Lars Henrik Andersen to step down soon
Over the past year, Professor Lars Henrik Andersen has been acting dean at Science and Technology, not only as the head of the largest faculty at AU, but also overseeing one of the largest organisational changes ever at the university. With the appointment of the new NAT dean, Lars H. Andersen will soon be stepping down and again focusing on his research
Not many were more surprised to see Lars Henrik Andersen in the dean’s chair at Science and Technology than the man himself. In 2018, the physics professor resigned from his position as head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy to delve deeper into his research, but when Rector Brian Bech Nielsen asked him to step in as acting dean, he returned to the management role.
"I was both deeply honoured and humbled by the appointment, and I was well aware of the extensive task before us as a university and as a faculty. It has been an immense and exciting managerial task, and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to see it through," says Lars Henrik Andersen.
From one to two. But without Lars.
Now a year has passed. Almost exactly. Science & Technology has moved on, and is now undergoing a major change process, in future with two independent faculties. At the same time, the two new deans have been appointed to shape the future for Nat and Tech, respectively. For Lars Henrik Andersen, it will soon be time to return to his focus on physics.
"Now I'd like to thank all of you who have contributed to this enormous task over the past year. Together, we’ve created the foundation for future natural sciences and technical research at Aarhus University. I'm extremely proud to have been part of the process. And you should be too. The whole of AU is facing extremely exciting opportunities, with expansion of the campus and the ongoing strategic initiatives within engineering and digitalisation, among other things. But of course, it doesn’t stop here. I hope that we’ll see the Nat and Tech faculties growing with high ambitions and always with an eye for the individual; whether they be a student or a member of staff.
When I was asked to take over as acting dean, the idea was simply to borrow the keys to the dean’s office for a while. I never had plans to apply for the position itself, and now I'm very happy to be able to pass on the keys to two such strong profiles. Eskild Holm Nielsen is already working hard at Tech, and soon we’ll also be welcoming Kristian Pedersen as the dean at NAT. With all of you, I'm looking forward to being part of both faculties under the two new deans," says Lars H. Andersen.