This is the third annual activity report of the new mechanics department and covers the period July 1, 1994 -- June 30, 1995. The mechanics department has approximately 60 employees and a yearly turnaround of nearly 30 MSEK. It is organized in four divisions:
division of fluid physics (H. Alfredsson)
division of hydromechanics (F. Bark)
division of mechanics (A. Johansson and M. Lesser)
division of numerical fluid dynamics (L. Fuchs)
The head of department ('prefekt') is professor Arne Johansson and vice dito ('proprefekt') is professor Henrik Alfredsson. The study rector ('studierektor') is Hanno Essén.
The department board consists of: Henrik Alfredsson (vice chairman), Fritz Bark, Hanno Essén, Arne Johansson (chairman), Lillemor Lindbom, Anders Nilsson (prof. of technical acoustics, external board member), Magnus Olsson (grad. stud. repr., suppl. Pär Ekstrand), Lars Thor and an undergraduate student representative.
The teaching activities comprise courses in basic mechanics at all parts of KTH except the Schools of Architecture and Surveying, and a large number of higher level and graduate courses on many different aspects of mechanics of solids as well as of fluids.
The research activities can essentially be classified into two major areas, viz. "Fluid mechanics" and "Theoretical and applied mechanic". There are altogether 29 graduate students active at the department and several external graduate students in industry and research institutes. Two doctoral degrees and four licentiate degrees were awarded during the year of 1994/95. Also two docent degrees were awarded.
The Mechanics department together with fluid dynamics researchers at other KTH departments and at FFA has the status of ERCOFTAC Pilot Centre (coordinator: Dan Henningson).
Together with several other KTH departments the Mechanics department was granted the status of NUTEK Competence Centre ('Kompetenscentrum') in 'Processteknisk strömningsmekanik' (director: Fritz Bark). The centre can mean a considerable increase in fluid dynamics activities at the mechanics department (for details see section 6.3).
The move to a new common location for the department
The division of mechanics was evecuated during the summer of 1994 to temporary offices. Gustav Amberg was responsible for much of the contacts with architects etc and for the organization of the move. Thanks to a very positive attitude of everybody involved the stay in the temporary offices worked out smoothly. It may be worth mentioning that Arne Nordmark and Stellan Berlin succeeded in having the computer network operational already the first day after the move. The move was made official by a department coffee with cake in ``Balsalen" on September 1, 1994.
After years of planning the move to a common location for all divisions of the department took place 22-24 April 1995. The move was a rather smooth one and the completion was signified by a department coffee with sandwiches and cake on the 27:th of April in the location of the new combined library and ``lunch room". A department party to celebrate the occasion took place on June 8. The passageway between the two towers and the large gathering area located on level six is the location of our department library and forms a natural meeting place and a place where one can browse and even relax.
In connection with the move the department invested in new copying machines, faxes and printers for about 400 kSEK.
Personel related matters
Henrik Alfredsson has been appointed vice dean ('prodekanus') of the Engineering physics faculty ('TFY').
Five new graduate students started during 94/95. Carl Häggmark and Daniel Söderberg have prof. Henrik Alfredsson as main advisor and Paul Andersson and Casper Hildings have prof. Dan Henningson as main advisor. Torkel Hambraeus has Arne Johansson as main advisor.
Gustaf Liljegren worked as a temporary assistent during six months.
Laszlo Fuchs' adjunct professorship period terminated June 30, 1995, but Laszlo will continue as a guest professor for 30 % of his time. Laszlo's regular position is now professor in "Flow technology" ('Strömningsteknik') at the Technical University of Lund.
Department meetings
The department board met on August 22, October 11, February 20 and June 9.
A number of decisions were taken, especially at the June 9 meeting, that will influence the future development of the department. A decision was taken to organize the department as one unit without divisions starting on July 1, 1995. Details of the decisions that may be regarded as consequencies of the new organization are described elsewhere.
Teacher staff meetings were held on August 31, October 5, February 9, March 9, April 5 and May 11, where issues regarding mostly the basic mechanics courses were discussed.
Miscellaneous
An honorary volume to celebrate the 65:th birthday of Prof. Mårten Landahl was officially handed over to professor Landahl at a short ceremony. The volume consists of 9 papers by 12 of his former graduate students (and some additional co-authors) and is published as a special double issue of Applied Scientific Research (including references 5,7,24,27,54 in section 7.5).
In accordance with central regulations and laws the department now has a `jämställdhetsplan' and an `arbetsmiljöplan'.
A `samverkansgrupp' consisting of Arne Johansson (chairman) and Ingunn Wester as representatives for the employer, and three representatives for the employee organizations, viz. Marcus Gällstedt (SF), Lillemor Lindbom (ATF) and Anders Thor (SACO) has been active. The tasks include, e.g. MBL negotiations.
The department has a contract one hour per week at 'KTH-hallen' for `innebandy' or volleyball.
A Christmas lunch on December 13 was combined with a department information meeting.
The department is now a member of the Euromech Mechanics Society.
Arne Nordmark took over as head of the department computer group after Gustav Amberg.
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