About the eventThis talk investigates the philosophical and practical questions surrounding our relationship with archaeological heritage within the deeply layered fabric of selected Egyptian cities, including Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor, Esna, and Abu Simbel. It critiques the systematic isolation of ancient monuments from their contemporary surroundings, examining the ethical and existential tensions of preserving material remains within living urban landscapes. The discussion contrasts the protective invisibility of backfilling with the decontextualization inherent in relocating artifacts to distant mega-museums. As a vital alternative, the presentation explores the potential of revealing remains in situ, allowing modern communities to actively coexist with their material history. By analyzing urban accumulation through the dual lenses of vertical and horizontal archaeology, this inquiry argues that Egypt’s ruins must not be treated merely as passive historical traces. Instead, it proposes re-conceptualizing these multi-layered sites as active, dynamic spaces that directly intersect with, and enrich contemporary Egyptian identity and lived experiences. About the guestAlaa el-Habashi is an Egyptian professor of architecture and heritage conservation in the Department of Architecture at Menoufia University. He received his MS and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. His research and praxis focus on establishing a preservation framework that respects the specificities of local histories and cultural traditions. Over the past 25 years of active practice across Egypt and several Arab countries, he has developed tailored architectural and urban conservation approaches designed to protect diverse historic structures, environmental values, and local heritage. Additionally, Dr. el-Habashi has extensive experience assisting in the nomination, management, and evaluation of World Heritage sites. He serves on the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development. Driven by a commitment to community-led preservation, he established Bayt al-Yakaniya in Al-Darb al-Ahmar—an initiative that leverages local heritage to achieve sustainable development within Historic Cairo. This event is organized by Lector Steffen Kjær Johansen (Faculty of Engineering, Department of Technology and Innovation) with support from DIAS Chair Aglae Pizzone.

Polarization is one of the major challenges internationally. But what does polarization look like in the Nordic countries? The Nordic welfare states are built on a high degree of mutual trust, yet affective and identity-based polarization in particular can generate antipathy toward our fellow citizens, foster conspiracy theories and hate speech, and, in the worst case, undermine the much‑celebrated Nordic trust.In the POLIS project, we examine through an interdisciplinary humanities-based approach how affective and identity-based polarization unfolds outside traditional political debate: in everyday public discourse, on social media, in art and culture, and in our relationships with fellow citizens in Denmark and the Nordic region more broadly. This Wild Wednesday presents selected insights from the project and explores how polarization shapes everyday aesthetics and art, promotes public moralism, and functions as a central dynamic in conspiracy theories. Program [list][*]Anders Engberg-Pedersen - introduction  – 10 min[*]Kathrin Maurer – 15 min[*]Anne-Marie Søndergaard  – 10 min[*]Kasper Grotle Rasmussen  – 10 min[*]Q\&A - 15 minutes[/list]

About the talk:Our ability to shape materials at the nanoscale opens new possibilities for, among other things, rapid diagnostics and smart medication. I will give examples from our research that encompass both new discoveries and startup stories.In the treatment of leukemia and sepsis, there is a need for therapeutic monitoring of drug concentrations in patients’ blood. Silicon structures at the nanometer scale can have surprising optical properties. For example, they can enhance the so-called Raman scattering more than a million times. This effect can be used to perform very sensitive measurements of small molecules in a complex blood sample.Our vision is that in the future we can ‘swallow our doctor’. Ingestible capsules can be made smart so that they can eventually measure, take samples, and perform local repairs/medication in the stomach and intestines. Can this be done without also having to swallow a battery, and how do you take a sample from the intestines?About the speaker:Anja Boisen is head of section and professor at the Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark. Her research group focuses on the development and application of nano-sensors, energy harvesting in the body, and ingestible devices for sensing, sampling, and delivery. Anja is a cofounder of several companies and is, among others, a member of the board of the Leo Foundation, the Danish Academy of the Technical Sciences, and the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences. She has been awarded the largest research prize in Denmark, the Villum Kann Rasmussen Award, and the Order of Dannebrog by Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark.

