Seminar on Systems Engineering Design as a Driver of Industrial Transformation
Professor Ola Isaksson Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden This seminar will be chaired by A/P Moon Seung Ki. |
| Seminar Abstract |
Industries such as aerospace and automotive manufacturing are undergoing accelerated and disruptive change as they transition toward a digital, sustainable, and increasingly service-oriented future. This shift challenges long-standing practices of evolutionary, platform-based, and incremental development, and demands new approaches to engineering and design. This talk will discuss how a systems- and data-driven perspective on engineering design can support this transformation. Emerging manufacturing technologies—such as additive manufacturing—not only expand design possibilities but also introduce new constraints that must be mastered across production, design, and the full product life cycle. By modelling functionality, dependencies, and interactions in complex engineered systems, we can better manage risks, accelerate maturation, and enhance the realization of innovations. Professor Isaksson will position this work within the international context of the Design Society, highlight how coordinated, cross-disciplinary research at Chalmers University of Technology is advanced through the Production Area of Advance initiative, and share examples from his own research. The talk will conclude with an invitation to discuss opportunities for building momentum through collaboration between universities. |
| Speaker's Biography |
Professor Ola Isaksson is Chair Professor in Systems Engineering Design at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, where he leads the Systems Engineering Design research group and serves as Co-Director of the Area of Advance Production. His research focuses on methods and tools for product and production development, with particular emphasis on systems engineering, functional modelling, design margins, multidisciplinary design, and sustainable product-service systems. With more than 20 years of industrial experience in the aerospace and automotive sectors (Volvo Aero, later GKN Aerospace), Professor Isaksson has a strong track record of bridging academia and industry. His group of 14 researchers collaborates closely with international manufacturing companies, and their results have been successfully implemented in engineering methods, commercialized tools, and industrial practices. He has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers, serves on editorial boards, and holds leadership positions in the international Design Society, where he was elected to the Board in 2023. He has supervised more than 35 doctoral and licentiate theses, contributed to major European research initiatives, and regularly advises industry, academia, and funding bodies on advancing engineering design and systems engineering practices. |