International Fellowship Program Launched

Many of the green solutions of the future are to be found in the interplay between the agricultural and energy sectors, where there is a great potential for the development of new technologies, utilisation of Power-to-X, and production of green fuels.

That is why a new international, two-year fellowship program now has been launched to support interdisciplinary research in this area. The framework for the program is GreenLab's research platform, known for its practice-oriented and mission-driven research that connects top researchers with ambitious green companies. Here, four researchers will investigate how to best combine the agricultural sector's resources with the technological possibilities of the energy sector. Aarhus University and DTU are the academic hosts for the program's researchers, with funding provided by the VILLUM FOUNDATION.

A New Selection Process for a New Type of Program
GreenLab facilitates interdisciplinary research projects, where diverse professional competencies view a problem from different angles. Only in this way can so-called "wicked problems" be solved – that is, problems that are complex, systemic, and global, such as the path towards green transition of industry. This requires a new approach to conducting research, and therefore, a new way to select researchers. "It is important for us that the selected researchers can work together as an ambitious team within some quite flexible frameworks," says Ebbe Kruse Vestergaard, Research Director at GreenLab. "We received 21 applications from many parts of the world and conducted group interviews with selected candidates, a new approach for us, before identifying the final four. We placed a lot of emphasis on the motivation to move beyond the laboratories and into a reality where one can see the green transition happening right outside the windows. And it was very important for us to end up with a diverse group with a broad range of expertise and good collaboration skills," he continues.