Siva Tej Pindiprolu defends her PhD thesis at a public lecture: “Coupled Flows in G2 Geometry”.The chairman of the assessment committee, Associate Professor Du Pei, will act as chairman at the defence.The PhD defence takes place in IMADA Conference Room (Ø18-509-2).All are welcome.

“Unearthed”: Where Science Becomes SoundCan approx. 4.5 billion years of Earth's deep history be transformed into acoustic music? Composer Signe Lykke has created a new piece for string quartet. Drawing on Earth System Science, the work translates the planet’s intertwined biological, chemical, and geological processes into music as part of her three year residency with Bloom festival in Copenhagen.The residency brings contemporary classical music into dialogue with natural science, exploring the phenomenon of memory through three scientific perspectives: hologenomics, geoscience, and astrophysics.Over the course of the residency, Lykke is creating three new works that explore scale across duration, instrumentation, and scientific framework.The residency fosters a close knit co-creative process working with scientists from different fields. In conversation with these specialists the pieces slowly grow informed by data, specific evolutionary parameters, archival findings, the behavior of microorganisms, graphics ect.Lensed through music this is an interdisciplinary research driven project with a boundary pushing and genre bending agenda. It fosters hybrid forms of research and co-creation that challenge the boundaries of accustomed knowledge, both in science and art. She will present the work "Unearthed" and offer insights into the compositional process, collaborative framework, and the various modes of musical translation involved. About Signe Moslund Lykke Signe Lykke is a multiple award-winning Danish composer, with a masters degree from Trinity Conservatoire of Music in London and College of Fine Arts in Austin, Texas as well as an advanced graduate diploma from the Royal Academy of Music in Århus.Signe Lykke has composed music for a broad array of ensembles and soloists, including large-scale interdisciplinary works such as the opera Nordkraft, the dance piece Leaning Tree, the interactive light installation Living Room by Random International, and an opera trilogy by the artist collective Motherboard.Upcoming projects include a new violin concerto for the Danish National Symphony Orchestra, a new work for soprano Barbara Hannigan, a site-specific orchestral work for the Rued Langgaard Festival and a song cycle for aging voices and baroque orchestra. This event is hosted and organized by DIAS Chair Don Canfield

What does it take today to build great research?It is not just about great ideas and the right people but about building environments that help them think bigger, navigate smarter, and connect to society. This final DIAS event of the semester brings SDU Rector Jens Ringsmose into DIAS Blue Sky conversation. He will zoom out to the broader landscape shaping universities right now: a system where funding increasingly comes from outside, where expectations of impact are rising, and where research is unfolding inside a deeply political arena - within a larger (political) arena itself.Universities are no longer just places of knowledge. They are institutions under pressure, expected to deliver on interdisciplinarity, innovation, and societal relevance, while at the same time defending academic freedom. And that raises a difficult question: How can a young, ambitious researcher in the best possible way acquire insight into this politico-institutional context and use it in support of research leadership and career objectives? Jens Ringsmose will open the session with the larger trends shaping the research landscape today. From there, the discussion turns to DIAS: how environments like this can support outstanding researchers, not just in thinking freely, but in finding their footing in a complex system where ideas, people, funding, and politics are increasingly intertwined.Join us in this last event of the semester with the university leadership, which also bring in DIAS Director Sten Rynning and Chair Ben Davies into the conversation. About Jens RingsmoseJens Ringsmose is a Professor of International Politics and the Rector of the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), a position he has held since 2021. Before becoming Rector, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences at SDU and before that as Vice-Dean for Research and Director of the Institute for Military Operations at the Royal Danish Defence College. He earned his MA in History and PhD in International Politics from SDU. His research interests include strategic studies, security and defense policy, NATO and asymmetric conflicts.Jens is also a member of YERUN’s Executive Board, and both Jens and SDU are very committed to internationalization and the European higher education and research areas.About Sten RynningSten Rynning is Director of the Danish Institute of Advanced Study and a Professor of War Studies, the University of Southern Denmark. He served as interim dean of the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences November 2021-May 2022 and as vice dean for research June 2019-August 2022.He founded SDU’s Center for War Studies and has advised several official Danish and Norwegian commissions on security and foreign policy. Rynning has held senior academic leadership roles at SDU and serves on multiple international editorial and advisory boards. His research focuses on NATO, war, and transatlantic security, and his latest book is NATO: From Cold War to Ukraine (Yale University Press).About Ben DaviesBen Davies is Professor of Literature in the Department of Culture and Language at the University of Southern Denmark. His research focuses on modern and contemporary literature, with emphasis on time, narrative, and reading. He was Co‑I on the Carlsberg‑funded Lockdown Reading Project, which resulted in the award‑winning book Reading Novels During the Covid‑19 Pandemic (Oxford University Press, 2022). He currently serves as Chair of University English and is a member of the English sub‑panel for the UK Research Excellence Framework (REF).   This event is hosted and organized by Sten Rynning

