1993

The degree of Ph.D. in tropical biology was approved by the University of Aarhus on 20 December. Thesis title: ‘Investigations of ground herbs in two tropical lowland rain forests’, advisor: Dr Ivan Nielsen.

1990

Cand. scient. (M.Sc.) in tropical biology, October, University of Aarhus, Denmark. Thesis title: ‘Ground herbs in a hectare plot of tropical lowland rain forest in Eastern Ecuador’, advisor: Dr Henrik Balslev.

2003–2006

From 1 Dec, based three years at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh funded by the Carlsberg Foundation to carry out the project ‘Phylogeny and systematics of the ginger genus Etlingera in SE Asia’.

Nov 2003 Consultant one month for Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Bogor, Indonesia to conduct a ‘Quality assessment of ground herb identifications from plots in Bulungan, East Kalimantan’. The expertise in identification of vouchers from ecological plot studies has always been best on woody plants. Therefore, CIFOR hired me to check ca. 1500 non-woody specimens from an inventory they had conducted.

2002–3

Study grant sponsored by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (Nederlands Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO)) on the project entitled ‘A revision of the genus Etlingera (Zingiberaceae) with main focus on the Bornean species’. 12 months starting 15 Sep based at the National Herbarium Nederland, Leiden, The Netherlands.

99–2001

Employed as Chief Technical Advisor with the qualification as associate professor (lektorkvalificeret) on the project named 'Collaboration on biodiversity between Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and Danish Universities' funded by DANCED (Danish Co-operation for Environment and Development) from 15 April 1999 – 15 June 2001. This project was planned jointly with Dr Finn Borchsenius, University of Aarhus.

The project involved capacity building at a new university including compiling a research strategy for the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation on projects focusing on the effect of human disturbance on different organisms. We co-ordinated more than 40 Malaysian and Danish MSc and PhD students conducted their projects on this topic in terrestrial, marine or freshwater ecosystems. We also developed a curriculum structure and conducted courses, established a new herbarium, and trained staff in herbarium management and curation. Several students and course participants were staff from various institutions in Sabah such as Sabah Parks and Forestry Research Centre in Sepilok as well as 15 Danish MSc students. I supervised six botanical MSc projects.

Member of the Technical Advisory Group in another DANCED project ‘Management of Maliau Basin Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia’ 1999–2001.

1997–99

Assistant professor (forskningsadjunkt) at the department of Systematic Botany, University of Aarhus (1 August 1997–15 April 1999) except for the month of November 1998 (see below).

1996–98

Employed by a project funded by ENRECA/DANIDA at the University of Copenhagen to supervise and train two Ugandan PhD-students at the Makerere University, Uganda in botanical inventories of lianas and epiphytes in forests of western Uganda (1 November–31 December 1996, 1–30 June 1997, 1–30 November 1998).

1994–96

Employed as post doc (1 January 1994 – 31 October 1996) at the Danish Centre for Tropical Biodiversity (CTB) with office space at the Botanical Museum, University of Copenhagen on a project on floristic inventory and vegetation analyses of understorey herbaceous plants in tropical Africa (Uganda and the Democratic republic of Congo) and South America (Ecuador).

1993

Curator / research assistant professor (forskningsadjunkt) at the University of Copenhagen (1 November – 31 December) at the Botanical Museum with c. 60% curation duties in the general herbarium (C) with main responsibility for the accession of specimens collected on the Flora Hellenica project. The remaining c. 40% of the time was spent on my own research on edaphic specialization of neotropical pteridophytes.

2009

Co-supervising students:
Nicky Sharp, MSc project, Edinburgh, entitled "The taxonomy and phylogeny of Alpinia melichroa (K. Schum.) K. Schum. and its allies in Sulawesi" completed Sep.
Yessi Santika, MSc project, The Agricultural Institute, Bogor, Indonesia, entitled "A Phylogenetic Study of Alpinia Roxb. Subgenus Dieramalpinia Section Myriocrater", ongoing.
Nurainas, PhD project, Andalas University, Sumatra, Indonesia, entitled " Hornstedtia (Zingiberaceae) of Sumatra", ongoing.

2008

2004

External advisor on an MSc project on the ecology of ground herbs in the Philippines.

2003

Giving a lecture and demonstrating on practicals as part of the course ‘Plant families of SE Asia’ conducted at The National Herbarium of The Netherlands.

