Thirty years of research has resulted in a five-year position as a professor with special responsibilities for 56-year-old Jan Tind Sørensen, who heads the research unit Epidemiology and Management at the Department of Animal Science at Aarhus University.

At the head of department’s office at the Department of Animal Science, Klaus Lønne Ingvartsen’s great satisfaction with Jan Tind Sørensen's appointment as a professor with special responsibilities in herd management is evident.

- Jan Tind Sørensen has for many years conducted research at a high international level combined with building a strong research team that has distinguished itself nationally and internationally. His professorship is therefore fully deserved. At the same time, the appointment will strengthen the department’s reputation even further in the development of management methods and tools for herd health and animal welfare and production in an economically sustainable context, says the head of department Klaus Lønne Ingvartsen.

Since graduating from the then Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Jan Tind Sørensen has focused his research on herd management, which combines animal science, technical knowledge of decision support in herds, economics and knowledge of farmer decision-making behaviour.

After obtaining his Master’s and PhD degrees, Jan Tind Sørensen was recruited to Research Centre Foulum in 1987 (now part of Aarhus University) where he has been working ever since – first as a research assistant, then as a senior scientist and since 1995 as head of a research unit.

In recent years, animal welfare has taken up ever more of his research time. Society’s perception of agriculture is under constant change and that translates into research where focus is increasingly on animal welfare. These changes Jan Tind Sørensen regards as a major challenge:

- Animal welfare is an area of public concern. It is important for research into assessing animal welfare that we live up to the expectations of society, but it is equally important that we are aware of  the potentials and limitations of farmers, he explains.

The new position as a professor delights Jan Tind Sørensen, who sees it as recognition of the research unit’s efforts over the past 18 years.

- I think it’s an important research area for both the Department and for Aarhus University. At the same time, a professor title hopefully increase respect for the area, and I hope that the appointment can pay off when applying for research funding at international and national level in the future, says Jan Tind Sørensen.

CV for Jan Tind Sørensen

Professional experience

1995 - Head of Epidemiology and Management of the then Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences (now part of Aarhus University)

1992-1995 - Senior Scientist at the then National Institute of Animal Science (now part of Aarhus University)

1987-1992 - Research assistant at the then National Institute of Animal Science (now part of Aarhus University)

1981-1984 - Research assistant at the then National Institute of Animal Science (now part of Aarhus University)

Education

1988 - PhD from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University

1981 – Master of Agronomy from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University

Further information: Professor MSO Jan Tind Sørensen, telephone: +45 8715 7923 e-mail: jantind.sorensen@agrsci.dk