WASP Lighthouse

Umeå University has a growing WASP (Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program) community that includes around 105 faculty members, researchers, postdocs, and doctoral students. The WASP Lighthouse at Umeå University supports this community through four main objectives: to strengthen the local WASP network and increase its visibility within the university; to promote collaboration between WASP researchers, industry, and society; to involve students at all levels in research and innovation activities connected to WASP; and to raise the visibility of Umeå University’s WASP-related research among leading international researchers as well as early-career talents. Together, these efforts aim to create a stable and open environment for research and collaboration.

In order to reach these objectives, the WASP Lighthouse has formulated a set of sub-goals. These include establishing a physical and virtual presence at Umeå University, with the main physical environment located in the MIT building. The Lighthouse also aims to increase the local visibility of WASP across the university, engaging not only active WASP members but also other employees, students at all levels, and external partners in industry and society.

Further goals are to strengthen the internal WASP community and support a sense of belonging, to reinforce connections between WASP PhD students and the national WASP PhD programme and Student Council, and to act as a link to other research initiatives relevant to WASP. The Lighthouse will also work to raise awareness of WASP-related research and encourage student participation in associated activities, as well as facilitate collaboration with industry and society at local, regional, national, and international levels.