Spotify’s researcher Mounia Lalmas new honorary doctor
Mounia Lalmas is an expert in engagement and recommendation systems, which she uses in her role as the technical Senior Director of Research and Head of Tech Research at Spotify. She has now been appointed an honorary doctorate at the Faculty of Science and Technology.
Congratulations to the Honorary doctor title, what are your feelings upon this?
“I am genuinely touched and a little overwhelmed, to be honest. There is also something that feels quite fitting about it. Spotify is a Swedish company, so receiving this recognition from a Swedish university adds a special layer of meaning. And beyond that, I have had connections with people at the University of Gothenburg through the RecSys community, so this feels less like recognition from a distant institution and more like something from people I know and respect.”
What is your biggest contribution to the research field of user behaviour?
“I think my most sustained contribution has been in how we think about and measure user engagement, trying to move beyond surface-level metrics and understand what it means for someone to have a good experience with a system. More recently, my focus has shifted significantly towards recommender systems: how we evaluate them, how we make them more personalised, and how we ensure they serve users well over time rather than just in the moment”
You have put your research into practice on Spotify. Do you ever put practice into research?
“All the time, and this is what I find most exciting. Working with real users at scale constantly surfaces questions and surprises that no lab setting could generate, opening new research directions and keeping the work grounded. I have also seen that research tends to have the most impact when it takes real-world constraints seriously, things like infrastructure, scale, and product requirements. Often that means starting simple, understanding what actually drives outcomes, and building from there. But there are also moments where you need to rethink things more fundamentally. Both approaches matter.”
What have been the highlights in your cooperation with the University of Gothenburg?
“The connection has grown naturally through the RecSys community, which has always had a strong presence there. I have a lot of respect for the work coming out of Gothenburg, and I am glad the relationship has deepened over time into something more formal with this recognition.”
Anything else you'd like to add?
“I feel fortunate to work in a field where academia and industry are in close dialogue. Recommender systems are a good example: the problems are scientifically interesting, but they also have a real impact on people’s everyday experiences. I hope this recognition helps highlight the value of that kind of collaboration.”
The promotion ceremony takes place on 23 October 2026.