Speech on the occasion of the Aarhus University Annual Celebration, Friday 10 September 2010
Speech to Hans Kjeldsen – recipient of the Aarhus University Jubilee Fund’s Pedagogical Prize of Honour (Aarhus Universitets Jubilæumsfonds Pædagogiske Hæderspris)
Lauritz B. Holm-Nielsen, rektor, Aarhus Universitet
The two days of the university calendar with the proudest traditions are Carl Holst-Knudsen’s birthday on 28 May and the University’s own birthday September 11th, which we celebrate today. On Carl Holst-Knudsen’s birthday we celebrate research with the presentation of the university’s research prizes, while today we honour teaching and research dissemination. It is therefore my pleasure to be able to present the Aarhus University Jubilee Fund’s Pedagogical Prize of Honour (Aarhus Universitets Jubilæumsfonds Pædagogiske Hæderspris) and the Aarhus University Jubilee Fund’s Research Dissemination Prize (Aarhus Universitets Jubilæumsfonds Forskningsformidlingspris).
This year the Aarhus University Jubilee Fund’s Pedagogical Prize of Honour (Aarhus Universitets Jubilæumsfonds Pædagogiske Hæderspris) goes to Associate Professor and PhD Hans Kjeldsen from the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Dear Hans. I award you the Pedagogical Prize of Honour of 100,000 Danish kroner in recognition of your outstanding teaching at Aarhus University.
You took your PhD degree at the Department of Physics and Astronomy in 1992 and following a postdoctoral course abroad, you have been affiliated with the department since 1995.
Since then you have – in addition to your distinguished research efforts – provided an outstanding teaching and educational effort on all levels, which in both quality and scope, far exceeds even the most ambitious expectations. Since 2003 you have been responsible for for no less than ten different courses, from fundamental BA courses to continuing education degree courses in astronomy.
You have the ability to establish an ideal connection between the newest research and the right pedagogical dissemination, which is so crucial in capturing the interest and attention of the students. The fact that you have truly managed to capture the attention of the students is also confirmed by taking a look at the four most recent evaluations from your students. An average of 81% characterise your ability to communicate with the top mark of ”Very good”. That speaks for itself!
You are also co-author of the book ”The Dynamic Stars” (De dynamiske stjerner), which is a text book in upper secondary schools, and you arrange courses for amateur astronomers all over the country. When you think that in addition to this you hold fifty to sixty lectures a year in various associations, upper secondary schools, planetariums, Danish Extension Universities etc., you get a picture of a person who tirelessly works to disseminate and communicate his great passion: astronomy.
There is no doubt that you are a very worthy and well- deserved winner of the Aarhus University Jubilee Fund’s Pedagogical Prize of Honour (Aarhus Universitets Jubilæumsfonds Pædagogiske Hæderspris).
Congratulations!