Research
New initiative in the defense area with great potential for the Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science is part of a new initiative at SDU, Security and Defense (SECDEF), which is a new defense and security policy initiative.
IMADA in particular, but also FKF is so far involved in the initiative, which will create the optimal framework for research in the field of defense, and which will help to support partnerships and collaborations nationally and internationally with relevant authorities, companies, the Armed Forces and others in this field.
Head of Department Martin Svensson sits on the steering group for SECDEF, and he sees great opportunities in the initiative for the Faculty of Science:
- SECDEF is in its infancy right now, but I see great potential in the initiative. I believe that SECDEF can help land small and large research projects for NAT and across SDU, while at the same time it can create the best opportunities for major strategic investments in the defense area at SDU in the long run. We want to work to make SDU visible as an attractive partner in the area of defense and security policy, and with this initiative, I believe that we are well on our way.
According to Martin Svensson, a lot of funds will be invested in the area in the coming years, and therefore he sees great potential for SDU and SDU's researchers.
- For example, the EU has launched the European Defence Fund, there are several projects in Horizon Europe within cybersecurity, and in 2023 there will be a new settlement in the defense area in DK, where we may see new, long-term investments in the area.
The network is mainly run by researchers from Social Science, Science and Technical Science, but is open to all interested researchers at SDU. As research in the field of defense is relatively new in Denmark, and it is a very broad and motley area with both small and large players, it places some very special demands on such a research network.
- In the network, we want to embrace as broadly as possible, so we get to see everything that SDU can contribute in the field of defense. At IMADA, for example, we can provide knowledge in cloud technology, high performance computing, cyber security and artificial intelligence. The Technical Faculty, for example, has knowledge of new machines and robot technology, while those in the Social Sciences have knowledge of law, politics and organization. We must be able to show the outside world that SDU has the research and thus the knowledge they need when we have to solve the defense and security policy challenges of the future, and I am convinced that we can with SECDEF, Martin Svensson emphasizes.
Right now, researchers from FKF and IMADA are part of the network, but Martin Svensson encourages even more people to be interested in the area:
- Because the defense area is very broad, we need knowledge from all relevant research at SDU and NAT. Should there be any researchers at Biology or BMB who already have projects underway in the field of defense, who have infrastructure that would fit well into the network, or who are simply interested in knowing more, they can contact me or their head of department. I very much hope that we can get more people involved, and I am excited to see where the initiative can carry NAT and SDU in the future.
Contact Martin Svensson here: svensson@imada.sdu.dk
See SECDEF's website here.
Read SDU news about SECDEF here (in Danish only).