The University now strengthens its research in the field of electrotechnology. Special focus will be on electronic design, energy, electromagnetism, automation, and acoustics.
From 2019 DTU’s profile within electrotechnology will be sharpened because of a major organizational change where the University establishes a new department for health technology.
In the future, DTU Electrical Engineering will include the research groups Acoustic Technology, Automation and Control, Center for Electric Power and Energy, Electronics, and Electromagnetic Systems. Whereas the three research groups Biomedical Engineering, Center for Magnetic Resonance, and Hearing Systems will transfer to the new DTU department.
“The change makes it obvious for us to strengthen our professional profile and to focus even more on electrotechnology. We hope that our many students and industrial partners will benefit from the sharper focus together with us, and see the new opportunities it offers,” says Head of Department Kristian Stubkjær.
One of the companies that have worked closely with the department for many years agrees with this assessment.
“Denmark needs engineers with strong electrotechnical expertise. I expect that the new strengthened profile for DTU Electrical Engineering will secure that. In addition, I look forward to continue witnessing DTU’s world-class research. The researchers at DTU are amazingly talented and have always been at the forefront of the global development in their field,” says Peder R. Pedersen, CEO of Weibel Scientific and member of DTU Electrical Engineering’s Advisory Board.
International beacons
DTU Electrical Engineering has gained international leadership in a number of different areas, such as energy efficient circuit design, digitizing energy, acoustics and electromagnetism, based on its electrotechnical expertise. "These areas will continue to be important ‘beacons’, which a number of new projects in the coming years will contribute to support,” says Kristian Stubkjær.
The new projects include construction of new world-class research facilities. Among them a new Electromagnetic Test Center, this will include the existing radio anechoic chamber and four new laboratories, which can be used for high precision antenna measurements that are important for satellites launched by the European Space Agency, ESA.
In addition, DTU has just been granted funding for a new Digital Energy Lab, which will help accelerate the development of digital and data-driven solutions for the energy sector. The laboratory will collaborate with the existing facilities at DTU, including PowerLabDK and the living energy laboratories on Bornholm and in Nordhavn.
A number of new extensive research projects will also constitute DTU Electrical Engineering’s future profile. For example a major collaboration with the Korean elite university KAIST in the acoustic field where the use of the special properties of metamaterials is examined.
Another considerable project will develop solutions for autonomous ships, so that in future it will be possible to sail wholly or partly without a crew.
Finally, the major research efforts will continue, which focus on making power supplies for our electrical appliances increasingly smaller and more efficient so that energy consumption is reduced.
Kristian Stubkjær emphasizes that the strengthening of DTU’s profile within electrotechnology also aims at increasing the current extensive cooperation with companies. This intention is welcomed by the industry.
"A company like ours, which is a global leader in a niche area in radar technology, can only maintain its position if we can continue to work with leading researchers in the field and can recruit the best manpower - both of which we find at DTU," says Peder R. Pedersen.