Danish scientist receives top award in China

On June 24 the Danish scientist and professor Mr Uffe Haagerup from University of Copenhagen was awarded the Honorary Doctoral Degree of the People’s Republic of China. The award was given for his contribution to pure mathematics and especially the operator algebra. The celebration took place at East China Normal University in Shanghai.

Mr Lars Christiansen, attaché at The Danish Innovation Centre in Shanghai, participated in the ceremony and held a congratulatory speech at the following reception. In his speech Mr Lars Christensen highlighted the prolific career of Mr Uffe Haagerup. He also mentioned that it is the third time that a Danish scientist receives the award.

In 1985 the award was given to Aage Niels Bohr, Nobel Laurete and nuclear physicist professor from University of Copenhagen, and in 1997 it was given to Jens Lindhard, professor and theoretical scientist and former president of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, from Aarhus University was the recipient.

Among other notable recipients of the award are Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, Noam Chomsky, Bill Gates and Ban Ki-moon.

The Honorary Doctoral Degree of the People’s Republic of China is a rare award that was set up in 1983. The Academic Degree Board of the State Council of China has awarded 277 honorary degrees in the past 30 years after receiving nominations from a short list of universities

Professor Mr Uffe Haagerup and President of East China Normal University Mr Dr. Qun Chen at the award ceremony.

Mr Uffe Haagerup is a professor in mathematics at the University of Copenhagen and fellow of Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters. He is also a holder of the prestigious Advanced Grant of the European Research Council, and recently he was awarded the European Latsis Prize, given to a scientist of group of scientists who in the view of their peers have had the greatest contribution to a particular field of European science.

It is the second time this year that a Dane receives a prize in China. In January 2013 Professor Flemming Besenbacher was the first Dane ever to receive the 2012 International Science and Technology Cooperation Award of the People’s Republic of China. The award was given at a ceremony in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Chinese president and premier were in attendance.

Flemming Besenbacher is a professor Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre at Aarhus University, Chairman of the Board of the Carlsberg Foundation and also fellow of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters.