This is the second annual activity report of the new mechanics department and covers the period July 1, 1993 - June 30, 1994. The mechanics department has approximately 60 employees and a yearly turnaround of nearly 30 MSEK. It is organized in four divisions:
division of hydromechanics (F. Bark)
division of mechanics (A. Johansson and M. Lesser)
division of fluid physics (H. Alfredsson)
division of numerical fluid dynamics (L. Fuchs)
The department is presently split into three locations, but will have its new offices in the north-west part of the main building from late spring of 1995. The mechanics division will spend the academic year of 1994/95 in temporary premises in the eastern part of the main building ('Stora Gården').
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 (external board member), Magnus Olsson (grad. stud. repr., suppl. Pär Ekstrand), Lars Thor and Claes Erixon (stud.repr., suppl. Rikard Allo).
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, Fluid mechanics and Theoretical and applied mechanics. There are altogether approximately 25 graduate students active at the department and several external graduate students in industry and research institutes. Five doctoral degrees and two licentiate degrees were awarded during the year of 1993/94.
The Mechanics department together with fluid dynamics researchers at other KTH departments and at FFA applied to the European Research Community on Flow Turbulence and Combustion (ERCOFTAC) to obtain status as an ERCOFTAC Pilot Centre. The status as Swedish ERCOFTAC Pilot Centre (coordinator: Dan Henningson) was granted at the ERCOFTAC's General Assembly Meeting i Poitier in October 1993.
Together with several other KTH departments the Mechanics department was granted the status of NUTEK Competence Centre ('Kompetenscentrum') in 'Processteknisk strömningsmekanik' ('föreståndare': Fritz Bark). The economics are yet to be negotiated, but the centre can mean a considerable increase in fluid dynamics activities at the mechanics department, which in turn probably will imply several new graduate students and possibly research associate positions.
Personel related matters
Ingrid Grahnén retired November 1 after almost 20 years at KTH. Maj Olsson retired February 1 after having been approximately 22 years at KTH. Peter Simonsson retired February 1 after 38 years at KTH. We thank all three for their services to us and the students of KTH. Peter Simonsson who was a highly appreciated teacher and a well known propeller specialist became seriously ill soon after his retirement and died in August 1994 at the age of 64.
New administrative staff are Helena Carlsson and Anne-Mari Olofsson. Helena started July 1 and works part time at the fluid physics division and part time at the mechanics division. Anne-Mari started January 10 and works mainly with GRU-administration.
Arne Nordmark and Magnus Hallbäck were appointed as research associates ('forskarassistent') on July 1 and November 1, respectively, with 50 % financing from 'rörliga resursen'.
Laszlo Fuchs was appointed professor in flow technology ('Strömningsteknik') at Lunds Tekniska Högskola by the goverment, and has during late spring started there part time, while remaining part time at KTH.
Department meetings
A department meeting was held on September 3 to discuss and vote on the issue of recommending the KTH leadership to pursue the efforts to become a 'private' university. The vote was (slightly) in favour.
A department conference was held on October 1 at Villa Pauli. 51 persons gathered to enjoy a tasty lunch and to discuss a number of issues regarding the future of the department, ranging from education to planning for new offices.
A department Christmas lunch was held December 13 at 'Nootska palatset'.
The department board met on February 8 and June 1.
An information meeting regarding the temporary move of the mechanics division was held on May 4.
A department conference was held on May 26 with 57 persons attending. It started with a boat trip to the 'Loviks Konferensgård' where a buffet lunch awaited. Major topic was the planning for the move to new offices 1995, and the situation for the basic mechanics education.
Teaching staff meetings were held on February 23, March 24, April 29 and May 20. Many matters concerning the basic mechanics courses were discussed. Practically all concerned teachers, including 'studierektor' and 'prefekt' took part and stimulating discussions resulted in several decisions concerning the course material, the form of examination etc.
Miscellaneous
A new group, 'samverkansgrupp', has been formed within the department. It consists 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). The tasks include, MBL negotiations.
The department has a contract for an hour per week of 'innebandy' or volleyball, an activity open for everybody at the department.