Bridge builder awarded German honour

The German Ambassador, Wolfgang Ischinger, awarded the Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, first class, to Professor Ekhard Salje.

The ambassador praised Professor Salje for his exceptional academic work in Cambridge and in Germany in his two disciplines, Physics and Earth Sciences. He has greatly contributed to increased scientific cooperation between the UK and Germany. Alongside his considerable academic achievements, Professor Salje, together with his wife Lisa, contributed greatly to a better understanding between the two countries through many events in music, arts and humanities.

In presenting the Order, Ambassador Ischinger said: “We owe a great debt of gratitude to bridge builders like Professor Salje. With exceptional dedication he has laid the foundations for a special relationship in science and research between our countries on which future generations can continue to build.”

In his acceptance speech, Ekhard Salje focussed on the great opportunities which bi-lateral and European cooperation can bring: “The year 2007 will see some of the most important changes in European academic life. The advent of the European Research Council, the start of the EU framework VII, and the fundamental reforms of the German university system can give significant support for collaborative research between the UK and Germany. These will also have the potential to trigger fundamental reforms on a broad level in other European countries.”

Professor Salje was elected President of Clare Hall,a postgraduate college which prides itself on welcoming scholars from all over the world, in 2001. He came to Cambridge after a distinguished career working in Germany, France, Switzerland, Japan, Spain and the USA. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Academiques and Honorary Fellow of Darwin College.

A series of programmes have been held over the course of the past year to mark Clare Hall’s 40th Anniversary, each based on a different country’s culture and traditions. The college will continue its international celebrations at the end of February with Irish Spring, a five day celebration of all things Irish, and in the middle of March there will be a visit from the Austrian Ambassador who will give a Lecture.