Federal Cross of Merit for Professor Brigitte Jockusch Strategic vision and ethical sensitivity

University Professor (ret.) Brigitte M. Jockusch
Photo credit: hj

She was an expert advisor to the DFG and a member of the Science Council, the Leopoldina, the Board of Trustees of the Volkswagen Foundation and the Ombudsman for Science – to name just a few stages of her involvement. Professor Brigitte Jockusch’s main occupation was Professor of Cell Biology at our university until 2004, researching the role of the cytoskeleton in tissue formation in vertebrates, including humans.

She was extremely active as a researcher, which is documented in the founding of high-ranking nationwide collaborative research projects. For example, she was the founding spokesperson and project leader of the DFG Collaborative Research Centre “Pathobiochemie zellulärer Wechselwirkungen” (Pathobiochemistry of Cellular Interactions), founding spokesperson and project leader of DFG Research Group 237 “Regulation, Modifikation und Organisation von Strukturproteinen” (Regulation, Modification and Organisation of Structural Proteins) and founding spokesperson, member and advisor of an International Graduate College of the State of Lower Saxony/Tel Aviv, Israel. Even after her retirement, she continued her active research work undiminished and also took on other honorary tasks.

Award of the Federal Cross of Merit to retired University Professor Brigitte M. Jockusch on 21 September 2021 by the Lord Mayor of the City of Freiburg im Breisgau Martin Horn. Photo credit: wj

Now, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has awarded her the Cross of Merit 1st Class of the Federal Republic of Germany. “This high distinction recognises the extraordinary abilities, strategic foresight and ethical sensitivity with which Prof. Dr. Jockusch has contributed in a highly responsible position over decades to adapting the science system in Germany to the constantly changing requirements and thus making it fit for the future,” the citation reads.