Since January he has been responsible for day-to-day management as the acting department head, and now the title of department head will be official when Mikkel Tamstorf takes up the position as the new head of the Department of Ecoscience:

"Together with the department staff and management, I really look forward to securing the right framework for Ecoscience in the future. At Ecoscience, we focus on creating a good work environment and well-being among our employees. This means that we can achieve our ambitious goals within nature and the environment through our research, public sector services and consultancy," says Mikkel Tamstorf.

Eskild Holm Nielsen, dean at the Faculty of Technical Sciences, is pleased that Mikkel Tamstorf will be taking over at the Department of Ecoscience:

"Mikkel is an incredibly talented and respected research director, and I look forward to working with him in the faculty management team. The Department of Ecoscience conducts high-quality international research and research-based consultancy of great social relevance. Tech is therefore very lucky that Mikkel will ensure continued development of research at Ecoscience, contributing critical knowledge within the green transition as well as the Arctic and marine environment," says the dean.

Critical research within nature and the environment

Mikkel Tamstorf is a nature geographer and has been working as a senior researcher within climate impacts on Arctic ecosystems for many years, for example under the Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring programme at Zackenberg Research Station and as head of section at Arctic Ecosystem Ecology. Since 2013, he has been the deputy head of the Department of Ecoscience, and, in recent years, he has been focusing particularly on the impacts of the green transition on the marine environment, for example in connection with the establishment of offshore wind farms and energy islands.

According to Mikkel Tamstorf, the Department of Ecoscience has a crucial role in ensuring the important research and knowledge linked to climate change and the green transition of society:

"The department's expertise covers all aspects of nature and the environment, from the terrestrial environment to freshwater and the marine environment and from the tropics to the Arctic. However, there’s particular focus on the Danish and Greenland environment and important organisms and processes. So, Ecoscience provides a critical knowledge base for new solutions when human impacts put pressure on ecosystems. Together with the rest of the faculty and partners in Denmark, Greenland and the rest of the world, we can deliver the green solutions to ensure our knowledge and research about nature and the environment in the future as well," says Mikkel Tamstorf.

Department in rapid development

According to Mikkel Tamstorf, one of the most important tasks of the department will be to maintain and develop the department's leading position as a preferred partner and adviser for both public  authorities and private sectors.

"Ecoscience has undergone rapid development in recent years, especially with providing knowledge to support the green transition and to address some of the major societal challenges within climate, biodiversity and energy. In the years to come, we must maintain our positive development and contribute even more to educating new talents within environmental research and consultancy," he says.