New profile strengthens innovation and industry collaboration at MPE
From 1 June, the Department of Mechanical and Production Engineering (MPE) welcomes Peter Christensen.
Peter has been appointed to a one-year associate professor position within the diploma education progamme, with the expectation of extension as part of the department’s strengthened focus on innovation, project development, and industrial collaboration. Peter will also serve as Vice Head of Department for Industry Collaboration and Innovation.
Peter brings more than 25 years of experience from industry, most recently as Senior Director at Grundfos, where he held global responsibility for advanced manufacturing technology, innovation, and technological development projects in close interaction with R&D, production, and external partners – including universities and research environments. In addition, he has a strong entrepreneurial profile as co-founder and former CEO of Sintex A/S, which he developed from a small start-up into an internationally recognised manufacturing company with approximately 200 employees.
With this combination of extensive industrial experience, research-driven innovation, and entrepreneurship, Peter brings a solid foundation of experience to the department’s efforts to translate knowledge, competencies, and research results into value-creating projects in close collaboration with industry.
At MPE, Peter will take on a central role and, in close collaboration with the departmental management and research committee, will among other things:
act as MPE’s anchor person for project development and funding within innovation and development projects
play a particularly active role in the development of projects with teaching staff, often in collaboration with small and medium-sized enterprises
support the development of value-creating projects and strengthen collaboration between teaching staff, researchers, and external partners
assist researchers in identifying and establishing the right collaboration partners
identify and develop funding opportunities for projects of strategic importance – nationally and at EU level
serve as the go-to person for industrial collaboration and innovation
teach to a limited extent within innovation and production
With the appointment of Peter, MPE takes an important step in its ambition to strengthen the link between education, research, and industrial practice, and to create even better conditions for innovation-driven collaboration with industry.
We very much look forward to the collaboration and to actively bringing Peter’s experience and perspectives into play at the department.