Cecilia Åsberg

There is no mistaking that Cecilia Åsberg is very happy at Linköping University. She began her career here as a cultural scientist in 1993, quickly moved on to be an investigator at LiU and eventually ended up doing research studies at the brand new Department of Gender Studies, combining work with studying. The thesis discussed the images of the new genetics, how they have influenced our ingrained opinions.  She completed it in 2005 and left LiU to spend three years as a cultural and media studies lecturer at the University in Utrecht. But now she is back!

“I was offered one of Rector’s special research positions, and the Department of Gender Studies is a fantastic work place and research environment”, says Cecilia. “It lacks hierarchy, is supportive, at the forefront of international gender research and slightly subversive towards the traditional academic culture. I didn’t want to say no to this!”

“Other benefits of LiU are the cooperation across faculties and the emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach. There is a general gender awareness and furthermore the university has invested in being at the leading-edge of gender research.”

“Compared to Utrecht we are able to be influential at faculty level not just within our own department”.

And what about the daily working environment?

“I have great freedom of movement.  On the other hand that means I end up choosing to work 12-14 hours a day.  Independence can sometimes be a double-edged sword.”

And the research is so fascinating that it is hard to stop. Cecilia leads her own research group and works with transgender research; they question the humanistic identity and are expanding the frontier with, for example, technology and new media, biology and nature.

“Ah, yes, nature. This campus has such a scenic beauty. I see new birds in the university park outside my window almost every day and on my way home from work I can stroke both sheep and horses. It is fantastic and very de-stressing.”

How is it living in Linköping – compared with Amsterdam?

“Definitely smaller! That’s why I’ve chosen to live right in the middle of it all, amongst nightclubs and noisy youths. The nightlife definitely compares to that of a big city. Apart from this I like that everything is so close and that I can cycle to work in 15 minutes.” 

Text & bild: Gunilla Pravitz
Translation: Therese Winder