Co-examinator (with Henning Adsersen) of an MSc student, Kristian Kjeldsen, at the University of Copenhagen defending his thesis entitled: ‘Effects of commercial logging on rain forest herbs in northeastern Borneo

99–2002

Co-advisor for several MSc students involved in the UMS/DANCED project mainly on botanical projects and response of plant species composition and richness to the impact of logging.

External advisor on an MSc project on ethnobotany of gingers in PNG and on an MSc project on invasive Polygonaceae in Denmark.

2000

Developing and teaching a modular course in Biogeography at UMS.

1999

Assisting Anders Barfod in the graduate level course ‘Plant Geography’, (spring semester) contributing with lectures on Mediterranean vegetation and a guest lecture on temperate rain forest in New Zealand and Tasmania.

Oral examination in January in the course described below.

1998

Management of the graduate level course ‘Danish vegetation types and their management’ with two excursions in May, 6-day field course to Northern Jutland in July, and lectures and seminars September–December.

Assisting Prof. Balslev at the graduate level course ‘Tropical Ecology’, (autumn semester) contributing with four double lectures and eight seminars.

External examinator (censor) on the MSc thesis titled ‘Anura: their diversity and methods for studying them’ by Mette Mejsen Westergaard, Department for Population Biology, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. 4 November.

External examinator (censor) on the MSc thesis titled ‘The influence of disturbance on the status and regeneration of selected forests in the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania’ by Grace Yohana Moshi, University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. October.

1997

Lectures and seminars at the graduate level course ‘Danish vegetation types and their management’ and assistant lecturer with Prof. Henrik Balslev at the graduate level course ‘Tropical Ecology’ (September–December).

Advisor on a BSc project by Signe Øvre and Christina Hansen ‘Aspects of the biology of Ficus sur and Ficus glumosa in Delta du Saloum National Park, Senegal’. All at the University of Aarhus.

1995–99

External supervisor for the ENRECA/DANIDA-funded Ph.D.-students David Hafashimana and Gerald Eilu at the Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda (Prof. Ib Friis was the official Danish supervisor).

1993

Lecturing and running practicals at the first year biology course ‘Biology 1, Cormophytes’, (September–October), University of Aarhus.

1987–93

Assistant teacher at the University of Aarhus. This involved:

1. Excursions to heathlands, oak woods, and spring habitats during the secondary level course ‘General Botany’ (1992).
2. Field courses in plant identification, Rydhave (1987, 1992, 1993) as well as field excursion in the secondary level course ‘Plant Geography’ on Dovre Fjeld, Norway (1988, 1992).
3. Teaching at the courses "General Botany" (1987, 1988) and ‘Biology 1, Cormophytes’ (1988, 1991).

2009

Sulawesi (2 months fieldwork).

2008

Sulawesi and Papua New Guinea (3 months fieldwork).

2007

Papua New Guinea (1 month fieldwork during Galathea 3).

2006

Sarawak and Sabah (2 weeks completing ginger book projects); Singapore (1 week symposium participation); Thailand, Sumatra and Java (3 months fieldwork); Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea (6 weeks fieldwork during Galathea 3).

2004

Sumatra and Java (2 months fieldwork); Sarawak (1 months fieldwork).

2003

Borneo (3.5 months fieldwork in Sarawak and Kalimantan).

2002

Borneo (4 months fieldwork in Sabah and Sarawak).

2001

Papua New Guinea (1 month fieldwork and herbarium studies)

Indonesia, Australia and Singapore (1 month herbarium databasing of gingers).

2000

Based in Sabah, Borneo, organizing several expeditions to various parts of Sabah. Three non-collecting visits to Sarawak and one to Peninsular Malaysia.

1999

Based in Sabah, Borneo. Australia (2 week field excursion).

1998

Uganda (2 weeks, PhD-student supervision); Sabah, Borneo (5 weeks, planning research programme, fieldwork).

1997

Sabah, Borneo (1 week, inception workshop); Uganda (3 weeks, supervising in the field); Zimbabwe (2 weeks, conference and excursions); New Zealand (3 weeks, ecotourism).

1996

Uganda (2 weeks, supervising in the field); Ecuador (1 month, fieldwork); Congo (6 weeks, fieldwork); Uganda (1 month, fieldwork).

