Friday, March 14, 2014

Back in Sweden

Some head south for spring break and, no wonder, given the winter that we have had this year in Massachusetts!

I get my muse in Sweden, where I have written several books and where the natural beauty, architecture, people, and culture, plus food, I never get tired of!

I am now back in Gothenburg, Sweden where I have been reappointed a Visiting Professor at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg. This reappointment enables me to finish up some projects (and, of course, start some new ones) that have evolved from my time here while on my sabbatical.

It always feels wonderful to be back - to see my great colleagues here and to catch up with many friends.

The crocuses have been blooming here and there is green grass (unlike the snow back in Massachusetts)!

I am especially excited about some research on intermodal transportation and sustainability as well as different business models for freight which I believe also may be of relevance to the Future Internet Architecture NSF-funded project that we have been working on. Just last week our group submitted a revision of our paper to a special issue of a journal that will feature different such architectures.

The big news in my group here in Gothenburg is that we got a new coffee machine and the cappuccino I just had was delicious!

Plus, they have hired a new senior faculty member, Professor Kevin Cullinane, from Great Britain, who will be arriving on May 1. This is a fabulous addition.

I've already had several meetings with both faculty and doctoral students here in Gothenburg.

While in Sweden I heard the sad news that Dr. Bertil Liander, who interviewed me for the position at UMass Amherst and was the MBA Director at the School of Management when I started out as an Assistant Professor,  passed away. He was Swedish and such a charming and pleasant individual. He will be missed! He had studied at the Stockholm School of Economics and received his PhD from what is now the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. He was 87. We enjoyed seeing him and his lovely wife periodically at Whole Foods.