News

CUHRE Ecoliteracy Spring Lecture by Sean Blenkinsop

New PhD projects in SDU Climate Cluster

Public support for climate solutions, energy savings in sports facilities, more efficient PtX, increased CO2 absorption in the oceans and better utilization of land areas are the topics of the new PhD projects supported by SDU Climate Cluster.

Global warming: Animals mate more in warmer weather

Do climate changes make it easier or harder for animals and plants to reproduce? There is no simple answer, but several studies suggest that animals mate more frequently in warmer weather. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they have more offspring, or that the offspring's chances of survival are good. How does that add up?

New indoor solar cell technology could lay AA batteries to rest

Researchers at SDU have developed solar cell technology that will make AA, AAA, and button cell batteries redundant. The prototype is ready, and the researchers aim to produce 5,000 units daily within a year. They are now seeking entrepreneurs who can help bring it to market.

Collaboration on Odense Fjord and Fyn to Inspire Other EU Countries

Several researchers from SDU are involved in a new EU project seeking effective solutions for improving water quality and climate adaptation across Europe.

10 SDU researchers among 2023's most cited

DM Akademikerbladet, in collaboration with Infomedia, has calculated the experts' appearances in the press last year. On 2023's top 50 list, there are ten researchers from SDU to be found, including number one.

Ambitious research project addresses significant climate issue within the shipping industry

The formation of ships queuing outside ports is a widespread problem, leading to unnecessary fuel consumption and, consequently, CO2 emissions. With a total budget of 7,5 million euros, a new European research project, spearheaded by the University of Southern Denmark, is set to find a solution.

Meet SCC elite centre SOLEN

During December, you can get to know the research focus of the four new elite centres via four shourt videos, here SOLEN

Meet SCC elite centre CUHRE

During December, you can get to know the research focus of the four new elite centres via four short videos.

Meet SCC elite centre Aqua-NbS

During December, you can get to know the research focus of the four new elite centres via four short videos.

3 new projects have received fast track funding

SDU Climate Cluster supports 3 new projects aiming to improve public health in India, create softer cream cheese and butter and break down barriers to Power To X.

Meet the SCC elite centre PACA

During December, you can get to know the research focus of the four new elite centres via four short videos.

Rocks and cliffs from land will make the oceans absorb and store large amounts of CO2

The CO2 levels in the atmosphere continue to rise as we strive to reduce our emissions. Now, an international team of researchers proposes a radical solution: pour crushed stone into the sea and it will empower the water to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.

How to take care of God’s green earth?

Religious environmental movements are established worldwide, also within Islam. The Independent Research Fund Denmark has granted more than DKK 6 million to a project investigating the connection between Islam, nature, and the environment.

More seaweed on the menu in Northern Europe

Seaweed and algae are a sustainable and healthy alternative to animal foods, and there is an abundance of it in the seas around us. A new German/Danish project, led by SDU, has received ca. 14 million DKK to make consumers more interested in eating seaweed and algae and to make the products more accessible to them.

Grants of DKK 43 million to make the Danish/German border region more climate resilient

The EU's Interreg program has granted support for two projects led by SDU Climate Cluster, aiming to strengthen collaborative climate efforts in the region.

New Robot Can Make Life Easier for Winemakers. And It Might Improve the Wine That We Drink

Researchers from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) are collaborating with Newtec and Capra Robotics to develop technology that can assist winemakers in assessing when the grapes in the vineyard are ready for harvest. Earlier this year, they were at Kimesbjerggaard Vineyard just outside Faaborg to test it.

Independent Research Fund Denmark grants DKK 3 million for a project that will strengthen high school students' engagement with climate issues

The latest reports on climate change from the UN's IPCC panel have shown that when young people are active and engaged in climate issues, it influences politicians who are more supportive of actions that fight climate change.

Let's play future

3 million DKK granted from the Independent Research Fund Denmark for a project applying role-playing games on climate issues for children and young people.

Wealthy countries' research skews our knowledge of plants

Data on the world´s plants can be found in many databases, and they are valuable for researchers trying to calculate how plants will respond to climate change. However, the world's plant data is primarily collected in and by wealthy countries, while there is a shortage of data on plants in poor and tropical parts of the world. This is a problem, biologists warn in a new study.

C-Vitamin Boosts not only Your Immune System but also Solar Cells

C-vitamin is renowned for its crucial role in our bodies, strengthening our immune system and overall health. However, now, this vitamin is stepping into the limelight to enhance the efficiency and longevity of solar cells. A new scientific article by Vida Engmann from SDU CAPE sheds light on the beneficial effects of C-vitamins for organic solar cells.

New Study: Young People Envision a Dystopian Future

If we are to believe high school students from Denmark, life in 2060 will be anything but safe and comfortable. In a series of short stories, two-thirds of the 152 young participants in the study paint a dystopian picture of the future.

