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AU Distinguished Senior Innovators

Bridge-builder and catalyst for innovation

Aarhus University has launched a new initiative to build stronger connections between research and innovation across the university.

As the first programme of its kind in Denmark, the AU Distinguished Senior Innovators (DSI) programme enables experienced researchers to dedicate their time to a combination of research and innovation.

The researchers serve as ambassadors for knowledge-based innovation and entrepreneurship.

Distinguished Senior Innovators 2025

In 2025, seven distinguished researchers were appointed as Aarhus University's first Distinguished Senior Innovators.

Together, they represent a broad range of disciplines – from anthropology and biomedicine to space technology.

Over the next three years, they will serve as ambassadors for knowledge-based innovation while addressing global challenges in areas such as climate, health and technology.

Learn more about each researcher and their focus area below.

Bringing the power of research to real-world challenges​

Knowledge is power. But how can knowledge generated at universities have a greater impact on the world?

The purpose of the Distinguished Senior Innovators programme is to bring the power of research to societal challenges by:

  • Building a university-wide approach to research-based innovation​.
  • Connecting different disciplines, practices, and innovation pathways​.
  • Turning Aarhus University’s strengths into stronger partnerships with industry, investors, and local actors​.

What is the role of a Distinguished Senior Innovator?

As a Distinguished Senior Innovator you will:

  • advise and support projects that can create a positive change in relation to promoting the innovation and entrepreneurship agenda at your faculty.
  • become an ambassador for academic entrepreneurship, where you carry out research at your department while also practising academic entrepreneurship based at Kitchen, Aarhus University.
  • become involved in developing a variety of business ideas or innovative solutions in collaboration with colleagues in the field with the aim of strengthening the innovation culture in a broad sense.

What is the employment status as a Distinguished Senior Innovator?

As a Distinguished Senior Innovator, you maintain your departmental affiliation, but on top of that, you'll work in the university's innovation hub, Kitchen, Aarhus University.

What do you gain from being a Distinguished Senior Innovator?

The Distinguished Senior Innovator programme includes:

  • access to facilities (office space, possibility of access to laboratories).
  • access to external expertise.
  • access to dedicated support for securing funding (dedicated application support for the provision of external funding, e.g. Proof-of-Concept funds).
  • access to investors, including specially designed models for access to investors for researchers who need it.

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Questions?

Want to learn more about the Distinguished Senior Innovator programme?

Get in touch with Vegar Lein Ausrød.

Phone: +45 93 50 87 43
Email: vlaus@au.dk

Revised 19.08.2026
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Nina Heiberg Lyhne