Why I've Fallen in Love with Sweden

I've been in Gothenburg for 3 weeks now, my tenth trip here as a Visiting Professor at the School of Business, Economics and Law (Handelshogskolan)  at the University of Gothenburg.

I have been immerse in writing a book and also discussing research topics with colleagues and also talking with doctoral students.

Below I have a panoply of photos that show the charm of this city and Sweden.

My colleagues have standing desks (better for one's health):

At the same time, there is a folding seat in the elevators:

The Business School's cafeteria is fabulous but today was the last day of service of the academic year so I had to thank the chef and server.

 The parental leaves are great so there are a lot of hipster Daddies taking care of children:

The public transportation is fabulous and I have 4 choices for commuting to work: walking (a good couple of miles), taking the trolley, taking a bus, or the ferry. Today I took the ferry home and the ride was free! The view was pretty great, too.

Where else do you find color-coordinated blankets on chairs outside cafes in case you need them.

The nature and preservation of it are spectacular.

The high school graduation celebrations are so stylish:

 The fish and treats are delicious:

And were else can you find parts of a Viking ship (the museums are favorite destinations of mine)!

Blogging from Sweden

It's great to be back in Sweden. Since 2012 I have been a Visiting Professor at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg and I spend about 44 days a year in the beautiful city of Gothenburg.

I arrived in Gothenburg on Thursday to a day of glorious sunshine which held up even yesterday.

I am living in another part of the city than I have been in the past so it is a bit too far to walk to work since I would have to walk over a long bridge. So, instead, I have a monthly pass to ride the trolleys, which I love.

The trolleys (sometimes called trams here) run frequently, are reliable, and are very comfortable - what more can you ask for!

I will not be getting into a car for a month. A taxi brought me from the airport and the next time I will be in a car will be when I head back to the airport.

I've already had a chance to explore some of my favorite spots in this very green city including the Slottskogan Park, where I was asked for directions in Swedish. I was able to give directions in English. It's also been delightful to find new foodstores and to carry the food home. Swedish cities and towns are so walkable and designed with amenities in mind. About 2 blocks from my apartment complex is a Saluhall where I can buy fresh fish, baked goods, and lots of fruits and vegetables.

I am looking forward to seeing my Swedish colleagues at work on Monday!

Sustainability of Cities in Sweden with Gothenburg as an Example

Serendipitously, one of my best friends, Engineering Professor Kei May Lau, who used to be at UMass Amherst, and for the past decade has been a Professor at HKUST in Hong Kong, happened to be in Gothenburg, Sweden this past week. She was invited to speak at Chalmers University.

Since I am now back in Gothenburg as a Visiting Professor for several weeks this summer the timing was perfect - thank you Chalmers!

Kei May marveled at the greenery of this city, which is the second largest in Sweden.

In this beautiful city, there are different modes of transport to choose from and congestion pricing is really working!

In this lovely city, the canals were built by the Dutch. We visited the Gothenburg City Museum today, where I took the photo below of the aerial view of the city. The Gothenburg City museum recently was picked to be the best museum in Sweden.

I especially appreciate the walkability of this city, the safety, the architectural bbeauty and the proliferation of green spaces and parks.

And since sustainability is a theme of my research, I can't help but be inspired here and I thank the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg for my appointment as a Visiting Professorship of Operations Management!

Coincidentally, the new mayor of NYC, Bill de Blasio, was in Sweden last week and visited Stockholm (I was still in Sicily then) to learn about what Sweden does to maintain such a great record of traffic safety, as reported by The New York Times.