1995

Uganda (5 months, fieldwork), Congo (2 weeks, preliminary fieldwork).

1994

Uganda (4 months, fieldwork).

1993

Brunei (1 week, conference, 1 week fieldwork). Sarawak (1 week co-supervision).

1992

Brunei (3 months, fieldwork); Spain (2 weeks, excursion and holiday)

1991

Brunei, Borneo (5 months, fieldwork); Australia (1 month, holiday).

1990

Provence, France (1 week, excursion).

1989

Greenland (1 month, botanical excursion).

1988

Amazonian Ecuador (3 months, fieldwork); Galapagos (ecotourism).

1987

Crete, Greece (8 days, excursion).

1985

Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Hawaii (10 months, working holiday, volunteer field assistant).

1997–

On request, I have been reviewing papers for Ecotropica, Edinburgh Journal of Botany, Journal of Tropical Ecology, Journal of Tropical Forest Science, Kew Bulletin, and Singapore Gardens Bulletin.

Fieldwork in Sulawesi (phase 2 of Wallacea Project) sponsored by: Augustinus Foundation, Blaxal Valentine Awards (Royal Horticultural Society) and Davis Expedition Fund, Edinburgh University.

Project on Wallacea sponsored by: Carlsberg Foundation.

Participation in Galathea 3 sponsored by: TK Foundation, Det Asiatiske Kompagnis Almennyttige Fond, Alice og Torben Frimodts Fond.

2003

Financial contribution from Frimodt Heineke’s Foundation and Julie von Müllens Foundation to a ginger expedition to Kalimantan. Fieldwork was conducted Sep 2003.

2002

HRH Crown Prince Frederik's Foundation granted support for an expedition to collect gingers in Borneo. Fieldwork was conducted at several sites in Sarawak in Oct-Dec.

The 'Biodiversity Grant' from WWF Denmark & Novo Nordisk was given to support my proposed project "Gingers of the Bornean Highland" - a project with the objective to document the species richness of gingers, their vernacular names (in Lundayeh and Kelabit languages) and uses in Ulu Padas (Sabah) and Bario Highlands (Sarawak). Fieldwork was completed in Mar-Apr.

Seminar entitled “Etlingera of Sulawesi”, Herbarium Bogoriense, Cibinong Science Centre, Jawa, Indonesia, 4 March.
Oral presentations at the 5th International Ginger Symposium “Etlingera of Sulawesi: species richness, distribution and conservation status”, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, China, 9 July.
Lectures at Wailalak University, Thailand, on the genus Etlingera, 16–17 July.
Oral presentations at Southeast Asian Gateway Evolution entitled “The ginger genus Etlingera and Wallace's Line”, Royal Holloway, London, 17 Sep.

2003

Invited lecturer at the symposium ‘Plant diversity and complexity patterns – local, regional and global dimensions’, 25–28 May, The Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters, Copenhagen, Denmark, presenting the talk ‘Forest plant diversity along the Albertine Rift, Africa ’.

2002

Invited guest lecturer at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh presenting ‘A study of species richness and ethnobotany of gingers in the Bornean Highlands’, June.

2001

Presenting a poster at the 5th Flora Malesiana Symposium, Sydney, entitled: ‘The ginger genus Etlingera’, Sep.

2000

Presenting a paper "Can ground herbs be assessed in large plots in tropical rain forest?" at a conference organized by the Centre for Tropical Forestry Science in Singapore, June.

1999

Poster at the British Ecological Society's annual meeting in March: Tuomisto, H., Poulsen, A. D., Ruokolainen, K., Moran, R. C., Quintana, C., Celi, J. & Cañas G. Linking floristic patterns in Amazonian rainforests with soil heterogeneity and satellite imagery.

1998

Chairman and presenting the paper by Balslev, H. & Poulsen, A. D. “Protocols or methods for botanical tropical canopy research?” at the Tropical Forest Canopies Conference in Oxford 12–18 December.

1997

Guest lecturer at University of Turku, Finland, 21. October 1997, title: "Vegetation studies in rain forests of Eastern and Central Africa".

The paper "A review of African forest Zingiberaceae" was presented at the 15th conference organised by the Association pour l'etude taxonomique de la flore d'Afrique Tropicale (AET FAT) in Harare, Zimbabwe, 4 February.

