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Lars Henrik Andersen has been named acting dean of ST

Lars Henrik Andersen, professor and former department head, will become acting dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology when Niels Christian Nielsen steps down on 15 February. He will be responsible for managing the faculty throughout the process leading up to its possible split-up.

Lars Henrik Andersen will become acting dean of Science and Technology on 15 February.

With Andersen’s appointment, ST is gaining a leader with extensive experience to head the faculty throughout the coming process. Andersen was head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy for seven years, from 2011 to 2018. Though he originally stepped down from that position to devote himself to his research, he has now agreed to head Science and Technology through the process leading up to its possible division into two separate faculties.

“The rector has asked me to step in as dean until there’s a decision about a new management team and organisation. And I’ve accepted. This is a major leadership challenge, but it’s also an incredibly exciting challenge. While there are a lot of things I need to get up to speed on, first and foremost I’m looking forward to meeting the employees and opening the dialogue on the future of the faculty,” Andersen says.

Rector Bech Nielsen is also pleased that Andersen has decided to take on the task:

“There’s tremendous respect for Lars, both as a scientist and as a leader. He has deep insight into the faculty, and he can handle the job of clarifying a possible split-up of the faculty. Now we’ll get started on planning local meetings so that we can learn what the employees in the individual centres and departments think about the possibility of splitting up Science and Technology.”

The first step will be a staff meeting on 19 February in the Main Hall from 14:30 to 15:30, where Rector Bech Nielsen and Acting Dean Andersen will meet with the employees of the faculty to present their reasons for the proposal to split up the faculty and to discuss the coming process leading up to the development of a proposal. The meeting will be streamed, so that employees in Roskilde, Flakkebjerg, Årslev, Silkeborg and Foulum have an opportunity to participate.