A new video marks the opening of the SDU Climate Cluster

- We are facing the largest transition of society.

This is how the climate professor and Head of SDU Climate Cluster, Sebastian Mernild, strikes the note in the just published video that marks the opening of the SDU Climate Cluster. The video i.a. focuses on the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation within the transition of society. Among the participants in the video are Dan Jørgensen, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, Connie Hedegaard, former minister and EU commissioner and Jens Ringsmose, Rector at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU).

Instead of inviting guests to an opening reception, the SDU Climate Cluster has made an opening film in cooperation with the SDU Media Lab.

Watch the video below - remember to turn on English captions:

- We want to try something new. We hope that we can reach more people by making a film than by holding a physical event at SDU, Sebastian Mernild explains. He resigned as pro-rector by the end of April 2022 to devote his time to the climate research and the task of managing the SDU Climate Cluster full time.

96 MDKK for interdisciplinary climate research

In January 2021, SDU decided to allocate approx. 100 MDKK for a new interdisciplinary climate cluster. Since then, the cluster has worked at full throttle behind the scenes to establish a secretariat and prepare application material so that the research environments at SDU can apply for a part of the 96 MDKK from the SDU Climate Cluster.

Researchers at SDU can apply for five means in the SDU Climate Cluster. Furthermore, the secretariat works on obtaining external financing from funds and cooperations with the business world and also has a large focus on procurement of the climate related research at SDU.

You can read more about the means at SDU Climate Cluster’s website 

- I hope that a lot of researchers from SDU can see the advantages of interdisciplinary cooperations through the SDU Climate Cluster and that we can attract well-established and experienced researchers as well as tomorrow’s talents. Because we really want to contribute to the development of a new generation of researchers with their focus on climate related research, Sebastian Mernild states.

Our doors are open

During this spring, SDU Climate Cluster’s four employees inclusive of Sebastian Mernild have visited the faculties in Odense and the campuses in Slagelse, Sønderborg, Kolding and Esbjerg. At the meetings, we have informed about the options for applying for research means through SDU Climate Cluster and established networks with SDU’s many research environments.

- We really want to spread the word about SDU Climate Cluster, so if there is a place we have not visited yet, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will gladly come to tell you about the cluster and hear your innovative ideas for climate related research, says Sebastian Mernild.

The first applications for SDU Climate Cluster are already in preparation. Both The Faculty of Engineering and The Faculty of Science are preparing application for two elite centres. We expect that the applications are complete by the end of the year and jump-started at the beginning of 2023.