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SDU picks world-famous leading professor to head SDU Centre for Quantum Mathematics

On 1 November, Professor Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen joins SDU as Head of the newly established Centre for Quantum Mathematics. He is the research manager of the project ’Recursive and Exact New Quantum Theory’ that last year received a 10- million-euro grant from the European Research Council (ERC).

By Sune Holst, , 11/1/2019

Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen is taking up a position as professor at SDU Centre for Quantum Mathematics, continuing his research work on mathematical problems at the cross roads  between geometry, topology and analysis on the one side and theoretical physics on the other.

In theoretical physics, quantum field theory has enjoyed immense success in our comprehension of elementary particle physics. Nevertheless, there is no consistent mathematical foundation for this theory. Furthermore, the top world league of scientists in theoretical physics and mathematics experience huge problems in combining this theory with Einstein’s general theory of relativity.  

Centre for Quantum Mathematics will focus particularly on all the elements of mathematics that are necessary for creating the mathematical foundation of quantum theory. We have already provided the mathematical foundation of several quantum field theories and built up new theories for quantization of curved phase spaces.

Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen, Professor

He is supported by Henrik Bindslev, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, who is not surprisingly thrilled that SDU has succeeded in attracting a capacity as Professor Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen.

- With the new permanent centre, we are well positioned as leading player within the field, both in terms of the entire mathematical foundation that offers new possibilities to combine the theory with Einstein’s theory of relativity, and in terms of the very exciting new quantum engineering applications of quantum topology, says Henrik Bindslev.

ERC Synergy grant of 10 million euros

Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen brings along the project ’Recursive and Exact New Quantum Theory’, which last year received a 10-million-euro grant (74.6m DKK) from the European Research Council (ERC) as the first purely mathematical/theoretical physics project ever. By the ERC jury, the project was identified as the highest-ranking project among the incoming applications within all research fields. 

Centre of excellence

As head of the newly established centre affiliated to the Mads Clausen Institute at SDU, professor Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen has lots of room to manoeuvre in order to create and set up a research environment of the highest international standard. 

SDU offered me new possibilities that were simply impossible to refuse. From the very beginning we are determined to attract leading researchers to the entire spectrum of job categories.

Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen, Professor

Strong team behind the centre

If anyone can do it, Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen can. He has been the driving force behind the establishment of Centre for Quantum Geometry of Moduli Space at Department of Mathematics at Aarhus University (AU).

Moreover, Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen has assembled an international advisory board where six of its members are the proud recipients of the Fields Medal - a prestigious mark of honour often referred to as the ‘Nobel Prize in Mathematics’.

- The international advisory board is representing a very strong link to the absolute world elite within this research field and it will assist in identifying and attracting rising stars to SDU.

D-IAS Chair

Along with his new position, Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen has been appointed Chair of D-IAS.  The Danish Institute for Advanced Study (D-IAS) is SDU’s interdisciplinary elite research centre with focus on cutting-edge research across all five faculties.

- By establishing D-IAS, SDU has assumed a perfect position in the Danish field of top research and I look very much forward to also playing an active role within this fantastic institute.

Meet the researcher

Meet the world-famous leading proffessor Jørgen Ellegaard Andersen in a short video

Watch video

Editing was completed: 01.11.2019