Welcome to the personal homepage of Dr. N. Asger Mortensen

Professor & D-IAS Chair of Physics

DNRF Center of Excellence Leader

[PhD tree] [Publications] [arXiv] [Google scholar] [D-IAS] [POLIMA]

Brief biography:

I was in 2017 called by the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) to become a full professor and a D-IAS Chair at the Danish Institute for Advanced Study. Prior to that I was a full professor at the Technical University of Denmark (faculty since 2004). My MSc (1998), PhD (2001), and Dr. Techn. (2006) academic degrees were awarded by the Technical University of Denmark, while my Dr. Scient. (2021) degree was obtained from University of Copenhagen.

My research focus is on complex wave phenomena and light-matter interactions in artificially structured materials. In particular, I am interested in situations where classical electrodynamics is interfacing regimes with quantum physics [see recent review in Nanophotonics 10, 2563 (2021)]. The list of past and present research topics includes quantum electron transport in mesoscopic systems, photonic bandgap & microstructured optical fibers, nanofluidics & optofluidics, nanophotonics & slow-light photonic crystals, metamaterials, and nanoplasmonics.

Personal data:

• Name: N. Asger Mortensen
• Date and place of birth: May 6, 1973, Hillerød, Denmark
• Citizenship: Denmark
• Marital status: Married (1999), two children (2001, 2005)
• URL: www.mortensen-lab.org
• Researcher ID: C-3592-2008
• ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7936-6264
• Google Scholar account: Y3WyiKcAAAAJ
  
  

Education & Academic degrees [ PhD family tree ]:

• Dr. scient., University of Copenhagen (2021)
• Dr. techn., Technical University of Denmark (2006)
• PhD in theoretical physics, Technical University of Denmark (2001)
• MSc in Engineering, Technical University of Denmark (1998)
• High-school diploma (natural sciences), Sorø Akademis Skole (1992)
  

Miscellaneous training:

• Research Management Course, Copenhagen Business School (2023)
• Leadership course for centerleaders, Danish National Research Foundation (2023)
• Certificate in Global Management, INSEAD (2018-2020)
• VILLUM Investigator Footprint Leadership Course, VILLUM Fonden (2017-2018)
• DTU Leadership Programme, Technical University of Denmark (2014-2015)
• Education in University Teaching at DTU, Technical University of Denmark (2004-2005)
  

Academic appointments:

• D-IAS Chair of Physics, Danish Institute for Advanced Study (2022-present)
• D-IAS Chair of Technical Science, Danish Institute for Advanced Study (2017-2022)
• VILLUM Investigator, SDU Center for Nano Optics (2017-2023)
• Professor (full), Mads Clausen Institute, SDU (2017-present)
• Professor (full), Dept. of Photonics Eng., DTU (2011-2017)
• Assoc. Prof. (tenure), Dept. of Photonics Eng., DTU (2008-2011)
• Associate Professor (tenure, Jun. 2005), Dept. of Micro and Nanotechnology, DTU (2004-2008)
• Research Assistant, Mikroelektronik Centret, DTU (Aug.-Sep., 2001)
• Ph.D. Fellow, Mikroelektronik Centret, DTU (1999-2001)
• Research Assistant, Mikroelektronik Centret, DTU (1998-1999)
• Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Physics, DTU (1997-1998)
  

R&D experience:

• Scientific Advisor, NIL Technology ApS (2019-present)
• Research Scientist, Crystal Fibre A/S (2001-2004)

CoE affiliations & group-leader positions:

• CoE Leader, POLIMA - DNRF Centre of Excellence (2023-present)
• CoE faculty, CNG - DNRF Centre of Excellence (2017-2022)
• CoE WP leader, CNG - DNRF Centre of Excellence (2012-2017)
• CoE WP leader, NATEC - VKR Centre of Excellence (2008-2014)
• CoE Associated Researcher, CASE - UNIK Centre of Excellence (2008-2014)
• DTU Research-group leader (2006-2017)
  
  

Visting Scientist affiliations:

• ASP Guest Professor, Abbe School of Photonics, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (Mar.-Apr., 2015)
• Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden (Oct.-Dec., 2000)
• Oersted Lab., Niels Bohr Inst., Univ. of Copenhagen (1999-2001)
• Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden (Sep., 1998)
• Danish National Metrology Institute (Feb.-Aug., 1998)

Honors & awards:

