Two knights of Dannebrog
Jørgen E. Olesen and Bent Tolstrup Christensen have been admitted to the Order of Dannebrog and have received the prestigious Knight's Cross.
The Order of the Dannebrog is a Danish order of knights, which was established by Christian 5 in 1671. The statutes from 1693 state that the order is an honor to those "who by virtue, faithful servant and manly deeds have made themselves famous above others." The appointments are usually made on the basis of nominations, and it is the reigning monarch, ie Queen Margrethe II, who awards the Knight's Cross.
Following a recommendation from Dean Eskild Holm Nielsen, Bent Tolstrup Christensen and Jørgen E. Olesen have been admitted to the Order of Dannebrog and have received the Knight's Cross and an invitation to an audience with the Regent.
"We have to remember to hand it back when we are no longer here," says Jørgen E. Olesen, as he tries to open the nice little red box, which contains the famous knight's cross.
Shortly afterwards, Bent Tolstrup Christensen also shows up with a small red box in his hand. And together they discuss whether they can attach the Knight's Cross to their clothes when the picture is to be taken.
"There is a set of rules with a dress code for when we can wear the Knight's Cross," explains Bent Tolstrup Christensen, and he intends to abide by it.
So, the picture of the two proud professors is taken with the Knight's Cross in his hands, while the autumn sun makes the golden leaves in the trees light up in the background. And they are allowed to be proud, to become part of the Order of Dannebrog is reserved only for the few.
"So, it is a great honor," says Bent Tolstrup Christensen, and Jørgen E. Olesen nods in agreement. "Imagine that there are two of our kind here in the department," he says, laughing to his sidekick.
When the two will be in audience with the regent, they do not know yet, but when it will be, it will be in the stiffest plaster, so that the Knight's Cross dress code will be abided.
The following is an excerpt from the dean's recommendation of the two professors:
Bent Tolstrup Christensen
” Since 1981, Bent Tolstrup Christensen has had his daily work at Statens Planteavlsforsøg and since the Department of Agroecology. In his research efforts, Bent Tolstrup Christensen has focused on a large number of aspects related to the preservation of the fertility of the cultivated soil. Here, the long-term fertilizer experiments that were carried out in 1894 at Askov Experimental Station have been an important foundation. Bent Tolstrup Christensen has for more than three decades led these internationally unique experiments and ensured a number of results of fundamental scientific and societal value.
Over the years, Bent Tolstrup Christensen has led a large number of major research initiatives, including to shed light on the interplay between agricultural production and environmental impact. It has brought about a very significant scientific production (309 publications, December 2020), including research related to prehistoric archeology, decay of antibiotic resistance genes in cultivated soil, accumulation of unwanted heavy metals in the soil, as well as research into the potential for carbon storage. In addition, the research has had a large application perspective, especially with regard to optimizing resource utilization in plant production and reducing the environmental impact resulting from a reduction in the soil's carbon stock and loss of plant nutrients. ”
After 40 years of employment with the state, a wealth of positions of trust and appointments, Bent Tolstrup Christensen has been admitted to the Order of Dannebrog in 2021 and has thus received the Knight's Cross, in recognition of his professional vision, but also his personal integrity, loyalty and desire to contribute to not only research, but also in society.
Jørgen E. Olesen
Throughout his career, Jørgen E. Olesen has researched sustainable agricultural production that provides food, energy and materials with regard to the environment, climate and nature. His research is characterized by strong interdisciplinary collaborations, where he has been a leader in ensuring research collaboration based on solid basic knowledge and innovative solutions. However, Jørgen E. Olesen's core area is agriculture and climate change, and as one of the very few researchers internationally, he covers both the impact of climate change on agricultural production and agricultural emissions of greenhouse gases, both at a very high international level.
Jørgen E. Olesen is thus an internationally highly recognized researcher in agriculture and climate, and he is one of the most internationally cited researchers in the field. He has thus since 2018 been one of the world's 6000 most cited researchers (highly cited researcher, Clarivate).
Jørgen E. Olesen has a very comprehensive publication with 319 articles in international journals and books with peer review, of which 15 are highly cited articles (Web of Science). In addition, there are 113 research reports, 235 articles at conferences and 184 in popular science articles. His publications are extremely well cited, which can be seen with an h-index of 59 (Web of Science).
Overall, Jørgen E. Olesen, through excellent leadership and research at the highest international level, has made a great effort to advise the Government, the business community and the population on the interaction between agriculture, climate and the environment. This has ensured a high quality in the decisions that are the basis for the green transformation of agriculture, and which will have to be one of the cornerstones of societal development over the coming decades. ”