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  3. [2022-04-08] New programme director for Mistra SafeChem
News | 2022-04-08
A woman in the middle, a man on either side of her

The new programme director Richard Lihammar together with Hanna Holmquist, programmer manager, and John Munthe, former programme director who now is senior advisor.

New programme director for Mistra SafeChem

The board of Mistra SafeChem has appointed Richard Lihammar as the new programme director. John Munthe, who has held this position since the start, will remain in the programme as senior advisor. At the same time, Hanna Holmquist takes over as programme manager.

Richard Lihammar (above), project manager at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, knows the programme well as he has been programme manager since the spring of 2020. He also made his PhD at the department of organic chemistry at Stockholm University which has three academic research groups active in the programme.

– We are now two years into the programme and research is progressing well in all our various fields. Meetings and structure for interactions are set and with the breakfast seminar series, regular newsletters and the freshly published annual report we are sharing the results of the programme with external stakeholders, says Richard Lihammar.

Keep delivering and start overall synthesis

– For the coming years I see two main missions for me as programme director. The first aim is to ensure that we keep on delivering the research that is planned, and spread it where and when possible. I especially look forward to seeing the work progress in the case studies where we investigate how to best utilize the novel research made on tools and methods in challenges present in chemical development, production and substitution.

– The second aim is more forward-looking where we shortly will set up working groups focussing on the overall synthesis of results from phase one, plan for expansions on upcoming EU calls and set the aim and scope of a phase 2. Here we will have great help from our newly appointed senior advisor, says Richard Lihammar.

Look for opportunities to expand the research

The senior advisor is the former programme director John Munthe, head of research at IVL, who will strengthen the programme management.

– My first task as senior advisor will be to ensure that there are no gaps in the transfer of responsibilities. And as Richard implied, I will also start the planning process for phase 2 of the programme in dialogue with our partners and look for opportunities to expand the research we are doing in new projects for example via Horizon Europe, says John Munthe, who will also continue to be active in work package 2, A vision and agenda for green and sustainable chemistry.

New programme manager

The programme leadership is completed by Hanna Holmquist, IVL, who takes a permanent role as programme manager along as leader of work package 5, Life cycle assessment and management.

Richard Lihammar also takes charge of work package 1, Programme management, WP coordination and communication, and is active in two cases studies in work package 6.