Sebastian Mernild at the helm of establishing SDU’s Climate Centre

An internationally renowned professor of climate change, SDU’s own Pro-rector will ensure the realisation of the University’s future Climate Centre. Sebastian Mernild will be appointed Head of the Climate Centre, reporting directly to the Rector, and he will thus be tasked with getting the strategically important centre up and running.

Before the summer holidays, it was announced that SDU wishes to establish a new interdisciplinary climate centre that will build on deep specialist knowledge and develop interdisciplinary insights at the highest international level.

Unsuccessful recruitment process

The original plan called for a head of the Climate Centre to be appointed by the end of 2021, allowing the Centre to be established in early 2022.

However, none of the applicants were eventually offered the position and therefore Sebastian Mernild is now appointed with the task of setting up the Centre. His primary tasks will be at the Climate Centre, but he will also continue to perform his duties as Pro-rector by agreement with the Rector. As a starting point, Sebastian Mernild is expected to serve as Interim Head of the Climate Centre until the summer of 2022.

- I am incredibly happy that Sebastian Mernild has accepted the task of getting the Climate Centre off to a good start. The Centre is a high priority for SDU, as it speaks to our work with sustainability and green transition. We probably won’t find a better person to get it up and running than Sebastian Mernild. He has competencies, knowledge and a world-class network in the field, says Rector Jens Ringsmose.

A world-class centre

The Centre is expected to stand out nationally as well as internationally by housing a number of major research consortia and projects, academic research and community networks as well as top-class national and international researchers.

- There is an urgent societal need to bring science to the table so we can better understand the consequences of a changing climate and how we adapt and mitigate climate change. This work is close to my heart and I look forward to starting up our Climate Centre in the near future, says Sebastian Mernild.

In the longer term, the Centre will form a framework for programmes at Master’s and PhD level, as well as continuing education, where students upon graduating can act in a complex world with many opposing issues within climate change.