The University Board at NMBU has appointed Svein Jarle Horn as the new dean of the Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science for a four-year term. He has served as acting dean since this summer and has led the BioRef research group at KBM for 10 years.
– It was not my plan to become dean at KBM, but I have had the opportunity to try the role since the summer and feel it has worked well. I have an excellent team around me at KBM; both the administration and the research groups are doing a great job. I also find the collaboration with the rectorate and the other deans at NMBU to be very good. Therefore, I look forward to continuing in the role as dean for another four years, says Horn.
Strong Research Culture
– The research culture at KBM is very strong, with several leading research environments and a large portfolio of external projects. We also have a unique research infrastructure. It is important for me to preserve this in a time of tighter financial constraints. Our students receive research-based education, and master’s theses are often carried out as part of ongoing research projects, Horn points out.
The University’s Role
– I am passionate about the university’s role in society. We represent knowledge, truth, and facts and educate the population. In my career, this has never been more important than now, in a world increasingly marked by uncertainty and disinformation. Total defense has now become a major focus, and here NMBU has a particularly important role with its expertise in environmental sciences, sustainability, bioproduction, and food security, says Horn.
Extensive Research Experience at NMBU
Horn holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from NTH (1996) and earned his PhD (Dr. Ing.) in Biotechnology at NTNU in 2000. In 2002, he began a postdoctoral position at KBM, where he worked on enzymatic degradation of chitin, among other topics. In 2012, Horn was appointed professor in bioprocess technology, and since 2016 he has led the Bioprocess Technology and Biorefining research group (BioRef). In 2017/18, he spent a research sabbatical in San Diego (UCSD).
Horn has extensive experience in applying for and leading large research projects. He has published over 150 research articles on topics such as applied enzymology, biogas processes, and fermentation processes.