DTU has appointed Christine Nellemann as new dean with responsibility for sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and talent development as well as DTU’s international strategic collaboration.
Christine Nellemann comes from a position as Director of DTU National Food Institute, which she has headed since 2014. The Institute provides scientific advice at the highest level to national and international authorities and companies, and conducts research into healthy, safe, and sustainable food aimed at ensuring future welfare. She has also been a member of the Danish Council of Ethics since spring 2023.
DTU President Anders Bjarklev is pleased with the appointment:
“We’ve long been thinking about creating a new position as dean with focus on sustainability and diversity, which is completely in conformity with our strategy to develop technologies for sustainable change. Christine Nellemann has vast experience from academia and has a very strong international and national network. In addition to her knowledge in life science and food, she has acquired highly diverse expertise through her work on various boards and the Danish Council of Ethics, making her a perfect match for this position,” he says.
Broader sustainability focus
With the position as dean with focus on diversity, internationalization, and sustainability, DTU is strengthening its development as an attractive and diverse partner and workplace.
Sustainability is already an integral part of DTU’s study programmes and research, but the appointment of Christine Nellemann has made this focus even clearer and broader. This supports DTU’s objective to be a leader in research and development of sustainable solutions.
As dean, Christine Nellemann will also be tasked with promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion, which are important prerequisites for DTU to bring all its talents into play and thus achieve its ambition of conducting groundbreaking research and teaching at the highest level. DTU should be seen as a university with room for everyone who can and want to make a difference. The appointment is also in compliance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals about reduced inequalities and about gender equality.
Christine Nellemann will also be responsible for entering into new international strategic alliances and partnerships.
Across academic fields
“DTU is a fantastic university that has worked with the development of technology and sustainable solutions for decades. As dean, I would like to contribute to greater collaboration on sustainability across the various academic fields. Because some of the challenges we’re facing are bigger than one department or one academic field can handle on its own,” says Christine Nellemann.
Christine Nellemann has a Master of Science (MSc) in Human Biology and a PhD from the University of Copenhagen. She has been employed at DTU National Food Institute since 1999, where her areas of research have included the effects of endocrine disruptors and alternatives to animal testing. She has been Director of Institute for the past nine years. Christine Nellemann is also a member of the Danish Council of Ethics, where she contributes with her experience in the application of biotechnologies and genetic technologies in health, nature, and food.
"I am incredibly happy to work at DTU and look forward to getting around the rest of the university more. We're capable of so many things at DTU, so the challenge is to tie everything together so that the solutions can go further into society—to industry, the authorities and consumers—where they can make a difference," says Christine Nellemann.
Christine Nellemann will take up the position as dean on 1 January 2024. Tine Rask Licht—who is currently Deputy Head of Institute—will take over as Director of DTU National Food Institute.
