They explore the unknown: meet the 2023 Villum Investigators

A career of pioneering research and grants ranging from DKK 25 to 40 million to kickstart the next scientific breakthroughs. This is the common denominator for the selected star researchers, who will now be given the title Villum Investigators and the opportunity to give their best ideas free reign at a Danish university.

Attracting more talented researchers to the country creates great value for society, says Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund: 

“It’s crucial that we have highly qualified researchers in Denmark whose knowledge can help move our society forward. This is necessary, for example, if we are to succeed in the green transition. So I look forward to following the work of the new Villum Investigators. Congratulations to the 11 top researchers.”

The Danish research community will also benefit greatly from the researchers, who with the grant will have time to immerse themselves in their research: 

“The Villum Investigator programme gives researchers the time and funding their ideas deserve. Giving researchers the freedom to pursue their curiosity is crucial for attracting some of the world’s top talents to Danish universities, where they can make valuable contributions to research and society with their groundbreaking knowledge,” says Jens Kann-Rasmussen, chair of VILLUM FONDEN’s board

For Professor Martin Bizzarro, who heads the University of Copenhagen’s Center for Star and Planet Formation, the grant provides the freedom to shed new light on the conditions for life in the universe:

“The unique flexibility of the Villum Investigator grant will give me the freedom to move into unexplored territory and challenge the limits of our current knowledge of planetary systems and their habitability. Driven by curiosity, my hope is to understand how habitable planets like the Earth are formed and develop the necessary conditions for life to evolve and flourish.”

On 17 April 2023, the Villum Investigators will be celebrated at a ceremony at the VILLUM Window Collection in Søborg, which will be attended by the Minister for Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund, among others.

The 11 investigators were selected from among 52 applicants after a thorough evaluation process in which internationally recognised researchers in VILLUM FONDEN’s working group for technical and natural sciences selected 22 applicants for independent peer review, interviews, and subsequent approval by the foundation’s board.

The 11 selected researchers represent departments at the University of Copenhagen, DTU, the University of Southern Denmark, and Aarhus University.