At the end of the 2013 spring semester I was fortunate enough to be presented with not one, but two awards for my PhD thesis. First, the Börje Langefors Award (site in Swedish) for best Swedish thesis in Informatics defended during 2012. Apparently, the jury haven’t gotten round to updating the site with this year’s winner yet, but someone (not me, I swear) has provided Wikipedia with the correct details. The Wikipedia entry also features a nice translation of the motivation for me getting the award, which reads as follows:

The thesis is based on a socially relevant contemporary topic, well-designed and well-defined subject area with contrasting perspectives based on exceptional and interesting empirical material. The thesis is easy to read and well structured with well linked articles. It has a very good international exposure.

Second, I was named the first ever recipient of the FSMK (The Swedish association for media and communication research) Doctoral Dissertation Award. While neither the FSMK web, nor Wikipedia feature information regarding this, I have the diploma to back it up – in fact, both diplomas are pictured above. The motivation for this latter award translates as follows (translation by myself)

A well-written, well-structured and advanced thesis making valuable theoretical and methodological contributions within a topical and important area – especially in the study of Twitter, and utilizing Gidden’s theories. Larsson has contributed with important knowledge to the research area of new and social media in relation to politicians and audiences, thereby making an important contribution to the international field of media and communication studies.

Obviously, I feel very proud and honored to have received recognition from the two disciplines that I consider my two academic homes. Drawing on methods, perspectives and ways of thinking from both traditions have proven extremely fruitful for me so far, and I hope to be able to continue to do so in my future efforts.