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Qiuchen Wang helps strengthen research collaboration with China

24 JUNE 2020

Qiuchen Wang is now home in Beijing – on Scania R&D’s assignment. For two years, she will strengthen collaboration with Chinese research institutions. She joined Scania as an industrial PhD student in November 2018 to continue her research from KTH with a focus on the stakeholder role in technological innovation, including autonomous vehicles, electrical vehicles and mobility services.

“This concerns gaining a deeper understanding at the systems level of how stakeholders influence technology and innovation.”

“Sweden is suitable for innovation”

As a student in Beijing, her university had exchange programmes with foreign higher education institutions with the opportunity to complete their Master’s education abroad. Qiuchen Wang chose Stockholm and KTH in favour of US universities. “By comparison, I felt that Sweden is unique and suitable for technology and innovation.”

Following her Master’s exam in Transportation and Geoinformation Technology, she became engaged in a doctoral level research project. “The project was interesting and constituted an opportunity to make use of my experience. I participated both in an EU project and a project with China. An advantage in Sweden is the chance to combine academic studies with other things in life.”

Looking for collaboration with Chinese research institutions

Concurrently with her work at Scania, Qiuchen Wang has maintained a high pace in her research with two published papers and three under review. She expects to finish her PhD this year.

Meanwhile, she will now forge contacts with Chinese research institutions to discuss collaboration with Scania. “I’ve already visited some of the top institutions and am convinced that we can reach positive results. This feels really exciting and there are definitely more opportunities than challenges.”

During the Covid-19 pandemic, travel to China was complicated. Qiuchen Wang is now healthily working in the Beijing office and has already helped initiate a project with Chinese and Swedish partners.

“There are certainly differences between Western and Chinese culture. We have a higher pace in development. On the other hand, in Sweden there is the conviction that a healthy life-work balance leads to greater efficiency – also at work. We could at least try something similar in China.”

After seven years in Sweden, Qiuchen Wang is pleased to be home to Beijing with her parents that both are professors, in medicine and chemistry respectively.

“My mum is very different from other Chinese mothers who will do anything to keep their children at home. Sometimes when I’ve been back to visit, she hasn’t even been in the house.”