Last week, two prominent researchers were presented with the prestigious Rigmor and Carl Holst-Knudsen Award for Scientific Research 2017 at Aarhus University. The two award-winners are Nils Bubandt, professor in anthropology at Aarhus University, and Bo Ernø Honoré, who is a professor in economics at Princeton University, but who earned his degree at Aarhus University. They will each receive a prize of DKK 100,000 for distinguishing themselves at the very highest level.
True to tradition, the presentation took place at a ceremonial event in the Main Hall. At the same time, the Aarhus University Research Foundation presented five PhD awards to Janus Juul Eriksen (Computational chemistry), Martin Bisgaard (Political psychology), Peter Sinkjær Kenney (Allergy treatment), Simon Frølich (Biological design) and Simona Zetterberg Gjerlevsen (Literature research).
On 23 May, Science and Technology at Aarhus University inaugurated the Centre for Circular Bioeconomy – a strategic research initiative with international impact which is setting out to ensure interdisciplinary R&D within bioeconomic production systems and recirculation concepts.
“Through conducting world-class interdisciplinary research, the centre will provide a strong foundation for increased business collaboration, public-sector consultancy and more involvement in international research collaboration. Our ambition is to play a role among the international heavyweights within this area,” says Niels Christian Nielsen, dean at Science and Technology.
With a grant of DKK 38 million, the Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies (AIAS) has won a major EU grant for AU. The funding, which comes from Horizon 2020, is earmarked for non-targeted research, and will help AU to continue to attract some of the world’s leading researchers.
The grant is also helping to consolidate AIAS, with EU funds now financing up to half of the international fellowship programme over the next five years. The academic environments are urged to keep an eye out for talented researchers internationally, and to encourage strong candidates to apply for an AIAS fellowship.
Aarhus University has won the prize for being this year’s ‘high jumper’ in the technical journal Ingeniøren’s annual profile analysis. The university has moved up 26 places compared to last year, and is now no. 32 out of the 111 largest Danish engineering enterprises which are ranked by Ingeniøren in its analysis.
The analysis is based on responses from about 5,000 engineers and 1,500 engineering students, and comprises 12 different measurement parameters, for example corporate culture, professional development, career opportunities, influence as well as independence.
As part of last weekend’s MatchPoints seminar, more than 400 curious Danes turned up at the Lakeside Lecture Theatres for talks, workshops and discussions about the Reformation.
As patron of the Reformation anniversary, HM The Queen opened the conference at Aarhus University. The world-renowned professor Francis Fukuyama from Stanford University also spoke, as did the Danish Minister for Culture Mette Bock.
In a debate article on Altinget on 16 May, Dean at Arts Johnny Laursen and the deans of the humanities faculties at the University of Copenhagen, Aalborg University and the University of Southern Denmark focused on the importance of the humanities for solving future challenges facing society. The reason for the article was the recent publication by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science of a draft FORSK2025 catalogue with suggestions for the most important research areas in future.
Together with the deans of health at the University of Copenhagen, the University of Southern Denmark and Aalborg University, Dean Lars Bo Nielsen is urging the Danish Government’s Growth Team within the life sciences to strengthen basic research, retain the degree programmes and ensure cooperation with a variety of stakeholders and across sectors. The article was published in the Danish business newspaper Børsen on 16 May.
One fifth of Denmark’s university professors are women, even though there are more female students than male. We therefore need continued focus on the gender balance at Danish universities. This was the theme of an article by Anne Marie Pahuus, vice-dean at Arts and coordinator of AU’s focus area for women in research, which was published on Altinget on 23 May.
Peter Henriksen and Hans Brix have had their positions extended as department heads for a three-year period from 1 June 2017 to 2020.
If you are planning to apply for funding from the EU’s research and innovation programme Horizon 2020, you can apply for grants from the EUopSTART scheme for the preparatory work. Under the scheme, you are able to have 50 per cent of your expenses covered for applications in autumn 2017 and early 2018. The application deadline is 29 May.
The senior management team publishes a newsletter once a week. Here we provide information about decisions and initiatives from the senior management team as well as current activities and discussions. You can register for the newsletter at http://info.au.dk/medarbbreve, and you will then receive an email every time the newsletter is published.
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