Famous Swedish Engineers

Harry Nyquist was a Swedish electronic engineer and physicist best remembered for his contributions to communication theory. His work earned him many prestigious awards such as the IRE Medal of Honor, the Stuart Ballantine Medal, and the Rufus Oldenburger Medal. Harry Nyquist is also remembered for his association with Bell Telephone Laboratories.

Ilya Salmanzadeh is a Swedish-Persian singer, songwriter, and producer. He achieved international recognition after co-writing and producing Jennifer Lopez's First Love and Ariana Grande's Problem in 2014. He has also collaborated with other prominent artistes like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. Ilya Salmanzadeh has won many prestigious awards like Teen Choice Award, MTV Europe Music Awards, and MTV Video Music Award.

Swedish-born American naval engineer and inventor John Ericsson is most remembered for designing and building the first armoured turret warship and developing the screw propeller. The warship – USS Monitor – is credited for keeping the Union (North) Navy stay protected during the American Civil War. His other inventions include the torpedo technology and solar machine.

Swedish scientist and engineer Gustaf de Laval is remembered for his pioneering contribution to the development of high-speed turbines and the de Laval nozzle. He also made milk-cream separators and milking machines. Apart from being a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, he was also named to the Swedish parliament.

Ivar Kreuger was a Swedish civil engineer, entrepreneur, industrialist, and financier. He is best remembered for building a global match empire and controlling almost three quarters of worldwide match production which earned him the nickname, Match King. Ivar Kreuger also founded and owned many other companies including Kreuger & Toll Byggnads AB. 

Since 2012, Swedish businessman Carl-Henric Svanberg has led AB Volvo, the global trucks and construction equipment manufacturer, as its chairman. Previously he worked as the chairman of British oil and gas company BP plc and CEO of the Swedish telecommunication company Ericsson. Still earlier, as CEO, he led the Assa Abloy Group to become a global leader in its industry.

Ludvig Nobel was a Swedish-Russian engineer, humanitarian, and businessman. Along with his brother Robert, Ludvig operated an oil company named Branobel, which produced fifty percent of the world's oil at one point. Best remembered for creating the Russian oil industry, Ludvig Nobel was one of the richest men in the world. Ludvig Nobel is also credited with inventing oil tankers.  

Nobel Prize-winning Swedish electrical engineer Hannes Alfvén is best remembered for his research on plasma physics. He practically pioneered the field of magnetohydrodynamics, which deals with plasmas in magnetic fields. He also proposed the concept of plasma cosmology, challenging the big-bang model, and penned works such as Cosmic Plasma.

Nils Bohlin was a Swedish inventor and mechanical engineer remembered for inventing the three-point safety belt in vehicles. The safety belt is considered one of the most important inventions in the history of automobiles. In 1974, he was honored with the Ralph Isbrandt Automotive Safety Engineering Award. In 1999, Bohlin was made an inductee of the Automotive Hall of Fame.   

Swedish computer scientist and software engineer, Ivar Jacobson is known for the development of Unified Modelling Language (UML), Rational Unified Process (RUP) and Objectory. Previously he worked for Ericsson and in 2004 founded his current company Ivar Jacobson International. He is also an author who has published numerous books and papers. Additionally, he has also delivered talks at various conferences.

Gustaf Dalén was an industrialist, engineer, and inventor. The AGA cooker and the Dalén light are among his most prominent inventions. He was a long-term CEO of the AGA company. He received over 100 patents during his lifetime. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1912 for his invention of a special kind of automatic regulator.

Swedish military engineer and field marshal Lennart Torstenson is remembered chiefly for his exploits in the Thirty Years’ War. He was eventually made a count and a member of the Swedish Council of State. In his later years, he became a close associate of Queen Christina.

Carl Edvard Johansson was a Swedish scientist and inventor best remembered for inventing the gauge block set. He is credited with establishing a company named CE Johansson AB which manufactured gauge blocks. Thanks to his invention, Carl Edvard Johansson became a popular figure in the United States of America where he spent a lot of time.

Erik Dahlbergh was a Swedish military engineer who played an important role in the Northern Wars, Scanian War, and Great Northern War. He is best remembered for his fortification works and is credited with founding the Swedish engineer corps.