While robots have been employed in industrial contexts since the 1960s and have since extended their sensorial and intelligent capabilities, the operation of today’s robots in everyday life is still very limited. Whether it be public places, work environments, or life at home, physical robots are in general not yet capable of meaningfully interacting with humans. Human Robot Interaction (HRI) – in contrast to HCI – did not yet make it to commercially successful applications relevant for everyday life.At our workshop, we will discuss the current status and technical challenges in relevant subdisciplines such as Speech Recognition and Dialogue Processing, Dexterous manipulation, Computer Vision, Mobile Robots and HRI as a discipline integrating all these fields. At the end of the workshop, we will discuss perspectives for the development of interactive robots that have the potential to intrude public life.  Agenda 10:00 Prof. Norbert Krüger: Welcome and Introduction10:05 Prof. Ulrik Schultz: Autonomous Drones in Danish Society - Status and Challenges10:30 Prof. Lazaros Nalpantidis (DTU): Computer Vision on Robots: Status and Challenges10:55 Søren Udby (OUH): Learnings & Challenges in Developing and Implementing Robots in a Hospital11:25 Prof. Henrik G. Petersen (SDU): Dexterous Manipulation: What is the application potential and what are the challenges11:50 Assoc. Prof. Chen-Li (AAU): Conversational AI: Where We Are and What's NextFrom Chatbots to Embodied Agents12:15 Discussion 12:30 Lunch 13:15 Jakob Sand (Hive Robotics): Deploying Humanoid Robots in Real-World Applications: Lessons from the Field13:40 Assoc. Prof. Leon Bodenhagen (SDU): Status and Challenges in Human-Robot-Interaction14:05 Assoc. Prof. Mika Yasuoka Jensen (RUC): Where Society Needs Telepresence Robots: Roles, Use-Cases, and Open Challenges 14:30 Break14:45 All: Moderated Discussion[list][*]What are the use-cases that could make it?[*]What are the obstacles on the way?[*]What are appropriate steps in terms of fundraising and investments?[/list]16:00 End

About the lectureWeb and social media research has become increasingly important in the scientific community. For example, nearly all foundation models are trained in part with web data. And yet, data access has never been more difficult, making it harder to understand digital media’s impact on public discourse, scientific communication, interpersonal relations, and other societal functions. This keynote will explore how we arrived at this point, what researchers are currently experiencing in the contemporary data access regime, and whether regulation through DSA Article 40 provides any hope for researchers globally.About the speakerJosephine Lukito is a preeminent scholar in the use of computational methods and artificial intelligence to study political communication and online discourse.She has an interdisciplinary background in mass communication studies, political science, analytical sociology, natural language processing, and linguistics (syntax).Josephine is a Professor of Digital Communication at the Digital Democracy Centre.The event is organized by Josephine Lukito

Abstract: Since the second World War, we have entered the era of ‘Big Science’. Research is now often conducted at a scale well beyond of what one individual, or even one research lab can manage. Such large experiments tend to require financial support from one or more government agencies over extended periods of time—often even several decades. Because of this increase in costs, scientists have had to change how they decide what experiments to pursue, since only a small number of large-scale experiments will be funded at any given time, and what experiments are pursued can determine the future of scientific research. In this talk, I want to give a start at investigating what makes an experiment more worthy to pursue compared to other experiments, especially in the era of Big Science. Short Bio: My primary interests lie in history and philosophy of cosmology and astrophysics, and general philosophy of science. I received my PhD in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 2020, before joining the philosophy department at Stockholm University. In 2025, I received a Starting Grant from the European Research Council for a project on collective decision-making on future large-scale experiments in cosmology and astrophysics. My Cambridge Element, Philosophy of Cosmology and Astrophysics, was published in 2025.

