1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Carlsberg foundation annual Review 2020 Content 1 2 3 Strategy with purpose 46 9. How is digital misinformation spread? 3 FLEMMING BESENBACHER REBECCA ADLER-NISSEN 4 12 1. After the crisis comes international law 51 10. The Aesthetics of Welfare 5 MIKAEL RASK MADSEN LASSE HORNE KJÆLDGAARD 6 16 2. The ecology of the sea in formulae 54 11. The global anatomy of abrupt climate changes 7 THOMAS KIØRBOE SUNE OLANDER RASMUSSEN 8 9 20 3. Developing a vaccine, antiviral drugs and 58 12. Why do harmless, wood-decay Mycena fungi suddenly 10 diagnostic kits for COVID-19 invade live plant roots? ALI SALANTI AND JØRGEN KJEMS CHRISTOFFER BUGGE HARDER 11 12 26 4. Can we predict infection before it happens? 62 13. Uncertain archives 13 MICHAEL BANG PETERSEN KRISTIN VEEL 14 30 5. Understanding COVID-19 and the future Disease 65 14. New possibilities in yeast breeding: robots, 15 X in the light of historical pandemics AI and wild yeast 16 LONE SIMONSEN CLAES GJERMANSEN, JOCHEN FÖRSTER OG BIRGITTE SKADHAUGE 33 6. Ancient rice and global food security 71 15. The Museum of National History at Frederiksborg in 2019, ESKE WILLERSLEV with a glance to the future METTE SKOUGAARD OG THOMAS LYNGBY 38 7 . Palmyrene funerary portraits between corpus, conflict and art market 77 16. DKK 55 million for youth innovation, engagement RUBINA RAJA and entrepreneurship PETER GIACOMELLO 42 8 . Is there a genetic reason why some people survived the plague? TOM GILBERT / 2 Carlsberg foundation annual Review 2020 Strategy with purpose 1 2 Here in 2020, Denmark has faced what is probably its biggest enlightened and scientific basis and are not just born of gut 3 crisis since the Second World War; a health crisis in the form instinct. It is vital that science is allowed to play the socially 4 of COVID-19. The virus, which hit Denmark at the start of beneficial and independent role for which it has the potential, 5 March, resulted in an assertive and authoritative lockdown and in this the Carlsberg Foundation has its own important 6 of the country. It has been impressive to see how the Danes role to play. FLEMMING BESENBACHER 7 Professor, DrSc, Dr.h.c.mult., have shown trust in their prime minister, the government and 8 FRSC Chairman the health authorities. We have stood together and listened Politicians should listen to and trust in science, and practise 9 to the numerous orders and requests to adopt appropriate, what I would call “science-based politics”. And this is true for 10 considerate behaviour. Happily, we have therefore come the health crisis, the economic crisis and, no less importantly, through the health crisis, but only to find ourselves in a sizeable the climate crisis. Because science holds one of the keys for 11 economic crisis with consequences as yet unknown. These opening the door to a more sustainable society tomorrow than 12 two crises are naturally at the forefront of both the public the one human beings are offering today when it comes to 13 consciousness and the media, but we also need to remind human health, the global economy and the planet’s long-term 14 It is exceedingly ourselves that before COVID-19 emerged, creating fear and sustainable welfare. 15 difficult“ to make recession, we had a climate crisis of a scale and severity that 16 absolutely cannot be forgotten, the health and economic crises Investment in science, research and innovation is a project that predictions, notwithstanding. We are therefore faced with the unavoidable is by no means reserved for the elite and times of fair wind and particularly about task and responsibility of having to simultaneously address economic growth. It is a project by the people for the people. the future three crises. And if we are to succeed in this, it will require fresh Long-term investment in excellent research is an investment insight, new knowledge and novel breakthroughs, which can in Denmark retaining, in the decades ahead, its status as one only happen if science is activated, integrated and respected. of the wealthiest, most egalitarian and free societies in an ” increasingly globalised world. During the corona crisis, it was Niels Bohr As a society, we must at all times listen to the skilled researchers therefore entirely natural that we in the Carlsberg family’s trinity and scientists, and we must ensure that the health and of foundations – the Carlsberg Foundation, the New Carlsberg economic modelling and political decision-making have an Foundation and the Tuborg Foundation – showed agility in / 3 Carlsberg foundation annual Review 2020 quickly allocating funding not just for research, but also for adopted the Foundation’s first formal strategy, which will art, culture and civil society. The Carlsberg Foundation has guide our work over the next five years. With an overarching supported a number of projects aimed at obtaining scientific narrative, four universal principles and four focus areas, the new insight in areas such as new vaccines, diagnosis and treatment strategy comprises a unifying framework for the Foundation’s 1 of COVID-19, the progression of pandemics, the behaviour numerous funding and communication activities, setting an 2 of Danes and the importance of the home during lockdown inspiring direction for new initiatives. 