• Fyens Stiftstidendes Forskerpris (2023)
• Research.com Materials Science in Denmark Leader Award (2023, 2024)
• Biography included in Kraks Blå Bog (2023)
• Center of Excellence Leader, Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF, 2022)
• Elected Member of Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters (KDVS, 2022)
• Elected Fellow of European Academy of Sciences (EURASC, 2019)
• Elected Fellow of Institute of Physics (IOP, 2018)
• Elite Researcher Prize (UFM, 2018)
• Top reviewers in Physics (Clarivate, 2018)
• Elected Member of Danish Academy of Natural Sciences (DNA, 2017)
• Elected Fellow of American Physical Society (APS, 2017)
• VILLUM Investigator (VILLUM Fonden, 2017)
• Top reviewers for Physics and Astronomy (Clarivate, 2017)
• Top reviewers for Denmark (Clarivate, 2017)
• Elected Fellow of Optical Society of America (OSA, 2016)
• Top reviewers for Physics and Astronomy (Clarivate, 2016)
• Videnskabens Top-5 ["Breakthrough of the Year"] (Ingeniøren, 2014)
• Finalist, "DK's sejeste ingeniør" (Engineer the future, 2014)
• Elektroprisen 2014 (IDA, 2014)
• OSA Senior Member distinction (OSA, 2014)
• Elected Fellow of the International Society of Optics and Photonics (SPIE, 2014)
• Elected Member of Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (ATV, 2014)
• SPIE Senior Member distinction (SPIE, 2012)
• 'Best presentation award', Nanostructured Thin Films IV (SPIE Optics+Photonics, 2011)
• The European Optics Prize 2008 (EOS, 2008)
• Young Researcher Participant in the 58th Meeting of Nobel Prize Winners in Physics, Council for the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings (2008)
• Young Elite Researcher's Award (DFF, 2007)
• Statoil-prisen (2007)
• Corrit-fondens rejselegat (2006)
• Strategic Program for Young Researchers (DSF, 2005)
• The European Optics Prize 2004 (EOS, 2004)
• Ingeniørvidenskabelig Fond og G. A. Hagemanns Mindefond (2000)
• DTU Ph.D. Fellowship (DTU, 1998)

Major research grants, principal investigator:

• Danish National Research Foundation (2023-2029)
  [grant #DNRF165, ~60 MDKK]
  
• VILLUM Investigator, VILLUM Fonden (2017-2023)
  [grant #16498, ~40 MDKK]
  

Other research grants, principal investigator:

• Otto Mønsted-Guest Professorship, Otto Mønsted Foundation (2024)
  [~225 kDKK, visiting Professorship for Prof. Antonio Fernandez-Dominguez, UAM]
• Otto Mønsted-Guest Professorship, Otto Mønsted Foundation (2023)
  [~225 kDKK, visiting Professorship for Prof. Joel K. W. Yang, SUTD]
• Danish Council for Independent Research - Natural Sciences (2022-2025)
  "Polaritons in twisted bilayer materials"
  [FNU grant #2032-00045B, ~2.9 MDKK]
  
• Elite Researcher Prize, Independent Research Fund Denmark (2018-2021)
  [grant #7079-00043B, 1 MDKK]
• Otto Mønsted-Guest Professorship, Otto Mønsted Foundation (2016)
  [~70 kDKK, visiting Professorship for Prof. Jian Zi, Fudan]
• Otto Mønsted-Guest Professorship, Otto Mønsted Foundation (2014)
  [~200 kDKK, visiting Professorship for Prof. Lasse Jensen, PennState]
• Danish-Korean International Network Programme
  Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovations (2014)
  [grant #1370-00035B, ~270 kDKK, network activity with Prof. Min-Kyo Seo, KAIST + Prof. Sergey Bozhevolnyi, SDU]
  
• Two-year Postdoctoral  Block Stipend, VILLUM Fonden (2013-2014)
  "Quantum Plasmonics"
  [grant #341/300-123012, ~1.1 MDKK]
  
• Danish Council for Independent Research - Natural Sciences (2013-2016)
  "Theory of quantum plasmonics"
  [FNU grant #12-133429,~4.2 MDKK]
  
• Sino-Danish Scientific and Technological Cooperation
  Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation  (2012)
  [grant #11-120370, ~155.000 DKK, network activity with Prof. Hongxing Xu, Chinese Academy of Sciences + Prof. Linfang Shen, Zhejiang Univ.]
  
• Sino-Danish Scientific and Technological Cooperation
  Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation  (2010-2011)
  [grant #09-075623, ~200.000 DKK, network activity with Prof. Sailing He, Zhejiang Univ.]
  
