Dean of Natural Sciences to step down by mutual agreement

“This is a mutual agreement. Kristian Pedersen has led the faculty through a demanding transition following the division of Science and Technology into two faculties. Like his counterparts at AU, he has also steered the faculty through a period of financial challenges. At this point, however, the faculty needs a different leadership profile to take it forward,” says Rector Brian Bech Nielsen.

“I would like to thank Kristian Pedersen for his commitment and collaboration. He has been a highly respected member of the senior management team and has taken on important responsibilities on behalf of university management,” says Rector Brian Bech Nielsen.

Kristian Pedersen started as dean in 2020.

“I have worked with so many talented and motivated students and staff at Natural Sciences and at Aarhus University, and I would like to thank everybody for their inspiration and fruitful collaboration. In cooperation with the other faculties, we have succeeded in establishing Natural Sciences as an independent faculty, focusing on the career development of our early career researchers and new initiatives such as Open Innovation in Science and the Novo Nordisk Foundation CO₂ Research Center. I am also pleased that our full-cost model for externally financed projects has served as a model in the negotiations between private foundations and universities to increase funding for indirect costs,” says Kristian Pedersen.

Over the next week, Kristian Pedersen will transfer his responsibilities as dean to Erik Østergaard Jensen, head of department at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, who has been appointed by the rector as acting dean until a new dean takes over.

The position of dean of Natural Sciences will be advertised in the near future, and Rector Brian Bech Nielsen expects that a new dean will be appointed in the spring.