3 of a society. Because it is in the DNA of J.C. Jacobsen, the 4 founder of Carlsberg and the Carlsberg Foundation – the DNA The strategy does not, of course, alter the Carlsberg Foundation’s 5 that the Carlsberg Foundation was established to protect and purpose to support basic research within the natural sciences, 6 perpetuate – to take responsibility for and give back to society. humanities and social sciences. This purpose was set out by 7 Not least at a time like this when Denmark and the world are J.C. Jacobsen in the Foundation’s first Charter of 1876 and 8 in crisis and undergoing monumental change. expresses his will, which we aspire to honour and respect. 9 10 An unshakeable foundation, but a new narrative The basic purpose of the strategy has been to challenge At the end of 2019, the Carlsberg Foundation’s board of directors and develop the Foundation and our instruments so that 11 12 Aspiration 13 We brew knowledge for a brighter future 14 Cross-cutting strategic principles 15 Strengthen talent development – Promote diversity – Revitalise cultural values and knowledge – Communicate effectively 16 Strategic focus areas and objectives Future-proofbasic research Invest in new knowledge Collaborate internationally Strengthen the Carlsberg family Reinforce and future-proof the basis for Support new knowledge creation Take knowledge from Denmark to the world Strengthen the foundations and realise basic research of the highest quality to catalyse social development –and bring home the best synergies across the Carlsberg family Charter Promote and support the natural sciences, mathematics and philosophy, the humanities and the social sciences / 4 Carlsberg foundation annual Review 2020 we can contribute optimally to the development of Danish talents gain international experience, which gives them an society through research. The board of directors has therefore international outlook and invaluable networks. That is why critically evaluated all our instruments in relation to the world we support research posts abroad for young newly qualified in which the Foundation and Danish research currently find PhD holders. With this postdoc instrument, we are trying to 1 themselves, and on that basis we have tried to achieve a strengthen the young talents even more so they have better 2 better understanding of how the Foundation can create even conditions to self-finance further development of their research 3 greater social value. The new strategy will also help to increase profile at an early stage in their careers. Another postdoc 4 our transparency and clarity in communications about the instrument has been created to ensure that, following a research 5 Foundation’s work. post abroad, young research talents return to Denmark with 6 new knowledge that will benefit both Danish research and 7 Among other things, the strategy work led to the formulation Danish society. 8 of a general aspiration for the Foundation’s work as a 9 whole, expressed in the narrative: “We brew knowledge for The Foundation’s strategy also has a special focus on newly 10 a brighter future”. The narrative (see box) does not describe appointed associate professors, as a number of studies have the Foundation’s specific activities, but sets the general tones shown an “hourglass effect”, which describes the challenges 11 for Bildung as well as the capacity for self-reflection and that young associate professors face in attracting their own 12 scientifically based societal development. In other words, the funding. The alternative is that they become overly reliant, 13 narrative expresses the Foundation’s change theory, namely in financial and research terms, on a more senior professor, 14 that it is not just science itself, but also a deeper understanding which experience shows is not conducive to a successful career. 15 of the role of science for society and the individual, that is 16 essential for being able to make smart decisions that can lead both society and the individual towards a better and more sustainable future. In today’s world, it is absolutely vital that the“ very best young Strengthening talent development research talents gain international The Carlsberg Foundation’s core activity is research funding, experience, which gives them but our strategic focus is young talents with the potential an international outlook and to establish independent research groups and subsequently invaluable networks become established independent elite researchers.