Leif Svensson (1943-2010)

Dr. Leif Svensson, born in 1943, died on February 13, 2010.
Leif Svensson got his Ph.D. in mathematics at Lund University with prof. Lars Hörmander as supervisor. In the mid 1970-ties, inspired by A. Bjerhammar, L. Hörmander devoted some theoretical research in physical geodesy, and this was also the time when Leif’s life-time interest in the field of geodesy emerged, and he partly worked for A Bjerhammar at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). He was particularly interested in boundary value problems in physical geodesy and problems related with the Fennoscandian postglacial rebound, and in 1983 his academic career in this field was crowned by the title Docent of Geodesy at KTH. For two years in 1984-86 he was employed at the Swedish National Land Survey. Later he became professor of mathematics, and Vice-Rector at Lund University, followed by the position as Rector at the University College HiG at Gävle, a position he held from 2001 to 2008. In spring 2009, when retiring from HiG, his deadly disease returned for a final time.

Leif Svensson will be remembered among colleagues for being right-minded and generous as well as for his great empathy. Also, for some of us, his typical Skåne accented voice, e.g. when calling “Leif Svensson” “ Leif Svensson” in walkie-talkie communications during field works in surveying at the dawn of his geodetic career, echoes in our minds.

Written by Lars Sjöberg