What is entrepreneurialism, and what can it reveal about contemporary capitalism as a historical, political, and social phenomenon? Entrepreneurship is often presented as a force of innovation, growth, and renewal, but it is also embedded in institutions, policies, ideologies, and particular historical settings. This seminar explores entrepreneurialism as part of the DIAS series on “Capitalism in the Danish Experience”, asking how entrepreneurship has shaped, and been shaped by, different forms of capitalism.The event brings together three perspectives. Christina Lubinski will address entrepreneurialism as a concept, ideology, and historical phenomenon. Adam Frost will examine entrepreneurship and capitalism in China, drawing on his work on informal entrepreneurship and economic transformation in Maoist China. Mads Bruun Ingstrup will discuss Danish enterprise and cluster policy.Each speaker will give a 30-minute presentation, followed by a 30-minute panel discussion moderated by Paul Sharp.Programme13:00–13:30 Christina Lubinski, CBS, Entrepreneurialism and the Futures of Capitalism: Ideology, Hype, and History13:30–14:00 Adam Frost, DIAS/SDU, Entrepreneurial Co-Optation in Maoist China14:00-14:10 Break14:10–14:40 Mads Bruun Ingstrup, SDU, Cluster policy as an instrument for growth and innovation14:40–15:00 Panel discussion, moderated by Paul SharpSpeakersChristina Lubinski is Professor at Copenhagen Business School, where her work rethinks entrepreneurship in society by examining how entrepreneurial ideas and practices shape, and are shaped by, social, political, and cultural transformations.Adam K. Frost is Assistant Professor at SDU and Fellow at DIAS. His research focuses on emerging market entrepreneurship and state-business relations, with a particular focus on China.Mads Bruun Ingstrup is Associate Professor at SDU and Head of the Centre for Sustainable Business Development and Policy. His research focuses on clusters, firm networks, business ecosystems, regional development, and enterprise policy.

The Future of Health Depends on RehabilitationRehabilitation has long been under-prioritized in health systems, even as the global demand for these services rises sharply and far outpaces what is currently offered. Funding models often fail to support rehabilitation adequately, despite its essential role in universal health coverage, healthy aging, and equitable care. The WHO’s resolution on Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems, the Rehabilitation 2030 initiative, and the World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA) signal a global shift toward addressing this urgent gap. Dr. Côté will examine how health services and policy research can shape responsive policies, drawing on the work of the WHO Collaborating Centre on Rehabilitation and Musculoskeletal Health at the Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research. He will also highlight why generating robust data on the value of rehabilitation, its impact on population health, work productivity, and quality of life for aging adults is critical to support governments in making informed investments in integrated, sustainable rehabilitation services.About Pierre CôtéPierre Côté is a professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Ontario Tech University. Côté is an epidemiologist who holds the Hann-Kelly Family Chair in Disability and Rehabilitation Research. From 2013-2023, he held the prestigious Canada Research Chair in Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation. Côté is the founding Director of the Institute for Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation (IDRR), a leading international research hub which aims to improve the functioning and quality of life of people with disability or in need of rehabilitation. He is the inaugural Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Rehabilitation and Musculoskeletal Health. Professor Côté currently serves Lead of The Cochrane Rehabilitation Methodological Group. Dr. Côté holds appointments at international universities. He is a Professor of Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto; Adjunct Professor of Disability Prevention at Southern Denmark University; Honorary Professor of Physiotherapy at MGM Institute of Health Sciences, India, and Visiting Professor of Health Promotion Sciences at Sophiahemment University, Sweden.  Throughout his career, Côté has published more than 420 peer-reviewed papers. His current Scopus h-index is 71. Throughout his career, Professor Côté has supervised more than 50 master’s, doctoral and post-doctoral trainees.This event is hosted and organized by DIAS Chair Jan Hartvigsen

