Dr. Brenda Milner short-listed for NSERC Herzberg Gold Medal
Pioneering neuropsychologist named as finalist for Canada’s most prestigious science prize
Dr. Brenda Milner, the Dorothy J. Killam Professor at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) and Professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University, has been named one of three finalists for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) 2008 Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering.
Internationally renowned as one of the most important neuroscientists of her time, Dr. Milner’s pioneering research laid the groundwork for the creation of an entirely new scientific discipline. Nobel Prize winner Eric Kandel described her work as creating the field of cognitive neuroscience by merging neurology and psychology.
“I am delighted to be a finalist,” Dr. Milner said. “This is a great honour, not only for myself but also for my students and colleagues without whom this achievement would not have been possible.”
Dr. Milner began her research at the MNI in 1950 as a graduate student. Her work focused on designing and carrying out rigorous tests of Wilder Penfield’s neurosurgical patients, which helped define the functional areas of the brain. It was at this time Dr. Milner met and began her seminal work on memory formation with H.M., an epilepsy patient who had severe memory impairment following the removal of the medial temporal lobes on both sides of his brain.
"Dr. Milner’s research has paved the way for great advances in the field of neuroscience," said Denis Thérien, Vice-Principal (Research and International Relations). "To be among the finalists for the Herzberg Gold Medal is a remarkable testament to the excellence and influence of Brenda Milner’s work. McGill is so proud to be the home of such an eminent scholar."
This NSERC honour is but the latest in a long list of accolades for Dr. Milner. She has been inducted into the National Academy of Sciences (USA), the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Royal Society of London and the Royal Society of Canada. In 2005, she was awarded the prestigious international Gairdner Award and in 2004 she was promoted to a Companion of the Order of Canada, the highest honour within the Order.
Named for Canadian Nobel laureate Gerhard Herzberg, the annual prize is widely recognized as Canada’s most prestigious science award. The Medal, which will increase the winner’s research funding to $1 million over the next five years, will be awarded at a ceremony on March 16 at the Tribute to Research Excellence Celebration in Ottawa.
NSERC is a federal agency whose vision is to help make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians. The agency supports some 26,500 university students and postdoctoral fellows in their advanced studies. NSERC promotes discovery by funding more than 11,800 university professors every year and fosters innovation by encouraging more than 1,400 Canadian companies to participate and invest in postsecondary research projects.
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