SDU’s new elite centres will help solve climate challenges

By Susan Grønbech Kongpetsak, suko@sdu.dk, 3/21/2023

SDU has two new climate research centres.

In the coming years, the SOLEN and Aqua-NbS research centres will contribute to climate neutrality through interdisciplinary research at the highest international level, so that by 2050, society does not emit more greenhouse gases than it absorbs. The two new centres have each been awarded DKK 10 million to conduct climate research.

SOLEN focuses on solar energy and Aqua-NbS focuses on nature-based solutions to mitigate extreme weather and other forms of climate change.

The first of five new elite centres

The two centres are the first of a total of five elite centres within climate research, which will be the focal point of SDU’s climate initiative at the SDU Climate Cluster (SCC).

A common feature of the five centres is that each centre must include at least two of SDU’s faculties. The first two centres will be established at SDU’s Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science, respectively.

- The two new elite centres are extremely interesting, with their interdisciplinary approaches to climate mitigation and solutions. At the SDU Climate Cluster, we look forward to following the work of the two new pioneering elite centres in climate research and sharing the knowledge they generate, says Sebastian Mernild, Head of the SDU Climate Cluster and Professor of Climate Change.

For the benefit of society

The remaining three centres – which will be primarily based at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Faculty of Humanities – are expected to be designated during May and June 2023.

- At SCC, we look forward to establishing all five elite centres and seeing the interdisciplinary climate research at SDU unfold and hopefully contribute with research that will be of great societal benefit to the climate, says Sebastian Mernild.

The SDU Climate Cluster was established in 2022 with the ambition to create optimal conditions for ground-breaking, excellent and interdisciplinary research and dissemination in the climate field.