• Danish Research Council for Technology and Production Sciences (2007-2011)
  "Theory of chiral-liquid optofluidics for lab-on-a-chip applications in bio-chemistry and pharmacology"
  [FTP grant #274-07-0080, ~1.9 MDKK] 
  
• Strategic Program for Young Researchers, Danish Council for Strategic Research (2005-2009)
  "Theory of opto-nanofluidic Lab-on-a-chip systems"
  [DSF grant #2117-05-0037, ~2.7 MDKK]
  
  

Centers of Excellence grants, co-applicant and key-investigator:

• Danish National Research Foundation (2018-2021)
  Center of Excellence "Center for Nanostructured Graphene (CNG-II)"
  [DNRF grant, ~36 MDKK, with Prof. A.-P. Jauho et al.]
  
• Danish National Research Foundation (2011-2017)
  Center of Excellence "Center for Nanostructured Graphene (CNG)"
  [DNRF grant, ~54 MDKK, with Prof. A.-P. Jauho et al.]
  
• Villum Kann Rasmussen Foundation (2008-2014)
  Center of Excellence "NAnophotonics for TErabit Communications (NATEC)"
  [VKR grant, ~25 MDKK, with Prof. J. Mørk et al.]
  
  

Research grants, co-applicant:

• Korea-Nordic R&D Network Program
  National Research Foundation of Korea (2022)
  [grant no. 2022K2A9A2A23000272, ~14 kEUR, with Prof. Min Seok Jang, KAIST]
  
• US-Sino-Danish International Network Programme
  Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovations (2017)
  [grant #6144-00098, ~290 kDKK, network activity with Prof. Sanshui Xiao, DTU + Prof. Jianing Chen (CAS) + Prof. Jiming Bao (Houston Univ.)]
• Sino-Danish International Network Programme
  Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovations (2017)
  [grant #6144-00047, ~290 kDKK, network activity with Prof. Anders Kristensen, DTU + Prof. Jianfang Wang (CUHK)]
  
• US-Danish International Network Programme
  Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovations (2016)
  [grant #5132-00070B, ~290 kDKK, network activity with Prof. Anders Kristensen, DTU + Prof. Halas, Prof. Nordlander, and Prof. Link @ Rice Univ.]
  
• Israel-Danish International Network Programme
  Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovations (2014-2015)
  [grant #1370-00124B, ~290 kDKK, network activity with Prof. Anders Kristensen, DTU + Prof. Uriel Levy, HUJI]
  
• Sino-Danish Scientific and Technological Cooperation
  Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (2011)
  [grant #10-098282, ~280.000 DKK, with Prof. A. Lavrinenko, network activity Prof. Lei Zhou, Fudan Univ. + Prof. C.T. Chan, HKUST]
  
• Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation (2010-2013)
  "NanoPlast - advanced technology platform"
  [HTF grant #007-2010-2, ~50 MDKK, with Prof. R. Taboryski et al. ]
  
• Danish Research Council for Technology and Production Sciences (2010-2013)
  "Separation of Macromolecules by Photonic Crystal Defects Chromatography (PCDC)"
  [FTP grant #10-082409, ~5.5 MDKK, with Prof. O. Hassager]
  
• Danish National Advanced Technology Foundation (2007-2011)
  "Wireless coupling in small autonomous devices"
  [HTF grant #004-2007-1, ~10 MDKK, with Dr. L. Lading et al.]
  
• Danish Research Council for Technology and Production Sciences (2006-2010)
  "Toplogy Optimization of Electromagmetic Metamaterials for Miniaturization of Wireless Communication Antennas (TopAnt)"
  [FTP grant #274-06-0507, ~4.9 MDKK, with Prof. O. Breinbjerg and Prof. O. Sigmund]
  
• Danish Research Council for Technology and Production Sciences (2006-2009)
  "Photonic crystal refractive index detection for nanofluidic chemical separation systems"
  [FTP grant #274-06-0193, ~4.5 MDKK, with Prof. J.P. Kutter]
  

Miscellaneous grants (equipment, computing, workshops etc.):

• Novo Nordisk Fonden (2019) [15 MDKK, recruitment/start-up package (unexploited), with Prof. S.I. Bozhevolnyi and Prof. H. Bindslev]
  
• Novo Nordisk Fonden (2018) [0.5 MDKK, with Prof. S.I. Bozhevolnyi]
  
