After seven years as Head of the Department of Physics at Chalmers, a new assignment now awaits Thomas Nilsson: as Scientific Managing Director at GSI and FAIR in Germany.
Professor Thomas Nilsson received his PhD at Chalmers University of Technology in 1995 and spent the time between 1998–2005 at CERN and the Technical University of Darmstadt. For almost twenty years, Chalmers has been his base, as he has devoted himself to research in subatomic physics. In 2017, he was appointed Head of the Department of Physics, a position that has been extended twice.
A new position now awaits Thomas Nilsson: as Scientific Managing Director at the joint management of the German research facilities GSI (Helmholtz Center for Heavy-Ion Research) and FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research).
GSI is a world-leading accelerator facility for research purposes and a host institute for FAIR, which is currently being built in its vicinity. At FAIR, matter that is usually only found in space will be produced to give researchers from all over the world new insights into the structure of matter and the evolution of the universe from the Big Bang to the present. The first experiments are expected to be held in three or four years.
Thomas Nilsson has had several assignments for FAIR over the past fifteen years, including serving on their scientific advisory board and vice chairman of their board. He will now be the main scientific representative of both GSI and FAIR, under a five-year contract with the possibility of an extension of another five years. Thomas Nilsson will be on 95 per cent leave from his professorship at Chalmers – the remaining five will remain in an advisory role.
"It’s going to be incredibly exciting. I bring with me a wealth of experience from my time at Chalmers, where the leadership experience is, of course, invaluable. Moreover, the research conducted at GSI and, in the future, at FAIR, is largely carried out by researchers affiliated with universities. I hope to build even stronger connections between FAIR and leading universities such as Chalmers. Here, having solid experience in what drives academic excellence from a physics department aiming to become one of the best in Europe is undoubtedly an asset!" says Thomas Nilsson.
Recruitment of a new Head of Department to the Department of Physics has begun. Paul Erhart, Physics’ Deputy Head of Department with responsibility for research quality, is Acting Head of Department until the new one is in place.
Read the press release from GSI and FAIR: Professor Thomas Nilsson is the new Scientific Managing Director of FAIR and GSI
Contact
- Head of Department, Physics
- Full Professor, Condensed Matter and Materials Theory, Physics