Jens Wenzel Andreasen has been appointed professor of materials research at DTU Energy where he will take part in building the new DTU Imaging Center.
The difference between good research and excellent research often comes down to the quality of the scientific network a researcher can draw on. Only a good network can provide you with access to the right equipment, the right materials, the best test facilities and the necessary skills of technicians and other researchers.
"The best research comes from working with the best. Even if you and your department are among the best in many areas, you cannot be experts on everything," says Jens Wenzel Andreasen, newly appointed professor at DTU Energy.
Jens Wenzel Andreasen has worked with X-ray scattering for materials research since 2001 when he started as a Ph.D. student at Risø National Laboratory (now DTU Energy), using resonant X-ray scattering to study catalysts for methanol synthesis. Now he is a highly esteemed researcher and professor at DTU Energy and specialist in X-ray scattering for characterization of polymer systems, in particular organic solar cells. His career has in large part been formed by his many stays at international large-scale facilities.
"Being a professor doesn’t make you a better researcher than you was before, but the title allows you to go for the larger proposals"
Jens Wenzel Andreasen, Professor, DTU Energy
Networking at synchrotrons
The best, most reliable and biggest tools in a materials scientist's toolbox are synchrotrons, which are huge ring-shaped accelerators where electrons are accelerated to near-light speeds to create very intense X-rays. X-rays from a synchrotron is many times stronger than that from a conventional X-ray tube, and they can be used to study structures of very small amounts of substances, e.g. whether or not a single layer of molecules or atoms on a substrate has formed a crystal.
"There are only a limited number of synchrotrons in the world. So the people in this field of research go out into the world and often meet each other at these huge facilities. This creates excellent networks", says Jens Wenzel Andreasen.
"It is always valuable to be able to do something that no one else is able to. I have contributed with my expertise in X-ray scattering in contexts where it was seen as indispensable, so I've never lacked scientific challenges. There is a tendency that once you have had a good and fruitful cooperation with a researcher or research group, they tend to come back with new projects", says Jens Wenzel Andreasen.
Titles equals talking time
Jens Wenzel Andreasen has now been appointed professor of materials research at DTU Energy, and one of his tasks will be to help establishing the new DTU Imaging Center in collaboration with researchers from DTU Physics, DTU Compute, DTU Mechanical Engineering and the Niels Bohr Institute, all experts in the use of X-ray and neutron techniques for materials research. Like himself.
Their goal is to establish DTU in the top league of materials research and attract large projects.
"Being a professor doesn’t make you a better researcher than you was before, but the title allows you to go for the larger proposals, as the title shows to the world that you are able to attract good people and create a research team around. Just the fact that you are a professor gets you talking time when calling potential partners."
Jens Wenzel Andreasen gives his inaugural speech as professor on March 31 at DTU Lyngby Campus. DTU's long term ambition within Imaging is to create a 3D Imaging Centre - a unique interdisciplinary research environment drawing on the expertise of a network of researchers specialized within materials study, X-ray and neutron technologies, data analysis, software and computer graphics. The 3D Imaging Centre will be embedded in a strong academic network and strategic alliances with large-scale facilities, especially ESS and MAX IV in Lund, Sweden. Read more about DTU Imaging Center