRE is at Chalmers there is collaboration on the chain from biomass sources to the combustion and exhaust treatment of new fuels, as well as joint research on hybrid and electric drivelines, extending to ‘smart grids’ on the Energy side. Their battery research also has links to the Material SRE. They
Since the Energy SRE is at Chalmers there is collaboration on the chain from biomass sources to the combustion and exhaust treatment of new fuels, as well as joint research on hybrid and electric drivelines, extending to ‘smart grids’ on the Energy side. Their battery research also has links to the Material SRE. They