11 top researchers honored
27.04.2017
11 of Denmark's most experienced and acknowledged professors within technical and natural science research were celebrated on April 27, 2017. They each received up to DKK 40 million from VILLUM FONDEN for their research for the next six years - and can now officially call themselves VILLUM Investigators.
- Today we are celebrating the inquisitive researcher who dares to break the boundaries and ask unexpected questions. The researcher who dares to search wider and further to achieve results that no one else has achieved. VILLUM FONDEN´s grants are given in great confidence that the 11 researchers will achieve the surprising results, and I look forward to following the development.
These were the introductory words from Søren Pind, Minister for Higher Education and Science on April 27, 2017, when VILLUM FONDEN celebrated the 11 VILLUM Investigators.
It is the first time that VILLUM FONDEN has allocated grants to the VILLUM Investigators, which will enable experienced and excellent researchers from both Denmark and abroad at a Danish research institution to immerse themselves in the research they are most passionate about.
Curiosity-driven research in focus
In his opening speech to the 11 VILLUM Investigators Chair of the board of VILLUM FONDEN Jens Kann-Rasmussen said:
- Each of you do something special within research and meet the requirements to a VILLUM Investigator. You, if any, with your curiosity, talent, experience and ability can gather skilled researchers around you to establish, develop and maintain an international research community, which will be an important contribution to technical and natural science research.
You have therefore been selected to be VILLUM Investigators and now you have the opportunity to immerse yourselves in the research you are most passionate about. It is a great acknowledgment of your work, but it also a commitment. We have high hopes that your work and ability will create good research and we believe that society ultimately will benefit from your knowledge and achievements.
In addition to speeches by the Minister of Higher Education and Science Søren Pind and VILLUM FONDEN's chair Jens Kann-Rasmussen, Villum Kann Rasmussen Professor Charles Marcus, the new VILLUM Investigator Professor Dorthe Dahl-Jensen and Rector of Aarhus University Brian Bech-Nielsen also gave speeches.
