Keynote Speakers and Speakers – Global Impact Forum
Here are the Keynote Speakers and Speakers at Global Impact Forum at Mälardalen University.
Dougald Hine
Keynote Speaker 20 May
Dougald Hine is a social thinker, writer and speaker. After an early career as a BBC journalist, he co-founded organisations including the Dark Mountain Project and a school called HOME. He has collaborated with scientists, artists and activists, serving as a leader of artistic development at Riksteatern (Sweden’s national theatre) and as an associate of the Centre for Environment and Development Studies at Uppsala University. His latest book is At Work in the Ruins: Finding Our Place in the Time of Science, Climate Change, Pandemics & All the Other Emergencies (2023). He co-hosts The Great Humbling podcast and publishes a Substack called Writing Home.
Dougald Hine, Photo: Ingrid Rieser
Dr. Sonali Pednekar
Keynote Speaker 20 May
Dr. Sonali Pednekar is a distinguished historian and academic leader with over 40 years of experience in teaching, research, and higher education. She has held senior roles including Principal of Mulund College of Commerce in Mumbai and Head of the Department of History at Vaze College.
Her work focuses on regional and urban history, archival research, and historical sources, with particular expertise in interpreting Modi script. She has led several research projects, contributed to historical scholarship in Maharashtra and Mumbai, and supervised doctoral research in Indian history.
Dr. Pednekar is also known for her commitment to preserving and advancing Indian cultural heritage through education. Her work within Indian Knowledge Systems builds bridges between classical philosophy, language studies, and contemporary societal issues, making her an important voice in academic discussions on Indian identity and knowledge traditions.
Through her long-standing engagement in teaching, research, and academic development, she has played a key role in advancing historical knowledge and mentoring new generations of scholars.
Dr. Sonali Pednekar
Uday Salunkhe
Keynote Speaker 20 May
Prof. Dr. Uday Salunkhe is the Group Director of S.P. Mandali’s Prin. L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development and Research (WeSchool), India with 2 campuses in Mumbai and Bengaluru. Dr. Salunkhe has the distinction of being recipient of the Eisenhower Fellowship, USA, which acknowledges and honors the contribution of thought leaders across the globe to their respective domains, bringing them together, for a greater impact. He has been a scholar at the Linnaeus- Palme program at the Malardalen University, Sweden.
He has initiated several international partnerships with universities globally to facilitate faculty & student mobility, collaborative research, social initiatives, study internships, etc. Dr. Salunkhe is currently the Governing Board Member and Chairman of the Education Committee of the Council of European Union (EU) Chambers of Commerce in India.
Prof. Dr. Uday Salunkhe
Annika Wäppling Korzinek
Keynote Speaker 21 May
Annika Wäppling Korzinek holds the position as Head of the European Commission representation in Sweden. She is a Swedish national and has pursued a career of over 25 years in the EU institutions. Before joining the Representation in Sweden, she worked in the European Commission Directorate General for Environment and previously also with sustainable development in the European Economic and Social Committee. She has extensive experience in communication and outreach, EU general affairs, sustainable development, as well as climate and environment policy. As head of the Commission’s representation, Annika Wäppling Korzinek is a spokesperson of the Commission, representing and communicating its policies, proposals and positions.
Annika Wäppling Korzinek
Jan Larsson
Keynote Speaker 21 May
Jan Larsson was appointed CEO of Business Sweden in May 2021. He has a broad experience from business, government offices and politics in Sweden. In business, he has been management consultant and engagement manager at McKinsey & Company and was partner at the public relations consultancy Brunswick. Furthermore , he was CEO of the private equity owned vocational
education company YrkesAkademin and Chief Communications Officer at two leading Nordic banks, Nordea and Handelsbanken.
In the government offices, Larsson has served as State Secretary, Chief of Staff, Press Secretary and Speech writer to the former Swedish Prime minister and as political adviser to the former Finance Minister. In addition, he has been Sherpa to the Prime Minister in the Progressive Governance Network of Heads of Government, research scholar in Yugoslavia/Slovenia and reserve Lieutenant in the Swedish airborne rangers. He has also held board positions in both companies and state authorities.
Jan Larsson
Monica Odlare
Speaker Innovation and impact showcases 20 May
Monica Odlare is a professor in Environmental Engineering with a PhD in Microbiology, driven by a clear ambition: science and technology should make a real difference in the world. Her research focuses on water and nutrient recovery, controlled-environment indoor farming, and circular resource systems that strengthen local resilience and future food security.
Much of her work revolves around connecting researchers, companies, municipalities, and students who share the same goal: building a more sustainable and resource-efficient society.
Monica Odlare lead several research projects and international collaborations, including partnerships with Texas State University, Mendel University in Brno, and IIT Bombay, exploring how circular systems and innovative resource strategies can help communities become more resilient and better prepared for the future.
