By Caspar Birk, AAU Kommunikation og Public Affairs
Photo: Lars Horn / Baghuset

Research in electrical engineering gives us the opportunity to make better use of energy in wind turbines, electric cars, motor control and a wide range of other energy systems, where the power must be used more efficiently and stably. And the best researcher to find solutions in this essential area is Danish, says Frede Blaabjerg and is a professor at Aalborg University.

This is shown by the latest publication from the platform Research.com, which looks widely in recognized scientific databases to make their rankings. They lift Frede Blaabjerg to the very top of the list and place him as number one ahead of researchers from Northwestern University and Princeton University in the United States, among others.

Frede Blaabjerg himself takes the recognition in his stride and points out that the importance of research cannot only be measured in rankings.

"It's nice to be recognized for your work. I really appreciate that. But I am at least as proud of having educated 85 PhD students during my career and of the many exciting things that have come out of it. Research is not something you can succeed with alone. It requires talented colleagues, strong students and an environment where you work long-term with problems that matter," says Frede Blaabjerg.

Research that changes the world

The location is not just a personal recognition. It also emphasizes that Danish research has a strong position on electrical engineering, which is crucial for the electrification of society and the green transition. In short, electrical engineering is about the electrical systems, components, and controls that make energy be produced, transformed, stored, and used efficiently. 

Rector of Aalborg University, Per Michael Johansen, calls the ranking an important recognition of both Frede Blaabjerg and Danish research.

"For many years, Frede Blaabjerg has been the world's leading researcher in energy technology. His research has had a huge impact on the green transition, and together with his international team, he has helped build a strong Danish and global position in energy research. Frede is of huge importance to Aalborg University and our world-leading position in the field of engineering, but first and foremost, it is a gain for Denmark that we have research at this level," says Rector Per Michael Johansen.

More first places

This is not the first time that Frede Blaabjerg has been at the top of an international ranking. At ScholarGPS, he is at the top both over the past five years and also throughout his career. The same goes for the prestigious Stanford Ranking, where he has been No. 1 in electrical engineering in both 2024 and 2025 as well as No. 2 throughout his career.

Therefore, Tejs Vegge, professor at the Department of Energy Conversion and Storage at DTU, can hardly find enough words of praise for his colleague, with whom he works closely as co-leads of the Pioneer Center CAPeX.

"It is simply fantastic to work so closely with Frede Blaabjerg. He is nothing less than the world's greatest scientific capacity in electrical engineering. At the same time, he is completely down to earth and one of the most pleasant people to work with. Fredes Blaabjerg's importance to Aalborg University and Danish research cannot be underestimated, and it is gratifying that he also receives the national and international recognition he deserves," says Tejs Vegge.