Frodo the humpback whale goes on an adventure

A new study confirms that humpback whales most often return to the same breeding and feeding grounds on their annual migrations through the world's oceans. But then there is Frodo; he did not swim back to the same place but ended up 11,261 km away.

Support for instruments and equipment to assist SDU's researchers in their climate-related research

Biofuels, artificial reefs for fish, more sustainable textiles and algae's response to climate change are some of the topics being researched at SDU. They now receive support for scientific equipment.

Solar panels used indoors can replace batteries in small devices

SDU's new translational postdoc Bhushan Patil wants to replace batteries in small devices such as clocks and keyboards with solar panels that collects energy from indoor light in homes and offices.

New expert group to address potential threat from invasive species impacting marine ecosystems

Invasive speces - both plants and animals - can pose a serious threat to biodiversity, UN states. As a response, a group of SDU researchers now form an expert group.   

SDU’s quantum research is world-class

Two new analyses from the Danish National Research Foundation document that SDU’s quantum research has a very strong position against the international competition.

The dolphins are coming!

Bottlenose dolphins and orcas are increasingly finding their way to Danish waters. At the same time, we want to build gigantic offshore wind farms. Do we have room for both more marine mammals and more wind farms?

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Researchers find 20,000 years old refugium for orcas in the northern Pacific

During the last ice age, orcas had to leave their habitats and seek ice-free waters. Some of them found a refugium near Japan, and their descendants have lived there ever since. A new study of orca colonization of the North Pacific contributes to understanding the complex social lives of orcas.

New research project aims to help the film and TV industry become greener

Producing films and TV shows generates a significant amount of CO2 emissions. However, it doesn't have to be that way and now a new research project will explore how to make sustainable productions more feasible.

SDU's Sustainability Report 2022

After the board of directors at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) made the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals the focal point for the university's ongoing development, it is important to take stock of the work that has subsequently taken place. You can read about this in SDU's Sustainability Report.

New Elite Centre recommends a higher ecoliteracy into schools

Ecoliteracy - using our knowledge of sustainability and nature to act in the climate crisis - is too low in the formal education system according to the head of SDU's new elite centre, CUHRE

Religious narratives help frame our understanding of culture and nature

How do we understand the dandelion? Is there a difference in how we relate to nature depending on culture and religion? Can pop culture influence our understanding of other religions? Is activism the same as religious belief? Associate Professor of the Study of Religion, Laura Feldt, explains how religion can be considered a cultural phenomenon and how it can impact our biodiversity

New elite centre: To tackle the climate crisis, we need to change the narrative about climate action

Throughout human history, we have placed ourselves at the center of the world, having growth and wealth as ideals, says the director of the new elite centre under SDU Climate Cluster, PACA. It is time for a new narrative.

Support for research infrastructure

The first portions from the SCC pool for supporting researchers' purchase of equipment and other infrastructure, have now been awarded. So far, three projects have received the financial instrument. The next application deadline is 1 September 2023.

New camera technology could revolutionize the recycling of plastic materials

A Danish three-leaf clover develops super-high-resolution hyperspectral cameras that determine our plastic waste's chemical composition and various additives. The technology will have a massive impact on future plastic recycling.

New PhD projects in SDU Climate Cluster

Cheese, industrial plastic, animal feed, media habits and reefs are some of the topics that five new PhD projects will focus on.

6 new projects to receive fast track instrument

The fast track instrument from SDU Climate Cluster is given to free research ideas and hypotheses, as well as to establish pilot projects that can later form the basis for larger external research applications.

Polar ice sheet melting records have toppled during the past decade

Sebastian Mernild, SDU Climate Cluster, is one of the co-writers on a scientific publication about ice and the large ice sheets

Streams and rivers get warmer in urban areas

Temperatures are generally higher in urban areas, and this also applies to the water that flows through urban areas, biologists from SDU find in a new study. "Warmer streams and rivers are never good", says head of research, Sara Egemose.

SDU’s new elite centres will help solve climate challenges

The first two of a total of five elite centres have been designated at the SDU Climate Cluster. The two new research centres focus on nature-based solutions and solar energy, respectively. The remaining three centres will be designated this summer.

The latest IPCC report: What is it and why does it matter?

The UN's climate panel, IPCC, has published a new climate report which - again - describes the gloomy state and grim prognosis of the climate. What does it tell us and why does it matter? We asked climate professor Sebastian Mernild, head of the SDU Climate Cluster and lead author of the IPCC's sixth report.

Why are religious communities so slow in responding to the climate crisis?

Earth is facing the biggest climate crisis in human history, and environmental activists everywhere are striving to protect both humans and other organisms on earth with which they often feel a kinship. Meanwhile, the world religions are not effectively mobilizing in response. Interview with Professor of religion and nature/environmental ethics, Bron Taylor, who will visit SDU on 22 March 2023.

