Three Steno grants to Science and Technology
Anders Nedergaard Jensen, Department of Mathematics, Wilm Daniel Kissling, Department of Bioscience, and Jan-Pieter Buylaert, Department of Geoscience, have each been awarded a Steno grant by the Danish Council for Independent Research | Natural Sciences (FNU). This means that three of the total of five grants awarded in May 2011 go to Science and Technology, Aarhus University.
2011.06.20
Anders Nedergaard Jensen
Wilm Daniel Kissling
Jan-Pieter Buylaert
Steno grants are awarded to talented young researchers wishing to establish an independent research activity at a Danish research institution. The objective of the grants is to ensure dynamism and innovation at the research institutions. Steno grants are given for up to four years and target young researchers who typically have two to five years of research experience after completing a PhD.
The three grantees at Science and Technology are:
Anders Nedergaard Jensen
Department of Mathematics
Project title: Algorithmic Methods in Geometry and Polynomial Equations
Grant awarded: DKK 3.4 million (approximately EUR 455,000).
Anders Nedergaard Jensen (35) began his studies in Computer Science and Mathematics in 1995 and completed his MSc in Mathematics in 2002. After a short period working in the business community, he made contact with an international group of researchers and started to plan his PhD programme. He commenced his PhD in 2004 and, during the course of his studies, he spent periods at ETH Zurich and the University of Minnesota. Since completing his PhD in 2007, he has worked as a postdoctoral scholar in Germany, initially at the TU Berlin and the University of Göttingen and currently at Saarland University. Dr Jensen’s research interests are algorithms in geometry and algebra.
Wilm Daniel Kissling
Department of Bioscience
Project title: Macroecology of multi-species plant-frugivore interactions – an ecoinformatic approach
Grant awarded: DKK 4.2 million (approximately EUR 563,000).
Wilm Daniel Kissling was born in 1975 in Göppingen, Germany. He completed his studies in Biology and Geography at the University of Greifswald and the University of Münster, respectively. In 2004, he completed his MSc in Ecology at the University of Otago, New Zealand. In 2008, he completed a Doctor of Natural Sciences at the University of Mainz, Germany. From 2008 to 2009, he was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California, and since 2010, he has been a postdoctoral scholar at the Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity Group, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University.
Dr Kissling’s research areas include biogeography, geographical ecology, ecoinformatics, environmental modelling, global change and plant–animal interactions.
Jan-Pieter Buylaert
Department of Geoscience
Project title: The first independent chronology of the East-Asian monsoon over the last 200,000 years from loess
Grant awarded: DKK 2.4 million (approximately EUR 322,000).
Jan-Pieter Buylaert was born in 1977 in Ghent, Belgium. He completed his MSc at Ghent University in 1999 and his PhD in Geology in 2007. From 2007 to 2009, he was a postdoctoral scholar at NCLR – the Nordic Centre for Luminescence Research (www.nclr.risoe.dk) – funded by a Nordic Centre of Excellence grant. The centre is made up or two groups at Aarhus University and the Risø National Laboratory. Dr Buylaert currently works at the Nordic Laboratory for Luminescence Dating, Department of Geoscience, Aarhus University, and the Radiation Research Division, Risø DTU, where he mainly carries out research into methods that can be used for the luminescence dating of geological sediments deposited within the last one million years. He also dates samples for research projects concerned with the development of the Earth’s climate.
Dr Buylaert’s Steno grant makes one more joint appointment possible at Aarhus/Risø DTU. In connection with the research project, he will collaborate with geologists at Nanjing University (China), the Royal Holloway University of London (UK), the Leibniz Institute for Applied Geophysics (Hannover, Germany) and the Physical Research Laboratory (Ahmedabad, India).
Read more about awarding the Steno grants May 2011 (text in Danish and English).
Great international recognition of Torben Heick Jensen
2012.05.09 — Professor Torben Heick Jensen, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, has achieved great international recognition with his nomination as a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO). The election to EMBO is in recognition of Professor Jensen’s outstanding research within gene expression.
Royal visit to Aarhus University – two Joachims and 20,000 ants
2012.05.01 — Prins Joachim visited Aarhus University’s Silkeborg department on Friday 27 April. Senior Scientist Joachim Offenberg, Department of Bioscience, explained how weaver ants are used in ecological pest control. Read more (in Danish only).
Minister for Science, Innovation and Higher Education waved goodbye to mother-in-law’s house
2012.04.27 — Minister for Science, Innovation and Higher Education Morten Østergaard was faced by facts when he visited Aarhus University for the Festival of Research. The MADALGO basic research centre and the EcoSense research group showed the minister how computer science research addresses this year’s theme – EUROPE’S CHALLENGES.
Your subject portal – all study information concentrated in one place
2012.03.29 — From Wednesday 28 March, you can find all information about teaching, examinations, timetable, course enrolment, student counselling and career guidance, and much more at your subject portal.
Grants for studies or research in the USA
2012.02.28 — The Denmark-America Foundation & the Fulbright Commission offer grants to Danish citizens to undertake study or research programmes at graduate level in the USA. The grants amount to DKK 85,000–100,000.
Lecturers wanted for ‘Science pays a visit’, 24–28 September
2012.02.28 — The Danish Science Week requires skilled lecturers to be part of a team giving talks about science at schools throughout Denmark from 24 to 28 September.
Unique pump in sperm cells makes a difficult journey possible
2012.05.01 — In his PhD work, Michael Jakob Voldsgaard Clausen made a detailed study of a molecular pump that is essential for sperm cells and is not found in other types of cells. The job of a sperm cell is to carry genetic information from a male to a female. In order to carry out this project, the cell has to travel from the testicle to the ovary, where both the pH value and salt concentrations are drastically altered. His results show that this pump is specific to sperm cells and is adapted to be able to maintain stable activity in conditions in which there are changes to the salt concentrations and the membrane potential of the cell. In time, it is possible that his results could be used in developing a birth control pill for men. Michael Clausen defended his dissertation on 23 April 2012. PhD supervisors: Professor Poul Nissen and Postdoctoral Research Associate Hanne Poulsen. Listen to the interview with Michael Clausen on Radio24syv (in Danish) about his results. (The interview starts 45.22 min into the broadcast). More information Michael Jakob Voldsgaard ClausenDepartment of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmarkmjc@mb.au.dk
2012.02.15 — Biologists are concerned about climate change impact, and they predict that a range of flora and fauna will disappear from Denmark within a few years. Hear Jens-Christian Svenning talk about climate change research at Aarhus University (in Danish only).
Play computer games and help research
2012.01.22 — Jacob Sherson, postdoctoral scholar at the Department of Physics and Astronomy, is developing a computer game where users can ‘play’ their way to answers to the most difficult research problems. On 17 January, he took part in Videnskabens Verden (Science World) on radio P1. Read more and hear the broadcast (in Danish only) here.