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After 15 years as SnT’s Director, it’s with great pride that I reflect on the development of SnT during these years. When created back in 2009, we set our sights on achieving scientific excellence and impact – a simple yet effective strategy that continues to this day. Now, as I pass the baton on to Prof. Yves Le Traon as incoming director, it is the moment to focus on the strengths of the centre and the context that shaped what it has become.
Luxembourg has provided an extraordinary environment to develop a research centre like ours. The government’s support of our research initiatives that was channelled through the University, several Ministries, and FNR has made it possible to create the internationally competitive centre that SnT has become. Support was widespread though, with the private sector embracing our model to deliver research-driven innovations implemented through the SnT Partnership Programme. This, combined with the entrepreneurial “start-up” spirit of the University of Luxembourg, has provided us with the autonomy, freedom and support, to allow SnT to thrive well beyond my expectations.
As I begin my new role as director of SnT as of January 2024 I note how the responsibility of the very first director handover of the centre is in my care.
Founding director Björn Ottersten has given so much to SnT and his achievements over these past 15 years have been remarkable. Our centre has experienced outstanding growth under his leadership, and achieved both scientific excellence, as well as impact for society, a crucial topic for Björn. Research with an impact has become a mantra for SnT and its community, shaping it into what it is today and fostering a common vision that I sincerely thank him for creating.
With the many strengths of our centre, the solid foundations Björn has laid, and the talents that are onboard, I embark in my role as a steward of this team with responsibility and clarity on our priorities.
We conduct research in cybersecurity, infrastructures, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and many other domains in FinTech, to develop the financial tools of tomorrow.
We develop interdisciplinary solutions in multiple domains, including critical information infrastructures, software testing, quantum cryptography, to cloud security, and much more.
Our expertise in developing key space technologies, from satellite communications to autonomous systems, is supporting Luxembourg’s commitment to space exploration.
We build secure and safe solutions for connected systems within highly complex and dynamic sectors. The limitless possibilities for these technologies stand to revolutionise industries.
We have a partnership model that enables truly collaborative exchanges, allowing us to have access to relevant challenges, real-world data, and systems to test our research results.
We are guided by the principle that excellent scientific research can address the most pressing challenges society faces, and support industry in developing solutions.
Our Partnership Programme continued to expand in 2023, now featuring 67 members. We work with both public and private organisations in Luxembourg and around the world.
Our researchers regularly develop exciting new solutions for real-world challenges. That is why we launched the research Acceleration Programme in 2019, which delivers a structured process to support our aspiring entrepreneurs. Its mission is to encourage scientists to pursue the commercialisation of their innovative ideas.
SnT currently has six spin-offs:
