New head for strategic research centre

Peter Henriksen, senior researcher at the Department of Bioscience will take up the position as the new head of WATEC on 1 December 2020. The research centre was founded in 2017, and is now among the research elite, with close collaboration relations near and far. The new head of the centre is looking forward to being in charge of the centre, which works on key societal challenges.

[Translate to English:] Seniorforsker Peter Henriksen er ny leder for forskningscenteret WATEC fra 1. december 2020. (Foto: AU)

4 December 2020 by Rasmus Rørbæk

Securing clean water is no easy matter. Since 2017, WATEC has consolidated the strong competencies at Aarhus University in order to build up a cross-disciplinary research centre that can focus and strengthen research within water and water technology. Since it was set up, the centre has forged a platform on which strategic partnerships and unique research alliances have secured a strong position for the centre.

Today, there are research activities in a wide range of areas, from mapping water resources and nature's water cycle to wastewater management and developing technology and sensors that can future-proof both consumption and management of water resources.

On 1 December 2020, senior researcher Peter Henriksen will take over management of the research centre. He takes over from Professor Hans Brix, who will now again focus on his work as head of department at the Department of Biology at Aarhus University, after being the acting centre director since summer 2020.

A familiar face

Peter Henriksen comes with a solid management background and thorough knowledge of Aarhus University. Not least from his work as department head of the Department of Bioscience since 2013. He has sat on the board of WATEC since its founding, and therefore he knows WATEC from the inside. Naturally enough, up to now his focus has been on at his own research work, but now the new heaf of WATEC is looking forward to taking part in the full spectrum of work at the centre in his new role.

"I know WATEC as a dynamic centre, with both breadth and depth in its many research disciplines, and with strong relations with business partners. I’m very pleased to take over the job of leading the strategic research efforts on the basis of the solid foundation that has been forged since it was founded in 2017 by Professor Niels Peter Revsbech. I’m both humble and enthusiastic about the new duties entrusted to me, and I look forward to continuing and developing WATEC in collaboration with the centre's researchers and partners," says the senior researcher and centre director, Peter Henriksen.

Contact:
Peter Henriksen, senior researcher and centre director.