Meet Your Colleague: Elisabeth Lohmann Andersen

By SUND Kommunikation, 4/25/2024

Can you explain what your work involves?

Since around 2007, I have been working full-time in the area of "recruiting scientific staff for the Health Sciences Faculty." At universities, certain regulations must be followed to hire a scientific employee. One cannot simply post a job and then hire a person after the applications are received (as can be done in private companies). At universities, incoming applicants must be assessed as "qualified" in writing by an assessment committee, which includes external experts, before proceeding with the hiring.

In December 2023, SDU switched to a new system – HCM Oracle – for VIP appointments. Currently, my challenge is to streamline the VIP recruitment process into a smooth operation in the new system, considering ministerial rules, local SDU rules, the relevant institute's wishes, and the faculty's and my own desire to streamline the process.

How long have you been working at SDU? Have you been here "off and on"?

I have been employed for 40 years, initially at Odense University (OU) and subsequently at SDU. Initially, I worked as a secretary at the Institute for Business Languages and the Cand.negot. studies, later as a correspondent and research secretary at the Laboratory for Energy Research. In April 1987, I was centrally employed at OU in Academic Administration, in the section that later became the Health Sciences Faculty Secretariat. Here I worked for many years as both a dean's secretary and a case handler.

What is the very best part about your job?

That I can gather the threads and create an overview of sometimes complex tasks, making the processes run smoothly, and then quickly – together with others – create results that benefit everyone involved. Tell us about a work task you have completed that you are particularly proud of. There are no tasks I am particularly proud of – but I can be quite relieved when difficult tasks are resolved.

What is your educational background – how did you end up in this job?

I initially trained as a radiographer at the School of Radiography in Odense and completed 2.5 years of the program before switching to a degree in business language correspondence at SDU. It turned out to be advantageous that I had experienced clinic work in a hospital, which I believe was one of the reasons I got the position where I had to work with "the medical-scientific main area".

What other career paths have you considered?

None – although I did start studying Danish once, but quickly dropped out. Still, good literature is definitely an area that interests me.

What do you do in your spare time?

I bike and take long walks every day (I need to feel the wind and walk at least 10,000 steps). Have you seen/read/listened to anything good recently that you would recommend? Yes – watch Harlan Coben's thrillers (the British ones - you can't possibly guess who the murderer is) and also Lupin on Netflix. I've watched it with my grandchildren.

I am currently reading "The Wind Knows My Name" by Isabel Allende – she writes so well, with a great overview, and often with a humorous undertone.

As for music, I would recommend The Rolling Stones' new album Hackney Diamonds – the track with Mick Jagger and Lady Gaga "Sweet Sounds of Heaven" is quite good and cool.

What is your favourite place to visit or travel to?

The Funen coasts during summer when it's warm – and otherwise the coasts in Liguria and Tuscany in Italy.

Do you have any special talents that others might not know about?

No, but when I was young, I was quite good at singing and participated in all the school comedies even when I was at high school at Mulernes Legatskole. I was involved in several choirs – maybe I'll try to train my voice again when I retire – perhaps in one of Odense's gospel choirs (if I can get in – not certain).