The SLU Medals for Distinguished Service

Last changed: 12 April 2023

SLU annually awards three Medals for Distinguished Service to employees whose efforts “benefit SLU or the sector in which SLU works”, or to a young, promising talent in a wide sense.

SLU:s förtjänstmedalj

The last day to nominate is May 1, 2023.

  • The Great Medal for Distinguished Service is awarded for research efforts deemed "remarkable from an international perspective".
  • The smaller Gold Medal for Distinguished Service rewards "exemplary, exceptional efforts of lasting value".
  • The Silver Medal for Distinguished Service is awarded to a young, promising talent at SLU who is encouraged to continue their activities in the same exemplary manner in the future, "preferably within the innovation and collaboration field".

The medals are awarded in connection with the doctoral degree award ceremony at the beginning of October.

Nominations

All SLU employees have the right to nominate someone for the awards. Nominations must be submitted in writing, a maximum of two pages, and should contain both a presentation of the nominee as well as a justification. Special attention should be given to formulate how the nominee's efforts have benefited SLU or the sector in which it is active. If more than one employee has signed the nomination, you must list who is the main proposer and contact if any questions should arise.

Vice-Chancellor Mårten Carlsson's Award

Every other year, Vice-Chancellor Mårten Carlsson's Award is also presented, at the same time as the Medals for Distinguished Service. The next time will be in 2024. Read here how you can nominate to this award

More on the medals

Background

The medals were instituted through a decision by the SLU Board in April 2009 and were awarded for the first time in 2010. The SLU Board also decides who will receive the medals.

An award committee consisting of the vice-chancellor, the four deans, the chair of SLUSS and Deputy Academy Ceremony Steward Helena Pennlöv Smedberg – managing member and secretary – will prepare the decision for the SLU Board.

The Great Medal for Distinguished Service is, as described below, awarded for research efforts. The smaller gold medal rewards other efforts. The Silver Medal for Distinguished Service goes to a young, promising talent.

The SLU Great Medal for Distinguished Service

The Great Medal for Distinguished Service is made of gold and has a diameter of 43 mm. It is given to a researcher who for a long time, and with great personal effort, has carried out work that benefits SLU or the sector in which the university is active.

The recipient must be at the end of their professional career, or have completed it, and they must have contributed an exemplary, exceptional effort, in principle during their entire career. In order to receive the medal, the recipient's research must be remarkable from an international perspective.

The Gold SLU Medal for Distinguished Service

The Gold Medal for Distinguished Service has a diameter of 31 mm. The recipient is someone who has made an exemplary and exceptional effort of lasting value for SLU or the sector in which the university is active.

The Silver SLU Medal for Distinguished Service

The Silver Medal for Distinguished Service has a diameter of 31 mm. It is awarded to a promising talent at SLU who is encouraged to continue their activities in the same exemplary manner in the future. It is preferably given to reward efforts within the field of innovation and collaboration.

Nominations

All SLU employees have the right to nominate someone for the awards. Nominations must be submitted in writing, a maximum of two pages, and should contain both a presentation of the nominee as well as a justification. Special attention should be given to formulate how the nominee's efforts have benefited SLU or the sector in which it is active. If more than one employee has signed the nomination, you must list who is the main proposer and contact if any questions should arise.

If you have any questions about the medals, contact Deputy Academy Ceremony Steward Helena Pennlöv Smedberg - contact details below.

Previous recipients

  • 2023: Geoffrey Daniel, Lotta Berg and Jonas Hentati Sundberg
  • 2022: Harry Blokhuis, María Rosario García Gil and Michael Bertram

  • 2021: Ing-Marie Gren, Ulf Magnusson and Johan Lundqvist

  • 2020: Jan Stenlid, Magnus Appelberg and Marie Rhodin

  • 2019: Göran Ågren, Eva Jeppson-Eldrot and Charles Melnyk

  • 2018: Professor Emerita Barbara Ekbom, Professor Ulf Gärdenfors and Senior Lecturer Anna Wallenbeck

  • 2017: Professor Janken Myrdal, Senior Lecturer Cecilia Waldenström and Associate Senior Lecturer Elin Röös

  • 2016: Professor Kjell Danell, Professor Roland von Bothmer and Researcher Rebecka Westin

  • 2015: Professor Bo Algers, Senior Adviser Catharina Stenborg-Blom and Senior Lecturer Gabriella Lindgren

  • 2014: Professor Arvid Uggla, Experiment Group Leader Ulf Johansson and Researcher Lutz Ahrens

  • 2013: Professor Sara von Arnold, Professor Stefan Alenius and Research Associate Matilda Olstorpe

  • 2012: Emeritus Professor Per Åman, Researcher Hartmut Schüssler and Senior Lecturer Anna Rising

Contact

Helena Pennlöv Smedberg, Deputy Academy Ceremony Steward

Vice-Chancellor's Office, secretariat

helena.pennlov.smedberg@slu.se, +4618-67 15 42