Role: General Laboratory manager Studsvik
Department: Isotopesteam
Bio: Masters degree in Material Science and PhD in Microsystems technology. Worked with developing nanometer resolution micromotors used in satellite systems, remote surgery, optical systems and electron microscopes. Lives on the country side in the Nyköping region with his family. Misses the tranquility of the Swedish landscape and in the personalities of Swedes when abroad. Dedicated home brewer of craft beer. https://se.linkedin.com/in/niklas-snis-9901a53
“Being a very flexible player is one of the most valuable merits to our customers”
After working 10 years with research and development of microsystems technology in Uppsala, Sweden Niklas joined Studsvik in 2012. At that time, the family had grown too big for the city apartment and his wife wanted to move back home to Nyköping. By chance Niklas called a friend working at Studsvik and within six months a house was bought and Niklas started working as project manager for reactor fuel examinations. Since then he has moved on and is today General manager for all Studsvik labs.
How can Studsvik apply its nuclear expertise to the isotope markets?
“Regarding isotopes Studsvik was very active in this field as long as the R2 reactor was operational. By assimilate this knowledge, before it is lost to the tides of time, we could leap-frog the Studsvik Isotopes to current world standard and beyond. Also, by choosing smart cooperation across the industry Studsvik could be a hub for isotopes – especially regarding source fabrication.”
What about our nuclear heritage?
“Just flipping through the old company magazine Reaktorn and seeing all the great Nobel laurates that has visited the Studsvik sites over the years is just yaw dropping. Also, that Studsvik a.k.a. AB Atomenergi during the cold war era upheld good relationships with both sides of the war. The nuclear technology produced in little Sweden and at the small Studsvik site during the 1900s is amazing.”
Can you share one great thing about today’s Studsvik?
“All the fantastic in-cell experimental equipment designed and fabricated in-house. It is so cool to take an idea of how an experiment might be performed through the process of actually making it happen.”
How do this translate to Studsvik’s service to the isotope market and what makes our offering special?
“I would say that it is all down to the deep knowledge and experience of the personal running the hot cells. We know what it takes to work with highly radioactive materials. Also being in the nuclear field Studsvik is regarded as a very flexible player. This was one of the most valuable merits to our customer. We could turn stones untouched for decades and ask the right questions to get us and our customer a great offering.”
What is your vision of the future for hot cells at Studsvik?
“My vision is to run the first source fabrication for a couple of years and then show-case it to other customers. We will likely grow out of the concrete hot cells and then we need to build a new facility dedicated to isotopes and source production. With the new facility Studsvik would be able to supply a great part of the European and international isotope market.”