By Kim Rathcke Jensen, AAU Communication and Public Affairs
File photo: AAU

Most of us never think about glass. It’s just there. But look around. 

You’re probably reading this text through a layer of glass on your phone or computer. 

If you lift your head, perhaps you’re looking out through a window pane. And maybe you also had a glass of water today. In short, we are surrounded by glass.

But glass is just glass, right?

"No, glass is a mystery. We use it in all sorts of ways, but there are so many fundamental issues that are difficult to understand. In our research, we are trying to find the answers to the very fundamental things that we still don't know about glass," says Morten Mattrup Smedskjær. 

The 41-year-old Morten Mattrup Smedskjær, Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, is one of the world's leading researchers in glass, and over the past 12 years he has built a world-class research group. This is one of the reasons why he is now receiving the Elite Research Prize 2025.

I’m really honoured. I also see the award as recognition of the fact that Aalborg has created a research environment that can measure up to the best in the world," says Morten Mattrup Smedskjær of Aalbog University.

The prize is awarded annually by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science to early-career researchers whose research is of international excellence and who conduct ground-breaking basic research that contributes to solving global challenges.

Glass for batteries and bones

Morten mentions, for example, when we insulate our house with Rockwool that’s glass going into the wall. And all telecom and internet traffic is also dependent on cables with glass fibres that can transport our data. 

However, Morten would rather not speculate too much if he has to look into the crystal ball and give an estimate of what we will use glass for in the future. 

"But glass will have more uses. Examples include self-repairing glass and bioactive glass that can be used for bone regeneration. Instead of implanting metal, it can be glass that releases bone minerals that can rebuild the bone," says Morten Mattrup Smedskjær.

Morten and his group are also doing research on new battery materials. Today, for example, lithium-ion batteries are used in electric cars that transport the ions in a liquid. This has advantages and disadvantages. 

Bumps in the road

However, this does not mean that Morten works constantly. He believes that he works less than many people think. 

"Of course, I'm at conferences abroad, but when I'm in Aalborg, it's probably 40-45 hours a week," says Morten. 

Another of Morten's points is that you need to remember life outside the office and the lab. 

"I don't have any time-consuming interests besides my passion for research, but I run and strength train. It's also important for my mental health," says Morten Mattrup Smedskjær, who lives with his wife in Aalborg and the couple's 9-year-old son. 

And then he also encourages you to do something with your hands:

"We have a garden. And when you do something out there, you can see that something is happening."