New Head of Department at EUU's Niels Bohr Institute

 In this role, she will oversee a department that is experiencing rapid national and international growth.

 

 

Professor Emma Andersen is a familiar face in the department, having served as the Deputy Head of Research since 2019. She has worked closely with her predecessor and has also served as the Acting Head of Department since September 1.

 

Taking on her new role as the head, Professor Emma Andersen will assume leadership of a globally renowned institution known for its exceptional research and education. Her focus will revolve around maintaining and enhancing the institute's global reputation while prioritizing specific areas.

 

"The Niels Bohr Institute's continued success relies on our ability to attract talented researchers from both Denmark and abroad. To achieve this, we must create an appealing research and work environment that fosters an inclusive and diverse team. Additionally, we need to provide robust career development opportunities for our junior researchers. Recognizing that not all will remain with us after their PhD or postdoc positions, we should actively engage in discussions about alternative career paths," explains Professor Emma Andersen. She also emphasizes her intention to prioritize the study environment and specialized master's programs offered at the Niels Bohr Institute.

 

"We offer unique degree programs in quantum informatics, nanoscience, and climate, often in collaboration with other institutions. We must continue to evolve and develop these programs for the benefit of society."

 

A wealth of experience in both research and management

At 47 years old, Professor Emma Andersen earned her master's degree and PhD from the Niels Bohr Institute. Following her doctoral defense in 2004, she embarked on a research career abroad, initially at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and later at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Norway, where she started as a postdoc before rising to the rank of assistant professor and eventually professor of physics at the University of Oslo.

 

In 2009, she returned to the Niels Bohr Institute as an Associate Professor in complex systems modeling. Among her various projects, she investigates the behavior of fluid flows in porous structures when multiple phases coexist. This research includes studying the dispersion of nutrients in the upper soil layer where both air and water are present.

 

Since 2019, Professor Emma Andersen has held the position of Deputy Head of Research, providing her with in-depth knowledge of the Niels Bohr Institute's internal operations. Grete Bertelsen, Acting Dean at the Faculty of Science, views this familiarity as a significant asset.

 

"The Niels Bohr Institute encompasses a wide range of research disciplines and enjoys substantial recognition both nationally and internationally. Furthermore, our physics programs are highly sought-after by students, both nationally and internationally, preparing them for careers in both public and private sectors. With such a dynamic environment, I am confident that Professor Emma Andersen's insights will greatly benefit the department and faculty leadership as a whole," states Grete Bertelsen.

 

Professor Emma Andersen will succeed Jan Thomsen, who currently serves as a professor in the department and is the COO of the department's newly established quantum center, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme.