I asked for more in-person meetings and March delivered! It turned out to be a month of interesting conversations. Some were spontaneous, others carefully planned. I reconnected with former colleagues, met present ones and potential new ones. Coffee outdoors, power dinners, spontaneous pub meetings – even a trip to France to volunteer at the Swedish church spring market, as I did in November.
Many topics came up. One that fits LinkedIn is how employers make themselves attractive. For example how they introduce new recruits and thank those who leave in ways that make them ambassadors for the organisation. I shared one positive example in an in-between-months post. Another topic of discussion was the ongoing swing between office and remote work.
Remember when companies reduced office space at such a rate that some expected cities to change? And everyone moved to the countryside? Some of the people I’ve talked to hated working solely from home. It is worth remembering that not everyone embraced it. Now the pendulum has swung back. Employers are calling people back to the office – and not everyone I spoke to is happy about that either.
One thing that often gets blurred in these discussions is the difference between remote work and flexible hours. They’re not the same — one changes location, the other changes the rhythm of the day.
In Victoria, Australia, they recently passed legislation giving employees the right to work remotely 40% of the time, in an attempt at mandating balance. I found that example interesting, even if I’m not a fan of regulating this. I believe it is in the interest of employers to be attractive and to offer flexibility. Last year I applied for a role (which I did not get) where it was stated that it was full-time, with an expectation of 50% office presence. I thought that was perfect. I had an assignment before the pandemic with similar flexibility, and it worked well for me.
Working in roles where results matter more than hours made it possible, in March, to cross one thing off my bucket list: seeing almond trees in bloom in Provence.
P.S. My non-resolution about champagne? 3 occasions in March. 🥂
These recaps are written for LinkedIn with AI assistance (discussing topics and proofreading). If you want to check what I have been up to other months you can find my archive here.
The mid-month-post sharing what ESCI wrote
Time for an in-between-my usual monthly recaps. I think this way of introducing someone new is fun, and it definitely put a smile on my face. Good to feel welcome.
We are happy to welcome Kristina Svensson as our new Science Communicator!
Kristina is joining us as our Swedish lead for the Horizon Europe project HiWhyV, and she brings with her an impressive dual background: She has an MSc in Biochemistry and an MSc in Science Communication. Her diverse experience, ranging from running a micro-publishing company to managing large-scale Erasmus projects, has made her an expert at translating complex technical topics into engaging content. Based in Sweden, Kristina’s local presence will be a major asset in supporting HiWhyV’s mission to develop the country’s first large-scale hydrogen valley.
We asked her a few questions to learn more about her and about what drives her.
✨ Why does working at ESCI excite you?
The hydrogen project fascinates me. The scale and ambition of what it aims to achieve makes it really interesting to be part of. And everyone I’ve met so far seems genuinely engaged and easy to work with – a bit nerdy in the best possible way. That’s my kind of environment!
🚲 How do you commute to work?
I work wherever I am, which suits me perfectly. At the moment skis work well because we have lots of snow in Sweden. I am also fond of trams.
🫖 What is your favourite beverage while working?
Coffee! Lots of it. In the morning, a couple of cups of brewed coffee, preferably from a moka master and a medium or dark roast. In the afternoon I enjoy a cappuccino if the beans are freshly ground. Arabica from Ethiopia is my favourite.
🤿 What are your hobbies?
I’m not sure if my photography qualifies as hobby, lifestyle or work, but I always carry at least one camera and take lots of pictures. The most popular ones are frosty trees in the northern part of Sweden. A few pictures end up in my books.
📚 What is your favourite popular scientific book?
Bill Bryson: A Short History of Nearly Everything
I am jealous, I wish I had written it! It is fun and covers so much, exactly the style I am aiming for in my books.
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Science communicator and project manager based in Sweden, working internationally. Montly recaps in English.
- April 2026: Hydrogen valley website and leading a fundraising initiative - 30 april 2026
- Franska utsikter: Les Mourres – spännande bergsformationer - 1 april 2026
- March 2026: Getting energy from lots of conversations - 31 mars 2026