New UN treaty on the protection of the high seas: What does it mean?

The UN has adopted a historic agreement to protect 30% of the high seas. SDU ocean expert Jamileh Javidpour recommends to first protect areas where biodiversity is most threatened; for example seamounts and migration corridors for large predators, which rely on specific routes for their annual migrations.

10 million for new elite centre with the sun at its centre

A new elite research centre under the SDU Climate Cluster takes a holistic approach to solar energy. The centre will not only design, build and develop paper-thin, flexible solar panels that can be mounted on all kinds of things, but also look at how they are implemented in society and how consumers better embrace the new solutions.

Nature can help when extreme weather hits

Floods, heat waves, storms and droughts are becoming more common as temperatures rise, so we need to find new ways to protect our cities and communities. Nature itself offers many solutions, and we must learn to make better use of them, say the researchers behind a new elite center for climate research at SDU.

Student satellites can contribute with important knowledge in the fight against climate change

A group of students from The University of Southern Denmark are together with students from several other Danish universities developing two satellites that can contribute to our understanding of the climate changes. Soon, they will send the first satellite into space.

9 SDU researchers among the top cited in 2022

The journal ‘DM Akademikerbladet’, in collaboration with Infomedia, has calculated experts’ appearances in the press last year. On 2022's top 50 list, we find nine researchers from SDU.

SCC supports 10 new climate projects

Sustainable film production, new predators in Danish waters and our skepticism towards new green technology are some of the topics in the projects, supported by SDU Climate Cluster with up to DKK 100,000 each.

SDU researchers will keep an eye on dangerous bacteria

Researchers from SDU's campus in Sonderborg are working with Canadian colleagues to develop a warning system that can detect dangerous bacteria and viruses that emerge as permafrost melts in the Arctic. The SDU researchers bring in-depth knowledge of sensors and monitoring of bacteria.

Carbon, soot and particles from combustion end up in deep-sea trenches

New research shows that disproportionately large amounts of carbon accumulate at the bottom of deep-sea trenches. The trenches may thus play an important role for deep-sea storage of organic material - and thus for the atmospheric Co2 balance.

Thin-film technology to boost green transition

Thin-film technology plays a crucial role in combating climate change, and The Mads Clausen Institute at SDU in Sønderborg is a world leader in organic solar cell research. The researchers are working to make ultra-thin, flexible and transparent solar cells an integral part of our everyday lives. Their expertise and experience will also be used in the research and development of energy storage and green hydrogen technologies.

New life emerges as the ice melts in the Arctic Ocean

The Arctic Ocean is one of the most rapidly warming regions on Earth and is headed towards being ice free in the summer. However, this provides opportunities for new ecosystems to develop, biologist Karl Attard argues.

PhD project between the Region of Southern Denmark and SCC

In a cooperation with the Region of Southern Denmark, SCC offers a fully financed PhD position within the theme “green transition of the healthcare system in the Region of Southern Denmark”. The PhD position can be applied for by researchers at SDU.

Peter Møllgaard continues to chair the Climate Council

SDU’s Dean of the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, Peter Møllgaard, has been reappointed for a four-year term as chairman of the Climate Council, which advises the government on climate issues.

Artificial intelligence can save nurseries one fifth of electricity bills

Gas and electricity prices have skyrocketed in recent months, for several nurseries in Denmark, this means laying off staff or turning the key. Now researchers at SDU have created a system that optimises lighting control in nurseries in relation to electricity prices, saving nurseries 20 percent on electricity bills.

New Nordic humanist centre to create new understandings of the world’s societal challenges

Thanks to a donation from The A.P. Moller Relief Foundation, the University of Copenhagen and the University of Southern Denmark will establish a new research centre: the Nordic Humanities Centre for Challenge-Based Inquiry. Based on humanistic disciplines, the Centre will contribute nuances, perspectives, new understandings and opportunities for action in relation to the major societal challenges such as the climate crisis and pandemics.

Which animals can best withstand climate change?

A new study investigates how different mammals react to climate change. Animals that live for a long time and produce less offspring – like bears and bison - are more resilient than small animals with a short life – like mice and lemmings.

Sønderborg hosts international climate conference with big names

The international 100% Climate Neutrality Conference will be held on 26 and 27 September at Alsion in Sønderborg. Here you will have the opportunity to meet Germany's Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action and vice-chancellor, Robert Habeck, world-leading climate researcher and prorector at SDU, Sebastian Mernild and former Chairman of Danfoss, Jørgen Mads Clausen.

A new video marks the opening of the SDU Climate Cluster

The SDU Climate Cluster is now officially open. We mark this occasion by the release of a video, where you can learn more about SDU’s large strategic focus on the climate.