NEWS Umeå University is strengthening its strategic work on AI by appointing, for the first time, an adviser to the Vice-Chancellor with specific responsibility for the area. The position will be taken up by Johanna Björklund, Professor of Computing Science at Umeå University. She will lead the development of a new AI strategy, coordinate university-wide AI matters and promote both external and internal research collaboration in the field.
As adviser to the Vice-Chancellor, Johanna Björklund will work closely with the Vice-Chancellor and University Management to develop the University’s strategic AI initiative and strengthen Umeå University’s position in AI.
Johanna Björklund, Professor at the Department of Computing Science, is the Vice-Chancellor’s new adviser on AI.
ImageAlekzandra GranathThe position includes monitoring research and innovation policy and contributing to the responsible and ethical use of AI. Johanna Björklund will also strengthen relations with decision-makers and industry and represent Umeå University in national and international AI contexts.
“Umeå University conducts highly successful research across the broad field of AI. With an adviser to the Vice-Chancellor, we will gain greater weight and clearer direction in this area, giving us better conditions for bringing together and strengthening research environments, and for developing AI for research in a responsible way,” says Tora Holmberg, Vice-Chancellor of Umeå University.
Johanna Björklund is Professor of Computing Science at Umeå University. Her research includes formal languages, machine learning and the analysis of multimodal data. She also has extensive experience of combining research with innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration.
“I look forward to bringing together different perspectives and creating the conditions for new collaborations, strong research environments and research that has a major impact, both scientifically and in society,” says Johanna Björklund, Professor at the Department of Computing Science.
Johanna Björklund will take up the position of adviser to the Vice-Chancellor for AI on 1 December.