AU supports Uniform at Work Day

Uniform at Work Day is about making the contributions of reservists and volunteers visible: to honour the contributions of people who, in addition to their civilian careers, also serve their country in the Danish Armed Forces, the Home Guard, the Emergency Management Agency or the Coastal Rescue Service. The Danish Armed Forces' organisation Interforce is behind Uniform at Work Day, which Aarhus University supports.

One of the AU researchers who will be wearing her fatigues to work on 24 September is Lotte Bøgh Andersen, who’s a professor at the Department of Political Science and director of the King Frederik Center for Public Leadership. She’s also a captain of the Engineer Regiment Reserve.

"We need more young people to make a dual contribution to society, through their civilian jobs and education and through through their involvement in the uniformed services, for example the Armed Services or the Emergency Management Services. And on this day, we can make that visible, and I’m really pleased that Aarhus University supports this initiative,” Andersen said.

Explosives and medicine on the agenda

On Uniform at Work Day, two events will be held on the Aarhus campus. All interested staff and students are welcome to attend. Both events will take place in Danish.

The first event will takes place at the Department of Chemistry, which is hosting a lecture on explosives by PhD student and laboratory manager Peter Hald, who is married to Lotte Bøgh Andersen and is also a captain in the reserves. Topics include the opportunities and challenges associated with the use of explosives, as well as various demonstration experiments.

The theme of second event is leadership in military medicine. The event is organised by the ‘doctors in management’ network and the King Frederik Center for Public Leadership. Susanne Bach Lausten, Surgeon General of the Danish Armed Forces Health Services, will speak about military medicine and career opportunities in the field.  This event will take place in the Large Anatomy Lecture Hall (building 1232-115).

“I have also been in dialogue with other educational institutions in the Aarhus area, and today is also a way of showcasing the opportunities that exist for using your professional skills in two ways, for example by volunteering in the Emergency Management Services or the Coastal Rescue Service. For example doctors or other healthcare professionals, but a wide variety of other professions,” Andersen said.

Find out more about the events

• Lecture on explosives (in Danish)
• Leadership in military medicine (in Danish)