Villum Kann Rasmussen Professorship

Technical and natural sciences

For truly exceptional researchers who will strengthen the technical and natural sciences at Danish universities.

The Villum Kann Rasmussen Professorship is a grant styled on the US and British tradition of endowed chair. The grant cannot be applied for. Universities wishing to put suggest a potential new Villum Kann Rasmussen professor are welcome to contact the chief scientific officer of Villum Foundation.

The objective of the professorship is to attract exceptionally good researchers to Danish universities by guaranteeing them permanent and attractive employment conditions.

The first Villum Kann Rasmussen Professorship was created in 2012 at the University of Copenhagen. In 2018, a second professorship was created at the Technical University of Denmark, and in 2021 a third professorship was established at the IT University of Copenhagen.

Villum Foundation wishes to strengthen Danish research environments in the technical and natural sciences by enabling them to attract some of the world’s best researchers to Denmark.

Thomas Bjørnholm

Chief scientific officer, Villum Foundation

Active Villum Kann Rasmussen professorships:

Professor Bent Flyvbjerg is the world’s leading and most cited researcher in Project and Program Management, including research in IT projects. The Danish top researcher was recruited to the IT University of Copenhagen from a position as professor at Oxford University.

Bent Flyvbjerg is globally recognised for his research into project planning and management, where he has delineated the specifics of the anatomy of megaprojects. At Oxford University, Flyvbjerg and his team have developed the world’s largest research-based database on the performance of IT projects to test theories about risks in IT investments, where costs often have skyrocket. With his research, he has documented what he calls ‘The Iron Law of Megaprojects’: ”Over time, over budget, under benefit, over and over again.”

Professor Bent Flyvbjerg was awarded the Villum Kann Rasmussen professorship in 2021.

Jens Kehlet Nørskov is one of the world’s leading researchers in theoretical catalysis. The Villum Kann Rasmussen professorship established in 2018 enabled Professor Nørskov to return to the Tecnical University of Denmark from his position at Stanford University in the US. The field of catalysis is crucial for the development of new sustainable technologies for future fuel and chemical production.

Jens Kehlet Nørskov is leading a significant effort on theoretical catalysis and its application to energy technologies. The work takes place in close collaboration with experimental groups at DTU and other places. Professor Nørskov is also involved in the Villum P2X Accelerator established in 2022 to accelerate the development of technologies for Power-to-X.

Jens Kehlet Nørskov about the professorship: “With the Villum Kann Rasmussen professorship, I have a unique opportunity to advance an important research area in Denmark and immerse myself in my research for many years to come.”

The grant from Villum Foundation is anchored at DTU Physics, DTU Chemistry and DTU Energy.

Jens Kehlet Nørskov heads up a major energy research initiative at DTU

Jens Kehlet Nørskov heads a major energy research initiative at DTU

In 2012, Villum Foundation established the first Villum Kann Rasmussen professorship for the leading American physicist Charles Marcus from Harvard University.

The ambition was for Charles Marcus to help Niels Bohr Institute regain its position at the forefront of quantum mechanics research. Charles Marcus established a new basic research centre, the Center for Quantum Devices, and an extensive international collaboration with universities and businesses, including Microsoft. The focus was on realising the first operational quantum computer.

The centre is a leader in research into quantum electronic components such as semiconductor materials, nanowires and superconductors – all essential building blocks for a quantum computer.

“I’m very proud to be the first Villum Kann Rasmussen professor in Denmark, and I have felt very welcome in Denmark and ‘part of the family’ at The Villum Foundation. The professorship provides me with a great platform for conducting curiosity-driven and experimental research. It is very much in the spirit of Villum Kann Rasmussen.” says Charles Marcus.