Fifteen years after the creation of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg, will relinquish the reins of “his” competitive team next January, at the end of his third five-year mandate. The renowned researcher has put a significant amount of energy into putting this research centre on the map.

“The SnT was not an accident! It is a talent factory,” said the university’s new rector, , at the University of Luxembourg’s Partnership Day last week. “It is a strategic tool that is linked to the evolution of the country, since 55% of the researchers who pass through it get their first job in Luxembourg and 45% of them sign for their second job.”

“100% of what he predicted... 90% of what he predicted has happened,” said Kreisel, who on 1 January 2023. “Björn Ottersten is someone who says what he does and does what he says!”

Scientific excellence and positive impact

More modestly tempered, on the stage of the European Convention Centre, Ottersten highlighted the “scientific excellence” of the 400 researchers and the “positive impact on society.” He also pointed out that the centre had made a record €38m in 2022, two-thirds of which came from public-private partnerships. Researchers have written 650 publications, 43% of which are in the top 10% most-read of the European scientific community. Five spin-offs have been created, creating some forty jobs, and 24 projects are currently under development.

Artificial intelligence, encryption, quantum, autonomous cars, robots, communication of the future--under Ottersten’s leadership, the SnT has tackled the topics of today and especially of tomorrow.

Prime minister  (DP) was also on stage and admitted that he nodded at researchers without always understanding what they were talking about. “When we talk about 5G, you talk about 6G. When we talk about fibre, you talk about quantum. When we talk about satellites, you talk about autonomous robots!”

Polytechnique Grenoble

Deputy director since 2020, Le Traon has been selected by the governing board to succeed Ottersten as of 1 January 2024 for a period of five years, the SnT announced in a press release on Monday 15 May. With a doctorate in computer science from the Institut national polytechnique de Grenoble in 1997, Le Traon developed his research in software engineering in Rennes before joining the University of Luxembourg ten years ago.

“I am pleased and proud that the recruitment committee, composed of international experts, has chosen a professor from the University of Luxembourg from among the excellent applications received,” emphasised Kreisel. “Professor Le Traon will be able to give new impetus to SnT, while ensuring the continuation of the ambitions of this interdisciplinary centre which, under the leadership of Professor Ottersten, has been able to position itself as one of the great successes of the University.”

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.