Christoffer Lythcke-Elberling

Describe your field of work and current role
I work with sustainable shipping as Head of Transition Modeling & Analytics in the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. My functional area covers data science, model development, and transition analytics – which basically means analyzing how technologies, business models & regulations in shipping interacts, and forecast what stimuli and developments the shipping ecosystem that are needed to drive a sustainable decarbonization.

What has your path been from starting at university until today?
I started my bachelor's in mechanical engineering thinking I was going to become a management consultant – but quickly realized how my passion for sustainable energy could also become the focal point for my education & career. I therefore proceeded with a masters in sustainable energy at DTU and ended up pursuing a Ph.D. in applied thermodynamics, where I developed a methodology for designing and optimizing industrial symbioses around bio- or e-fuel production facilities.
After finishing my Ph.D., I joined Ørsted, where I applied my analytical skills to optimize the operational setup of offshore wind farms. I later joined Ørsted’s P2X Growth team as lead of the Green Ammonia project pipeline, until I took on my current role as Head of Transition Modelling & Analytics

What can be done to strengthen applied STEM research & innovation in Denmark?
Working in the industry, one thing I have observed is how R&D projects & proposals are sometimes not presented in a way that triggers company interest. Including business understanding as an integral part of STEM educational curriculum could perhaps help improve communication between STEM R&D on one side, and companies on the other? I have at least experienced how basic ‘business development’ principles, such as clarifying value propositions, competitive edges and running feasibility studies, can help both convey relevant proposals, as well as sharpen the project idea itself.

What will you use your YATSI membership for?
On a general level, I wish to help improve collaboration between academia and industry as part of making Denmark a world-class STEM R&D hotspot. And on a personal level, I look forward to being inspired by the amazing group of people in YATSI.

Who's the person behind the member?
I have four wonderful kids and an amazing wife, so ‘family person’ would not be the wrong label to stick on me. I also really enjoy good food & cooking, having a beer and discussing politics & society development with friends, going for long walks with my family, and reading. And I recharge my batteries and clear my head by going for long runs in my local area (that’s my ‘meditation’).