Experts worry that support and tolerance for political violence and violent extremist actors is on the rise in the United States.  Is this true?  If so, what might explain why more Americans view political violence to be acceptable? Finally, what can be done to stem the tide of support for political violence in the U.S. and perhaps elsewhere.  In this lecture I present some of my findings over several years of public opinion research on political violence in the United StatesJames A. Piazza is a Liberal Arts professor of Political Science whose research focuses on terrorism, political violence, and violent extremism in the United States. He holds a Ph.D. in Politics from New York University, an M.A. in Middle East Studies from the University of Michigan, and a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola University Chicago. Piazza’s work examines how democratic processes, demographic change, and extremist ideologies shape patterns of political violence. His research has been published in leading journals, including Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Security Studies, and Political Research Quarterly, and he is widely recognized for his comparative studies of left‑wing, right‑wing, and Islamist extremism.

About the lectureTBAAbout the speakerDavide Calonico is the Scientific Director of INRIM, Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica, an Italian Public Research Institute that is also the Italian Institute of Metrology in the convention of the Metre.  DDC is a physicist expert in primary metrology and quantum technologies. Its main scientific achievements are in atomic clocks, sensing, and quantum communication over fiber. DC coordinates the Italian Quantum backbone, that realizes in Italy the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure of the European Commission. He is the scientific responsible for INRIM of the infrastructure Piquet, Piemonte Quantum Enabling Technology, devoted in INRIM to metrology on a chip. He developed several atomic clocks based on laser-cooled atoms like Cesium Rubidium, Ytterbium, and Strontium, and microstructured clocks based on nanotechnologiesThe event is organized by Aglae Pizzone

About the lecture:The concert and lecture will present 300 years of musical history through compositionsfrom the vast and rich piano repertoire. Masterpieces by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven,Franz Liszt, and Claude Debussy will be performed and analysed to deepen both ourunderstanding and emotional perception of the music. Birch’s Astronomic Piano Pieces willtake the audience on a journey into space, thereby demonstrating a highly interesting, innovative,and unorthodox approach to music-making.All aspects of this remarkable instrument and its many possibilities will be explored — notonly the music itself, but also the piano’s technical development in relation to broader politicaland cultural movements throughout history.About the speaker:SVEN BIRCH was born in Denmark and studied piano at the DJM in Aarhus, where he graduated with a soloist diploma. Thanks to numerous scholarships, he was able to continue his studies in Vienna with Prof. Alexander Jenner. In addition, he attended masterclasses with renowned pianists such as Tatiana Nikolayeva, Conrad Hansen, John Lill, and Peter Feuchtwanger.As a sought-after pianist, Birch possesses an extensive repertoire ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary music. He is active as a soloist, chamber musician, accompanist, and composer, and has performed throughout Europe, North and South America, and Asia. Among his major projects is the performance of the complete cycle of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas.Since 1992, Professor Sven Birch has been teaching at the Anton Bruckner Private University in Linz. From 1996 to 2004, he also taught at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg.He is a member of the George Crumb Trio Linz and the Georgiadis-Birch flute and piano duo. He regularly conducts concerts and projects, and he serves as the conductor and artistic director of the ensemble Lézard aux Plumes in Linz.He is frequently invited to give masterclasses and workshops (Sibelius Academy Helsinki, Chopin Academy Warsaw, Royal Academy Manchester, as well as universities in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Riga, Tallinn, Aarhus, Rome, Milan, and Seville) and has produced numerous CD, television, and radio recordings.The event is organized by Anne-Marie Mai & Andreas Birch

Capitalism in the Nordic Countries: Different Paths or a Common Model? Speakers:[list][*]Torben M. Andersen, Aarhus University[*]Ann-Kristin Bergquist, Uppsala University[*]Pål Thonstad Sandvik, Trondheim, Norwegian University of Science and Technology[*]Pasi Nevalainen, University of Jyväskylä[*]Jeppe Nevers, SDU[/list]

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