The Grundfos Prize for applied research

The prize was given as a recognition of his research within environmental technology which has revolutionised a number of fields from purification plants to the combat against bacterial infection in human beings.

The Grundfos Prize amounts to DKK 1 million (app. 130,000 Euro), of which DKK 250,000 (33,000 Euro) are a personal gift of honour whereas DKK 750,000 (100,000 Euro) are earmarked for Mr Nielsen’s field of research.

The jury of the Grundfos Prize said:

- Per Halkjær Nielsen has demonstrated a prize-worthy ability to build bridges between different disciplines within natural science and technical science which resulted in several instances of major breakthrough in research. He has also managed to co-operate with the industry, consultants and authorities in such a manner that the newest knowledge in his field is easily available for the Danish and international societies.

During the past four years Mr Nielsen has been co-operating with more than 50 Danish purification plants and consulting agencies to ensure the newest results of his research may be used in practice. In addition he has made contributions within medical research. He participates in research projects about the control of micro organisms on implants, for instance in co-operation with Coloplast, Radiometer, Danish Technological Institute and Copenhagen University Hospital.

The Grundfos Prize was presented by Grundfos Group Chairman, Niels Due Jensen who commented on the COP15 summit in the Bella Centre some months ago: ”We were many who expected much from the summit. We were disappointed. The world’s leaders did not manage to find a common ground and agree on binding agreements regarding the climate. Now it seems that some people have forgotten the gravity of the situation. Climate is not an issue in the public debate any longer.”

The jury of the Grundfos Prize is made up of:
Professor, Nina Smith, Aarhus University
Professor, Preben Terndrup Pedersen, the Technical university of Denmark
Former Vice-Chancellor of Aalborg University, Sven Caspersen
Lars Kolind, Chairman of the Poul Due Jensen Foundation
Niels Due Jensen, Chairmen of the Grundfos Group.

Previous recipients of the Grundfos Prize:
2002: Professor, Dr. Techn. Ole Sigmund, DTU
2003: Professor, Svend Erik Hougaard Jensen, Research Manager, Nikolaj Malchow-Møller, Professor, Jan Rose Skaksen, Professor, Anders Sørensen and Professor, Ulrich Kaiser (shared the Prize for a prize paper within the field of social science)
2004: Professor, Frede Blåbjerg, Aalborg University.
2006: Dr. Sc. Flemming Besenbacher, Head of the iNANO Centre, Aarhus University.
2007: Professor, Jens Kehlet Nørskov, DTU.
2008: Professor, Anne Strunge Meyer, DTU
2009: Professor, Søren Brunak, DTU