Both as a student at CS and during his 25 years as a member of the staff, professor Mikael B. Skov´s main focus has been on Human Computer Interaction (HCI).
- I find it exciting and interesting to study how digital technology is actually used, and how different contexts impact the way in which we use it, he says.
25 years is a long time in technology, and Mikael has witnessed an important development within his domain:
- When I started out, HCI was mostly related to human-computer interaction at the workplace, but the focus has obviously broadened over the years as digital technologies have pervaded all parts of our lives, and users of technology have become a much more heterogeneous group.
I like being here
But why work at the same place in 25 years?
- I simply like being here. I find it very rewarding to work at a place where things develop, which means that both at a personal and a professional level, I am being challenged and have an opportunity to develop myself. I like being at a place full of life with a lot of students, and I also appreciate the freedom I have in my work, says Mikael.
I recent years, Mikael has assumed a new role as supervisor for PhD students and assistant professors, a role in which he thrives. Asked to mention a few highlights award-wise, he points to the “Most Influential Paper Award” he received together with Jesper Kjeldskov at the MobileHCI 2014 conference for the paper “Is it Worth the Hassle”, which had been cited more than 200 times in the previous 10 years. He was also very happy to receive the CS Teacher of the Year 2016 award.
- These two awards represent very well the two main activities of my work life – research and teaching, he says.
Mikael is married, has two children and spends quite a lot of his leisure time on football which includes driving the children to their games and watching football on TV, at the local stadium or at Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United, the team he has supported since childhood.