Monika Odlare
Rupali Deshmukh
Speaker Innovation and impact showcases 20 May
Rupali Deshmukh is a sustainability professional passionate about driving sustainable business development. She has deep expertise in water, wastewater, waste management, textile sorting & recycling, and resource efficiency for cleaner production.Rupali has broad international experience with a wide range of clients within the public and private sectors, ranging from municipalities, government authorities to trade organizations and industry, both in Sweden and internationally.She has worked on/developed projects which combines applied research and development with close collaboration between industry and the public sphere. Rupali has experience in coordinating, participating, and organizing projects and conferences within EU’s research programmers.
Rupali Deshmukh
Anil Kumar Dikshit
Speaker Innovation and impact showcases 20 May
Anil Kumar Dikshit is a Professor at the Environmental Science and Engineering Department at the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, India. Professor Dikshit’s expert areas include environment systems planning and management; environmental impact assessment and water supply; clean technology; and wastewater engineering among many others. He is a popular keynote speaker and has vast international experience of working wi th universities in many countries both through extensive research collaborations as well as through being a visiting professor.
Anil Kumar Dikshit
Indra Khant Jha
Speaker Innovation and impact showcases 20 May
Indra Khant Jha (PhD) is a passionate environmental engineer and entrepreneur with over a decade of leadership the intersection of of scientific research and scalable clean-tech solutions. As the Founder and CEO of EMERGY Enviro (an IIT Bombay-incubated start-up), Indra Kant Jha has pioneered the commercialisation of patented, Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) and redefined wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and air pollution mitigation. He leads a team of 60+ engineers that deliver sustainable results for clients ranging from the Government of India, State Governments, Fortune 500 PSUs and Industries.
Indra Khant Jha
Francesco Fatone
Speaker Innovation and impact showcases 20 May
Francesco Fatone, Full Professor of Environmental Chemical Engineering at Università Politecnica delle Marche and Coordinator of the research laboratory WWEELab (Water Waste Energy Environment Laboratory) and visiting professor at Imperial College London.
His research focuses on sustainable wastewater and organic waste treatment, with particular emphasis on resource recovery and circular economy solutions. He has authored over 170 scientific publications and coordinated or led numerous European research projects, securing more than €10 million in funding. Prof. Fatone is Editor-in-Chief of the IWA H2Open Journal and an active member of the international water research community, contributing to scientific boards, policy advisory groups, and major conferences worldwide.
Since 2005 authored and co-authored >150 SCOPUS-indexed papers , more than 10 chapters of international edited book and more than 150 presentations at international and national congresses all dealing with the treatments and valorization of wastes and wastewaters.
Francesco Fatone, Full Professor of Environmental Chemical Engineering
Joakim Flink
Speaker Innovation and impact showcases 20 May
Pladdra is an AI platform designed to support teachers and students in their everyday work, strengthening their roles rather than replacing them. At its core is a simple idea: every student deserves the right support and meaningful feedback to progress, while teachers should have more time for what matters most—teaching, interaction, and human connection.
Built on three key foundations; pedagogical relevance, data security, and accessibility, Pladdra is developed to work in real classrooms, earn trust, and be available to all schools. Behind Pladdra is Joakim Flink, an experienced leader at the intersection of AI and education. His work includes national AI education initiatives, award-winning innovation, and the development of tools supporting both learning and student wellbeing.
Together with schools, teachers, and students, Pladdra is shaping a future where AI supports education with pedagogy as its compass.
Joakim Flink, founder of Pladdra
Petra von Heideken Wågert
Speaker Co-creation with society 21 May
* Co-creation with Public Sector: Center for Welfare Change
Petra von Heideken Wågert is Professor of Physiotherapy and Scientific Lead of the Centre for Welfare Change at Mälardalen University, a neutral collaborative arena where academia, the public sector, industry, and civil society come together to shape the future of welfare through health and welfare technology.
Petra von Heideken Wågert brings perspectives on how co-created processes between research and societal stakeholders can drive sustainable, evidence-based transformation of welfare systems.
Petra von Heideken Wågert
Thomas Nolte
Speaker Co-creation with society 21 May
* Co-creation with Industry: MARC
Thomas Nolte is Professor at Mälardalen University and Director of the Mälardalen University Automation Research Center (MARC), a multidisciplinary research environment focused on developing next-generation automation, robotics, and digital infrastructure in close collaboration with industry partners such as ABB, Ericsson, Skanska, Volvo, and Scania.
Thomas Nolte shares insights into how co-created research and innovation processes between academia and industry can drive digitalization, sustainable production, and circular economy, and how interdisciplinary research can enable impactful solutions for the industry of the future.
Thomas Nolte