Per-Erik Johansson retires as Director of The European CBRNE Center

Curiosity about the the European CBRNE center’s work led Per-Erik Johansson to accept an invitation for coffee from his predecessor, Dzenan Sahovic. During their chat, Per-Erik learned that the position of Director for the European CBRNE Center was about to be announced. Having previously been involved in the center’s founding under Åke Sellström’s leadership, Per-Erik saw an opportunity to continue the important work of his predecessors while keeping his home base in Umeå, despite the job’s European focus.

Per-Erik applied for the position and, in July 2015, two staff members and the center’s steering committee welcomed him. In the early years, the focus was on securing research funding and building connections with relevant networks and stakeholders. After successful applications and networking efforts, the center coordinated and participated in several projects and initiatives at both national and international levels. As the workload grew, the center expanded its team with two additional staff members.

Since 2015, exciting projects such as Safety & Security Test Arena, CELECTIVE, and MELODY have been initiated and completed. Per-Erik has plenty of stories and anecdotes about great ideas and results achieved, as well as setbacks and successes, which he shares with enthusiasm without forgetting a single name of those involved. One memory he holds dear is how the idea for the PROACTIVE project emerged during a reflective conversation after an exercise that had come to a halt when a guide dog (belonging to a blind participant) left first responders scratching their heads in confusion.

"During the exercise, the first responders didn’t know the best course of action to take with the dog, and it sparked thoughts about what other elements need to be considered when managing large, diverse groups, and how to care for people — and even animals — that previously haven’t been included in exercises. This became the starting point for what later became PROACTIVE, a groundbreaking project in CBRNE research with a focus on groups that may be considered as being particularly vulnerable during CBRNE incidents."

When asked about the most challenging aspect of his role, Per-Erik responds:

"It’s probably the slowness I perceive when it comes to applying innovations and new methods. Then again, patience isn’t my strongest trait," he says with a chuckle before answering the next question before it’s asked: "But I’ve enjoyed the job, especially meeting so many skilled colleagues at local, national, and international levels."

Per-Erik is looking forward to life as a retiree, with a lighter schedule, more time for outdoor activities, and much more photography. In January, he will hand over the reins to his successor, although he will remain at the center for a while to provide support, experienced advice, and perhaps a story or two.