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With an engineering degree in energy technology awarded by Forsmark school in 1992, Sten secured a Master of Science in earth science and applied geophysics from the University of Gothenburg in 1999 before beginning his doctoral studies on high-precision Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations at the Onsala Space Observatory, a facility operated by the Chalmers University of Technology.

Currently, Sten is fellow of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) and co-chairs the International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS) working group on site survey and co-location. His current research interests concern improvements of the international geodetic reference frame and metrologically sound measurements towards automated driving vehicles, particularly related to GNSS. In parallel, he has been a deputy editor of the journal Metrologia since 2019.

It was at the EURAMET General Assembly in June 2021 that Sten started his new position as TC-L chair. During his term the TC will continue to support the implementation of EURAMET’s strategy and address various related undertakings, including further collaboration with the European Metrology Network for Advanced Manufacturing and fostering cooperation with other EURAMET Technical Committees - such as Time and Frequency, Thermometry and Mass – to address complex challenges.

Sten brings forward some concrete examples: “The cooperation between length and time and frequency metrology is well-established and will remain sustained, whereas temperature measurements impact several aspects of length metrology in respect to both solid objects’ characterisation and light propagation.”

Additional TC-L focus topics during Sten’s term include:

• monitoring the strategic progress in digital transformation areas of metrology such as artificial intelligence and digital calibration certificates (DCCs), so that it remains a competitive R&D resource for the European industry;
• maintaining the good international relationships built during Sten’s period as JCRB Executive Secretary, with the BIPM and TC-L counterparts in other RMOs to uphold the CIPM MRA;
• addressing technical challenges in length metrology required by measurements of functional surfaces for industry and health protection, as well as large volume metrology for manufacturing. Related examples can be found in the field of tribology and appearance, the characterisation of which depends on the technique and applied equipment. Moreover, the 2019 updated mise en pratique of the metre opened up technical innovations that expands the scope of traceable length standards to dimensional nanometrology and
• further improving the organisational functionality of TC-L by encouraging the members to engage more widely in sharing the effort for tasks, such as piloting measurement comparisons.

In the perspective of the collaborative efforts called upon by the EURAMET digital transformation agenda Sten foresees some challenges linked to “conveying relevant metrological information through electronic protocols only, as it in a wide sense threatens to put acceptance criteria in the hands of programmers of manufacturing machines rather than centrally at the production line”.

Having attended the workshop related to the 2022 Digital Transformation call organised by TC-IM WG on Metrology for Digital Transformation, Sten concluded that “the workshop provided food for thought concerning digital transformation challenges that will be relevant to several aspects of length metrology in a not too distant future”.

EURAMET wishes Sten every success in his new role and extends its sincere thanks to Emilio Prieto (CEM, Spain) who held the position from 2019 to 2021.

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