French ambassador François Zimeray and Henrik C. Wegener at the ceremony at the French embassy in Copenhagen. Photo: the French embassy.
DTU's Provost Henrik C. Wegener becomes knight of French order. Photo: the French embassy.

DTU's Provost becomes knight of French order

Food, fish and agriculture
DTU's Executive Vice President and Provost, Henrik Wegener, has been appointed Knight of the French order l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of the Academic Palms).

Henrik C. Wegener has received the award for his efforts within global food safety which for 20 years was the focal point for both his research career and his managerial experience.

Photo: The French embassy
 l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques were presented to Henrik Wegener by the French ambassador, François Zimeray, on Friday, 8 April 2016. Photo: the French Embassy.

In 1994, Henrik Wegener was the driving force behind the establishment of the Dansk Zoonose Centre—one of the cornerstones of the Danish efforts against salmonella. Internationally, he has played a leading role in the establishment of WHO’s network for combating food-borne diseases, as well as in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance.

In 2006 he became head of department at the National Food Institute under the Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research—now DTU Food. Over the years, he has worked closely with French researchers, among other things, at Institut Pasteur. In 2011, Henrik Wegener took up the position as Provost of DTU.

In February 2016, he was appointed chairman of the European Commission's newly formed group of independent, scientific advisors, Scientific Advice Mechanism. The group will advise the Commission in cases where there is a need for a strong basis for making decisions of great importance to the everyday lives of Europeans. For example within climate, energy, and food.