• Thomas B. Thriges Fond (2018) [50 kDKK, with Prof. S.I. Bozhevolnyi]
  
• Carlsberg Foundation (2017) [60 kDKK, with Prof. S.I. Bozhevolnyi]
  
• Ib Henriksens fond (2014) [100 kDKK]
  
• Carlsberg Foundation (2014) [200 kDKK]
  
• Ib Henriksens fond (2007) [75 kDKK, with Prof. M. Brandbyge]
  
  

Memberships (international):

• American Physical Society (APS), elected Fellow
• Optical Society of America (OSA), elected Fellow
• The International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE), elected Fellow
• Institute of Physics (IOP), elected Fellow
• European Academy of Sciences (EurASc), elected Fellow
• European Physical Society (EPS)
• European Optical Society (EOS)
• American Chemical Society (ACS)
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
  
  

Memberships (national):

• Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters (KDVS), elected Member
• Danish Academy of Technical Sciences (ATV), elected Member
• Danish Academy of Natural Sciences (DNA), elected Member
• Danish Physical Society (DFS)
• The Danish Society of Engineers (IDA) 
  
  

Conference & meeting activities:

• Member of local organizing committee, IXX International Workshop on Optical Waveguide Theory and Numerical Modelling (Technical University of Denmark, April 27-28, 2007)
• Program committee, Nanostructured Thin Films V, SPIE Optics + Photonics (2012)
• Program committee, Nanostructured Thin Films VI, SPIE Optics + Photonics (2013)
• Sub-committee, The 34th PIERS in Stockholm (2013)
• Focus-session organizer, The 34th PIERS in Stockholm (2013)
• Advisory & Program committee, ICMAP 2013 - 1st International Conference on Microwave & Photonics (2013)
• Sub-committee, The 35th PIERS in Guangzhou (2014)
• Focus-session organizer, The 35th PIERS in Guangzhou (2014)
• Advisory & Program committee, ICMAP 2015 - 2nd International Conference on Microwave & Photonics (2015)
• Scientific and technical program committee, SSP7 - 7th International Conference on Surface Plasmon Photonics in Jerusalem (2015)
• Technical program committee, 9th International Congress on Advanced Electromagnetic Materials in Microwaves and Optics, "Metamaterials 2015" in Oxford (2015)
• Scientific committee, Trends in resonant nanophotonics, European Optical Society Bi-Annual Meeting (EOSAM) in Berlin (2016)
• Co-chair, 9th International Conference on Surface Plasmon Photonics (SPP9) in Copenhagen (2019)

Editorial work:

• AAAS Editorial Board Member & Associate Editor for Science Advances (2020-present)
  
• Editorial Board Member for Nanophotonics (2020-present )
  
• IOP Editorial Board Member for Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter (2017-2022)
  
• Editorial Board Member for Applied Sciences (2020-2022)
  
• OSA Editoral Board Member & Associate Editor for Optics Express (2010-2016)
  
• Special Issue Editor, Proceedings of SPP9, Nanophotonics (2020)
  
• Special Issue Editor, Topological Nanophotonics, Nanophotonics (2019)
  
• Special Issue Editor, Proceedings of SPP7, Optics Express (2015)
  

Peer-review journal referee for APS, OSA, ACS, AIP, IOP, IEEE, EOS, SPIE, AAAS, NPG, Elsevier, Springer & Wiley journals, including [see also publons.com/a/483924/]:

• Physical Review Letters (APS)
• Science (AAAS)
• Science Advances (AAAS)
• Nature Communications (NPG)
• Nature Materials (NPG)
• Nature Nanotechnology (NPG)
• Nature Photonics (NPG)
• Light: Science & Application (NPG)
• Applied Physics Letters (AIP)
• Nano Letters (ACS)
• ACS Nano (ACS)
• ACS Photonics (ACS)
• Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters (ACS)
• Optica (OSA)
• Optics Letters (OSA)
• Optics Express (OSA)
• Journal of Lightwave Technology (OSA/IEEE)
• Photonics Technology Letters (IEEE)
• IEEE Photonics Journal (IEEE)
• Reports on Progress in Physics (IOP)
• Journal of European Optical Society, Rapid Publications (EOS)
• Journal of Nanophotonics (SPIE)
• Advanced Materials (Wiley)

Mentoring of postdoctoral researchers:

• See list at Physics Tree.

Supervision of PhD theses:

• See PhD tree at Physics Tree.

