Bertil Andersson
3rd President of Nanyang Technological University
In office
25 July 2011 (2011-07-25) – 31 December 2017 (2017-12-31)
Preceded bySu Guaning
Succeeded bySubra Suresh
Personal details
Born1948 (age 75–76)
Finspång, Östergötland, Sweden
Alma materUmeå University (BS, MS)
Lund University (PhD, DSc)
Profession

Bertil Andersson is a Swedish college administrator and academic who served as the third president of Nanyang Technological University (NTU).[1][2][3]

Andersson received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science at Umeå University and his PhD and DSc at Lund University.[4] He started his research career at Lund University, after which he became a professor of biochemistry at Stockholm University, Sweden, in 1986.[4] From 1996 to 1999, he served as the Dean of the Faculty of Chemical Sciences at Stockholm University.[4] In 1999, Andersson became the Rector (President) of Linköping University, Sweden, where he served until the end of 2003.[4]

From 2004 to 2007, he led the European Science Foundation in Strasbourg, France, as its chief executive.

From April 2007 to June 2011, Andersson served as Provost of NTU in Singapore.[5] Having strengthened NTU's reputation as one of the fastest-growing research-intensive universities in the world, he was appointed President of NTU on 1 July 2011.[6]

Research and teaching

Andersson is a plant biochemist and the author of over 300 papers in photosynthesis research, biological membranes, protein and membrane purification and light stress in plants.[7] He has pioneered research on the artificial leaf, a promising area of sustainable energy research that uses sunlight to produce clean, low-cost sources of energy.[8] Sustainability is one of NTU's five strategic areas under its NTU 2015 plan, supported by more than S$830 million in research funding.[9]

Andersson holds honorary doctorates from several universities, the most recent of which are Hebrew University of Jerusalem,[10] the University of New South Wales[11] and Symbiosis International University. He also holds honorary doctorate from SRM University, Chennai, India.[12]

He continues to hold academic appointments as professor of biochemistry at Linköping University and adjunct professor at Umeå University.[4]

Awards and appointments

In October 2013, Professor Andersson received the Medal for Educational Merit during the 30th Award Ceremony of the World Cultural Council. The medal was conferred by the WCC in recognition of his remarkable achievements, including his "contribution to the ascendancy of NTU, the fastest rising University in the global top 50, second amongst the world's young elite research intensive Universities under 50 years old."[13]

In November 2010, Andersson received the Wilhelm Exner Medal in Vienna, Austria. The award was given in recognition of his research in biochemistry as well as his contributions to European and Austrian research.[14][15] He is the first Singapore-based researcher to receive the award since it was introduced in 1921.[16] Other winners of the award include 16 Nobel laureates.[14]

A visiting professor and Fellow of Imperial College London, Andersson has been the key driver of the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, jointly established by NTU and Imperial College London.[2][4]

Andersson has a long association with the Nobel Foundation and served as chairman of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry in 1997.[4][8] As the chair of the Global Alliance of Technological Universities, of which NTU is a founding member, he leads a network of seven top global universities focused on harnessing science and technology to solve urgent societal challenges.[4]

He has been a member of the boards of several Swedish and international foundations and learned societies, including the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the Australian Academy of Science, Academia Europaea[4] and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.

Andersson is a research advisor to the Swedish government and was, between 2004 and 2009, the Vice-President of the European Research Advisory Board of the European Commission in Brussels.[4] He is a board member of Singapore's Building and Construction Authority and A*STAR.[4] He serves on the governing board of the Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, a Research Centre of Excellence at NTU.[17] He was previously a member of the Singapore National Research Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board, set up by former Deputy Prime Minister Dr Tony Tan in 2006 to advise the Singapore government on its R&D strategy.

Andersson was elected to the Australian Academy of Science in 1999 as a Corresponding Fellow.

Andersson is the honorary Pro-Chancellor of SRM University, Andhra Pradesh.[18]

References

  1. ^ "NTU President to step down" (PDF). The Straits Times. 19 October 2010.
  2. ^ a b "NTU's new President and Provost to lead the way in transforming NTU into a world-class university that integrates education, research and innovation". News.ntu.edu.sg. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  3. ^ "NTU formally inaugurates Bertil Andersson as third President". News.ntu.edu.sg. 6 June 2011. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k In the company of Nobel laureates: Professor Bertil Andersson Archived 6 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Top European scientist to take on No. 2 post at NTU" (PDF). The Straits Times. 10 October 2006. p. H4. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  6. ^ "NTU President Su Guaning announces that he will not seek new term upon completion of current term on 30th June 2011". News.ntu.edu.sg. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  7. ^ "NTU: Academic Profile: Prof Bertil Andersson". Research.ntu.edu.sg. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  8. ^ a b "Inside the beautiful mind of a simple boy" (PDF). Today on Sunday. 31 July 2011. pp. 4/5. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  9. ^ "A global research powerhouse". Ntu.edu.sg. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  10. ^ "NTU incoming President, Professor Bertil Andersson receives honorary doctorate together with two Nobel laureates from top university". News.ntu.edu.sg. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  11. ^ "The Scientist with the Nobel Touch | Uniken". Uniken.unsw.edu.au. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  12. ^ "NTU President, Professor Bertil Andersson receives honorary doctorate from India's President". News.ntu.edu.sg. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  13. ^ "World Cultural Council 30th Award Ceremony". Nanyang Technological University. 2 October 2013. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  14. ^ a b "Awardees". wilhelmexner.org. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  15. ^ "Top Swedish scientist Professor Bertil Andersson is awarded the prestigious Wilhelm Exner Medal in Vienna". News.ntu.edu.sg. 6 June 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  16. ^ "Prestigious medal for NTU professor" (PDF). The Straits Times. 21 May 2010. p. C6. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Micro-organism research centre opens at NTU" (PDF). The Straits Times. 15 September 2011. p. B6. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Honorary Leadership – SRM University, AP – Amaravati". SRM University, AP – Amaravati. Retrieved 23 October 2018.

External links

Academic offices Preceded bySu Guaning President of Nanyang Technological University 25 July 2011 – 31 December 2017 Succeeded bySubra Suresh
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