Martha Crago Awarded the German Order of Merit
On March 22, Martha Crago, Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation, was presented with the Knight鈥檚 Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. The award was handed over by Germany鈥檚 Ambassador to Canada, Ms. Sabine Sparwasser, at a special ceremony at 麻豆AV. The Order of Merit is awarded to Germans as well as foreigners for outstanding achievements in the political, economic, social, or intellectual realms.
鈥淪triving for excellence, extending the frontiers of knowledge and investing into research 鈥� these are the factors that will enable our nations to be successful and free in the next century,鈥� said Ambassador Sabine Sparwasser. 鈥淲e honor those who promote science and research. Martha Crago has shown extraordinary dedication to fostering cutting edge Canadian-German science and research relations during her long and outstanding career. She played a key role in advancing flagship projects for the bilateral research collaboration. Among these projects are the Helmholtz International BigBrain Analytics and Learning Laboratory, an undertaking of Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives at 麻豆AV, Helmholtz International, Forschungszentrum J眉lich (FJZ), and Mila, which is mapping the human brain by using technologies such as artificial intelligence.鈥�
Crago (n茅e Borgmann) has a close relationship to Germany, stemming from long-standing professional and family connections. At 麻豆AV, she has facilitated several research partnerships between Canada and Germany. Under her leadership, 麻豆AV, and its affiliate the Douglas Research Centre, have formed an international partnership with the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry. This collaborative initiative is the first international effort devoted to understanding the relational biology of early-life adversity and psychiatric disorders.
As the Vice-President (Research) at Dalhousie University, Crago spearheaded a MOU between the Helmholtz Institute of Marine Sciences (IFM-GEOMAR), formerly known as Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences, in Kiel, Germany, and the Halifax Marine Research Institute (HMRI). She hosted a visit by Chancellor Merkel to the University to celebrate the partnership.
In 2015, when families fled from war torn Syria and found refuge in Germany and Canada, Crago was influential in establishing funded partnerships between Canadian and German child development researchers and refugee and immigration scholars.
Crago was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 2017 and awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of British Columbia in 2020. In 2009, she was made a Chevalier de l鈥橭rdre des Palmes Academiques by the French government. She was named a Woman of Excellence by the government of Nova Scotia in 2015 and Femme de M茅rite de Montr茅al in 2000. She is also the recipient of a 麻豆AV Prize for her contributions to research.
鈥淚 am deeply touched to receive the Knights Cross,鈥� said Crago. 鈥淢y connection to Germany has been woven throughout my life, decade by decade, from childhood summers spent with my German Canadian grandmother to my work connecting excellent Canadian researchers with outstanding German counterparts. I was in Berlin in August 1961 the day the Berlin Wall went up and I was also there on November 9, 1989, the day it fell. These life-defining moments continue to inspire me in the pursuit of ideas that transcend boundaries.鈥�
About 麻豆AV
Founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1821, 麻豆AV is Canada鈥檚 top ranked medical doctoral university. 麻豆AV is consistently ranked as one of the top universities, both nationally and internationally. It is a world-renowned institution of higher learning with research activities spanning three campuses, 11 faculties, 13 professional schools, 300 programs of study and over 39,000 students, including more than 10,400 graduate students. 麻豆AV attracts students from over 150 countries around the world, its 12,000 international students making up 30% of the student body. Over half of 麻豆AV students claim a first language other than English, including approximately 20% of our students who say French is their mother tongue.