Review of PhD theses (international committee appointments and remote reviews):

• Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm: Wei Yan (2010), Srinivasan Iyer (2012)
• Chalmers University of Technology: Kunli Xiong (2017), Tobias Wenger (2017)
• University of Iceland: Michael Juhl (2018)
• Aalto University: Xuerong Hu (2021)
• Humboldt University of Berlin: Julie Werra (2016)
• Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg: Andreas Geilen (2024)
• Friedrich-Schiller Universität Jena: Thomas Kaiser (2018), Jan Sperrhake (2022)
• ETH Zürich: Andreas Messner (2021)
• University of Warsaw: Krzysztof M. Czajkowski (2022)
• Université Côte d'Azur: Nicolai Schmitt (2018)
• Institute of Photonic Sciences, Barcelona: Renwen Yu (2019), David Alcaraz Iranzo (2020), Eduardo Dias (2022)
• Universidad de Santiago de Compostela: Xesus Manoel Bendana Sueiro (2013)
• The Hebrew University of Jerusalem: Liron Stern (2016)
• Technical University of Berlin: Robert Salzwedel (2023)
• Imperial College London: Aenaeas Wiener (2014), Alexandra Crai (2019)
• Heriot-Watt University: David Romeu Nave Carvalho (2018)
• Indian School of Mines: Suvendumohan Srichandan Mishra (2011)
• National University of Singapore: Yinghong Gu (2011)
• University of Sydney: Cameron Smith (2009)

Review of PhD theses (national committee appointments):

• University of Copenhagen: Mia Harring Hansen (2018)
• Technical University of Denmark: Kristian Tølbøl Sørensen (2018), Affan Kaysa Waafi (2023), Sergey Lepeshov (2023), George Kountouris (2024), Konstantinos Tsoukalas (2024), Dorte Rubæk Danielsen (2024)
• University of Southern Denmark: Anders Pors (2012)
• Aarhus University: Maj Frederiksen (2013), Thomas Mikael Schmidt (2013)
• Aalborg University: Søren Brun (2011), Troels Rønnow (2011), Søren Jacob Brun (2016), Farzad Bonabi (2019)

Chairman of PhD review committees:

• Technical University of Denmark: Dzmitry Shyroki (2008), Jakob Houmark (2009), Toke Lund-Hansen (2009), Troels Markussen (2009), Johannes Weirich (2010), Stephan Smolka (2010), Yuntian Chen (2010), Henri Thyrrestrup Nielsen (2011), Lirong Yang (2011), Per Kær Nielsen (2012), Christopher Lüscher (2013), Maksim Zalkovskij (2013), Christoffer Peder Nielsen (2015), Mikkel Settnes (2015), Villads Johansen (2015), Nikolaj Feidenhans'l (2016), Oleg Lysenko (2016)

Review of habilitation theses (committee appointments):

• Friedrich Schiller University Jena: Dmitry Chigrin (2014), Jer-Shing Huang (2017)

Grant-proposal reviews (committee appointments):

• Novo Nordic Foundation [NNF] (2019-2025)
• National Science Centre, Poland (2024)
• Research Council of Norway [RCN] (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
• National Research Council Canada [NRC] (2018)
• Academy of Finland (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)

Grant-proposal reviews (ad hoc services & assignments):

• United States - Israel Binational Science Foundation [BSF] (2007, 2017)
• The Danish Research Council for Technology and Production Sciences [FTP] (2007)
• Israel Science Foundation [ISF] (2008, 2010, 2014)
• Hercules Stichting (2008)
• Swiss National Science Foundation (2008)
• F.R.S.-FNRS Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024)
• Deanship of Scientific Research, King Fahd University of Petrol and Minerals (2011, 2012, 2020)
• Belgian Science Policy Office [BELSPO] (2012)
• The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey [TUBITAK] (2012)
• The Romanian National Council for Scientific Research (2012)
• Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences / Wallenberg Foundation (2012)
• Israel Strategic Alternative Energy Foundation [I-SAEF] (2013)
• F.R.S.-FNRS Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique / Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (2013)
• National Science Centre, Poland (2013, 2015, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024)
• Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research [NWO] (2014)
• French National Agency of Research [ANR] (2014)
• Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [DFG] (2014)
• Research Foundation - Flanders [FWO] (2015)
• European Research Council [ERC] (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022)
• Science Foundation Ireland [SFI] (2019)
• Iceland Research Fund [IRF] (2022)
• Irish Research Council [IRC] (2023)
• Swedish Research Council [SRC] (2023)
• National Research Foundation - Singapore [NRF] (2024)