1996

Lectures at: the Catholic University, Quito, Ecuador, 4 April, title: "Ground herbs studies in Tropical Forests"; the Royal Geographical Society, London, 17 October, title: "Studies of the herbaceous ground plants in the Batu Apoi Forest Reserve, Brunei"; and the Makerere University, Uganda, 12 December, title: "Wild gingers in Western Ugandan forests".

1995

Pteridophyte Symposium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, July, where a paper was presented (see list of publications).

1995

Participant in Flora Malesiana meeting, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, July.

1994

Tropical Biology Association Course, Makerere University Biological Field Station, Kibale, Uganda (July). Lectures, field exercises in the nearby forest, as well as group discussions on methodology for vegetation studies in tropical rain forests, 30 participants; half European - half African.

1994

During a presentation tour in England (spring), planned in collaboration with Dr Jon Lovett, lectures were presented concerning previous studies. Future project ideas on studies in African forest within the framework of the CTB was proposed and discussed. The title of the lecture was: "Ground herb inventories in lowland rain forests of Amazonia and Borneo" and it was presented at the Dept. of Botany, School of Plant Sciences (Reading); Dept. of Plant Sciences (Oxford); Dept. of Plant Sciences (Cambridge); The Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (Canterbury); Royal Botanic Gardens (Kew) as well as on The Natural History Museum (London).

1993

Lecturer at the conference "Tropical Rain Forest Research - Current Issues." Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Borneo, April, where two papers where presented (see list of publications).

1993

Participant in a 10-days course in multivariate analyses at Väkstbiologisk Institut, Uppsala, Sweden. Teacher: Prof. Eddy van der Maarel.

1989–93

Lecturing in the university courses in "Tropical Ecology" (1989, 1990, 1992) and "Plant geography" (1990, 1993), University of Aarhus.

1989–97

Lecturer at the Scandinavian Symposia "Botanical Research in the Andes and Western Amazonia" on Sandbjerg, Denmark (1989); Turku, Finland (1991) and Bergen, Norway (1993); participant Århus (1997).

1989

Guest lecturer at the Institute of Systematic Botany, Utrecht, Holland, presenting results from my M.Sc. project in Ecuador.

Science Festival, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to show visitors (mostly children) in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh how botanist do fieldwork, 14 April.
"Gingers of the World", opening of the John Hope Gateway, 7 Oct.

2004

Christensen, H. & Poulsen, A. D. 2004. Ny ingefær-art opdaget. (New ginger species discovered) Skov & Folk 20(1): 10–11.

2002–3

Awareness talks to school children and the general public in Sarawak, Borneo, on gingers and natural resources.

2001

Photographs to the book by Lise Penter Madsen, ‘Egen forskning – egen fremtid,’ Udenrigministeriet, Danida. Photographs on page 16 and 18.

1999

Naturens Verden, co-author on two papers in a special issue on the activities of Centre for Tropical Biodiversity.

1998

A lecture titled "Planter på skovbunden i tropiske regnskove" (Plants on the forest floor in tropical rain forests) was presented 9 November 19.30–21.15. Folkeuniversitetet i Odense, Denmark.

1995

Newspaper article: Axel Dalberg Poulsen. Planterigets skatkammer. Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten: Back cover in "Viden om natur, teknik og forskning", Monday 1 May, 3/4 page, four colour photographs and map.

1995

Botanical guide on "Wildflowers Day", Denmark.

1994

Cranbrook, Earl of & Edwards, D. S. Belalong, a tropical rainforest. The Royal Geographical Society & Sun Tree Publishing. Singapore. 389 pp. Contribution 11 pages of text and 21 colour photographs.

1993

Editing and translation from English to Danish of Prance, G. Amazonskoven: Indbegrebet af biodiversitet. Naturens Verden 5: 192–196.

1990-92

One of the organizers of the exhibition "Alle Tiders Regnskov" (Rain Forests of All Times) at Moesgård Museum at Aarhus, Teknisk Museum in Helsingør and Hollufgård at Odense. More than 50 000 visitors saw the exhibitions.

1987–90

Employed as guide at the greenhouses in the Botanical Gardens, University of Aarhus, Denmark.

1985–

Presentation of numerous lectures for the general public on tropical rain forest at schools, high schools etc. throughout Denmark.